JOHN VELIS
This week, I want to help you understand some of the detail behind the topic of “local aid” and share my perspectives on this vital resource for our city.
In Massachusetts, the local aid that flows from the state to local governments falls into three basic categories:
• General Local Aid consists of lottery aid (revenue from state lottery profits) and additional assistance.
• Chapter 70 Education Aid, by far the largest portion of local aid, goes directly to our schools.
• Categorical Local Aid consists of a variety of smaller programs targeted for specific uses, such as libraries and veterans’ programs.
The formula the state uses to distribute local aid varies for each category. The lottery aid formula was designed to ensure that lower property wealth cities and towns receive more state aid.
Additional assistance had used a needs-based local aid formula that compared each city and town’s need (the estimated cost of providing local services, including schools) and contrasted this with the community’s ability to raise local tax revenue to meet its needs. This is no longer the case, as the state now level funds or cuts additional assistance.
In fact, general local aid has been cut 36 percent since 2008, more deeply than many other state programs, with Westfield specifically receiving 38 percent less in funding, representing a loss of over $3M for our community. That amounts to $79 less per person to fund our schools, police and fire protection, parks, and public works.
This is why I’m so passionate about securing additional funding for Westfield and continuing to keep local aid on the agenda for debate in Boston.
It will be my biggest priority to address the issue of the declining local aid that is distributed to our city. I am the victim of an unfortunate circumstance as I entered the role of State Representative at the end of the session. Before I was sworn into office, the House of Representatives voted to not discuss local aid during the budget process, meaning that us Representatives had to get innovative with the amendments we filed and get money back to our districts in other ways. That being said, I plan to work with Senator Humason’s office to come up with ideas about how we might be able to go about increasing local aid in any capacity before the end of session on July 31st.
Time is certainly ticking on this option. If nothing is done in the last week and a half of session, I will certainly not stop there. This issue is important to me and it needs to be resolved. Our cities and towns are suffering without the help of the funds that are rightfully ours. It is well-known that as local aid decreases, property taxes are increased to offset the losses. If local aid levels cannot be restored to the level they were at in 2007 before the end of this session then I will come into the next session approaching this problem with full force. As I have mentioned throughout my campaign and as I continue to stress to you, I will work side by side with Representatives and Senators from both parties to address this issue.
There have been two proposal questions placed on Westfield’s November ballot regarding the issue of local aid. Unfortunately, neither of these questions are binding, which means that even if they receive overwhelming support, the state is not required to act on them. Therefore, we must continue to address this issue on Beacon Hill. As I mentioned before, I plan to work with Senator Humason and other legislators to restore local aid to levels in 2007, before the recession. I encourage you to contact legislators throughout the Commonwealth to bring this topic to the forefront.
As always, feel free to contact either myself ([email protected]) or my Aide ([email protected]) with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
