State lawmakers in Berkshire County say the new state budget is a success for the county – with some exceptions.
Almost three weeks after the new fiscal year started on July 1st, the Massachusetts House and Senate passed a compromise version of the state’s spending plan. Members of the Berkshire House delegation – all Democrats – were eager to underscore what would be making it back to their constituents from the roughly $43 billion budget.
“The biggest win for everybody in this conference committee budget was education," said State representative Paul Mark of the 2nd Berkshire District. He drew attention to Chapter 70, the state’s means of determining how to fund public elementary and secondary schools.
“We’re looking at what’s going to be the most ever funding for Chapter 70, not ever the most ever funding, but the biggest increase ever year over year," said Mark. "You’re looking at $5.18 billion, and that’s going to be really helpful I think in a lot of different places as we move toward looking to fully fund the foundation budget review recommendations and trying to reformulate the formula that’s been in place for over 20 years now, I think this is going to set us on the right path.”
Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier of the 3rd Berkshire district says it’s a significant victory for Pittsfield, the county’s largest community.
“Pittsfield is going to receive $5 million in Chapter 70 money over last year, so an increase of over $5 million over last year," said Farley-Bouvier. "The city budgeted for a little over $3 million, so they’re going to get even $2 million even more than they thought.”
Up in North County, 1st Berkshire District State Representative John Barrett said while the increase was laudable, the manner in which it was distributed left him disappointed.
“It really does not impact the Chapter 70 monies that are coming to our local communities," said the state representative. "Is there a positive impact? Yes, because we’ll be receiving more money for regional transportation, we’ll be receiving more money for the circuit breaker, which is going to put less burden on the school systems in my district, coming up with the money. It’ll also provide tax relief, because the communities that I represent, the taxpayer is really been carrying the burden of supporting education.”
Mark also noted the budget’s $345 million for the Special Ed Circuit Breaker.
“And that’s something that’s really important in some of the smaller communities I represent, where you have students with some special needs, and maybe it comes up more unexpectedly but it can be kind of a budget buster when it’s a really small community, and this circuit breaker helps local communities and local school districts, helps them along with some funding from the state,” Mark told WAMC.
He was also glad that funding for the Berkshire Opioid Task Force survived the conference committee.
“So this will be the second year that we’ve been able to do something working through the sheriff’s department and in collaboration with the Berkshire Opiate Abuse Collaborative, BOAPC, that works out of the regional planning commission," said Mark. "And it’s modeled after what we’ve been doing over in Franklin County with their opioid taskforce, and it’s getting them a dedicated stream of money which is important.”
Mark’s biggest disappointment is spending on higher ed, which he says is lagging behind the rest of the country.
“While we’re looking at some increases from what we were able to do last year, we’re probably looking at tuition increases at UMass and some of the other colleges, and I mean, that’s disappointing,” said Mark.
Farley-Bouvier noted that her district – almost the entirety of Pittsfield – would be able to pursue some projects with earmarks in the 2020 budget.
“We were able to secure the money for Pittsfield to do the feasibility study to look into becoming an independent internet provider,” she told WAMC.
Farley-Bouvier says the Tyler Street Lab – a collaborative community resource center in Pittsfield’s Morningside neighborhood that opened earlier this year – received funding for its rent in the budget as well.
“It’s $15,000," said the state representative. "It’s not quite enough to get through the year, but the idea is that each of the collaborators would be contributing their own funds to this, and so it was never the idea to pay for all, it was just to support them as they get going.”
To the south, 4th Berkshire District State Representative Smitty Pignatelli had his own wins for 2020.
“A county-wide initiative for youth development which actually started in my district about 12, 13 years ago is continually being funded in the state budget," Pignatelli told WAMC. "Greenagers, this is a wonderful new young organization getting younger people involved in the Berkshires with an understanding and appreciation of the environment here in the Berkshires, and are volunteering and repairing and maintaining trails throughout the Berkshires.”
Great Barrington-based nonprofit Community Access to the Arts – or CATA – received a new earmark in the budget.
“Doing some tremendous things for people with developmentally disabled folks throughout the Berkshires, which is established in my district," said Pignatelli. "So we’ve got a lot of good local projects with countywide impacts and that is what I’m really proud of.”
