Senate Releases Fair Share Package Investing in Public Education, Transportation Statewide
Allocates More Than $1 Billion Collected Under Voter-Approved Ballot Law
BOSTON— The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday released a $1.28 billion plan to invest in public education and transportation across the Commonwealth.
The proposal, S.2512, primarily uses funds from the Fair Share surtax, which is paid by households in Massachusetts earning more than $1 million per year, to expand career and technical education opportunities, to help construction projects at local schools and college campuses, and to support public transit and road and bridge funding for city and town governments.
The supplemental budget maintains the Senate’s commitment to prioritizing regional equity by providing direct support to special education across school districts, funding rural roads and bridges, funding capital improvements for statewide public bus transportation, and making infrastructure upgrades at Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities.
“This supplemental budget reflects our values as a Commonwealth, prioritizing equitable access to high-quality public education for every student, regardless of zip code or circumstance,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “From expanded special education support to major investments in career and technical education, public higher ed, and early literacy, this proposal helps ensure that students of all backgrounds have the tools they need to succeed. I’m also proud that it includes for the first time ever funding to expand higher education opportunities in our state prisons, an essential step toward rehabilitation, workforce readiness, and breaking cycles of incarceration. In addition, the budget makes long-overdue investments in transportation infrastructure, including the MBTA, Regional Transit Authorities, local roads and bridges, and microtransit, ensuring residents across the Commonwealth are better connected to jobs, education, and services.”
“This legislation invests in our future. I’m especially proud of the major investment it commits to expanding capacity at career and technical education programs, which is the fulfillment of a pledge I made on the very first day of this term,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D–Ashland). “Career-oriented education is vital as we prepare students for personal success, build up our workforce, and develop our economy to lead the nation in the years to come. The $100 million directed toward these programs will help prepare Bay Staters for their future careers—from health care to horticulture, construction to criminal justice, and biotech to business tech.”
“I’m pleased to advance this Fair Share supplemental budget out of committee, prioritizing regional equity while maintaining fiscal integrity during these highly uncertain times,” said Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael J. Rodrigues (D–Westport). “By utilizing almost $1.3 billion in one-time surplus surtax revenues, the proposal strengthens the Commonwealth’s economic foundation by making meaningful investments in education and transportation. Despite previous reports alleging millionaires would leave Massachusetts, recent data shows that the number of millionaires has actually increased in our state, and the use of these surplus Fair Share revenues is here to prove it.”
The overwhelming success of the Fair Share amendment to the Constitution—voted for by residents in 2022—generated more than $1 billion over initial projections in fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
The Fair Share spending bill contains restricted one-time investments in public education and transportation initiatives, including a total of $613 million in education spending and $670 million in transportation funding. The Fair Share spending bill is expected to be followed later in the month by Senate debate on the state’s annual general budget.
Education investments
The spending bill fulfilled the state's promises to educate all students, including special education students. It did so through covering 75% of so-called circuit breaker costs, totaling $248 million. Circuit breaker reimbursements help local school districts fund out-of-district placements for students with disabilities, such as dyslexia, autism, and Down Syndrome, who require education from private schools.
The education investments in the supplemental budget also include funding for:
Public Higher Education Deferred Maintenance: $175 million for higher education overall, including $10 million for lab resources for community colleges following the success of MassEducate.
Career Technical Education Capital Grants: $100 million to expand capacity and accommodate additional career technical education opportunities.
Local School Construction Relief: $50 million to support cities, towns and school districts experiencing extraordinary school construction increases due to inflation.
Literacy Growth: $25 million to support accelerated literacy growth for students in kindergarten through grade 3.
English Language Learning Programs: $10 million for educational grants to reduce the waitlist for services for speakers of languages other than English to learn English and subsequently help fill in-demand jobs.
Transportation investments
The transportation investments in the supplemental budget include funding for:
MBTA Improvements and Infrastructure Upgrades: $370 million for improvements and transportation infrastructure upgrades across the MBTA system including:
$200 million to replenish the MBTA budget reserve after the MBTA’s recent usage of reserve funds to support operations;
$100 million in workforce and safety training to implement improvements recommended by the Federal Transit Administration;
$50 million for commuter rail system maintenance and infrastructure upgrades; and
$20 million for the MBTA’s low-income fare relief program.
Local Road Improvements: $190 million for shovel-ready transportation improvements to roads, bridges, and culverts.
Regional Equity in Transportation: $105 million for regional transit initiatives including:
$50 million for capital improvements to equipment and facilities at Regional Transit Authorities, which serve and connect all regions of the Commonwealth;
$25 million for efforts to improve workforce recruitment and retention at the Regional Transit Authorities;
$20 million for ferry infrastructure improvements; and
$10 million for on-demand micro-transit shuttles and Last Mile grants fostering an innovative multimodal transit system
The Senate passed the bill on May 8, and with different versions having passed both chambers of the Legislature, the branches will now work to resolve their differences before sending a compromise bill to the Governor for her signature.
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