Some local projects and programs dependent on earmarks inserted into the state budget by area legislators may have to wait after Gov. Maura T. Healey Friday vetoed $130 million before signing a $60.9 billion spending plan.
It was not immediately clear which, or whether all, pet projects added to the original House-and Senate-approved budget were cut. A release from the governor simply said the administration is “delaying payment on earmarked funds for local projects in the budget totaling approximately $125 million until later in the year when more is understood about their affordability.”
“We are also signing this budget in a moment of great dysfunction in Washington. The president is poised to sign a bill that’s going to kick hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents off their health care, increase energy and groceries prices and cost people their jobs,” Healey said in a Friday release.
State Reps. Andy X. Vargas and Ryan M. Hamilton and Sens. Pavel M. Payano and Barry R. Finegold had placed $650,000 in earmarks to local groups such as Historic New England, Pinnacle at the former UMass Innovation Hub, Haverhill Promise, Cogswell ArtSpace, Somebody Cares New England, Community Action’s MakeIT Haverhill, Girls Empowered Means Success, Greater Haverhill Foundation, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, Ruth’s House, Haverhill Boys and Girls Club, entrepreneurship programming at the city’s Gateway Academy, Ray of Hope for Haverhill, Urban Bridges for women entrepreneurs and Veterans Alliance of Greater Haverhill.
Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz made clear cuts were made in an attempt offset federal rollbacks designed to pay for President Donald Trump’s tax cuts. In a release, Gorzkowicz said, “This budget also takes proactive steps to make sure Massachusetts is prepared to confront an uncertain economic future.”
Healey noted a $100 million supplemental budget geared to education and transportation and paid by the so-called “millionaires tax,” will “provide a flexible pool of resources to quickly respond to changing economic conditions and federal spending decisions that will arise over the course of the year.” The governor also called attention to her approval of banning renter-paid broker’s fees and extending the ConnectorCare expansion pilot program, which increases access to affordable health care.
There were no cuts to unrestricted local and education aid. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll was also quoted as saying, “It saves renters thousands of dollars by eliminating broker’s fees, makes regional transit free, keeps community college cost-free, increases financial aid at state schools, makes it easier to find child care and protects free school meals.”