The Massachusetts State Budget: State Aid to Education

Ken O’Brien

As The O’Zone pointed out yesterday, state aid is a vital component of the town’s budget.

Aid for general government constitutes between 12% and 13% of total non-education expenses.

But this is trivial when compared to the portion of Southbridge’s education budget underwritten by state aid. During the fiscal year at least 71% of the town’s education budget is provided by state funding.

The Massachusetts State Budget: Non-Education Local Aid

Ken O’Brien

Southbridge’s FY 2013 non-education budget totals $21,641,836. Of that total, $2,760,518 or 12.8% is projected to come from unrestricted general government local aid from the state. In FY 2012 state aid constituted the same dollar amount, but represented only 12.4% of the town’s non-education budget.

Clearly any funding source that comprises 12% to 13% of the town budget is a matter of serious concern. While it does not rise to anywhere near the $17,650,872 in Chapter 70 funds that underwrite the town’s education budget, 71% of the total, any threat to local aid funding could have dire effects on the town. 

An Overview Of The FY 2013 Massachusetts Budget

Ken O’Brien

The FY 2013 Massachusetts state budget has been enacted and the spending blueprint for the year is now in place.

There is no revenue from new taxes in the FY 2013 budget. Of all the proposals in this budget process, only the Governor included new taxes—among them an increase in the cigarette tax and an end to the sales tax exemption for candy and soda. None of these taxes was included in the final budget.