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SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE
Agenda overview:
Agenda overview: Current fiscal status Suburban Coalition positions Next Steps
Current Status: FY09 - $2.1 billion budget deficit $128 million (10% mid-year cut to local aid)
FY10 - $3.1 billion budget gap $375 million cut to local aid on Governor’s FY10 budget Relief proposals from Governor:
1% increase in hotel/motel and meals taxes Close telecommunications tax loophole Easier access to GIC
Local option meals tax
Health Insurance: All aspects of health insurance must be bargained at the municipal level
To move to GIC (state plan), must get 70% union approval from all unions in a municipality Only 22 municipalities have joined GIC GIC is not the best solution for all municipalities At the state level, state can make plan design changes w/out union approval
Municipalities should be allowed the same latitude in plan design
If changes were made: Many towns would save $$ on insurance premiums More competition in the marketplace would help keep costs down
Allowing municipalities the same latitude is recommended by: Suburban Coalition Readiness Finance Commission Massachusetts Municipal Association Massachusetts Association of School Committees Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
Special Education: Special education placements are mandated by child’s IEP High cost, the “snow and ice” of the school budget Tuition increases can happen at any time during the year. Rate setting commission approves tuition increases in the double
digits Taming tuition increases would help districts predict and control
budget
Suburban Coalition Positions:
Limit private school tuition increases to no more than statewide increase in Chapter 70 funding and stop allowing mid-year increases
Review reasons why districts are reluctant to bring cases before the BSEA
School FY09 Tuition FY10 Tuition $ Increase % Increase
Latham Center 163,582 173,000 9,418 5.8%
Boston Higashi (residential) 148,542 166,539 17,997 12.1%
Kolbourne School 131,347 139,326 7,979 6.1%
The Walker School 69,075 86,400 17,325 25.1%
Franciscan Children's Home $43,759 * 69,359 25,600 58.5%
Boston Higashi(day program) 53,201 69,087 15,866 29.9%
Massasoit School 51,403 55,100 3,697 7.2%
Landmark 39,428 44,350 4,922 12.5%
Learning Prep 27,583 31,935 4,352 15.8%
Individual Tuitions Charged and Increases Approved
By Rate Setting Commission for FY10
Local Revenue: Governor’s FY2010 Budget Recommendation decreases
Local Aid by $375 million
Mitigation Proposals in Governor’s budget:
Raise meals tax 1% ($125 million) Raise hotel/motel tax 1% ($24 million) Close telecommunications property tax loophole ($80 million) Allow 1% hotel/motel and meals tax at local option
The Suburban Coalition supports all these proposals
Charter schools: Current funding formula drains money from public schools in an
unfair way. Money follows student – Charter school gets average per pupil
expenditure of district for each student. Choice tuition is $5000/student Charters are able to build unlimited reserves, public schools must
return unused funds to municipality
Charter tuition should be the same a choice tuition. Additional costs should be covered by the state
Reserves should be limited to the same amount as regional districts OR – Support funding proposals in Governor’s budget
recommendation
Capital spending:
No file sub-bids would allow better coordination between general and sub-contractors and would result in higher quality projects
Raising the dollar amount that triggers Prevailing Wage would allow municipalities to use local contractors for smaller jobs and would be cost effective
Next steps: Opportunities to coordinate activities
Suburban Coalition blog (www.subcoal.wordpress.com)
Gather and share your town’s data
Communicate with legislators House members: http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm Senate members: http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenus.htm
In person best – have someone who has a relationship with the legislator Email least effective
Finally
Suburban Coalition Annual Legislative Breakfast
Tuesday April 14th, 2009
The Great Hall – The State House
Beacon Hill
9:00-9:30 a.m.Coffee and Registration
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Speakers & discussion of legislative issues with local officials and Legislators