Following is a letter from Senator Joyce regarding the $36.5 billion budget passed by lawmakers yesterday. The budget now goes to the Governor for review. He can veto the budget, veto or adjust line items of the budget, make proposed amendments or changes to the budget and send it back to the legislature for approval, or sign it into law. 

Dear Neighbor,

The Massachusetts Legislature has passed a balanced budget that includes many of my priorities, including eliminating government redundancy; paying down pension liabilities to save taxpayer money in the future; and supporting early childhood education, mental health and substance abuse treatment services, senior home care, and veterans’ services.

The budget boosts school funding by $100 million, reduces the waitlist for early education services, increases funding for substance abuse treatment, and seeks to reduce caseloads at the Department of Children and Families. It also bumps funding to towns and municipalities which is put toward public safety and infrastructure improvement.

Additionally, several amendments for Milton supported by Representatives Dan Cullinane and Walter Timilty and me made the final version of the budget. These include:

• $300,000 as partial reimbursement for the extraordinary healthcare costs related to fully supporting injured Milton firefighter Antonio Pickens;
• $500,000 for maintenance and use of the Trailside Museum and Chickatawbut Hill Education Center;
• $250,000 for the geriatric program at Beth Israel in Milton, and;
• $100,000 for the Blue Hills Observatory.

As always, it is an honor to represent you and your family in the Massachusetts Senate.

Sincerely,

Senator Brian A. Joyce