Add your Voice to the Discussion on the FY2011 Budget

Posted by:
Elizabeth Clay, Director of Grassroots Governance

The Administration is required to present a balanced budget to the legislature for fiscal year 2011 in late January and it is important for all to be engaged in the conversation on what government should do and how we pay for it. These are difficult economic times and we are all facing them together as a Commonwealth. As we enter into the new budget cycle, we will need to think creatively about solutions for the difficult choices ahead of us. What areas would you prioritize and where would you cut? What ideas do you have for how to provide better services at lower costs?

Last Monday, Secretary Ian Bowles kicked-off the first series public meetings on the FY2011 Budget.  The Governor and top officials of the Administration will host meetings in communities throughout the Commonwealth through the month of December. These meetings are opportunities for the Administration to hear public input and incorporate it before Governor compiles budget recommendations.

These meetings will take the form of Budget Hearings, to provide an opportunity for any interested parties to submit formal testimony on specific fiscal issues; and Budget Forums, designed as a space for a community conversation about the budget with senior Administration officials.

 
Slides from the brief budget overview presented at each meeting

For more information about the budget meetings, please visit www.mass.gov/governor/forums 

Comments

[Elizabeth Clay, Director of Grassroots Governance]

Thanks David and Joe for your suggestions on charter schools and revenue-collection.
The Governor and his Cabinet are asking for input on the FY11 budget through various channels- new media such as this blog, 19 forums around the state, letters, phone calls, emails and office visits. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[Joe Smith]

There may be a significant amount of tax revenue lost because of under-reporting. It is not clear that small business contractors are sufficiently regulated that all income is properly reported, and it may be even more likely for contractors that live out of state.

It is in the best interest of cities and towns to monitor work on properties to ensure that codes are properly followed and the costs for inspections are collected through fees associated with building permits. These type of projects cover a portion of the small business contractor work in the state. So the city or town should be the enforcement agency to ensure that the proper permits are in place.

The state should tap into the city/town permit data base to record the income for these small businesses as a means to verify that income is properly reported. Without "raising" taxes, more tax revenue should be received if everyone pays their fair share.

[David P. Whelan, Jr.]

It is my view that suburban charters should neither be opened of expanded for three years. Districts all across the Commonwealth need to pay for traditional public education without the fiscal drain that is charters.

It is also time for Deval Patrick to listen to public officials and those that care about public education. Reville, Chester, and the BOE have destroyed the confidence that most folks have in the administration given the Gloucester mess. Listening is good. Ignoring good decent people with contrary opinion is not part of the program.

[David P. Whelan, Jr.]

Full compliance with chapter 70 section 4 is a good place to start the budget dialog. See below. Thus far the Patrick administration has been contributors in the process of failing to follow state statute. Secondly, it is time to review chapter 70 funding in general. Patrick called the program "broken," thus a moral responsibilty to fix a "broken" program.

PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT

TITLE XII. EDUCATION

CHAPTER 70. SCHOOL FUNDS AND STATE AID FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Chapter 70: Section 4. Foundation budget review commission; membership; recommendations

Section 4. There is hereby established a foundation budget review commission to review the way in which foundation budgets are calculated and to make recommendations to the general court regarding such changes in the formula as may be appropriate. In conducting such review, the commission shall seek to determine the educational programs and services needed to prepare students to achieve passing scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. The commission shall examine the assumed percentage for special education costs included in such formula and shall make recommendations regarding changes in such percentage or other mechanisms to finance special education costs including, but not limited to, reimbursement programs or phased-in, standards-based funding programs that increase the state contribution to such costs over a fixed period of years. The commission shall include the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education, arts and humanities, who shall serve as co-chairs, the commissioner of education, the chair of the education reform review commission, the speaker of the house of representatives or his designee, the president of the senate or his designee, the minority leader of the house of representatives or his designee, the minority leader of the senate or his designee, the governor or his designee, the chair of the house committee on ways and means or his designee, the chair of the senate committee on ways and means or his designee and one member to be appointed by each of the following organizations: the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, the Massachusetts Superintendents Association, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Association for Vocational Administrators and the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools. Members shall receive no compensation for their services but may receive reimbursement for the reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities as members of the commission. The department shall furnish reasonable staff and other support for the work of the commission.
The commission shall conduct not fewer than four hearings to receive testimony from members of the public. The hearings shall be held in locations that provide opportunities for residents from all geographic regions of the commonwealth to testify.
It shall not constitute a violation of chapter 268A for a person employed by a school district to serve on the commission or to participate in commission deliberations that may have a financial impact on the district employing such person or on the rate at which such person may be compensated. The commission may establish procedures to ensure that no such person participates in commission deliberations that may directly affect the school districts employing such persons or that may directly affect the rate at which such persons are compensated.
The commission’s recommendations, together with any proposed legislation, shall be filed not later than September 30 of each even-numbered year with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives who shall refer such recommendations to the appropriate committee of the general court. Within 30 days after such filing, the committee shall hold a public hearing on the recommendations.