Worcester Reacts to Governor Patrick’s Proposed Local Cuts
Friday, November 21, 2014
State Representative-elect David Muradian
Stephen Abraham, Worcester County Register of Probate, said, “They have to be very careful as to where those cuts are made because it will impact people’s lives in a very serious way.”
Worcester County Reacts to the Cuts
"I think these cuts are something we should be staying away from right now," said Senator Michael Moore, D-Worcester. "There are other cuts to be made in the budget, or at the very minimum you cover these cuts with funds from the rainy day fund. I don't think we should being go back to almost mid-year into the fiscal year and be discussing making cuts to our budget."
David Muradian, Republican State Representative-elect of Worcester's 9th District, said, "I'm extremely disappointed with the Governor's decision to look at cutting local aid. In the conversations I've had with legislators, they seem to be doing all that they can to fight against it. I look forward to getting to Beacon Hill to protect local aid and fight some more to get local aid back into our communities."
Where are the Cuts?
{image_3}Some of the cuts that will impact the Worcester area include cuts to school transportation, charter school reimbursements, extended learning time grants, and special education reimbursements.
"If they're receiving funding from these grants and appropriations, and they've already expended some of these line items and funds, the programs will be negatively impacted," said Moore. "Any programs such as that, when we are halfway through the fiscal year, and programs have been established and students are utilizing the programs such as bussing, they should be continuing to cover those expenditures. If we can't find funds in the state budget to do it, then we should cover it from the rainy day fund."
Muradian said, "It's going to be difficult with what we're looking at for our regional school transportation. I know they had the earmarks set and now the Governor wants to pull them back. Hopefully the revenue projections will come in higher than they're anticipating, and we can back fill these earmarks."
The state legislature will also need to approve $21.8 million in cuts to non-executive agencies, including the court system.
In regards to the court system, Abraham said, “We are the third branch of government and sometimes we are treated like an administrative agency. In my opinion, although the trial court can be more effective and more efficient, those cuts should be done with a surgeon’s scalpel and not hacked at.”
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