Representative Benson secures funding for prison mitigation and regional school aid
April 28, 2011
BOSTON—Representative Jennifer Benson joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in overwhelmingly passing a budget for Fiscal Year 2012. The balanced budget includes no tax or fee increases and reflects a reduction in federal financial aid.
In advocating for her constituents, Representative Benson secured funding for towns hosting prison facilities, aid for newly formed regional school districts and language establishing a commission on Lyme Disease. Amendments sponsored by Rep. Benson and adopted by the House included $500,000 for cities and towns hosting state prisons and $300,000 in bonus aid to help newly formed regional school districts with their first year of operation. The House also accepted an amendment co-sponsored by Rep. Benson establishing a commission to investigate the causes, cures and prevention of Lyme Disease. Lyme is an increasingly serious problem in the 37th Middlesex District and across the commonwealth.
As a strong advocate for education, Rep. Benson also sponsored amendments for autism services, early intervention and the Education Department-Department of Disability Services (DESE-DDS) program. These amendments, adopted by the House, included an additional $500,000 for autism services for low-income residents, $2.5 million for early intervention services and language to support the DESE-DDS program for special needs students transitioning from school based to adult services.
"This was an extremely tough budget year and I am grateful for the work done by the Speaker, the Chairman of House Ways and Means and my colleagues in crafting this proposal," said Benson. "I think this budget reflects our economic situation while still protecting services for the neediest and most vulnerable across the Commonwealth."
As co-chair of the House Elder Caucus, Rep. Benson also pushed for, and secured, increased funding for the elder protective services program and local councils on aging, a moratorium on cuts to adult day health services and securing the personal needs allowance for nursing home residents.
The budget now heads to the State Senate which will debate their proposal at the end of May.
