May 7, 2009 — Op-Ed
BOSTON, MA — This has been an unbelievably difficult year for our economy. Unfortunately, when the economy plummets, the needs for services increase both in our towns and across the state. The need for food assistance alone has risen by 11% in the first six months of FY09. The state budget without revenue increases that was presented last week called for devastating cuts for children, seniors and the disabled. I voted for the sales tax increase revenue bill as the only bill that had a chance of passing in the legislature that would prevent these drastic cuts for our most vulnerable citizens.
In the House Ways and Means Budget released on April 15, the cuts were deep. In my own district, towns would lose much needed local aid, schools would lose important supports, and senior citizens and young children would be put at risk. These cuts to local aid would represent the largest cuts in history, bringing municipal aid down to 1987 levels, eliminating $31 million for school transportation, $20 million for sewer rate relief, and $7 million for public libraries. With the sales tax increase, $1,265,218 will be restored in local aid to the towns in my district.
Our community depends on services like Early Intervention for our youngest and home health care services for our oldest. The $17.9 million cut to home health care services will eliminate services for over 4,000 elders a month. Day services for the disabled and the mentally ill will be closed. This is immoral as well as unsustainable. There are ramifications to all of these cuts that are not only social but also financial.
Early Intervention programs save us money. The needs of these children will not go away; they will have to be addressed later in more expensive special education programs in our local school districts. Elder home care services allow our elders to stay in their homes longer, receiving the care they need without the expense of a nursing home. Cutting these programs will cost us more money than it saves in the long run.
Many people ask "Can't we just cut waste?" Of course we can and we must! Within this budget are cuts totaling $1.2 billion. These cuts are deep and will force departments to conserve and tighten their belts. We have laid down the gauntlet to state agencies that we need these services, but we must provide them more efficiently. We have already eliminated 1,700 jobs at the state level. We have passed sweeping reforms in transportation and the pension system. These changes will save millions immediately by reducing benefits for MBTA workers, and closing loopholes that had been taken advantage of for far too long. We have also passed an Ethics Reform package that makes Massachusetts ethics laws the strictest in the nation.
While we work with the Senate and the Governor to finalize our reform legislation, the needs of towns, schools, seniors and families cannot wait. This budget also only represents the House's fiscal priorities. The budget process involves many more steps and the sales tax increase may not be a part of the final version. At the earliest, the sales tax would not change until July 1, 2009. By this time, the House and Senate plan to have presented both transportation and pension reform bills for the Governor's approval. If the sales tax were to increase, I ask you to think about the neediest of the needy, the sickest of the sick and the poorest of the poor in all of our communities—children, families and seniors who depend on all of us for understanding, support and kindness. We need to work together to get through this very difficult time.
