| Line Item |
Description |
Governor's Request |
House Ways & Means |
Amendment Request |
| 5911-1003 |
Administration & Operations |
$74,522,766 |
$77,575,612 |
|
| 5911-2000 |
Transportation |
$14,137,324 |
$14,137,324 |
|
| 5920-2000 |
Community Residential |
$568,961,352 |
$569,134,202 |
$571,134,202 |
| 5920-2006 |
Residential Rate Initiative |
$2,000,000 |
$2,000,000 |
|
| 5920-2010 |
State Ops. |
$137,630,099 |
$136,245,115 |
|
| 5920-2020 |
Boulet/Waiting List |
$88,340,110 |
$88,173,986 |
|
| 5920-2025 |
Day/Employment |
$128,959,457 |
$128,859,457 |
|
| 5920-3000 |
Family Supports |
$55,044,228 |
$54,994,228 |
$56,044,228 |
| 5920-3010 |
Autism Division |
$3,287,118 |
$2,921,753 |
$8,000,000 |
| 5920-5000 |
Turning 22 |
$6,100,000 |
$6,100,000 |
$8,467,670 |
| 5930-1000 |
State Schools |
$188,217,948 |
$187,245,814 |
|
| 5948-0012 |
DOE/DMR |
$8,000,000 |
$8,000,000 |
$14,000,000 |
| 5982-1000 |
Templeton Retained |
$150,000 |
$150,000 |
|
| TOTAL |
|
$1,275,350,402 |
$1,275,537,491 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 4000-0117 |
EOHHS Salary Reserve |
$23,000,000 |
$23,000,000 |
|
| 4000-0650 |
Community First Initiative |
$45,800,000 |
$15,000,000 |
|
The Arc of Massachusetts and several organizations – Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change, Mass Advocates Standing Strong, Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council – ask you to support several budget amendments and encourage constituents to call or email your legislators and ask them to sign on to the following amendments immediately.
Time is short, as amendments must be filed by no later than the morning of Friday, April 18.
The following amendments are being filed:
1. Turning 22 (5920-5000) Asking $8,467,670; Budgeted $6,100,000. Rep. Tom Sannicandro is asking to restore funding to FY2007 levels, even though the numbers of students transitioning from school-life to adult-life has increased since then to over 600. Without increased funding, graduating students will face a void of services for a time.
2. Community Residential (5920-2000) Asking $571,134,202; Budgeted $569,134,202. Rep. Alice Peisch is filing this amendment to restore the remainder of the ½ million dollar cut in the Governor’s budget and add a littler more to slightly reduce the 600-person waiting list.
3. Family Support (5920-3000) Asking $56,044,228. Budgeted 54,994,228. Rep. Mary Grant is asking for a modest increase to a line-item that is perhaps DMR’s most cost-effective. It serves about 13,000 individuals, but there is a 3,000 person waiting list for services. The account has received only one increase of $500,000 in the last 7 years. An investment of $1 million (plus the $50,000 that was cut from the Governor’s budget) would give 500 individuals essential services, save the Commonwealth money in the long run, and cut into the waiting list significantly.
4. Autism Division (5920-3010) Budgeted $2,921,753. Of our budget priorities, this line-item is down the most ($365,000) from the Governor's budget due to the removal of three significant earmarks. Rep. Barbara L’Italien is filing an amendment to serve the growing population of children with autism. The autism waiver currently assists fewer than 100 students. Early help in their homes will give them the chance to have productive lives in their communities as teens and adults. These funds would give autistic children the social, behavioral and communication services they need.
5. DOE-DMR (5948-0012) Budgeted $8,000,000. Rep. Barbara L’Italien is asking for more funding for a program that saves the Commonwealth money long-term by allowing children to stay with their families rather than being sent to expensive schools. This funding would address the 2-year waiting list and prevent the separation of children from their families.
6. Community First (4000-0650) Budgeted $15,000,000. An amendment is forthcoming following a huge reduction from the Governor’s $45,800,000 request. Sponsor to be announced. Alert message doesn’t include this yet.
While we are grateful that budget news heretofore is not worse, as you can see above, there remain many unmet needs. Very few amendments ultimately find their way into the budget, but with enough emails and calls to legislators, our amendments can be among the successful ones.
More Budget Information