Rep. Hynes State House Report September, 2004 As the fall season fast approaches I mention some items of interest. State Budget: The FY 2005 Budget of nearly $25 billion was enacted on time without any increase in taxes. It reflects stabilization in the state's economy after three rocky years of record shortfalls and reductions. Many accounts were able to be level funded, principally financial aid to our cities and towns. Others, such as the Senior Pharmacy Program were able to be increased, allowing more Massachusetts seniors the financial capability to afford their medications. State Aid to Scituate and Marshfield remained the same as last year, avoiding a potential 5 - 10% reduction articulated in January. The Marshfield - based Talking Information Center, providing radio reading services to the blind, was also level funded and unlike last year, avoided the Governor's veto, and a necessary legislative override. Yet, despite the general good news from this year's budget, the outlook for the next several months and for FY' 06 remains bleak. The state is still spending about $800 million more in expenditures than it brings in revenues, enabling the structural imbalance by using one time revenue sources and borrowing from lottery aid to cities and towns. At the same time health care costs, representing almost one- third of spending, continue to grow at double digit rates. Additionally, potential long term funding obligations in education, health care, local aid, and debt service present formidable challenges in managing these cost pressures. School Building Assistance Reforms: This long - needed overhaul of the state's financial assistance for the construction and renovation of school buildings, is good news for Scituate and Marshfield. Both towns constructed and remodeled school buildings within the last several years. This responsible plan, based partly on proposals I have long been advancing, will allow the state to help meet the financial needs of cities and towns, while at the same time limiting the state's obligations over the long term. Marshfield will continue its present amortized reimbursement schedule for the Martinson and Furnace Brook Schools, while Scituate will receive its full state funding for the Jenkins and High School renovations during this current fiscal year. The resolution of this looming financial crisis, which had caused a backlog in promised state reimbursements, is achieved through a combination of bonding, dedication of a seven year phase in of one cent of the sales tax, and use of $100 million in reserves. Transportation Reform and Financing: In a long anticipated reform measure the Legislature, building on ideas advanced by the Governor, restructured the state's transportation agencies. This legislation strengthens the state's ability to finance, build, and maintain its transportation assets. The state's diverse transportation agencies are integrated under one principal administration, the Secretary of Transportation, a management model which I proposed in several bills filed two years ago. The Secretary is charged with using his expanded powers to find savings by sharing resources across departments and authorities. This reform action also establishes a new Office of Transportation Planning to develop a long overdue comprehensive Commonwealth transportation plan, including the capital programs of authorities. Additionally, a new Finance Commission of outside experts is set up to recommend methods for financing the state's most critical but underfunded transportation priorities. Companion to this administration reform is the Transportation Bond Bill which authorizes spending for road, bridge, and other transportation projects across the state for the next several years. For Scituate and Marshfield this means increased monies for the reconstruction and repair of local roads. Scituate will receive $343,536 in FY'05 and Marshfield $454,821, according to the formula which relies heavily on the size of the community and the length of its aggregate road miles. I was also able to insert in this bill, which the Governor approved, a provision to require state agencies to come up with plans to improve Rte. 139. The Marshfield Planning Board is long underway in its efforts to develop such proposals and this state directive will motivate the state to act more expeditiously and cooperatively in seeking improvements to this roadway corridor. Local Bridges: The passage of the Transportation Bond also allows the planned reconstruction of local bridges over the North and South Rivers to go forward. The Julian Street Bridge, over the South River in Humarock, was closed for extensive repairs for about 8 weeks - mid June to mid August. A late spring state inspection discovered extensive, accelerated subsurface piling damage caused by aging and severe ice buildup of this past winter. Thankfully, my pleas to the Mass Highway Commissioner bore fruit and he applied the necessary resources timely and sufficiently to expedite these repairs. Consequently, long awaited plans to reconstruct both the Julian Street Bridge and the Captain Frederick Stanley Memorial Bridge have been revised. Bids for construction for both bridges are to be announced this fall with work beginning in Spring, 2005. Because of the extensive repairs already made to Julian, that construction will be less extensive than previously expected. The Captain Frederick Stanley Memorial (Sea Street) Bridge, however, will receive a complete overhaul, taking upwards of 18 - 24 months. The Union Street Bridge spanning the North River between Marshfield and Norwell (Bridge Street) had its design hearing in Marshfield in mid August. The proposal is to replace the existing bridge with a fixed span, substantially utilizing existing abutments and piers, a cost estimated at close to $1 million. However, recent bridge inspections reveal a need for emergency repairs of $100,000 which must be borne by the Towns of Norwell and Marshfield. I am working with officials in both communities to try and get the state to accelerate its construction timetable so that a more immediate construction start can avoid these duplicative costs and save the towns this money. Reflection: "It will not always be summer. Build barns." …. Hesiod |