By Bob Katzen
Gov. Maura Healey signed into law a $2.3 billion fiscal year 2025 budget to close out the books on fiscal year 2025.
Provisions include $1.67 billion for MassHealth, with a $303 million net cost to the state after federal reimbursements; $374 million for Steward hospital payments, with a $236 million net cost to the state; $10 million for Health Care For All to conduct a public awareness campaign to inform vulnerable populations about new Medicaid work requirements put in place by the recent federal spending bill; $5 million in for reproductive health care; $2.5 million for the Committee for Public Counsel Services for indigent persons; $60.7 million for snow and ice removal; and $50 million for the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund.
Other provisions require an investigation into sheriffs’ fiscal year 2025 spending deficits; create a new Sports and Entertainment Fund initially provided with $10 million to support transportation, public safety and other costs related to Massachusetts’ seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches; criminalize the impersonation of a federal officer and increase penalties for impersonating a public official, including a federal officer; protect unpaid federal employees from residential eviction or foreclosure during and immediately after any federal shutdown; and remove the automatic requirement of a public notice for name-change petitions filed in court.
“This budget represents our commitment to delivering for people on what matters in their lives,” said Gov. Healey. “It will make things more affordable, promote vaccine and health care access for our kids and families in the face of attacks from the federal government and protect public safety in our communities. While President Trump is increasing costs and cutting funding from states, this budget is balanced and protects taxpayer dollars.”
“With the next fiscal year well underway, it is critical that we close the books on fiscal year 2025 with a balanced budget that delivers for Massachusetts communities,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. “This bill reflects our commitment to responsibly managing state spending and stretching every dollar in service of Massachusetts residents.”
“The governor and Legislature put the finishing touches on a supplemental budget that was full of gravy for their pet projects, and not prioritizing the taxpayers of the commonwealth,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance which opposed the budget. “If you can imagine a Thanksgiving feast, the taxpayers were on the table and not at the table. Our hard-earned money was being carved up for misguided priorities. Spending billions of dollars on items that do not grow jobs, reduce energy costs or make our state more economically competitive is utterly foolish but that’s what this supplemental budget represents.”
None of the nine representatives who voted against the budget when it was approved by the Legislature responded to repeated requests by Beacon Hill Roll Call asking them why they voted against it. Those nine representatives are Reps. Donald Berthiaume (R-Spencer), Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick), Colleen Garry (D-Dracut), John Gaskey (R-Carver), Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica), Joseph McKenna (R-Sutton), Alyson Sullivan-Almeida (R-Abington), Kenneth Sweezey (R-Hanson) and Justin Thurber (R-Somerset).