Time to adopt the local aid resolution

Last week, the Republican Caucus announced its plan to offer a local aid resolution during the House’s next formal session that would establish a minimum level of local aid equal to the amount proposed by the Governor. Since that announcement, close to twenty Democrats have signed onto the resolution and dozens of local officials and the Massachusetts Municipal Association have shown support for the contents of the resolution.

However, since then, the Democratic Leadership announced to its members that they should anticipate a 5% cut to local aid. While we hear at The Capitol View think cities and towns have suffered enough, the Democratic Leadership apparently disagrees. In either case, our local communities deserve to know what to expect for budgeting purposes sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, after a vote in our nation’s capitol, State House News Service is reporting that, “State officials say a vote in the U.S. Senate Wednesday appears to assure delivery of $600 million in federal health care funds that Gov. Deval Patrick relied on to balance his fiscal 2011 budget proposal.” SHNS goes on to say, “Legislative leaders, contemplating a local aid cut, have expressed reservations in recent weeks about the $600 million, largely because the money had not cleared all of its hurdles in Washington.”

Given this development, it’s more important than ever that we get a resolution adopted.

Call your State Representative today and urge him or her to sign on!