Representative Jones’ Statement on Passage of Fiscal Year 2017 House Budget

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) released the following statement regarding the House of Representatives’ passage of a $39.5 billion Fiscal Year 2017 state budget today:

“I’m very pleased that the House budget places a priority on local aid for our cities and towns. I think there was a good faith effort to try to address a wide range of issues, while still maintaining an eye on the bottom line. It’s always difficult to juggle so many competing priorities and interests when you are dealing with limited resources.  That being said, the unanimous vote to pass the budget is a testament to how successful this entire process has been."

Representative Jones Calls For Task Force to Review Unfunded Education Mandates

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) is calling for the creation of a task force to review all unfunded mandates the state currently imposes on public schools and to develop recommendations for curtailing this practice.

Representative Jones offered the proposal as an amendment during the first day of debate on the House budget for Fiscal Year 2017.  The amendment was approved on a voice vote on April 25.

“This amendment addresses one of the biggest concerns voiced by school officials not only in my district, but across the Commonwealth,” said Representative Jones.  “The state cannot continue to impose new mandates on our cities and towns without providing them with the financial resources to help fulfill those requirements.” 

Under Representative Jones’ proposal, the Educational Mandate Task Force will review all state laws, regulations and directives that impose requirements on school districts, including mandates that require preparing and submitting reports and data to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).  In addition to identifying the total estimated costs associated with these mandates, the task force will also be asked to develop recommendations for streamlining, consolidating or eliminating any mandates or reporting requirements that are outdated, duplicative or unnecessary.

Between 1995 and 2008, DESE added 4,055 new documents and directives for educators and administrators.  DESE added an additional 5,382 documents between 2009 and 2013, an average of about 3 or 4 new directives per day.

“Over the last few years, we have seen the number of mandates handed down by the state continue to grow at an alarming rate,” said Representative Jones.  “A thorough review of the requirements placed on school districts is long overdue, and my hope is that this task force will help clear the way to providing meaningful relief for our cities and towns.”

The task force will consist of 11 members and will be co-chaired by the House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Education.  The Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education will also serve on the task force, along with a legislator appointed by the Senate Minority Leader and a legislator appointed by the House Minority Leader.  The six remaining members will be appointed by the Secretary of Education, and will include representatives from the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials, the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association, the Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association, and the Massachusetts Administrators of Special Education.

As part of its review, the task force will be required to hold at least one public hearing.  A final report containing the task force’s findings and recommendations will be due no later than one year after its initial meeting.

The House will continue to debate over 1300 proposed budget amendments this week.  The Senate is expected to release its own version of the Fiscal Year 2017 budget in mid-May.

Representative Jones’ Statement on Release of House Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Proposal

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the release of the House Fiscal Year 2017 budget:

“I appreciate the work done by Chairman Dempsey and the House Committee on Ways and Means in preparing the House Fiscal Year 2017 budget.  The spending proposal presented to the members today contains good news for cities and towns, as it builds on the local aid increases offered in Governor Baker’s budget, particularly in the area of education.  I am especially pleased to see that the budget holds the line on taxes and acknowledges the Governor’s call for fiscal responsibility by significantly reducing the state’s reliance on one-time revenues to balance the budget. The Republican Caucus looks forward to reviewing the budget in more detail over the next two days and having the opportunity to offer targeted amendments that will further protect the interests of the state’s taxpayers and our cities and towns.”