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House approves $1.38 billion supplemental spending plan drawn from fair‑share surtax surplus
Summary
The Massachusetts House accepted the conference committee report on House Bill 4227, approving $1.38 billion in one‑time FY2025 spending largely from the fair‑share surtax surplus, with major allocations for transportation including MBTA support and education programs including special education reimbursements.
Representative Michael Wits of Boston urged the House to accept the conference committee report on House Bill 4227, an act making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2025, and asked for a call of the yeas and nays. The House voted by roll call; the clerk displayed a 148‑4 tally and the bill was passed to be engrossed and the emergency preamble adopted.
The conference report directs $1.38 billion in one‑time spending, most coming from the FY2024 surplus of revenue generated by the fair‑share surtax. "In FY '24 the first full year the state collected the fair share surtax, we collected $2,400,000,000," Wits said, adding that the Commonwealth was left with $1,300,000,000 in surplus funds after depositing $250,000,000 into a reserve account.
Wits framed the bill as an effort to balance spending between transportation and education after earlier budget cycles had directed more surtax revenue to education. "Of the $1,300,000,000 in this bill, $716,000,000 or 54% will be dedicated toward transportation needs," he said, listing targeted uses for transit and infrastructure funding.
Key transportation allocations identified in the conference report include $535,000,000 for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, broken down in the report as $300,000,000 to replenish MBTA budget reserves, $175,000,000 for workforce and safety funding to implement improvements recommended by the FTA, $40,000,000 for MBTA physical infrastructure upgrades, and $20,000,000 for low‑income fare relief programs. The bill also contains supplemental Chapter 90 aid, $50,000,000 for regional transit authorities and $16,400,000 for municipally owned small bridges and culverts.
On the education side, Wits said the bill would deploy $593,000,000 in educator‑related projects. Notable education items in the conference report are $248,000,000 for special education circuit breaker reimbursements covering fiscal years 2025 and 2026, $115,000,000 for higher education deferred maintenance, $100,000,000 for vocational school capital improvements, $45,000,000 for workforce development and supports for early education providers, $20,000,000 for endowment matches at UMass and state universities and community colleges, and $10,000,000 for the Green School Works clean energy program at schools.
The report also directs the inspector general to study the special education circuit breaker reimbursements to identify cost‑containment measures and efficiencies. Wits described that review as a step to "better control costs for the future." He added that with the surtax again expected to produce a large surplus in FY25, the House intends to continue seeking a relative balance between transportation and education spending.
The House accepted the conference committee report and ordered the bill to be engrossed; the emergency preamble was adopted. The measure will proceed through final enactment steps consistent with House procedure.
