Healy signs $57.8 billion FY25 budget, highlights education, childcare, transit and shelter investments

Governor Healy signed the fiscal year 2025 budget on the Statehouse steps, calling the plan an "offensive" set of investments aimed at lowering household costs and strengthening education and transportation.

"It's a pleasure to be here and to be able to sign the budget for fiscal year 25," the governor said, thanking lawmakers and administration staff for their work and for what he described as a bipartisan effort to move the state "forward with urgency and purpose." He singled out Senate President Karen Spilka and Speaker Ron Mariano for their leadership.

The governor and administration officials described a package they say balances fiscal responsibility with new spending. The secretary of administration and finance told reporters the budget has a bottom line of $57,800,000,000 and represents 3.1% growth over FY24. The administration said the plan increases unrestricted general aid to cities and towns by 3%, totaling more than $1.3 billion, and continues full funding for the Student Opportunity Act.

Education and childcare were front and center: the budget funds "literacy launch," a program to provide evidence-based reading instruction…