The Massachusetts Senate is nicely conscious of the unpredictable insurance policies popping out of Washington and are doing their stage greatest to plan accordingly, based on the higher chamber’s main lawmaker.
Senate President Karen Spilka, throughout an handle to the Higher Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Authorities Affairs Discussion board on Wednesday, stated that lawmakers will embody no new taxes within the fiscal 2026 spending plan and never as a result of there aren’t points the state wants to deal with, however due to uncertainty popping out of Washington D.C.
“As you know, things are different this year. No state — not even one as strong and resilient as Massachusetts — can fill the massive budget gaps that could arise if federal dollars are stripped away. If the federal government pulls back its support, it will put serious pressure on our budget, our families, our communities, and our businesses,” she stated.
“That’s why it’s so important that we work together to advocate fiercely, plan wisely, and protect the progress we have made,” she added.
The Senate model of the state price range launched earlier this week, Spilka stated, was supplied with that “federal landscape in mind” and makes an attempt to “hold the line” for taxpayers “headed into uncertain economic waters.”
The Senate will prioritize public training and fixing the state’s ongoing housing disaster, the Ashland lawmaker stated, however Spilka additionally cautioned enterprise leaders in attendance on Wednesday that the Senate Committee on Steering and Coverage spoke to the Consul Normal of Canada final week, who confirmed the value of Canadian-produced lumber, metal, and different constructing supplies “will indeed go up.”
“We cannot control that, but we do have a responsibility to work together again this session to increase housing production and bring down costs,” she stated.
Senate price range writers rolled out a $61 billion spending plan for fiscal yr 2026 on Tuesday that will increase spending by 6.3% over final yr’s state price range and rejects a collection of tax will increase present in Gov. Maura Healey’s January providing. The Senate invoice is $100 million decrease than the price range the Home handed final week and $647 million decrease than the governor’s spending plan.
The higher chamber’s price range writers indicated they’re nonetheless grappling with uncertainty brought on by federal funding cuts, efforts to scale back the dimensions of the federal authorities, and a possible slash to federal spending on Medicaid. Senate price range chief Michael Rodrigues stated lawmakers are placing ahead a spending invoice “based on the facts that we know today.”
“Everyone I know is concerned about what might change in D.C. over the next few months,” the Westport Democrat stated. “We hear a lot of rumors, we hear a lot of threats, we hear proposals, then retractions from proposals. We will move forward and adjust going forward when we know the facts.”
Spilka stated the Senate price range invests $1 billion in “housing stability, residential assistance, emergency shelter services, public housing, and homelessness assistance programs,” and would require actual property dealer’s charges to be paid by the individual hiring the dealer “ensuring that renters are not unfairly burdened with unexpected and extraordinary costs.”
The price range providing would use Truthful Share Modification funds so as to add an “additional $150 minimum in per pupil” in assist for faculties and ship $820 million to the MBTA.
The spending plan additionally features a proposal to ban the possession of cell telephones by college students within the classroom.
“It’s an idea that has broad bi-partisan support, and at least 18 states have laws limiting cell phone usage,” she stated. “Our schools should be a truly safe space where kids can grow, learn, make mistakes, and develop healthy relationships, and so making schools cell phone free should be as fundamental to our understanding of what helps a child learn as providing school meals and access to social and emotional learning resources.”
