MBPC: Less Revenue. Fewer Investments.

MBPC offered the briefing below --

 

MassBudget Information. Participation. Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center Democracy.   Less Revenue. Fewer Investments. Earlier this week, House and Senate leaders unveiled their plan to fund transportation with a combination of new tax revenue and increased fees. The plan would shore up MBTA finances and move MassDOT employees from the capital budget to the operating budget--freeing up resources for capital spending. The Joint House and Senate plan is significantly smaller than the Governor's earlier transportation package and it does not include the investments in education that the Governor had proposed. MassBudget's new brief, "The Joint Ways & Means Transportation Proposal," describes the basic structure of the new proposal and compares it to the Governor's. The Joint Ways & Means plan is significantly smaller than the Governor's, raising less money for capital projects. Whereas the Governor's proposal included efforts to make higher education more affordable, to expand access to early education & care, and to increase funding for our public schools, the Joint Ways & Means proposal is focused on transportation. More will be known about the impact on other areas when the House Ways & Means budget comes out next week. New tax revenues to support the Joint Ways & Means plan come from a mix of focused changes, including increases in gas and tobacco taxes along with some changes to business taxes Read our brief on THE JOINT WAYS & MEANS TRANSPORTATION PROPOSAL For a fuller discussion of the Governor's proposal, see OUR BUDGET MONITOR The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108