senator brian a. joyce state house update

Senator Brian A. JoyceState House Update

Stoughton Board of Selectmen September 11, 2012

Senator Brian A. JoyceStoughton Board of Selectmen ~ September 11, 2012

• FY13 Budget• FY13 Chapter 90 Funding• Healthcare Cost Containment• Economic Development and Job

Creation• Casino Gambling• Habitual Offenders• Foreclosure Prevention• Transportation Bond Bill

Senator Brian A. JoyceFY13 Budget

Prioritizes funding for cities and towns along with commitments to reform and job creation.

Contains no new taxes and uses a combination of ongoing revenue initiatives, one-time resources and spending reductions to close a $1.4 billion budget gap, the smallest budget gap the state has had since FY08.

Increases funding for local aid by $288.9 million over FY12 projected spending, including $899 million for unrestricted local aid.

Increases Chapter 70 funding to $4.17 billion, ensuring that all school districts receive at least an additional $40 per pupil in aid.

Funds fully the state’s obligation for the Special Education Circuit Breaker at $242 million for first time since FY08, ensuring that students with special needs receive the services and education they deserve.

Senator Brian A. JoyceLocal Aid for Stoughton

• Increases Stoughton’s total local aid to $17,372,094, an 8.79% increase over FY12.  

• Increases Stoughton’s unrestricted local aid to  $2,708,574, a 7.79% increase over FY12.

• Increases Stoughton’s Chapter 70 education funding to $14,019,929, a 9% increase over FY12.

Senator Brian A. JoyceFY13 Chapter 90 Funding

• Approves $200 million in Chapter 90 funds to cities and towns across the Commonwealth for road and bridge repairs. (38% increase over FY11)

• Stoughton will receive $774,462 in Chapter 90 funding.

• The funding is based on a formula that factors in each community’s total road miles, population and employment.

• Municipalities may use Chapter 90 funds for local projects, like

rebuilding and repairing local roadsand bridges.

Senator Brian A. JoyceHealthcare Cost Control

• Addresses health spending projected to double from 2009 to 2020, outpacing both inflation and growth in the overall economy

• Provides an estimated $200 billion insavings over the next 15 years, whichwill be passed onto businesses, municipalities and residents whostruggle with increasing premiumsand other health care costs.

• Improves the quality of care, increasing patient access, and strengtheningtransparency and accountability.

• Establishes a statewide health care costgrowth benchmark for the health care industry

Senator Brian A. JoyceEconomic Development and Job Creation• Implements strategically focused economic development

policies and state grants to make Massachusetts more competitive – – Improves the Commonwealth’s innovation economy– Promotes economic prosperity through infrastructure investments and

streamlined permitting– Facilitates the expansion of new and existing business– Trains our workforce for the future – Establishes a sales tax holiday to jumpstart retail sales– Creates targeted tax credits (historic rehab, Brownfields cleanup, etc.)

• Creates Benefit Corporations, which consider public benefit alongside profits.

• Senator Joyce’s measure providing energy efficiency project funding passed the Senate and would have created over 10,000 jobs. Unfortunately, the measure was not included in the final version of the bill.

Senator Brian A. JoyceCasino Gambling

• Allows three resort casinosin separate regions of the state and one openly bid slot facility.

• Provides 10,000 to 15,000 long-term jobs in the Commonwealth and generates hundredsof millions of dollars a year for the state. – Tax Revenues

• 25 percent tax on casino revenues • 40 percent tax on slots facility revenues

– Licensing Fees• At least $85 million for each casino and $25 million

for the slot facility

Senator Brian A. JoyceHabitual Offenders

• Imposes a “three strikes” rule on violent repeat offenders. – Those convicted three times of specific violent

crimes, whether in a state or federal court, are considered habitual offenders and are ineligible for parole.

– Habitual offenders must also serve full sentences, and sentences must be served consecutively.

• Improves the functions of the state parole board. • Reduces mandatory minimum sentences for

certain non-violent drug offenses. • “Melissa’s Law” named in honor

of Melissa Gosule

Senator Brian A. JoyceForeclosure Prevention

Prevents unnecessary and unlawful foreclosures and reduces the number of abandoned properties across the Commonwealth.

Makes significant changes to existing foreclosure practices, and attempts to clean up defective foreclosure titles.

Imposes additional requirements and restrictions on banks and other lenders.

Requires the Division of Banks to track the resolution of certain mortgage loans and report to the Joint Committee on Financial Services each year through 2017.

Senator Brian A. JoyceTransportation Bond Bill

• The Transportation Bond that came out of a conference committee of three representatives and three senators, including Senator Joyce, provides funding for existing transportation improvement projects through Fiscal Year 2013.

• Authorizes the state to borrow $683 million for existing projects, ensuring that state dollars will be available to leverage federal funding for a total of $1.39 billion.

• Funds several transportation and infrastructure projects in Stoughton.

Senator Brian A. JoyceStoughton Projects

• STOUGHTON TRAIN STATION – authorizes the MBTA to convey the Stoughton Train Station to the town of Stoughton for fair market value and authorizes a $175,000 matching grant toward the purchase price

• ETHYL WAY, ERIN ROAD AND CENTRAL STREET – authorizes $500,000 for signalization improvements.

• ROUTES 138 AND 27 TRAFFIC STUDY – authorizes $100,000 for a traffic study.

Senator Brian A. JoyceStoughton Train Station

• The Stoughton Train Station opened on March 24, 1888. • The busy depot remained the mid-point between Boston

and Taunton/Fall River along the Boston & Providence Railroad line for the next 70 years

• In 1974, the Station was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.

• The property is now owned bythe MBTA and is a commuterrail stop.

• The MBTA has recently placedthe 6,100-square foot propertyup for sale.

Senator Brian A. JoyceStoughton Train Station

• The MBTA has listed the property for $350,000, including the 30 adjacent parking spaces.

• An appraiser hired by the Stoughton Redevelopment Authority estimated that renovations would total $350,000. We believe the true cost to be much higher.

• When the MBTA listed the property for private sale, state house legislators halted the sale until the town could determine whether or not to acquire the property.

• In July, Senator Joyce and Representatives Kafka and Galvin met with MBTA and town officials at the Station to tour the building and to talk about its needs and potential.

• Since that time, the Legislature has worked on a solution that would allow the town to purchase the property or to sell or lease it for private use.

Senator Brian A. JoyceStoughton Train Station

• The Transportation Bond Bill provides the town the flexibility it needs, and allows the town the most significant voice in determining how the station fits into the future economic vitality of the surrounding area and the town as a whole.

• The bill authorizes the MBTA to convey the property, including the 30 adjacent parking spaces, to the town for “fair market value.”

• It also provides $175,000 in matching funds to help the town purchase the property and permits the town to pay off the purchase over ten years with no interest.

• This bill offers an equitable and profitable solution that benefits the town and its residents.