Highlights from governor's FY26 budget
We've drafted a summary of preK-12, higher education spending in House 1, the governor's proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts on July 1, 2025.
MTA response to Governor Healey's budget proposal
MTA response to Governor Healey's budget proposal
MTA President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy issued the following statement following the release of Governor Maura Healey’s FY26 budget proposal:
We are pleased that some of our members’ longstanding priorities are reflected in the governor’s proposed budget, including free community college and near-free, four-year public college for our working-class students; universal, free school meals; support for our vocational schools; a major investment in repairing and building the campus buildings our students and educators deserve; more funding for regional school transportation; increasing minimum aid to school districts, to name a few, and all made possible by revenue from the Fair Share Amendment.
The MTA is proud to have played a central role in winning passage of the Fair Share Amendment, which brought in $2.4 billion in revenues in its first year and is allowing for $2 billion in important proposed investments in the governor’s budget.
That said, there is much more to do. The MTA has proposed a visionary legislative and budgetary agenda for advancing the public schools and colleges our communities deserve – and which they need more than ever. Now that the first step has been taken – the governor’s House 1 budget – we look forward to working with the Legislature and Governor Healey to produce a budget we can all be proud of.
We have called on the Legislature to address the flaws in the state’s funding formula for prek-12 public education, which leaves too many districts unable to meet the needs of all students. Because of those shortcomings, too many students are denied the supports and opportunities available to children attending well-funded school districts.
Likewise, our public higher education system remains hampered by uncompetitive salaries, which make it extremely difficult for public colleges and universities to attract and retain qualified, diverse faculty and staff. We must also not end with tuition-free community college but continue on the path to debt-free access to our public colleges and universities, for every resident of the Commonwealth.
This budget also provides the usual 3 percent COLA on the first $13,000 in pension benefits for retirees, but this adjustment has become more and more inadequate with each passing year. The MTA continues to advocate for strengthening the pension COLA by increasing the COLA base which has not been raised in more than a decade. We also look forward to recommendations of the Special COLA Commission that is examining this issue.
Revenue generated by the Fair Share Amendment is making much of this progress possible. But Fair Share funds alone cannot pay for all of our state’s needs. Corporations and large businesses must pay their share of taxes and fairly contribute to the public investments necessary to maintain – and expand – the high quality of life available throughout most of Massachusetts.
Given the overall wealth of the state – if it were a nation, Massachusetts would be the fourth wealthiest per capita in the world – and its $9 billion in rainy day funds, there is no justification for the proposed cuts to public services that support the health and well-being of its residents.
Given the overall wealth of the state – if it were a nation, Massachusetts would be the fourth wealthiest per capita in the world – and its $9 billion in rainy day funds, there is no justification for the proposed cuts to public services that support the health and well-being of its residents. Our union cares as much about what happens to our students outside the school walls, as what happens inside. Our schools are not immune to the fallout that occurs when social safety nets break. We urge the governor and Legislature to settle on a budget that protects families from harm.