Lost Opportunties in the Mass. Senate Ways and Means Budget Proposal

While the Massachusetts state budget process for Fiscal Year 2009 is by no means the worst we've ever seen, we cannot help but muse about lost opportunities this week as the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its proposal.

For example, Ways and Means proposes a $2.3 million cut in the MCAS Low Scoring Student Support - funding the program at $11 million - while the House proposal level funded the program and the Governor's Budget increased funding by $2.2 million.

They also recommend

* $700,000 less ($85.6 million) than the Governor for the family shelters account - and $1.4 million less than the total proposed by the House. Which is $400,000 less than the amount spent in FY 2008.

* A decrease of $4.1 million in Workforce Development Grants from FY 2008 ($6.4 million over all) - while the Governor asked for even more cuts to this item ($1.9 million overall), and the House asked for an increase to $11.3 million overall.

* A $6 million increase for public housing authorities to cover rising operating costs that does not include the additional $7 million recommended by the Governor to help these authorities address a backlog in maintenance.

* A $3 million increase in the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program over the FY 2008 - which s $1 million larger than the Governor’s recommendation and on par with the House budget, but may still not be enough to meet increased obligations made in FY 2008.

So, again, not the worst possible budget, but who is getting hurt? Disproportionately poor people of color in urban neighborhoods.

After all, who is scoring low on MCAS tests? The kids with the most underfunded public schools with the toughest home situations.

Who needs more money for employment training? Poor people.

Who needs improved public housing and rental vouchers? Poor people.

Where are the majority of these poor people? In major urban areas like Boston, Worcester, and Springfield.

Is the situation likely to get better or worse for poor people in a down economy? We'll let the reading audience answer that one.

Is the funding for any programs that benefit poor or working people really sufficient? No. We're only seeing the tip of the iceberg that is a major recession at the moment.

Would the situation be brighter if we had a progressive income tax system again that made corporations and the rich pay their fair share? Yes indeed.

But the politics of the day dictates that we all say "oh well, at least the budget's not going to be as bad as it could of been this year."

And that seems a pretty sad state of affairs from our corner.

We'll have more to say about the state budget process in the weeks to come - and let's face it, state politics being what it is, there's nowhere to go but down.

All budget figures above sourced from analysis by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.