FY2002 H1 Budget Recommendations Summary

Fiscal Affairs Division

Budget Recommendations Summary

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The following summary highlights certain spending changes recommended in Fiscal Year 2002. These changes may be the result of significant increases necessary to maintain an agency's current operations, expansion of existing programs, or the creation of new programs in Fiscal Year 2002. Major changes in an agency's line item or organizational structure are also noted. Agencies that are not highlighted have been funded at a sufficient level to allow them to maintain the same level of services as in Fiscal Year 2001.

JUDICIARY

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes:

An additional $490,000 for battered women's legal assistance services at the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (0321-1600); and
$7.3 million for the lease of the Federal Courthouse at Post Office Square (0330-9000).

To enable the Trial Court to better utilize its funding, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation consolidates the existing 173 line items into 11 accounts, organized by court department. This structure will provide for administrative efficiencies throughout the court system.

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation for the Appeals Court (0322-0100) annualizes the costs of eight new justices and related support staff, and includes $352,401 for the salaries of three new justices that will be appointed July 1, 2001.

DISTRICT ATTORNEYS

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes a $4.5 million increase over Fiscal Year 2001. This will support the District Attorneys' efforts to increase Assistant District Attorney (ADA) salaries and to bring other staff salaries into parity with the ADAs.

In order to maintain a planned upgrade of the District Attorneys' statewide computer network, $1.5 million is included in the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation in a reserve account (1599-1600) at the Executive Office for Administration and Finance.

SHERIFFS

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $1 million for the Essex Sheriff's Department to open a women's detention facility that will allow incarcerated females to be housed closer to home (8910-0619).

In support of the Berkshire Sheriff's Department's new Pittsfield facility, which officially opened January 5, 2001, the Administration's Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes a $3.4 million increase over the Fiscal Year 2001 General Appropriation Act (8910-0145). The additional funding will support staff and expenses for the new facility.

TREASURER AND RECEIVER-GENERAL

Lottery Commission

The State Lottery generates and distributes revenues to cities and towns. In Fiscal Year 2002, the Lottery distribution will increase to $790 million.

Massachusetts Cultural Council

The Massachusetts Cultural Council is also budgeted within the Office of the Treasurer and Receiver-General and funded through Lottery proceeds. The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes an increase of $2.2 million, of which $1.7 million is for grants to nonprofit cultural organizations and local arts councils.

Attorney General

The Administration's Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $1 million to fully fund the Attorney General's Health Law Unit established pursuant to section 19 of the Fiscal Year 2001 budget, and $300,000 to enhance the High Tech Crime and Internet Enforcement Units (0810-0000).

At the Office of Victim and Witness Assistance, an additional $167,476 for domestic violence prevention is recommended (0840-0101).

OFFICE OF CAMPAIGN AND POLITICAL FINANCE

In Fiscal Year 2002, the Administration is continuing its support of the Massachusetts Clean Elections Initiative by recommending the creation of the Clean Election Trust in the amount of $10 million. This trust will be available for distribution for the elections scheduled to be held in 2002. The Administration is also recommending an additional $352,000 for the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to administer this new program.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Human Resources Division

Family Friendly Program

Continuing the Cellucci-Swift Administration's commitment to the "Family Friendly" state employee benefit program, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $1.1 million (1599-3317) to provide back-up "emergency" care for children and elders, and to provide access to a national elder care resource and referral service.

Since the Family Friendly benefits plan was first announced in November 1999, and implemented for both collective bargaining employees and managers in April 2000, about 3,900 employees have benefited from increases to the amount of allowable unpaid Family and Medical Leave, paid parental leave, and ability to use sick leave for parental purposes (including adoptions and foster care) and serious family illness. Also, the number of employees eligible for Alternative Work Options, including flextime and compressed work weeks, almost doubled between May 1999 and November 2000. The addition of a free elder care resource and referral service for employees (and child care resource and referral currently available through the Office of Child Care Services) will allow Massachusetts to complete its package of enhanced Family Friendly benefits and attract and retain a more diverse, skilled, and productive workforce. The addition of subsidies for backup (emergency) care for children and elders will also permit more effective recruitment and retention, as well as a reduced rate of unscheduled absences and greater employee productivity.

Mentoring Program

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $218,030 (1750-0100) for the Human Resources Division to implement a program to encourage state employees to serve as mentors to the Commonwealth's young people. Under the program, eligible employees have the option to volunteer as mentors or school volunteers for up to one workday per month without the loss of salary or benefits.

Office of Work/Life and Diversity

The Administration also recommends an additional $111,253 (1750-0100) for a new Office of Work/Life and Diversity at the Human Resources Division. This office will be charged with implementing programs, trainings, and policies to enhance the recruitment and retention of skilled employees as well as to increase the diversity of the state's workforce. This initiative will include diversity training for all state agencies, and aggressive marketing and outreach to community associations and educational institutions.

Department of Veterans' Services

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $700,749 to operate and maintain the Veterans' Cemetery in Agawam in its first full year of operation (1410-0018, 1410-0630) and $957,000 to fund an additional 638 recipients in the Veterans' Annuity program (1410-0300). The Veterans' Benefits account (1410-0400) recommendation includes $767,946 to fund the first full year of a 12% cost of living adjustment for indigent veterans.

Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications

Recognizing the importance of technology in education and government, the Administration recommends a $2 million increase for the Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications, also known as Mass Interaction (1100-1400). The additional funds will be used to support K - 12 and workforce distance learning programs, increase critical e-government services to municipalities, and assist state agencies and municipalities with their distance learning and technological needs.

Group Insurance Commission

The Fiscal Year 2002 funding recommendation for health insurance and dental and vision benefits total $612.4 million (1108-5200, 1108-5500), reflecting an employee contribution rate of 25%.

Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance

In recognition of the capital support provided by Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance staff, $4.2 million in agency costs will be funded within the Division's capital budget via new capital authorization to be filed by the Administration in the spring. The remaining amount recommended in the Division's administration account (1102-3210) funds the Offices of Real Estate and Leasing. Finally, all funding for maintenance of the State's surplus properties has been consolidated in the Surplus Properties account (1102-3206), which has been increased by $617,935 to reflect increased security costs, and is recommended to be charged to the State Building Management Fund.

Department of Revenue

In order to provide for administrative efficiencies, the three main Department of Revenue administration accounts (Tax Administration, Child Support Enforcement, and the Bureau of Special Investigations) are recommended for consolidation into one (1201-0100). In support of two on-going Administration initiatives, an additional $296,000 is recommended in support of the Administration's Fatherhood Initiative, as well as $105,000 for domestic violence coordinators within the Department's Child Support Enforcement Division.

Operational Services Division

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $375,000 for STAR (1775-0111), the Statewide Training and Resources Exposition, a free trade show for state departments, cities, towns, and non-profit human and social service providers. STAR offers education workshops for public personnel and provides a forum for contractors to interact with their customers.

Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution

In recognition of the positive effects of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) on time and funding spent in litigation, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $72,000 (1100-1103) for two full-time employees to implement Executive Order 416. The order directs the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution to assist Executive Branch agencies in developing ADR plans and programs, with the goal of promoting ADR throughout the state workforce.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

Department of Environmental Protection

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $7 million for implementation of the "Beyond 2000-Solid Waste Master Plan" (2210-0110) using funds appropriated from the Clean Environment Fund. The funding will be divided among four recycling initiatives:

Municipal Aid to develop municipal recycling infrastructures and increase participation in recycling, the proper disposal of household hazardous waste, and composting;
Innovative Waste Reduction Initiatives to promote new waste reduction and recycling technologies used by municipalities and businesses;
Business Assistance and Research to prepare the infrastructure for the ban on disposal of unprocessed construction and demolition waste scheduled for 2003; and
A Recycling Participation Campaign to heighten statewide awareness and increase the participation rate in recycling and source reduction programs.

In addition, the recommendation combines the employee-related costs account (2200-0106) with the administration and environmental compliance account (2200-0100).

Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement

Divisions within the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Law Enforcement have partnered to pool resources in order to more efficiently deliver instruction on the safe handling of firearms and other outdoor activities related to hunting and firearm use (2310-0202). Consequently, $260,817 for the Hunter Safety Training program will be transferred to a newly created Hunter Education program to reflect this partnership.

Metropolitan District Commission

The amount recommended for Fiscal Year 2002 reflects a proposal to transfer responsibility for maintenance of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) parkways to the Department of Highways (MassHighway). This transfer will increase the efficiency of service delivery related to the maintenance and care of roads. Accordingly, $501,000 of the MDC snow and ice control account (2440-2000) will be transferred to the MassHighway snow and ice control accounts ($351,000 to 6030-7201, and $150,000 to 6030-7221). In addition, $1.4 million of the MDC street lighting account (2444-9005) will be transferred to the MassHighway administration account (6010-0001), as will $322,000 of the MDC Construction Division (2460-1000), and the entire MDC parkway construction account (2440-9001). And finally, $1.6 million from the MDC parks administration account (2440-0010) will be transferred to the MassHighway maintenance contracts account (6010-1000).

State Reclamation Board

In Fiscal Year 2002, the State Reclamation Board line items, totaling $5.8 million, will be transferred to new trust accounts (2520-0400 through 2520-0490). This change will provide a more uniform funding stream for the cities and towns that participate in the Mosquito and Greenhead Fly Control program. Currently, municipalities using state appropriations as a pass-through mechanism fund these pest-control efforts. The transfer will allow cities and towns to receive funding for the programs more directly, while ensuring adequate controls on spending and the same level of service.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation at the Executive Office includes:

$4.7 million for a pilot mental health service program for youth to provide additional residential services to emotionally disturbed youth (4000-0161); and
$100,000 for the operations of the Managed Care Oversight Board (4000-0100).

Division of Medical Assistance

The Division of Medical Assistance administers the state's Medicaid program. The Fiscal Year 2002 increase for the Division and its programs totals $341 million-a 7.2% increase over Fiscal Year 2001 projected spending.

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $13.1 million for the following new initiatives:

$10 million to fund a non-recurring rate enhancement for acute care hospitals for inpatient and outpatient medical services (4000-1007);
$2 million for a new administrative retained revenue account designed to increase federal reimbursements and reduce program costs (4000-0306); and
$1.1 million for interpreter training and services at hospitals to ensure appropriate health care delivery to non-English speaking patients.

Lastly, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation reflects the transfer of the new pharmacy benefits program for elders and the disabled (4000-0450, 4000-1450, and 4000-1451 to 9110-1455) as well as the elder home care services program (4000-0460 to 9110-1501) to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Division of Health Care Finance and Policy

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation for the Division includes:

$5 million in additional funding for grants to establish innovative approaches to divert non-emergency visits from hospital emergency departments and to expand outpatient capacity at community health centers (4100-0080); and

$220,000 for the Division to conduct a survey of uninsured and underinsured in the Commonwealth (4100-0085).

Massachusetts Commission for the Blind

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes an additional $180,000 for the new class of Turning 22 graduates who will be leaving the Department of Education's special education programs (4110-2000).

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $1 million to provide services for Turning 22 consumers (4120-4000).

Office of Child Care Services

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes additional funding for two initiatives: a $10 million reserve at the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to increase rates for child care providers in response to a market rate survey completed in February 2000 (1599-0043) and a $5.7 million reserve for child care to enable Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) recipients to comply with changes recommended in the Commonwealth's welfare reform law (4130-3800). In addition to these reserves, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation also includes a $12 million increase in the income eligible child care account (4130-3300) for TAFDC recipients in their second year of work and a consolidation of the income eligible and the post-transitional (4130-3250) accounts.

Department of Youth Services

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes:

$3.2 million for 50 new pre-trial residential placements in the central and southeast areas of the Commonwealth (4200-0200); and

$1.9 million for two new residential treatment programs in the central and southeast areas of the Commonwealth (4200-0300).

Department of Transitional Assistance

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes:

$12 million to help homeless families by fully funding 148 new congregate shelter slots and expanding housing search assistance and homelessness prevention services (4403-2120);

$1.8 million to add 328 shelter beds for homeless individuals and $100,000 to provide intensive job readiness and employment training services (4406-3000);

a transfer of the state Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (4403-2002) and child support retained revenue (4403-2013) accounts into the Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children grant payment account (4403-2000); and

transfer of the Department of Transitional Assistance caseworker administration cost account (4400-1100) and the employee chargeback account (4400-9999) to the main administration account (4400-1000).

Department of Public Health

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes:

$13.4 million in a new consolidated account for disease prevention (4513-1120);

$6.6 million to support increased caseloads in the Early Intervention (4513-1020), Healthy Start (4513-1005), and Children's Medical Security Plan (4590-0906) programs;

$6.4 million for the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (4580-1000);

$6 million in savings for the Early Intervention program by expanding the payor base for the cost of developmental educators (4513-1020);

$1.5 million in additional funding for substance abuse treatment services within the existing Transitional Support Services program dedicated to homeless individuals (4512-0200);

$500,000 in new funding for a homeless youth monitoring survey, including evaluation, case management services, and discharge planning (4512-0200);

$400,000 for the new Office of Patient Protection (4510-0710); and

$100,000 in additional funding for the batterers' treatment program (4513-1001).

Department of Social Services

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes:

a $22 million increase to provide residential placements for children in the care and custody of the Commonwealth in the Department's "group care" program, and a transfer of $850,000 into the group care account (4800-0041) from the alternative residential placement account (4800-0044);
a $3.7 million transfer of social worker travel costs from the main administration account (4800-0015) to the social worker account (4800-1100); and
$1.1 million for visitation centers and program enhancements for victims of domestic violence (4800-1400).

Department of Mental Health

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes:

$10 million for step-down services for children and adolescents at the Departments of Mental Health and Social Services; these services will be less intensive than inpatient hospitalization but more structured than group homes or foster care (5042-5002);
$6 million in additional funding to provide: the start-up cost for residential services for 235 individuals currently awaiting discharge from inpatient facilities or on the Department's waitlist for residential services; Programs of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) services to 480 additional clients, reducing the need for expensive inpatient services; and case management services to 400 individuals currently on the Department's waitlist (5046-0000);
$1 million to fund step-down programs for homeless people being discharged from acute care hospitals and substance abuse facilities in accordance with the discharge planning recommendations incorporated in the Governor's Task Force on Housing and Homelessness (5046-2000); and
$1 million to fund permanent housing alternatives primarily for dual-diagnosed homeless clients who are being discharged from the step-down programs or who are living in shelters or on the streets (5046-2000).

Department of Mental Retardation

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes:

$22 million in additional funding to provide residential, day, and support services to individuals on the wait list (5920-2020);

$6.95 million in additional funding to serve the new class of Turning 22 graduates who will be leaving the Department of Education's special education programs (5920-5000); and

$5.6 million in additional funding for the transition of individuals with mental retardation currently residing in nursing homes to appropriate community or residential placements (5920-2000).

DIRECT CARE SALARY INCREASES

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes $15 million to raise the salaries of direct care workers earning less than $30,000 a year, whose salaries are funded through provider contracts with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (1599-6900). In addition, the budget recommendation includes $15 million in individual line items throughout these secretariats to reflect the continued funding of the Fiscal Year 2001 salary increases. This budget recommendation now includes a grand total of $107.9 million, both in individual line items and in the Fiscal Year 2002 reserve, that supports six consecutive years of salary reserves devoted to increasing and maintaining higher salaries for our lowest paid human service workers.

In order to raise the state's child care provider rates to a level more in line with the market rate in their region, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes a $10 million reserve (1599-0043). This reserve is in addition to the Fiscal Year 2001 reserves which totaled $25 million and have been allocated and included in the appropriate individual line items at the Office for Child Care Services.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION

In keeping with the Administration's long-standing focus on domestic violence issues, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes an additional $3.2 million for domestic violence prevention, including:

$1.1 million at the Department of Social Services for visitation centers and program enhancements for domestic violence victims (4800-1400);

$918,000 to double the existing supply of housing units for victims of domestic violence and their families at the Department of Housing and Community Development (7004-3040);

$490,000 at the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation for legal representation of victims of domestic violence (0321-1600);

$350,000 for teen dating violence prevention at the Department of Education (7032-0500);

$167,000 for the SAFEPLAN program at the Victim and Witness Assistance Board in the Attorney General's office (0840-0101);

$105,000 for domestic violence specialists at the Department of Revenue's Child Support Enforcement Division (1201-0100); and

$100,000 at the Department of Public Health for certified batterer intervention programs (4513-1001).

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF TRANSPORTATION AND CONSTRUCTION

The Cellucci-Swift Administration plans to propose a comprehensive Regional Transit Authority (RTA) funding reform package based upon the findings of a recently established Blue Ribbon Commission. The purpose of the commission is to review the current post-audit funding structure and make a recommendation as to how to forward fund the RTA's for Fiscal Year 2002 and beyond. This is similar to the successful approach used to forward fund the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority as enacted by the Legislature in Fiscal Year 2001. The commission will develop an implementation plan for restructuring state financing of the RTA's, as recommended in the study mandated by the Legislature in Fiscal Year 2000. In anticipation of the commission's findings, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation reflects a forward funding mechanism that would provide off-budget funding to the RTA's through a dedicated revenue source.

Department of Highways

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation reflects the transfer of maintenance (2440-0010), snow and ice control (2440-2000), construction (2444-9001, 2460-1000), and street lighting (2444-9005) responsibilities from the Metropolitan District Commission's parkway component to the Department of Highways (6010-1000, 6030-7201, 6030-7221, 6010-0001). This transfer allows the Commonwealth to achieve savings of $2 million through greater efficiencies, streamlining of operations, and reducing duplicative efforts.

This Administration is committed to the Chapter 90 program, which provides financial assistance to cities and towns for the reconstruction and construction of their public ways and bridges. In total the program will be supported at a level of $100 million a year. Of this, $50 million will be funded through operating means (6037-0011), by way of a Fiscal Year 2001 supplemental budget request for Fiscal Year 2002 expenses. The additional $50 million will be funded through the capital budget.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The Administration's budget recommendation includes $10 million for health care-related career development programs (7003-0604) ¾ $5 million for the continuation of the career ladder program for long-term care facilities to upgrade skills of certified nurses' aides and entry-level workers, and an additional $5 million for a direct health care worker grant program to upgrade the skills of entry level direct health care workers across all health care providers.

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

In Fiscal Year 2002, the Cellucci-Swift Administration will continue its strong commitment to creating and maintaining affordable housing in the Commonwealth by recommending:

$20 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (7004-9300) to create and preserve affordable housing;

$3.6 million in additional funding for Public Housing Subsidies (7004-9005) for deferred maintenance at state-aided public housing;

$1.2 million for the newly created Residential Assistance for Families in Transition pilot program (7004-9002) designed to provide flexible residential assistance to help at-risk families retain and regain permanent housing;

$1 million in additional funding for the Community Economic Development Corporations (7004-2027) for predevelopment assistance for the production of low income housing;

$918,204 in additional funding for the Transitional Housing Program for victims of domestic violence (7004-3040) to double the existing supply of housing units; and

$730,000 in additional funding for Urban Revitalization and Development projects (7004-9108) to support the costs of the Worcester Medical City development project.

ASSISTANCE FOR THE HOMELESS

In addition to the funding outlined above at the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes the following funding not only to provide shelter capacity, but also to prevent homelessness and help homeless individuals and families make the transition into permanent, affordable housing:

a $12 million increase for family shelters (4403-2120);

$2 million to fund transitional and permanent housing for mentally ill homeless individuals who are discharged from acute care hospitals and substance abuse facilities (5046-2000);

a $1.8 million increase for shelters for homeless individuals (4406-3000);

$1.5 million in additional funding for substance abuse treatment for homeless individuals (4512-0200); and

$500,000 in new funding to better understand and address the needs of homeless young people, including evaluation, monitoring, case management and discharge planning (4512-0200).

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Cellucci-Swift Administration has recognized that a duplication exists between the international functions performed by the Massachusetts International Trade Council (MITC), the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT), and the services offered by the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). In an effort to avoid this duplication, responsibility for those of MITC's and MOTT's international services either currently offered by Massport or in line with its core mission will be assumed by Massport. Responsibility for international policy formation and supporting the export business needs of the Commonwealth's small and medium size businesses will reside under the Department of Economic Development (DED) umbrella. Specifically, MOTT will focus on domestic marketing and tourism across all regions of the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD) will hold responsibility for service delivery of advice and training in the export arena to Massachusetts businesses. In addition, DED will develop an international economic development strategy detailing how Massachusetts should best support its businesses' international needs in the context of today's global economy.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The Cellucci-Swift Administration is committed to a high quality public educational system. To this end, the budget recommendation includes $4.1 billion for K-12 public education for Fiscal Year 2002. The Administration proposes a $171 million increase in direct education aid to cities and towns, reflecting the Cellucci-Swift Administration's commitment to maintaining the Commonwealth's investments made in education reform. Direct funding to cities and towns for education has increased more than 140% since Fiscal Year 1993, and the Commonwealth has invested more than $22 billion in public education. This increased investment has resulted in reduced class sizes, modernized classrooms, increased and improved professional development, and high expectations for all of the Commonwealth's students.

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation also includes funding for new initiatives to improve the quality of education for students in the Commonwealth. These new initiatives include:

$2.5 million for the Teacher Induction Mentoring program (7020-0012) for the development of a mentoring program for new teachers;

$1.2 million for one-time stipends to students who receive Koplik certificates of academic mastery (7020-0010);

$1 million for Teacher Differentiated Compensation (7020-0013) to help recruit and retain teachers in critical areas; and

$800,000 to establish two Commonwealth Teaching Centers (7020-0011) for the preparation of teachers.

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation also includes expansion for several existing programs:

$47 million to allow the School Building Assistance program to fund 46 new projects (7052-0003, 7052-0004, 7052-0005);
$4.5 million for increased funding for student and school assessment (7061-9400);
$4 million to provide free, nutritious breakfasts to all students in elementary schools where more than 60% of the students are eligible for free or reduced price meals (7053-1927);
$2.4 million to maintain the Administration's commitment to fully funding allowable costs for regional school transportation (7035-0006);
$1.25 million for matching grants to recruit and train mentors (7061-9634);
$500,000 for the Attracting Excellence to Teaching program (7010-0016) to increase loan assistance to teachers; and
$350,000 for teen dating violence prevention grants (7032-0500).

In keeping with the spirit of the 1993 Education Reform Law, the Cellucci-Swift Administration continues to promote the three pillars of educational reform: opportunity, quality, and accountability. To maintain that commitment, the Administration is putting forth proposals to enhance educational attainment and funding. First, in order to ensure that districts receive financial assistance to help students improve results on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exams, the Administration proposes to change the current competitive grant process to a formula distribution. This change will automatically distribute assistance based upon the number of students scoring in level 1 on the MCAS exams. It eliminates the cumbersome grant process and makes sure that the assistance is provided to cities, town, regional school districts, and charter schools most in need. Furthermore, it affords districts the opportunity to develop remediation programs at the beginning of the academic year instead of having to wait until a grant application has been approved.

The Administration will also be submitting separate legislation to improve how education aid is calculated and distributed to school districts. The proposal increases the foundation budget for special education and technology; addresses inequities in aid and local contributions; redirects aid toward towns with high growth in student enrollment; and takes measures to simplify the current formula.

The Fiscal Year 2002 funding recommendation will enable the Department of Education to achieve the education goals for K-12 set forth by the Cellucci-Swift Administration.

Office of Educational Quality and Accountability

This budget recommendation includes $3.9 million for the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (7061-0019). This office is charged with evaluating districts and schools to ensure that they are operating in the best interest of the students they serve. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability is an independent office designed to monitor and ensure that all of the Commonwealth's school systems meet the Administration's call for high standards and academic excellence.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation for Executive Office of Public Safety agencies includes:

$37.8 million to fully fund the Police Career Incentive Reimbursement ("Quinn") program for local police officers (8000-0040);

$5 million for a new Firefighter Career Incentive Reimbursement program (8000-0090);

$5 million for 125 new correctional officers to continue to ensure adequate staffing levels at all Department of Correction facilities (8900-0001);

$725,000 to carry out the provisions of the Racial and Gender Profiling Law, which include databasing warnings, training police officers, establishing a new hotline for motorists to register complaints, and performing data collection and analysis (8000-0060);

$250,000 to expand training for municipal officials on the state building and specialty codes, pursuant to recommendations in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance report "Bringing Down the Barriers: Changing Housing Supply Dynamics in Massachusetts" (8000-0035); and

$200,000 to implement the Massachusetts Instant Recording and Check System so that gun dealers will be able to use the Internet to verify firearms license information and to record gun identification data for every gun sale (8000-0180).

This recommendation also includes new funding for the Department of State Police, the Department of Public Safety, and the Parole Board.

Department of State Police

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation for the Department of State Police includes $5.8 million for a full year of state trooper salaries for the recruit class that graduated in December 2000 (8100-0000).

Additionally, the amount recommended includes $3.4 million for the first year of a tax-exempt lease purchase plan for the annual replacement of State Police cruisers (8100-0000).

To help answer the more than one million emergency calls placed from cellular telephones annually, the recommendation includes $560,000 to hire 16 additional dispatchers (8100-0000).

The amount recommended for the Department of State Police in Fiscal Year 2002 also includes $100,000 for additional management information personnel to better meet the Department's expanding technological needs and responsibilities (8100-0000).

Department of Public Safety

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation for the Department of Public Safety includes $900,000 to hire additional elevator inspectors to eliminate delays in the routine inspections of elevators and escalators (8315-1020), and $250,000 for the costs of building inspections requested by quasi-public authorities (8315-2000).

Parole Board

The amount recommended for the Parole Board in Fiscal Year 2002 includes $513,000 to improve the supervision of parolees (8950-0001). These improvements will involve changes to caseload management, more frequent substance abuse testing, and enhanced training for parole officers.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ELDER AFFAIRS

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation includes the first full-year of funding for the most comprehensive state-funded senior drug benefit program in the country. The recommendation provides $109 million for this program, an increase of $36 million over projected Fiscal Year 2001 spending (9110-1455).

On May 10, 2000 the Cellucci-Swift Administration signed Executive Order 421 (EO-421), A Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Care. EO-421 directed the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Consumer Affairs to:

conduct a comprehensive assessment of the long-term care system for elders in the Commonwealth; and

develop a comprehensive plan and set of recommendations for developing and preserving adequate long-term care capacity in the Commonwealth for the next five years.

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation for the Executive Office of Elder Affairs includes $6.1 million in increased funding for home and community-based long-term care consistent with the findings and recommendations of EO-421 (9110-1550). The increase includes:

$1.4 million for expansion of home care services;

$1.4 million for five 24/7 pilot teams to provide home care outside normal hours of service;

$1.2 million for enhanced case management services for an additional 2,000 elders;

$800,000 for adult day care expanded hours at ten sites;

$675,000 for the implementation of seven new supportive senior housing sites;

$300,000 for five pilot programs to allow elders and their families to have more direct involvement in determining their service delivery; and

$300,000 for long-term care expansion.

The Fiscal Year 2002 budget recommendation also consolidates the Enhanced Community Options account (9110-1500), the Managed Care in Housing account (9110-1603), and the Elder Home Care Services account (4000-0460) into the new Enhanced Home Care Services account (9110-1501). This consolidation will provide home care case managers with greater flexibility than they have currently to refer clients to the most appropriate home care service.

Executive Office for Administration and Finance
Fiscal Affairs Division
State House, Room 272
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 727-2081

Last updated on January 17, 2001