Press Release  Governor Healey Signs $1.3 Billion Supplemental Budget to Make Major Investments in Transportation, Education

Boston — Today, Governor Maura Healey signed a supplemental budget to invest $1.32 billion in surplus Fair Share revenue from Fiscal Year 2024 into education and transportation. This funding marks a major down payment in Governor Healey’s $8 billion plan to upgrade roads, bridges and public transportation across the state, stabilizes the finances of the MBTA, and helps make up the learning losses students suffered due to the pandemic by expanding proven programs like high-dosage tutoring.

Overall, the bill uses $758.8 million in one-time funding to support transportation infrastructure needs across the state. Another $561.4 million will be dedicated to the state’s early education, K-12, and higher education systems. The funding comes from the $2.46 billion in surtax revenue collected in Fiscal Year 2024, of which $1 billion was appropriated in the FY24 budget.

“I proposed this bill to address two of the most critical needs we have as a state – transportation and education. For decades, our transportation system has been underinvested in, and Massachusetts residents and businesses have been paying the price. We’re delivering an historic infusion of funding to upgrade roads and bridges and finally stabilize the finances at the T,” said Governor Healey. “We’re also expanding access to the programs that have been proven to support students and help them recover from the learning losses they suffered due to the pandemic, like tutoring and career and technical education. We’re grateful to the Legislature for their continued partnership as we put these dollars to the best use for our people and our economy.”

“As the school year comes to a close, educators and families can head into summer break knowing that significant funding is coming their way that delivers the support they need for special education, child care and tutoring,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “At the same time, we’re ushering in a new era of modern, reliable transportation across Massachusetts. We look forward to continuing to build on the progress we’ve been making on transportation and education across the state.”

“Ensuring that every Massachusetts resident has access to a safe and reliable public transportation system, and that every student in the Commonwealth receives a high-quality education, are two of the most fundamental responsibilities that we have as elected officials. The investments being made in this supplemental budget are representative of the Commonwealth’s continued focus on meeting those responsibilities,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Governor Healey for filing this legislation, as well as Chairman Michlewitz and my colleagues in the House, along with our partners in the Senate, for prioritizing the critical funding that this supplemental budget allocates. The House looks forward to building on these investments, and to continuing to deliver improvements to the Commonwealth's most fundamental institutions and services."

“No matter where you live in Massachusetts, you deserve reliable transportation and an education that opens doors to opportunities,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “This funding moves us closer to a Commonwealth where everyone has access to both. At a time when the federal government’s commitment to safe transit and strong public education is in doubt, this legislation makes direct investments in local communities, our school systems, and the infrastructure projects that keep Massachusetts moving forward. I’m grateful to Governor Healey for signing this critical legislation, my colleagues in the Senate for their support, and our partners in the House. I look forward to seeing the impact of these investments in communities across the state.”

The bill signed by the Governor puts a total of $548 million toward the MBTA, helping to rebuild operating reserves, support low-income fare discounts and invest in infrastructure and water transit. New funding will also go to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to support micro transit, small bridges and culvert maintenance. Another $80 million will be used to supplement local Chapter 90 road funding and $50 million will go to Regional Transit Authorities.

In education, $190 million will be used to support local school districts with the rising cost of providing special education, as well as providing $58 million of additional support to fully fund the special education circuit breaker this fiscal year. It also includes $100 million to expand Career Technical Education program seats at comprehensive high schools and dedicated career technical high schools. The budget puts $25.6 million into early literacy high-dosage tutoring, a proven and effective tool to help students read and close achievement gaps and dedicates $115 million toward needed capital improvements at higher education campuses. Further, it includes $10 million to reduce the ESOL waitlist and $45 million for early education and care capacity building. 

“From helping to stabilize the MBTA to investing in our backlog of higher education capital needs, this budget fulfills our goal of using surtax resources to make transformative investments that will improve our transportation system, support local government and address areas of need that for too long have lack the necessary resources. I appreciate the support of our partners in the Legislature and look forward to continuing to work with them to find ways to maximize surtax dollars and,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz.

“Thanks to Fair Share revenue, we are better positioned to give communities the connectivity they need and deserve – and to support economic growth and improve quality of life across Massachusetts,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “From culvert upgrades to fare free bus service and everything in-between, with Fair Share funds and the leadership of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, we are launching the projects that will help make our transportation network safer, and more reliable, accessible, and resilient for generations to come”.

“I want to thank the Legislature for their continued partnership in helping early education and care programs, schools and campuses address some of the most pressing equity gaps in education and support the capital needs of our public institutions. In Massachusetts, we are investing Fair Share dollars create the foundations for students to realize their dreams – from affordable child care, learning to read and building innovative, high-quality classrooms for the workforce of today and tomorrow,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.

“This is an investment that serves all as education and transportation are essential to improving quality of life and connecting communities,” said MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng. “The future is bright, not just for the MBTA but for the people who rely on us every day. From students commuting to class to seniors accessing medical care to workers getting to their jobs on time, this funding helps us deliver more frequent, reliable, and accessible service. I’m deeply grateful to Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, and the Legislature for their leadership and commitment to strengthening public transportation for people from all walks of life across every corner of the Commonwealth. The MBTA is both excited and grateful to be part of this moment and is here to serve.”

Statements of Support:

James E. Rooney, President and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce:

"The Chamber thanks both the Governor and the Legislature for these critical investments in transportation and education, which will help us attract and retain businesses and people in the Commonwealth. We particularly appreciate the investments in statewide public transit and the MBTA, which continues to improve its performance, making a meaningful difference in the lives of residents and the operations of businesses." 

Kate Dineen, President and CEO, A Better City: 

"This bill is a major win for transit riders, our economy, and for people who hoping to see transportation improvements in all areas of the Commonwealth. This bill will provide the MBTA with multi-year stability for their operating budget and service levels for riders, while also addressing many other transportation needs in Massachusetts. It also delivers on a key recommendation from the Governor’s Transportation Funding Task Force by making progress toward achieving a 50/50 split between transportation and education spending from the Fair Share surtax.  We appreciate the complexity of making a budget amid unprecedented federal uncertainty and thank the Legislative leadership for prioritizing investments in transportation that will pay dividends in economic benefits to our regional economy and uplift our communities."

Ed Lambert, Executive Director, Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education:

 “Early literacy high dosage tutoring is game changing for the many students who need extra support to learn how to read, which is fundamental to their success in all other subjects. We are grateful to the Governor and the legislature for recognizing the need and allocating this essential funding that will boost literacy rates and close racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps.”

Dr. Mary M. Bourque, Executive Director, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (M.A.S.S.):

“We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the legislature for the significant investments in PK-12 public education through Fair Share funding. With these additional resources, State officials are addressing some of the most critical priorities that district leaders across the Commonwealth have highlighted — especially Circuit Breaker funding for special education services, high-dosage tutoring, career and technical education, and regional transportation. As local communities continue to struggle with rising costs, M.A.S.S. commends our partners in State government for providing additional financial support to ensure the success of our schools and our students.”

Steven C. Sharek, Executive Director, Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA):

“The Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators applauds the House, Senate, and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for including lab modernization grants in the FY26 Fair Share Supplemental Budget. This investment is a critical first step toward addressing the unprecedented waitlists for Chapter 74 vocational-technical programs across the Commonwealth. By creating new seats and upgrading facilities, these funds will help more students access high-quality, hands-on training and graduate workforce-ready for the high-demand industries that drive our state’s economy.”

Tonja Mettlach, Executive Vice President, Massachusetts Business Roundtable:

"We applaud the Healey-Driscoll Administration and legislature for this strategic and important investment in ESOL. At the Roundtable, we are focused on growing and nurturing the state’s chief competitive advantage: our well-trained, highly educated, and diverse talent, with a particular focus on expanding career opportunities for immigrants. This funding will present more opportunities for immigrants to join the workforce, helping to ensure employers have the talent they need to grow and thrive statewide."

Amy Nishman, Senior Vice President of Strategy, JVS Boston:

“The coalition for ESOL for Economic Success is thrilled that the Healey Administration and the Legislature recognize that vocational ESOL is a path to entering and succeeding in the workplace, giving participants what they want and employers what they need.”

Marty Meehan, President, University of Massachusetts:

“We are very appreciative the Fair Share supplement budget, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Healey today, includes several important investments that directly benefit UMass and its students. The bill includes a significant commitment to higher education capital funding, with $16.5 million dedicated to UMass. This capital funding will enable the university to expand a nursing simulation lab at UMass Amherst, invest in a health and public safety facility at UMass Dartmouth, and plan for an expansion of the Manning College of Nursing & Health Sciences at UMass Boston. In addition, students will benefit with scholarships and financial aid through $10 million in support of the UMass Endowment Match program. These investments will have positive impacts on the university and its students for decades, and we are grateful to Gov. Healey, Lt. Gov. Driscoll, Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano, and the entire Legislature for their continued support of UMass.”

Dr. Linda Thompson, President, Westfield State University; Chair, Massachusetts State University Council of Presidents:

"We are grateful for these historic investments in public higher education that have been made possible due to the dedicated revenue source from the Fair Share surtax revenue. Continued investments in our public higher education system are needed not only for both the personal growth of our students, but also for the economic growth of the Commonwealth and the regions we serve. This funding represents a critical opportunity to modernize our learning environments and address long-overdue repairs to our state-owned buildings, which are key to ensuring we remain competitive, relevant, and responsive to the rapidly evolving educational and workforce landscape. We also appreciate funding for the DHE Endowment Incentive program which is a vital tool in our efforts to grow philanthropic giving, ensuring our campus foundations are able to provide institutional financial aid to the students who need it most."

Nate Mackinnon, Executive Director, Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges:

“This supplemental funding represents another tremendous investment in public higher education by the Healey-Driscoll administration and our legislature. In addition to addressing the deferred maintenance that exists across the system, this budget also provides funding necessary to modernize vital workforce training laboratories across the Commonwealth’s community colleges which will help meet the demand expected from employers.” 

 Amy O’Leary, Executive Director, Strategies for Children:

“We are grateful to Governor Healey, Speaker Mariano and Senate President Spilka for their continued leadership and support for early education and care. The $45.5 million investment in the Fair Share surplus supplemental budget reaffirms that early education is a critical part of the education continuum and we celebrate this shared public commitment to investing in children across all ages and stages.” 

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