Massachusetts Legislature passes FY25 Budget; millions secured for New Bedford

“BOSTON, MA – On Friday, Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral (D-New Bedford) joined his House and
Senate colleagues in unanimously passing a $58 billion budget proposal for FY2025. This budget upholds
fiscal responsibility while delivering historic levels of targeted investments in education, regional
transportation equity, workforce development and health care, among many other priorities
championed by Rep. Cabral.

The City of New Bedford will receive $28,325,395 in unrestricted general government aid for the City’s
budget. The New Bedford Public Schools will receive $236,331,190 in state funding, an increase of $12.2
million for FY24.

As a cornerstone of the Commonwealth’s economic foundation, the FY25 budget expands investments
in both education and transportation from revenue gained by the Fair Share initiative. The Fair Share
ballot initiative, passed by Massachusetts residents in November 2022, generated $1.3 billion in
revenue for the Commonwealth.

The Fair Share revenue allows for investments in education and transportation initiatives, including:

• $250 million for the Commonwealth Transportation Fund (CTF) which will increase investments
  in transportation infrastructure
• $170 million to fully fund universal meals programming for every public-school student in the
  Commonwealth
• $117.5 million for MassEducate to provide free community college across the Commonwealth
• $110 million for regional transit funding and grants to support the work of Regional Transit
  Authorities (RTAs) that serve the Commonwealth
• $30 million for free-fare programs

New Bedford:
As a direct result of his advocacy, Rep. Cabral secured $930,000 in FY25 for these local New Bedford
programs:

• $575,000 for UMass Dartmouth’s SMAST for groundfish fisheries research
• $80,000 for youth programs at the Dennison Memorial Community Center
• $75,000 for outreach and educational programming at AHA! Arts, History, &
  Architecture of New Bedford
• $50,000 for opioid abuse treatment at the Greater New Bedford Community Health
  Center
• $50,000 for programming at the Frederick Douglass House
• $50,000 for the support of productions and programming at the Zeiterion, Inc.
• $25,000 for the youth apprenticeship program at the New Bedford Festival Theatre
• $25,000 for cultural educational programming at the Cape Verdean Association of New
  Bedford

As a cosponsor, Rep. Cabral also helped secure funding for these other local organizations:

• $150,000 for workforce development training opportunities for MA Marine Traders
  Association
• $100,000 for UMass Dartmouth Cranberry Health Research Center
• $100,000 for the peer-led juvenile diversion program Youth Court of New Bedford and
  Fall River
• $75,000 for the South Coast LGBTQ+ Network to assist programming
• $75,000 for citizenship education and workforce readiness programming at the
  Immigrants’ Assistance Center
• $50,000 for New Bedford Coastal Foodshed to address food insecurity and quality in
  our neighborhoods
• $50,000 for the Girls Design Academy to continue community service efforts
• $50,000 for Groundworks Southcoast to support tree and community garden expansion

“These programs and organizations support and uplift New Bedford and its residents. From engaging our
youth, promoting our vibrant downtown, preserving our city’s multicultural history, and providing
health services to our neighborhoods, these programs represent some of the best New Bedford has to
offer. I am proud to partner with them and support the work they do in our community,” said Rep.
Cabral.

Rep. Cabral, a long-time sponsor and advocate, also secured $4,250,000 for the Parent-Child Plus
Program. This statewide program offers early education home visits to low-income families with
children between the ages of 16 months and four years, and directly benefits New Bedford families from
the Hayden McFadden Elementary School and the John A. Parker Elementary School to name a few.

Gateway Cities:
Rep. Cabral and the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus (GCLC) focused their budget priorities on
education support programs and community development initiatives that meet the specific needs of
Gateway Cities, such as New Bedford.

The GCLC secured:

• $15.1 Million for Early College programs.
• $13.1 Million for Dual Enrollment grants, which enables high schoolers to earn college credit.
• $1 Million for the English Language Learners Gateway Cities Program
• $750,000 for neighborhood stabilization efforts within the Transformative Development Fund to support community-led revitalization efforts

In order to address the ongoing housing crisis, the legislature continued its commitment to protect
renters and homeowners through investing in the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program ($231.7
million), the Rental Assistance for Families in Transition Program ($197.4 million), HomeBASE ($57.3
million), and other homeless prevention programming.

Education:
This budget invests $6.9 billion in Chapter 70 funding, an increase of $319 million over FY24, as well as
increasing minimum Chapter 70 aid from $30 to $104 per pupil. This historic level of investment ensures
the state remains on schedule to fully implement the Student Opportunity Act (SOA) by Fiscal Year 2027.
The budget also reflects a strong to commitment to early education and care, investing $1.5 billion into
this sector, including $475 million for the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants which provide
monthly grants to early education and childcare programs.

The budget includes other education initiatives:

• $493.2 million for the Special Education Circuit Breaker Program
• $65 million in rate increases for childcare providers across the Commonwealth
• $18.5 million for Head Start grants

These investments will help to stabilize providers, support the early educator workforce with rate
increases and higher education opportunities, and provide access to affordable care for children and
families.

“With the increased revenue from the Fair Share initiative, the legislature has been strategic in its effort
to balance fiscal responsibility with meaningful investment in areas of critical need. The investment in
educational aid, in transportation, in housing, and in direct help for community organizations makes
New Bedford a winner in this FY25 budget. New Bedford families deserve nothing less than our full
support for the programs and state funding that ensure their daily success. I am proud to fight for them
each budget cycle,” said Rep. Cabral.”-Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral Office.