BEACON HILL BEAT
JULY 2006
GOVERNOR ROMNEY SIGNS $25.2 BILLION FY 2007 STATE BUDGET -
LEGISLATURE EXPECTED TO OVERRIDE VETOED ITEMS
On the morning of Saturday July 8th, Governor Romney signed the $25.2 billion FY 2007 state budget into law, after vetoing over $570 million from the budget recommendation submitted by the House/Senate Conference Committee. The Governor’s budget represents a 5.6% increase over to last year, compared to the 7.5% increase proposed by the legislature. Included in the budget is a provision to restore 100% of the annual Lottery revenue back to municipalities.
The Governor’s vetoes included $25 million for the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund, a program specifically designed to assist municipalities address escalating costs of sewer service throughout the state. The Rate Relief Fund, once funded at $60 million, and later cut to $12.5 million in FY 2006, has become one of the Commonwealth’s most overlooked tools for helping residents in over 100 communities throughout the state. UCANE as talked with the legislative leadership and is optimistic that Rate Relief will be among the veto overrides that the House and Senate are expected to take up before the legislative session ends on July 31st.
The Governor also vetoed portions of the Contract Assistance for the Clean Water and Drinking Water Contract Assistance Fund for the Water Pollution Abatement Trust (WPAT). The WPAT administers the SRF program, which assists municipalities in addressing needed drinking water and wastewater infrastructure construction work to comply with state and federal clean water regulations by providing low interest loans. The Massachusetts SRF program has been an example to the nation of how to effectively finance wastewater and drinking water projects. In FY 2007 the SRF program is expected to fund over $501 million in Clean Water and Drinking Water construction projects. Any changes in the current funding structure for the WPAT could jeopardize these important projects along with future SRF projects.
STATE REVENUES EXEED EXPECTATIONS
The MA Department of Revenue announced that the state has collected $18.48 billion (an 8% increase over to last year) in tax revenues, exceeding predictions by over $1 billion. Revenues for June, set a record, taking in $2.036 million, an 11% increase compared to last year. Revenue Commissioner Alan LeBovidge credited the increase to the growth of the economy and more effective collection methods.
MA DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS
ANNOUNCES FY 2007 GRANTS
The MA Department of Industrial Accidents (DIA) Office of Safety announced their FY 2007 grants for Occupational Safety Training and Health Education and Training for employees and employers of industries operating within the Commonwealth. Their responsibilities include advising employees and employers of safety issues surrounding the work environment. To fulfill this mandate, the Department awards grants to qualified applicants based upon a competitive selection process.
Each year, the DIA awards $800,000 in safety grants. These grants have provided funding which has trained nearly 225,000 Massachusetts workers since 1991. The grants are not limited to specific types of training. Any safety training program that seeks to improve the safety of the workplace is eligible for funding.
Information on DIA grants can be found on the Internet at http://www.mass.gov/dia/Safety/index.htm or by contacting Dan DeMille at the DIA (978)-683-6420 ex: 138.
MA TO INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE
TO $8 in 2008
The Massachusetts’ legislature has approved a proposal to increase the minimum wage in Massachusetts to $8 by 2008. The plan calls for an increase from the current level of $6.75 per hour to $7.50 per hour on January 1, 2007, and the following year (January 1, 2008) the minimum wage would be increased again to $8. The increase will make Massachusetts the highest minimum wage state in the country.
DEP CITES NORTHAMPTON COMPANY FOR WATER POLLUTION
AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL VIOLATIONS
The DEP fined a Northampton company $20,000 for violating state regulations governing water pollution, air quality, and hazardous waste control. The violations were discovered during a DEP inspection of Phillips Enterprises, Inc. The inspection revealed that the company was illegally discharging industrial wastewater to an on-site septic system. It was operating a spray paint booth without DEP approval, and was treating and disposing of hazardous waste without the appropriate license. The company was also not conforming to DEP hazardous waste management requirements. The violations included not posting proper signage, not clearly delineating areas where containers of hazardous waste were being stored, and failing to notify DEP of the facility's hazardous waste and waste oil generation.
The company will pay a penalty of $4,000, and will make a contribution of $8,000 to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission's Voluntary Vehicle Recycling Program, as a Supplemental Environmental Project. The remaining $8,000 of the penalty will be suspended for one year pending Phillips' compliance with the consent order.
GOVERNOR ROMNEY APPOINTS BOB GOLLEDGE SECRETARY OF EOEA
On August 16th, Governor Mitt Romney appointed Bob Golledge Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), replacing Steve Pritchard, who was appointed to lead the Governor’s Central Artery/Tunnel Project Safety Review. For the past three years, Golledge has served as the Commissioner for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), an agency that he will continue to oversee as EOEA Secretary along with the Department of Agricultural Resources, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Department of Fish and Game.
Under the leadership of Golledge, Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to establish a drinking water standard for perchlorate. He is a career environmental professional with more than 20 years of experience serving in a variety of positions in state and municipal government including Regional Director of DEP's Worcester Office, Chief of Staff, and Director of Wetlands and Waterways, Town of Dartmouth Conservation Agent and the City of Lowell’s Environmental Affairs Coordinator.
UCANE looks forward to continuing to work with Golledge in his new role as Secretary of EOEA.
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