BCAT News

The Massachusetts Senate has approved a $61.4 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2026. The final budget protects the state’s financial health, the state’s most vulnerable residents, and makes investments that reinforce the Commonwealth’s economic vitality in the face of mounting federal threat. The budget passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 38-2, with Senator Cindy Friedman voting in favor. The budget neither raises taxes nor spends dollars from the state’s stabilization fund, also known as the ‘Rainy Day Fund’. Several policy amendments offered by Senator Friedman were adopted and included in the Senate’s final budget.

The Senate’s final budget increases spending by $3.7 billion over Fiscal Year 2025, with the majority of the increase attributed to MassHealth. Based on Fair Share surtax revenue estimates, the Senate’s budget proposal included $1.95 billion in education and transportation investments, an increase of $650 million over the last fiscal year.

Highlighting the Senate’s longstanding commitment to a sustainable state and local partnership, this budget provides significant resources to support all Massachusetts cities and towns, ensuring that the state can meet the needs of every region, city, and town, leaving no corner of the Commonwealth behind.

The proposal includes $1.337 billion in funding for Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA). Burlington is set to receive $10,503,556 in Chapter 70 education funding and $3,295,578 in UGGA funds.

Local Project Funding Secured by Senator Friedman includes $60,000 for Food Link, Inc. to address food insecurity in the city of Woburn and the towns of Arlington, Billerica, Burlington and Lexington.

Click here for further details of the Fiscal Year 2026 $61.4 billion state budget.