Special to the Independent
Senator Sal DiDomenico secured $625,000 for organizations and schools in the district, and over $1.5 million for statewide programs in the $61.4 billion state budget passed by the Senate. These local investments will support school arts departments, education programs and antipoverty nonprofits across Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelsea and Everett. DiDomenico’s successful amendments for statewide programs will expand health care services for those in need, improve community safety, aid housing assistance programs, and support education offerings for all students.
The final budget—which safeguards the state’s financial health, protects the state’s most vulnerable residents, and makes investments that reinforce the Commonwealth’s economic vitality in the face of mounting federal threats passed with bipartisan support by a vote of 38-2. It neither raises taxes nor spends dollars from the state’s stabilization fund—also known as the ‘Rainy Day Fund’—which currently stands at a historic $8.1 billion.
“The Senate Budget is a victory for schools, public infrastructure, healthcare access, and housing in my district and throughout the Commonwealth,” said Sal DiDomenico, Assistant Majority Leader of the Massachusetts Senate. “I am proud to direct hundreds of thousands of dollars to my district and over a million dollars statewide for organizations and programs that provide vital services for our residents. These investments will create new opportunities for people of all ages in our communities, ensure all our children can enjoy the best education possible, and support organizations fighting against poverty by helping our neighbors get the resources they need.”
The Senate FY26 budget supports students of all ages by maintaining investments in public education at every level. The budget fully funds the fifth year of the Student Opportunity Act, provides a historic funding commitment to the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), and stands with public and private institutions of higher education at a volatile time.
For the second year, the Senate’s budget dedicates $120 million to fully fund MassEducate, the Commonwealth’s universal free community college program that became law in last year’s budget. By again delivering free tuition and fees for residents, the FY26 proposal continues its support for this vital initiative that expands economic opportunity in a regionally equitable manner across the Commonwealth.
The budget establishes a special commission to study how local aid is distributed, evaluate its effectiveness and equity, and make recommendations to maximize the equity of the distribution. In addition to traditional sources of local aid, this budget also increases payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for state-owned land to $54.5 million. PILOT funding is a source of supplemental local aid for cities and towns working to protect and improve access to essential services and programs.
The Senate’s FY26 budget funds MassHealth at $22.41 billion, an increase of $2.34 billion over the last fiscal year. As the largest cost driver in the state’s budget, MassHealth alone accounts for 65 per cent of the total spending increase over the FY25 budget.
As the state envisions a more fiscally sustainable path for its future, increasing affordable housing opportunities and addressing housing challenges remain at the forefront of the Senate’s agenda. This budget therefore invests more than $1.16 billion in housing initiatives, dedicating resources for housing stability, residential assistance, emergency shelter services, and homelessness assistance programs. The Senate’s FY26 budget deploys a humane, responsible, and sustainable approach to support families and individuals in need with affordable, safe, and secure housing options.
With both chambers of the Legislature having approved different versions of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, they will now reconcile their versions before sending a final FY26 budget to the Governor for her signature.