Facts In Action

As we go to print, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts continues to function without a budget, more than 100 days into the new fiscal year. While discussions about the state budget were temporarily suspended following the September 11th attacks, legislators have also been waiting for information regarding state revenues, which have fallen steadily in recent months, to get a better sense of how much money will be available for allocation. Unfortunately, the news is not good - legislators are predicting a tight budget squeeze. Both the massive income tax cut passed by Commonwealth voters last November as well as faltering consumer confidence in light of the recent attacks have drastically decreased state revenues. In this political climate, the message from the State House is that programs should expect at the very most level funding, if not cuts to current levels of funding.

In other state policy news, the Governor's Commission on School Readiness is working towards its November 15th deadline to submit its report to Acting Governor Jane Swift. During the summer, the Commission completed its public input process, surveying 5,000 parents and 2,000 providers in the Commonwealth. The Commission is now working to finalize its report to the Governor, which recommends integrating and coordinating programs and services for families, and places special emphasis on promoting recruitment and retention of the early childhood workforce. For more information about the Governor's Commission on School Readiness, contact Valora Washington at (617) 868-6600 or OCCS Commissioner Ardith Wieworka at (617) 626-2000.

Facts in Action, October 2001