State officials discuss water infrastructure funding
Participants at Wednesday’s discussion on water infrastructure funding, which was organized by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Screenshot
Published: 2/25/2021 6:42:28 PM
State and local officials met remotely Wednesday night to discuss the importance of locating funding to support local and regional water suppliers and treatment facilities.
“While we often don’t think enough about our water and wastewater infrastructure, and it’s sometimes not the most exciting topic on the table, I think it’s easy to agree that the work of local and regional wastewater utilities has never been more critical,” said Kathleen Theoharides, secretary of the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
State officials discuss water infrastructure funding
Participants at Wednesday’s discussion on water infrastructure funding. SCREENSHOT
Published: 2/25/2021 2:51:27 PM
State and local officials met remotely Wednesday night to discuss the importance of locating funds for local and regional water suppliers and treatment facilities.
“While we often don’t think enough about our water and wastewater infrastructure, and it’s sometimes not the most exciting topic on the table, I think it’s easy to agree that the work of local and regional wastewater utilities has never been more critical,” said Kathleen Theoharides, secretary of the state Executive Office of Energy and Affairs.
“The Community One Stop for Growth represents a major shift in how our administration does business with cities and towns and others by taking the existing complex network of disparate funding sources and transforming it into a true partnership that supports communities in their local economic development strategies,” Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said in a statement. “Thanks to the invaluable feedback we got from local officials across Massachusetts, this new unified application will allow the commonwealth to better understand and support a community’s development goals and vision.”
The One Stop also incorporates direct referrals to additional programs, offers tailored guidance and features collaborative review, all organized around a single timeline, the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development said in its announcement. It also includes an optional “Expression of Interest” feature that allows an applicant to indicate economic development priorities and
Matt Murphy
State House News Service
Gov. Charlie Baker next week will file a budget that recommends increasing the state s $1.13 billion general local aid account by $39.5 million, keeping with his administration s past practice to align growth in non-school aid for the cities and towns with estimated increases in tax revenue for the coming year.
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito teased the local aid increase Thursday in remarks to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which is hosting its annual meeting virtually over the next two days. The 3.5 % increase amounts to an additional $112,535, on average, for all 351 municipalities.
The local aid increase to be included in Baker s fiscal year 2022 budget proposal comes after the administration and the Legislature level-funded unrestricted general government aid in this year s budget, which wasn t signed until December. Baker is expected to file on Wednesday.