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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1697 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2115
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Andres X. Vargas and Antonio F. D. Cabral
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to establish a commission to study the distribution of unrestricted local aid.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Andres X. Vargas3rd Essex1/18/2023Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol1/18/2023Adam Scanlon14th Bristol1/24/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol1/30/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/9/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1697 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2115
By Representatives Vargas of Haverhill and Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 2115) of Andres X. Vargas, Antonio F. D. Cabral and others for legislation to
establish a special commission (including members of the General Court) to study the
distribution of general local aid, unrestricted general government aid and lottery aid to cities and
towns. Municipalities and Regional Government.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2139 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to establish a commission to study the distribution of unrestricted local aid.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 The General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, are hereby amended by
2inserting after chapter 40W the following chapter:-
3 Chapter 40X. Commission to study the distribution of general local aid.
4 SECTION 1. There shall be a commission to study the distribution of general local aid in
5the commonwealth, including unrestricted general government aid, lottery aid as promulgated in
6section 18C of chapter 58 of the General Laws and additional assistance aid to municipalities.
7The study shall not include foundation aid as defined in section 2 of chapter 70 of the General
8Laws. 2 of 3
9 SECTION 2. The commission shall examine the current formula used to distribute
10unrestricted general government aid to municipalities, evaluate the effectiveness and equity of
11said formula and make recommendations to establish a more equitable distribution of
12unrestricted general government aid to municipalities in the commonwealth. The commission
13shall review all aspects of general local aid including, but not limited to (a) the current allocation
14of local aid to municipalities; (b) the reflectiveness of municipalities’ needs in the proportional
15distribution of the unrestricted general government aid formula; (c) any equity disparities that
16exist between municipalities across the commonwealth related to local aid distribution; (d) the
17ability to account for a municipality’s change in population or tax base in a general local aid
18funding formula; (e) the potential to calculate municipal costs based on a municipality’s need for
19municipal services and a municipality’s ability to raise local revenue, less a municipality’s local
20revenues; and (f) any alternative formulas that may create a more equitable distribution of
21general local aid.
22 SECTION 3. The commission shall consist of: the secretary of administration and
23finance, or a designee; the commissioner of the department of revenue, or a designee; 1 member
24appointed by the state treasurer; 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall represent a gateway
25municipality as defined in section 3A of chapter 23A of the General Laws and shall serve as co-
26chair; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall represent a gateway
27municipality as defined in said section 3A of said chapter 23A and shall serve as co-chair; 5
28members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts
29Municipal Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall be nominated by the Federal Reserve Bank of
30Boston, 1 of whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, Inc., 1 of
31whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Inc., and 1 of whom shall 3 of 3
32be nominated by the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of
33Massachusetts at Boston.
34 SECTION 4. The commission shall file a report of its findings and recommendations,
35including any new or revised local aid formulas, with the clerks of the senate and house of
36representatives, the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means, and the
37senate and house chairs of the joint committee on municipalities and regional government not
38later than July 1, 2021.