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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1374 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2252
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Antonio F. D. Cabral and Andres X. Vargas
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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:Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol1/14/2025Andres X. Vargas3rd Essex1/14/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1374 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2252
By Representatives Cabral of New Bedford and Vargas of Haverhill, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 2252) of Antonio F. D. Cabral and Andres X. Vargas 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. 2115 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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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 SECTION 1. The General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, are hereby
2amended by inserting after chapter 40Y the following chapter:
3 Chapter 40Z. Commission to study the distribution of unrestricted general government
4aid.
5 Section 1. There shall be a commission to study the distribution of general local aid in the
6commonwealth, including unrestricted general government aid, lottery aid as promulgated in
7section 18C of chapter 58 of the General Laws and additional assistance aid to municipalities. 2 of 3
8The study shall not include foundation aid as defined in section 2 of chapter 70 of the General
9Laws.
10 Section 2. The commission shall examine the current formula used to distribute
11unrestricted general government aid to municipalities, evaluate the effectiveness and equity of
12said formula and make recommendations to establish a more equitable distribution of
13unrestricted general government aid to municipalities in the commonwealth. The commission
14shall review all aspects of general local aid including, but not limited to (a) the current allocation
15of local aid to municipalities; (b) the reflectiveness of municipalities’ needs in the proportional
16distribution of the unrestricted general government aid formula; (c) any equity disparities that
17exist between municipalities across the commonwealth related to local aid distribution; (d) the
18ability to account for a municipality’s change in population or tax base in a general local aid
19funding formula; (e) the potential to calculate municipal costs based on a municipality’s need for
20municipal services and a municipality’s ability to raise local revenue, less a municipality’s local
21revenues; and (f) any alternative formulas that may create a more equitable distribution of
22general local aid.
23 Section 3. The commission shall consist of: the secretary of administration and finance,
24or a designee; the commissioner of the department of revenue, or a designee; 1 member
25appointed by the state treasurer; 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall represent a gateway
26municipality as defined in section 3A of chapter 23A of the General Laws and shall serve as co-
27chair; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall represent a gateway
28municipality as defined in said section 3A of said chapter 23A and shall serve as co-chair; 5
29members appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts
30Municipal Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall be nominated by the Federal Reserve Bank of 3 of 3
31Boston, 1 of whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, Inc., 1 of
32whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Inc., and 1 of whom shall
33be nominated by the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of
34Massachusetts at Boston.
35 Section 4. The commission shall file a report of its findings and recommendations,
36including any new or revised local aid formulas, with the clerks of the senate and house of
37representatives, the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means, and the
38senate and house chairs of the joint committee on municipalities and regional government not
39later than one year after the passage of this act.
40 SECTION 2. Section 1 shall take effect upon passage.