Healey’s mid-year budget cuts impact local towns

Date: 1/25/2024

On Jan. 8, Gov. Maura Healey announced that the state cut $375 million from the fiscal year 2024 budget in order to accommodate for the fact that revenues did not meet anticipated benchmarks.

The cuts were undertaken through the state law’s Chapter 29, Section 9C, which allows the governor to make cuts in order to ensure that the budget is balanced at the end of the fiscal year, according to the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance. Section 9C cuts can only impact funds directly controlled by the governor.

In the surrounding area, the towns of Ware, Wales and Brimfield have organizations that were impacted by Healey’s budget cuts. Funding earmarked for each of these organizations was reduced by 50%, as illustrated in the state’s FY24 9C Earmark Report. The organizations are part of more than 400 groups impacted by the cuts across the state.

In Ware, the Friends of Quabbin’s funds to place a commemorative bronze plaque honoring 43 American Revolution veterans buried at Quabbin Park Cemetery was reduced from $5,000 to $2,500.

The funds were officially accepted by FOQ President Gene Theroux on Oct. 27, 2023 and were designated to purchase a granite slab to mount the bronze plaque. The project was initiated in 2017.

Due to the FOQ’s upfront deposit of $10,000, the budget reduction will not delay the plaque’s purchase or its placement for the Memorial Day ceremony at Quabbin Park Cemetery. However, it leaves the organization without funds to reimburse their payment, Theroux said.

He explained that, in addition to the $2,500 cut, FOQ likely will not receive the other half of the grant as well because of a requirement that the state must give the funds to the Department of Conservation and Recreation, which in turn does not have the ability to transfer the funds to FOQ. As a result, Healey’s 9C cut may prevent the organization from receiving any of its original $5,000 grant.

“I’m not optimistic about getting the $2,500 [remaining of the grant after 9C cuts],” Theroux stated, describing how FOQ was relying on the state’s funds. “We’ve spent considerable time and energy on the plaque and monument.”

Despite this, the organization is “very grateful” for a $2,000 donation from the New Salem Academy, as well as the support and cooperation of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution and DCR, Theroux said.

To help reimburse the organization for the lost state funds, FOQ is asking for donations from the community, Theroux said. Donations can be made to Friends of Quabbin, Inc., Quabbin Reservation Administration Building, 485 Ware Rd., Belchertown, MA 01007.

Another organization that was impacted by the 9C cuts was the Chamber of Central Mass South, which lost funds designated for additional marketing strategies surrounding the Brimfield Antique Show. Specifically, the state funds were reduced from $50,000 to $25,000 and were for “much needed” advertising of the show’s 65th anniversary this year, Executive Director Alexandra McNitt said.

Hosted annually, the Brimfield Antique Show has three events every year. In 2024, the show dates are May 14-19, July 9-14 and Sept.3-8. Each show can have as many as 5,000 vendors across 21 fields rented during the show, McNitt stated.

“It’s huge,” she said. “A person cannot make it through the whole show in one day.”

The chamber had planned to create a new map for the show’s visitors as well as to purchase additional advertisements, McNitt said. Neither can occur now without the state’s funds.

However, McNitt explained that that chamber will still move forward with the creation of a new website for the Brimfield Show Promoters’ Association as well as a monument of auctioneer Gordon Reid, who is credited with holding the first Brimfield Antique Show.

“We didn’t see [the 9C budget cuts] coming, but we’re working with what we got,” McNitt said. The organization plans to complete the website by “mid- to late-March,” while the Reid monument will be unveiled during the May show, she stated.

As for the other projects originally planned, the chamber is “remain[ing] hopeful” that it will receive another grant in the next fiscal year, McNitt said. Likewise, the Brimfield Show Promoters’ Association may pursue other marketing strategies, although the chamber would not be directly involved.

The Wales Police Department also lost $25,000 of a $50,000 grant due to the budget cuts. These funds were originally designated for “public safety infrastructure improvements,” according to the FY24 9C Earmark Report. Reminder Publishing reached out about how the reduction impacted this project but did receive a response as of press time.