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Date: 1/3/2024
BELCHERTOWN — Belchertown received its share of $100 million in infrastructure funding generated by the “Fair Share Amendment.”
It was announced that the state’s 351 municipalities would be receiving a total of $100 million to support local infrastructure.
In 2022, Massachusetts voters approved a new 4% additional surtax on income above $1 million.
The Fair Share Amendment funds are being distributed according to two formulas.
The first $50 million is being distributed using the traditional Chapter 90 formula based on local road mileage, population, and employment.
The second $50 million is being distributed using a formula based on each municipality’s share of road mileage.
Belchertown received a total of $373,935 which Town Administrator Steve Williams will positively impact the town.
“It’s great news from the state. I hope they continue with the program into the future,” he said.
This apportionment is automatically incorporated into a municipalities’ existing Chapter 90 contract with MassDOT with no further action required by the municipality.
With costs rising in different areas, Williams said that the cost of materials has increased exponentially so any extra money will help.
Williams added, “That should really help the DPW out with their backlog of road paving. Road building materials are at an all time high for costs and with inflation and everything it has limited the amount of work that they have been able to do every year so this will certainly be a welcomed addition to the budget.”
The amount of money that Belchertown received is right around what the town was expecting to receive, according to Williams.
“This is right in line with what we figure it would be. We get our annual allotment of Chapter 90 funds, and this money is going to be added to that account. It is exactly what we were expecting. The timing is perfect because it will position us to get to work in the spring.”
There is no specific project that the money will be used for but Williams said he expects the DPW to have a better idea of how they can use the funds in the spring.
He said, “I think typically the DPW would look at roadways that are on the priority list and what they would do is determine how much deterioration occurred over the winter and where they need to focus their energy first. That will be determined in the spring.”
Williams added, “Thank you to the governor and the state and our legislators Aaron Saunders and Jake Oliveira for all their hard work and getting this money to us.”