Ludlow, Belchertown do not anticipate impacts from state budget cuts

Date: 1/31/2024

Gov. Maura Healey announced $375 million in mid-year budget cuts, but the Massachusetts Municipal Association said the “reductions do not directly impact core municipal and school aid accounts, but some reduced budget earmarks may have impacts at the local level.”

Ludlow

Ludlow Town Administrator Marc Strange said that so far, he does not anticipate any direct cuts to departments in Ludlow.

He added, “As far as we know, the town has not been directly impacted by the 9C cuts. Westmass Area Development Corporation suffered a $175,000 cut relative to the [Ludlow] Mills, but that wasn’t a town appropriation.”

Westmass Area Development Corporation earmark was reduced by 50% and said that “not less than $350,000 shall be expended to offset and pay all costs incurred and related to, but not limited to, operational costs and expenses involved with the revitalization of the Ludlow Mills industrial complex.”

Westmass Area Development Corporation CEO and President Jeff Daley said the cuts will not directly impact the current projects but will affect the operating costs.

He said, “Obviously our earmark got cut in half to $175,000 which doesn’t directly impact projects going on at the mills, but it certainly impacts the operating budget that we have for the mills. We use that to offset some of basic operates at the mills such as fire protection and quarterly and monthly maintenance on some of our equipment that we have and or buildings. It definitely puts us in a pinch on our operations for the year but always grateful to get the earmark and allocations from the state.”

Daley added that he appreciates state Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow) and state Rep. Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown) for vouching for the support for the Ludlow Mills.

“Unfortunately, I think everybody’s taking a little haircut this year and we are one of those and we will try to muddle through, but we hope that it returns next year because it does really help offset some of the yearly costs that we have running the operations at the Ludlow Mills,” Daley said.

Some projects that will be taking place at Ludlow Mills this year includes finishing one of two new parking lots, continuing to provide new water, sewer and electrical to all the stock houses along with the town’s project of Millside Drive which will open 45 acres of development.

Senior Center Director Jodi Zepke acknowledged that Wilbraham Senior Center among others had a $100,000 earmark cut to $50,000 but said her center avoided any cuts.

“Thankfully the cuts are not going to hurt us. Our major funding from the state is called the formula grant. That is not being cut. What is being cut is earmarks to centers by 50%. Ludlow did not have any earmarks this year. Fingers crossed for no more cuts,” she added.

Outside the Box had its earmark reduced 50% from $75,000 to $37,500 for fiscal year 2024.

Outside the Box is a program that works with the Metropolitan Council for Education Opportunity and other organizations to provide students with artistic experience, according to Oliveira’s Communications Director Derrick Cruz who reached out to their legislative director. While the state listed this among the cuts impacting Ludlow, Superintendent Frank Tiano said Ludlow Public Schools would not be affected as they are not a part of the METCO program.

Cruz added, “We were as surprised to see this as well and since our office didn’t file this, we don’t know enough to discuss it.”

According to the Department of Education and Secondary Education, METCO is a grant program funded by the state and is a voluntary program intended to expand educational opportunities, increase diversity and reduce racial isolation by permitting students in certain cities to attend public schools in other communities that have agreed to participate.

The Outside the Box was an earmark filed by state Sen. Nick Collins (D-Boston) and state Rep. Kevin Honan (D-Boston) in FY24.

Reminder Publishing reached out to their offices but did not hear back before publication.

Belchertown

Belchertown Town Administrator Steve Williams discussed any potential budget cuts and said, “Belchertown was spared any cuts at this time.”

School Committee Chair Heidi Gutekenst confirmed the MMA report that reductions will not affect the school aid account.

She added, “The cuts, from what I have seen, are not to impact education or municipalities.

Belchertown provides above foundational funding to the schools and if there is no impact to the town, I don’t see an impact to the schools. However, Belchertown has been in a deficit for years. We have had less than level service funding for several years. I expect that to continue.”

Senior Center Director Jessica Langlois said, “Thankfully the cuts that were announced by Gov. Healy will not affect the Belchertown Senior Center.”

Police Chief Kevin Pacunas added, “I do not believe that these cuts will directly affect our department.”