$1.39 billion for ma public transit & education

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 23, 2025

MA Legislature Approves $1.39 Billion for Public Transit & Education

BOSTON, MA – The Massachusetts Legislature has approved a $1.39 billion investment into public transportation and education, funded by surplus revenue made through the Fair Share surtax on incomes over $1 million.

A portion of the money will be allocated towards improving the MBTA, RTAs, water transportation, roads, and bridges. The other portion will go towards improving public universities, vocational schools, and services for students with disabilities.

“Ensuring that every Massachusetts resident has access to a safe and reliable public transportation system, and that every student in the Commonwealth receives a high-quality education, are two of the most fundamental responsibilities that we have as elected officials. The investments being made in this supplemental budget are representative of the Legislature’s continued focus on meeting those responsibilities,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Chairman Michlewitz and my colleagues in the House, as well as our partners in the Senate, for working diligently to get this vital funding to the Governor’s desk for her signature. The House looks forward to building on these investments, and to continuing to deliver improvements to the Commonwealth's most fundamental institutions and services."

“Education and transportation are and will remain key priorities of mine, and I am committed to ensuring these needs are met. I’m proud that this funding, made possible by the Fair Share tax revenue surplus, will be invested directly into our communities where it’s needed most. I would like to thank Speaker Mariano and Senate President Spilka for their dedication to improving these crucial services across the Commonwealth,” said Representative Arriaga (D-Chicopee).

Some of the improvement that the supplemental budget makes are as follows:

Key Infrastructure Investments 

• Aid For Cities and Towns. $103 million for regionally equitable, shovel-ready transportation improvements, including:

  • $80 million for supplemental Chapter 90 aid to ensure every city and town receives funding to maintain local roads and bridges, including $40 million to help support small and rural communities by distributing funds based solely on road mileage.

  • $16.4 million for municipally owned small bridges and culverts.

  • $7 million for the improvement and maintenance of unpaved roads.

• World Cup Preparations: $5 million for transportation improvements associated with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Key Education Investments

• Special Education. $248 million for special education costs, including Circuit Breaker reimbursements to local school districts.

• Public Higher Education Deferred Maintenance. $115 million for public higher education infrastructure investments, including $10 million for lab modernization capital improvements and upgrades at community colleges, helping ensure community colleges have the needed resources to provide a first-class education to the surge of students signing up after passage of MassEducate, which provides free community college to Massachusetts residents.

• Career Technical Education Capital Grants. $100 million to expand capacity and accommodate additional career technical education school opportunities, including $15 million for a pilot program to support career and vocational technical annex buildings on comprehensive high school campuses.

• EEC Workforce, Affordability, and Quality Improvement. $45 million for initiatives to support workforce development, affordability and quality improvements in the early education and care sector, including $20 million for rate increases to support early education providers.

• Literacy Growth. $25 million for high dosage tutoring to support accelerated literacy growth and success for students in kindergarten through grade 3.

• Endowment Match. $20 million for the endowment incentive match program to leverage public funds to encourage private fundraising by the state’s public higher education institutions to support accessible and affordable education programming, including $10 million for a Department of Higher Education (DHE) endowment incentive match and $10 million for the University of Massachusetts endowment incentive program.

• English Language Learning Programs. $10 million for educational grants to help speakers of languages other than English to learn English—and subsequently aid in filling in-demand jobs—by reducing the waitlist for services.

• Holocaust Museum Boston. $10 million to support the Holocaust Museum Boston.

• Green SchoolWorks. $10 million for grants to eligible local school districts for clean energy infrastructure improvements and upgrades.

• Regional School Transportation. $8.1 million to support regional school transportation costs.

• Tomorrow's Teachers Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness. $2.475 million for scholarships and loan forgiveness initiatives to encourage qualified high school and currently-enrolled college students to seek teaching in the Massachusetts public school system as a career pathway.

The supplemental budget dedicates roughly $716 million to transportation improvements and $594 million for education. Because it has passed both the House and Senate, it will be sent to Governor Healey for her signature.