The Impact of the 2002 Tax Package
Despite the severity of cuts to many badly needed government
services in 2002, the cuts could have been much worse. As a
result of passing a $1.1 billion tax package, many services
were fully or partially restored. We can see this by
comparing the original House budget (which did not include
the tax package) with the budget that was eventually adopted
after the tax package was passed. At the same time, we can
see the skewed political priorities that resulted in
restoring funds for some programs and decimating others
(MassHealth coverage, benefits for immigrants, housing, drug
treatment).
Service or Program
|
Original House Budget
|
Final Budget
|
Cuts prevented
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chapter 70 local education aid
|
Cut by $316.8m
|
Increase by $45.8m
|
$361.9m
|
|
Class size reduction
|
Eliminated
|
Fully restored
|
$18m
|
|
Local aid to Fall River
|
Cut by $9.4m
|
Increase by $700,000
|
$10.1m
|
|
Local aid to New Bedford
|
Cut by $10.4m
|
Increased by $1m
|
$11.4m
|
|
Local aid to Brockton
|
Cut by $12.6m
|
Cut by $200,000
|
$12.4m
|
|
Targeted Cities after-school program
|
Eliminated
|
$455,000
|
$455,000
|
|
MassHealth
|
Heavy cuts
|
Restored $83m
|
$83m
|
|
Methadone coverage under MassHealth
|
Eliminated
|
Restored
|
Restored
|
|
Mental Health programs
|
Cut by $4.4m
|
Level funded
|
$4.4m
|
|
Aid to community health centers
|
Eliminated
|
$5.5m
|
$5.5m
|
|
AIDS prevention programs
|
$8.1m
|
$2.2m
|
$5.9m
|
|
Child care funding under DSS
|
Cut by $5.1m
|
Cut by $900,000
|
$4.2m
|
|
Child care for low-income families
|
Cut by $7m
|
Cut by $4.3
|
$2.7m
|
|
Community Partnership (cc for 3-5 yr olds)
|
Cut by $33.8m
|
Cut by $8.7m
|
$25.1m
|
|
State support for Head Start
|
Cut by $3.4 m
|
Cut by $600,000
|
$2.8m
|
|
Adult basic education
|
Cut by $1.5m
|
Cut by $300,000
|
$1.2m
|
|
Higher education
|
Cut by
|
$80.7m
|
Cut by $15.4m
|
|
$65.3m
|
|
|
|
|
Community college
|
Cut by $24.3m
|
Cut by $6.7m
|
$17.6m
|
|
Bristol Community College
|
Cut by
|
$1.5m
|
Cut by $400,000
|
|
$1.1m
|
|
|
|
|
Massasoit Community College
|
Cut by $2.0m
|
Cut by $800,000
|
$1.2m
|
|
Bridgewater State College
|
Cut by $700,000
|
Increased by $2.4m
|
$3.1m
|
|
Housing for domestic violence victims
|
Eliminated
|
Cut by $500,000
|
$1m
|
|
Senior Pharmacy program
|
$93.5m
|
$99m
|
$6.5m
|
|
MassHealth Basic
|
Eliminated 50,000 people
|
Eliminated 20,000*
|
Restored 30,000*
|
|
Substance Abuse Treatment
|
Cut
|
Cut
|
No restoration
|
|
Housing vouchers
|
Cut
|
Cut
|
No restoration
|
|
Dental benefits under MassHealth
|
Eliminated
|
Eliminated
|
Eliminated
|
|
Immigrant cash & food stamp benefits
|
Eliminated
|
Eliminated
|
Eliminated
|
*After further revenue shortages were discovered, the full
cut was reinstated
|