- On Monday, the state House of Representatives adopted a consolidated education budget amendment that increased funding for the ABE line item 7035-0002 from
the $29,093,517 initially proposed by House Ways and Means to
$29,318,517.
- Despite the increase, the House amount is
less than:
- the $31.2 million passed in the FY16 final budget;
- the $30.7 million in the FY16 budget after 9C cuts made in January 2016;
- the $29.6 million in the FY15 budget after 9C cuts made in November 2014; and
- the $30.2 million in the Governor's FY17 budget proposal.
- The House amount also includes $225,000 in earmarks for 3 programs.
- Below is a chart with the budget figures in the process to date:
-
The earmarks are:
- $50,000 for Casa Dominicana of Lawrence for citizenship, high school equivalency testing, and English as a second language classes for low-income adults; and
- $25,000 for the Family Services of Merrimack Valley to provide English as a second language classes, college preparation, high school equivalency testing, and citizenship classes for low-income adults.
- MCAE continues to oppose all earmarks as unfair entitlements that undermine the open and competitive grant process. We will continue to make every effort to not have earmarks in the final budget.