‘Fair Share’ dollars would be sent to shovel-ready projects around Massachusetts, Friedman secures $750,000 to benefit municipalities and schools in 4th Middlesex district
(BOSTON—5/8/2025) The Massachusetts Senate today passed a $1.33 billion plan to invest in public education and transportation across the Commonwealth. Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) voted in favor of the Senate bill, which directs funding to expand career and technical education opportunities, bolster construction projects at local schools and college campuses, and support public transit, road and bridge funding for city and town governments.
The bill, S.2512, prioritizes regional equity by providing support statewide for K-12 school district special education programs, rural roads and bridges, capital improvements for public bus transportation, and infrastructure upgrades at Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities.
The overwhelming success of the Fair Share amendment to the Constitution—voted for by residents in 2022—generated more than $1 billion over initial projections in fiscal years 2023 and 2024. This legislation contains restricted one-time investments in public education and transportation initiatives and primarily uses funds from that surtax, which is paid by households in Massachusetts earning more than $1 million per year. The Senate will debate its annual general budget later in the month.
“We all fought for the Fair Share amendment, and this bill bears the fruit of that labor,” said Senator Friedman, Chair of the Senate Committee on Steering and Policy. “The surtax funds allow us to strategically invest in public education and public transportation across the Commonwealth and, due to the fiscal responsibility employed over the last few budget cycles, the growth of the surplus funds affords us the ability to address critical one-time needs. This bill contains a number of provisions that will help the residents of the 4th Middlesex district and Massachusetts at large, and I am hopeful we will be able to work quickly with the House to get this to the Governor’s desk and relief out the door — our communities are counting on us.”
Local Projects
Through the amendment process to the Senate supplemental budget, Senator Friedman secured direct funding for municipalities and schools in the 4th Middlesex district, including:
- $125,000 to Billerica Public Schools to purchase and implement a new high-quality foundational literacy curriculum for grades K-4;
- $100,000 to the town of Burlington for a school building envelope and mechanical systems study;
- $100,000 to Lexington Public Schools to assist with the relocation of the Central Office;
- $100,000 to Arlington Public Schools for the replacement of an elevator at the Thompson School;
- $100,000 to Woburn Public Schools for various school capital projects;
- $75,000 to the town of Arlington for traffic safety enhancements at the Massachusetts Avenue intersections with Appleton Street and Dundee Road;
- $50,000 to the town of Burlington for pedestrian safety improvements;
- $50,000 to the City of Woburn for educational equipment for the city’s Community Resource Center; and
- $50,000 to Shawsheen Valley Technical High School to fund classroom furniture and technology equipment for the school’s new Business Technology and Marketing program.
In addition to the amendments Senator Friedman filed, she also cosponsored an amendment filed by Senator Patricia D. Jehlen (D-Somerville) that was included in the final Senate bill. This amendment provides $750,000 to fund pedestrian safety improvements at the Mystic Valley Parkway rotaries at the intersections with Arlington, High, and Medford Streets. The rotary intersecting with Medford Street is located within the 4th Middlesex district in the town of Arlington.
Education
Education investments in the supplemental budget include funding for:
- Special Education Costs. $248 million, including circuit breaker reimbursements to local school districts.
- Public Higher Education Deferred Maintenance. $190 million for higher education overall, including $10 million for lab resources for community colleges following the success of MassEducate.
- Career Technical Education Capital Grants. $100 million to expand capacity and accommodate additional career technical education opportunities.
- Local School Construction Relief. $50 million to support cities, towns and school districts experiencing extraordinary school construction increases due to inflation or the impacts of tariffs.
- Literacy Growth. $25 million to support accelerated literacy growth for students in kindergarten through grade 3.
- English Language Learning Programs. $10 million for educational grants to reduce the waitlist for services for speakers of languages other than English to learn English and subsequently help fill in-demand jobs.
Transportation
Transportation investments in the supplemental budget include funding for:
- MBTA Improvements and Infrastructure Upgrades. $370 million for improvements and infrastructure upgrades across the MBTA system, comprising:
- $200 million to replenish the MBTA budget reserve after the MBTA’s recent use of reserve funds for operations support.
- $100 million in workforce and safety training to implement Federal Transit Administration improvement recommendations.
- $50 million for commuter rail system maintenance and infrastructure upgrades.
- $20 million for the MBTA’s low-income fare relief program.
- Local Road Improvements. $190 million for shovel-ready transportation improvements to roads, bridges, and culverts.
- Regional Equity in Transportation. $105 million for regional transit initiatives composed of:
- $50 million for capital improvements to equipment and facilities at Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) that serve and connect all regions of the Commonwealth.
- $25 million for RTA workforce recruitment and retention improvement efforts.
- $20 million for ferry infrastructure improvements.
- $10 million for on-demand micro-transit shuttles and Last Mile grants to foster an innovative multimodal transit system.
- World Cup Preparations. $5 million for transportation improvements associated with the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
Amendments
During debate on the Senate floor, members from around the state contributed to the initial proposal with amendments reflecting their priorities and district needs. Notable amendments adopted during the debate include:
- Amendment 128 from Senator Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn). Sets aside funds for assistive reading technologies so local school districts can purchase resources such as audio books and voice-text format books to bolster struggling readers in Massachusetts, including children with vision impairments, learning disabilities, or physical disabilities.
- Amendment 213 from Senator Nick Collins (D-South Boston). Supports nurses by allocating funds toward expansion of the facilities at UMass Boston’s Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the ninth largest nursing school in the country that offers several undergraduate and graduate degree programs; also directs UMass Boston to study the feasibility of establishing a satellite campus at the site of Carney Hospital in Dorchester.
- Amendment 106 from Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro). Directs funds for ferry services including pier and dock maintenance serving passengers between the South Coast, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.
- Amendment 223 from Senator Lydia Edwards (D-East Boston). Directs funds toward planning and construction of a ferry dock in the East Boston Designated Port Area, along with money for ferry terminal capital improvements in Winthrop.
- Amendment 15 from Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy). Edits the language regarding the bill’s supplemental grant program, which helps school districts deal with skyrocketing material costs for school building projects due to inflation, to also include projects with material cost increases due to tariffs.
A comprehensive fact sheet detailing the investments proposed by the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, including further investments and funding sources, is available in the Senate’s press room. Video of debate is publicly available on the Senate website for viewing, as is the full list of investments approved by the Senate.
Different versions having passed both chambers of the Legislature, the branches will now move to resolve their differences before sending a compromise bill to the Governor for her signature.
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