Massachusetts Artists Leaders Coalition

Artists leaders and artist-run groups addressing policy issues that affect artists in Massachusetts

Great news for MA Arts and Culture Sector!

Compromise State Budget released!

Mass Cultural Council and cultural agencies have increases!

Today the Budget Conference Committee released its compromise state budget for the next fiscal year. Both the House and Senate will need to vote on it.

This vote is a “yes or no” vote and no amendments are allowed at this stage of the budget process.

After the vote (assuming both branch approve the budget), it goes to the governor and he can veto/amend it and send it back to the Legislature to either accept or override his vetoes/amendments.

To view the budget: https://malegislature.gov/Budget/ConferenceCommittee

The budget is great news for all the line items MALC follows!!

Key Budget Line Items:

0640-0300 Massachusetts Cultural Council – INCREASE!! to $16,154,982

  • The Senate final budget funded it at $16,034,982. The final House budget funded the MCC at $14,500,699 and the Governor level it funded at $13,950,699.

7008-0900 Massachusetts Marketing Partnership – level funded at $163,176

7008-1300 For the operation of the Massachusetts International Trade Office – slight increase to $119,033

  • Senate budget funded it at $111,074 which was the same as the final House budget and the Governor’s budget.

7117-0100 For the Massachusetts College of Art – an increase to $18,711,090

  • The committee kept the Senate budget’s proposed funding at $18,711,090. Both the final House budget and the Governor’s budget funded this line item at $18,078,201.

7000-9101 The Operation of the Board of Library Commissioners – an increase to $1,275,000

  • The committee kept the Senate budget number at $1,275,000, the same amount that the House budget funded for this line item. It represents an increase to that agency’s current funding. The Governor’s proposed funding was at $1,088,204.

7000-9401 State Aid to Regional Libraries – an INCREASE! $10,282,140

  • The Senate budget funded it at $10,281,786. The final House budget funding was $10,282,140 and the Governor’s budget funded at $10,082,140.

7000-9501 Public Libraries Local Aid – an INCREASE!! $9,612,700

  • The Senate Budget level was $9,362,700. The final House budget was $9,490,000 and the Governor’s funding was at $9,180,900.

7000-9506 The Technology and Automated Resource Sharing Networks – an increase (but a little less than what the Senate budget had proposed): $2,588,155

  • Senate Budget funded it at $2,615,928. The House budget funded it at $2,215,928 and the Governor’s budget was $2,115,928.

7000-9508 Center for the Talking Book was funded at $200,000!!

  • The Senate Budget had no funding for this line item while both the final House budget and Governor’s budget level funded it at $200,000.