State Representative Daniel Webster (R-Pembroke) lobbied in defense of three amendments which would grant municipal relief to the Commonwealth’s 351 cities in towns through a return of local aid funding.  Unfortunately, the House Speaker and his top deputies strong-armed rank and file Democrats into killing the proposals. Webster derided the move, calling it “a total disregard for government services that benefit the vast majority of our Commonwealth’s citizens”. 

Under Representative Webster’s proposals, local aid would be returned to communities to assist in the funding of core services such as public safety, library services and infrastructure improvements.  Specifically, one amendment would restore a 4 percent cut to local aid, the second would dedicate 50 percent of year-end tax revenues to the local aid account and the third would up that percentage to a 75 percent return.  Webster has consistently been an ardent supporter of local aid distribution during his time in the House, and he views the funding as the most beneficial return of state revenue to the taxpayer.

“Cities and towns were forced to cut their budgets to the bone.  Rather than deliver the funding back to the districts we were elected to represent, where our constituents get the most direct benefits from the taxes they pay, the majority party defeated these proposals in favor of the special interests,” stated Webster.