FY2012 – 2016 Capital Plan for Massachusetts Released
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FY 2012 – 2016 Capital Plan for Massachusetts
On November 17, 2011, Governor Patrick released his FY 2012 – 2016 capital plan. Link: http://www.mass.gov/bb/cap/fy2009/rec/hdefault.htm
Highlights:
The plan totals $10.1 billion, with $1.9 billion allocated for spending in fiscal 2012, which began on July 1, 2011. According to the plan, administration officials applied a 3% revenue growth projection to fiscal 2013.
The plan specifies projects marked to receive funds and create jobs before July 2012, lays out many of Gov. Deval L. Patrick’s spending priorities in greater detail, and provides information about local level initiatives around Massachusetts that will likely receive attention throughout 2012 and beyond.
When all sources of funding are taken into account, the plan’s five-year total spending rises to $17.35 billion. Under the plan, spending on transportation projects continues to consume the largest share of capital funding, with $571 million allocated for this fiscal year and $3.5 billion over the five-year plan.
The transportation funding includes $102 million for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. While the CA/T project is complete, the state is managing maintenance costs. The $102 million allocation for the Big Dig includes $8 million for the design and construction of a pedestrian bridge at Leverett Circle. The remainder was allocated to settle potential CA/T construction claims.
Other highlights for fiscal 2012 spending allocations in transportation: $36.4 million for Fairmount Line rail improvements, $19.7 million for the Green Line extension project, $8 million for high speed rail improvements on the “knowledge corridor” in western Massachusetts, $2 million to study connecting the Red Line and Blue Line, $4.5 million for Beverly commuter rail station parking garage, $5 million for a state infrastructure bank, $8.4 million for South Coast commuter rail expansion, $3 million for South Station improvements. It includes $200 million for the FY2012 Chapter 90 program, an increase of $45 million from the FY2011 Chapter 90 Program. The plan does not indicate a funding level for the FY2013 Chapter 90 program.
After transportation, the second largest investment categories are community investments, or spending on local infrastructure, affordable housing and smart growth, at $1.34 billion and higher education, at $1.23 billion. The plan dedicates $28 million to corrections this fiscal year while acknowledging the state prison system, with more than 11,000 inmates in 18 institutions, has an overcrowding rate of 140 percent of the system’s design capacity and faces “significant systemic and capital facility challenges.”
Corrections investments this year will focus on regional facilities and “special populations.” Funding will be steered towards the Western Massachusetts Women’s Facility in Hampden County, the pre-release and intake center in Essex County, and a DOC medical and mental health facility. State officials also hope to close and redevelop the Sullivan Courthouse in Cambridge, in part by using funds to relocate county inmates there. Funds will also pay for repairs at the Suffolk County Jail and the Worcester County Jail and $2 million in suicide prevention improvements.
In fiscal 2012, the plan calls for $571 million in transportation spending, $275 million on community investments, $206 million for higher education, $168 million on housing, $138 million on energy and environment investments, $125 million for information technology, $121 million on economic development, $113 million on state office buildings, $100 million on health and human services, $31.5 million on the courts, and $21 million on public safety.
Specific fiscal 2012 investments featured in the plan include:
COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS: • $200 million for Chapter 90 road and bridge projects, a $45 million increase from fiscal 2011; • $11 million for water infrastructure projects approved by the Seaport Council; • $2.4 million towards the $125 million Essex Agricultural and Vocational Technical School project, which will merge the North Shore Regional Vocational Technical School, the Essex Agricultural School and the vocational component of Peabody High School;
COURTS • $1 million for planning and design for the renovation of the Probate and Family Court in Salem; • $3.2 million to start work on a $60 million Greenfield trial court facility; • $4.2 million to complete a new $86 million Taunton trial court facility; • Funds for the state to work with Northampton to develop a master plan for court facilities there;
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • $60 million to support infrastructure in connection with the Assembly Square project in Somerville and the redevelopment of the Fan Pier in Boston; • $21.8 million to help the Massachusetts Broadband Institute expand infrastructure to unserved areas of the state; • $44.7 million for a program that invests in local public infrastructure linked to economic development; • $44.7 million in capital investments aimed at boosting the state’s life sciences industry, including funds for the Sherman Center at UMass Medical School in Worcester;
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT • $29 million for the development of the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal, seen as the staging ground for the Cape Wind project, which continues to pursue financing sources and fend off legal challenges. • $3 million for the Boston Public Market; • $2 million to begin design and construction of a Division of Fisheries and Wildlife headquarters building in Westborough; • $13.7 million for urban parks and $25 million for open space protection;
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES • $65 million towards construction costs for the new 320-bed psychiatric facility on the ground of Worcester State Hospital, a $302 million project that will replace two facilities; • $1.8 million for improvements to the Chelsea Soldiers’ Home; • Unspecified funds for “demolition and environmental remediation” at state facilities that may be redeveloped, including facilities in Wrentham and Medfiend and the Fernald Center in Waltham; • $13.8 million for urgent repairs at state facilities, including oxygen delivery, fire safety upgrades, ventilation and heating and cooling systems;
HIGHER EDUCATION • Funds for construction of a $144 million science building at UMass Amherst, a new academic building at UMass Amherst, the Emerging Technology Center at UMass Lowell, a $40 million classroom building at UMass Lowell, a $43 million library expansion and renovation at UMass Dartmouth; the $98.6 million Bridgewater State University science building project; a $25 million library project at Mass Maritime Academy; a $31 million project at Greenfield Community College; a $34.4 million building at the Danvers campus of North Shore Community College, a $30 million Mass College of Art and Design project, a $57.2 million science building project at Fitchburg State University; and a $74.1 million “library and learning commons” project at Salem State University.
HOUSING • $90 million for public housing improvements; • $78.5 million for private affordable housing development programs;
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY • $27.6 million for continued development of a system that will integrate tax administration, accounting and collection functions; • $10 million for an automated licensing and registration system project at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, a five-year effort that “will implement internet based services to reduce customer branch visit and wait times”; • $10 million for public safety information technology, including criminal history system modernization, procurement of a new fingerprint identification system, and rebuilding the network that supports information sharing among public safety and law enforcement personnel; • $17.3 million to continue a human resources modernization project “to enable the Commonwealth to manage its more than 80,000 employees with the same tools as the best private-sector employers”; • $1.5 million for a Group Insurance Commission system upgrade; • $2 million for an eLicensing system designed to provide a single online platform to serve the 330,000 license holders who deal with the state Division of Professional Licensure;
PUBLIC SAFETY
STATE BUILDINGS
TRANSPORTATION
(available here) which reflects the current $200 million for the FY 2012 Chapter 90 program, which was an increase of $45 million from the FY 2011 Chapter 90 Program. The plan does not indicate what the funding level for next year’s FY 2013 program or beyond will be.
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