How Could the Governor's Cut to Local Aid Impact Bedford?

Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday announced plans to close a $540 million state budget deficit through a combiniation of cuts and transfers from the state's "rainy day" fund.

In particular, Patrick's proposal cuts $11.5 million from the state's Special Education Circuit Breaker reimbursement program, a move that the governor can enact without the legislature's approval.

That $11.5 million represents 4.75 percent of the overall Circuit Breaker line item in the state budget. 

Another cut proposed by Patrick is a 1 percent reduction in the state's unrestricted local aid, which "funds municipal services including police and fire protection, parks, and public works," according to the state budget center. This cut would require approval by the legislature.

In Bedford, a 1 percent cut to unrestricted local aid would equal about $9,740, certainly not a devastating amount, but a cut nonetheless. Bedford is expected to receive $974,000 in unrestricted aid for FY13.

Town Manager Richard Reed said it is hard to tell at this point in time what the affect of the cuts will be other than the monetary value of the one percent cut.

"It's hard to tell at this point in time, only five months into the fiscal year what the cuts will affect other than the $9,740 cut," Reed said. 

Reed said variations in the town's revenue collections could make up for the $9,740 cut.