The Healey administration handed out $100 million in “Fair Share” {dollars} to the state’s 351 cities and cities Friday for transportation upgrades, with Boston raking in additional than $5 million.
Gov. Maura Healey left intact a plan Beacon Hill lawmakers authorised within the fiscal yr 2024 finances to spend $477 million of the anticipated $1 billion in income from the “Millionaires Tax” or “Fair Share Amendment” on transportation wants, together with the MBTA and preserving freeway bridge infrastructure.
Healey mentioned her administration was “going to make sure that Fair Share revenue was used to improve transportation and education for our communities, as the voters intended.”
“This funding is particularly impactful because we are empowering cities and towns to decide how to use it to address their unique needs. We are grateful to the Legislature for making this funding available and look forward to seeing how the municipalities will use it to strengthen their communities,” she mentioned in an announcement.
Officials are distributing $100 million in income from the 4% surtax on incomes over $1 million primarily based on two formulation.
The first $50 million is being handed out utilizing a standard roads and bridges formulation — native highway mileage, inhabitants, and employment. The second $50 million is heading out the door primarily based on every municipality share of highway mileage, the Healey administration mentioned.
Municipalities can use the cash for building, preservation, and enchancment initiatives “that create or extend the life of capital facilities.”
“This includes costs for highway projects and pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Projects that are eligible would include installing sidewalks, bicycle lanes, new pavement, sidewalks, retaining (walls), crossing signals, and other transportation infrastructure features,” the Healey administration mentioned in an announcement.
Worcester collected greater than $1.7 million whereas Springfield was handed greater than $1.6 million, in accordance with figures supplied by the Healey administration.
Letters had been despatched to every metropolis and city certifying their share of the revenue surtax apportionment for fiscal yr 2024, the administration mentioned.
“Investments in transportation lift everyone up, increasing access to travel options and improving roadway safety for all users, regardless of whether they walk, bike, take public transportation or drive,” Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt mentioned in an announcement.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”