Malden House delegation votes to pass FY26 Budget

Bill prioritizes significant funding for the MBTA, local schools and the continuation of universal school meals

Special to The Advocate

On April 30, 2025, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed H.4000, the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget. Funded at $61.47 billion, the House’s FY26 budget addresses the critical needs of families and residents across the Commonwealth while dedicating funding to making our communities and state more affordable, livable and equitable. While taking into consideration the uncertainty of federal cutbacks, this spending bill provides for many critical investments, including significant funding for education, transportation, health care, housing and workforce development.

Malden representatives worked with leadership and other legislators to ensure the bill will provide financial support and much-needed resources to the Malden community. Democrat Representatives Steve Ultrino, Paul Donato and Kate Lipper-Garabedian have successfully advocated for and secured $850,000 in local earmarks in the FY26 budget, which include the following:

• $300,000 for Triangle, Inc.’s School to Career Program, which connects special education students with disabilities in Greater Boston to careers and their local communities
• $150,000 for Portal To Hope as part of their community-based domestic violence program, which includes a “teens-at-risk” project
• $100,000 for improvements to Linden Park
• $100,000 for the Leadership Next Gen Fellowship Program
• $50,000 for Action for Boston Community Development’s Mobile Homeless Outreach Team
• $50,000 for Housing Families Inc. to support the homeless children program in Malden
• $50,000 for flood mitigation efforts at Town Line and Linden Brook in the City of Malden
• $50,000 for the Malden Police Department’s mental health emergency crisis response efforts

“This budget reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a more livable and inclusive Commonwealth by balancing critical issues in our communities such as housing instability and workforce development, with financial uncertainties on the federal level,” said Representative Ultrino. “I’m especially proud to have worked with Representative Donato and Lipper-Garabedian to secure $850,000 for Malden that will support a range of important initiatives in our community. From youth career development programs to supporting mental health crisis response, these investments will make a real difference in the lives of Malden residents. Lastly, I sincerely thank Speaker Ron Mariano and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz for their leadership throughout the budget process.”

“I am very satisfied that the House Budget was passed,” said Representative Donato. “I am glad to report that there were not any tax increases included. I look forward to working with the Senate soon to keep the Commonwealth moving.”

“The House FY26 budget bill is a powerful statement of our values as a Commonwealth at a time of unparalleled and astonishing federal executive branch actions that undermine our civil rights, civil liberties, and safety,” said Representative Lipper-Garabedian. “We recognize the value of supporting public education, the imperative to make investments to address our climate crisis, the right to reproductive health care including abortion, and the dignity of our immigrant neighbors and friends. I’m also glad the Malden House delegation secured funding that will enhance the efforts of City departments as well as critical community partners.”

As a result of responsible fiscal management, the House’s FY26 budget is balanced and makes significant investments across several areas, without needing to include new taxes or tax increases. Moreover, this spending bill includes $1.95 billion in investments for transportation and education initiatives made possible because of funding generated by the Fair Share ballot initiative that voters approved in November of 2022, which established a surtax of 4 percent on annual income above $1 million (M), including:

• $360M for Child Care Grants to Providers
• $190M for Universal School Meals
• $94M for Free Community College
• $450M for MBTA Capital Investments
• $40M for the MBTA Academy, to support recruiting and training efforts and to establish a pipeline for a skilled workforce across departments.

Other key highlights included in the FY26 budget were:

• $483.2M for Circuit Breaker Special Education reimbursement
• $448.2M for child care for children involved with the Department of Children & Families; and the Department of Transitional Assistance
• $517.6M for child care for low-income families
• $275M for the Emergency Assistance program, which provides shelter to families with children and pregnant women
• $258.1M for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program
• $20.9M for Labor and Workforce Development Shared Services
• $163.4M for the Department of Conservation & Recreation
• $81.8M for Veterans’ Benefit Payments
• $3M to implement an access-to-counsel pilot program to provide legal representation for low-income families in eviction proceedings.

The FY26 budget proposal (H.4000) was introduced by Speaker of the House Ron Mariano and the House Committee on Ways & Means on April 16, 2025, following a review of the Governor’s proposal and a series of public hearings. The budget passed the House of Representatives, 151-6, and on May 5 the Senate referred the budget proposal to its Committee on Ways and Means.