ELM Home

Collaborative

Issues

Jobs and Volunteering

Join/Donate

Activist Tools

Links

Directions

Earth Night

September 25, 2002

Secretary Durand, and Commissioners Balfour, Liss, Peters, and Webber:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide some input to the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2004. My name is Pam DiBona, I am Vice President for Policy at the Environmental League of Massachusetts. The Environmental League of Massachusetts has a long history of support for adequate funding of environmental projects and programs from the Cape to the Berkshires. Our annual Green Budget, generated with the help of our 55 partners in the Massachusetts Environmental Collaborative, helps to draw legislative and media attention to the need for environmental expenditures. Each year we advocate for environmental spending on both the capital and operating sides. This year, we worked along with your staff and the legislature to see the Environmental Bond passed.

As you pointed out in your introductory remarks, environmental programs in Massachusetts have sustained significant cuts over the past two fiscal years, and this coming year promises no relief. The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center has given us a conservative estimate of a $1.1 billion deficit for next fiscal year, if spending keeps up only with inflation and if state revenues fall no further - two big if's.

The Environmental League will focus our efforts on the environmental operating budget in three areas:

• Educating legislators about what monies spent on environmental programs pay for - everything from park improvement projects in their districts, to municipal water and sewer planning and technical assistance, to making sure that local companies are being held accountable under environmental laws. Tomorrow we begin that process with a presentation to legislators regarding our concerns about cuts to date, and our opposition to further cuts.
• Working with you and your agencies to investigate and advocate for expansion of existing fees and fines.
• Identifying and advocating for alternative and new revenue sources, for example enabling municipalities to establish stormwater utility districts to fund local projects, or, on a larger scale, joining with a state-wide coalition promoting new revenue streams.

The Environmental League has a wish list of expanded programs and new projects and initiatives. We all do. All of our wishing is for naught, though, if the numbers and the decisionmakers do not support it. We hope that you will commit to working with us as we advocate on your agencies' behalf to bring new resources - and no more cuts - to the programs we all care about.