New Bedford Secures $309 Million in State Aid Under New Massachusetts Budget

BOSTON (WBSM) — Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the Commonwealth’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget into law today, which includes $309 million in direct state aid for New Bedford.

Boosting Direct State Aid for New Bedford

Senator Mark Montigny, who championed the earmarks, announced in a release that New Bedford will receive $308,575,386 in direct state aid, which he pointed out is $15.5 million more than last year.

“The increase is a 6.2 percent net increase, which is significantly higher than the current 3.9 percent rate of inflation,” Montigny pointed out in the release.

Saving Fire Station 9 and Supporting Local Industry

That aid includes $500,000 to help keep Fire Station 9 open, which was targeted for shutdown in Mayor Jon Mitchell's proposed FY27 budget as part of a $32 million deficit as the City entered budget season.

READ MORE: New Bedford Fire Station 9 Gets a Lifeline in Massachusetts Budget

It also includes funding to continue raising awareness about the signs and symptoms of strokes, and a new program that will support local shellfishing and aquaculture businesses.

Montigny also touted two major policy changes he championed that were also signed into law.

Get our free mobile app

Closing Loopholes in School Age of Consent Laws

The first was closing a loophole in the state’s age of consent law, in which a person age 16 or older can consent to sexual conduct. Montigny was able to get a new law passed that says a person between the ages of 16 and 18 cannot legally consent to sexual conduct “with an adult who holds, or has held, a supervisory or custodial authority over them in a public or private school setting.” That includes school staff such as teachers, coaches, and guidance counselors.

Expanding the Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assault

The legislature also enacted a new provision to expand justice for survivors of sexual assault, something Montigny first filed legislation to end back in 2015. Previously, Massachusetts had a deadline of 15 years to prosecute rape cases, even if new DNA evidence could be affirmatively matched to a suspect.

“Many states have adjusted their statute of limitations for these cases to keep pace with the new developments in DNA technology. Massachusetts was not one of them until now,” according to the release.

The Massachusetts budget was due before the Commonwealth began the new fiscal year on July 1. However, the legislature continued its 16-year streak of passing an interim budget until July 31.

READ MORE: Massachusetts Misses Budget Deadline Yet Again