Photo: Courtesy of Governor Maura Healey's Office
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Governor Muara Healey puts pen to paper and signed a $60.9 billion annual state budget bill Friday.
The 2026 state budget aims to bring down childcare costs and boost funding for healthcare, education and transportation services.
It also eliminates renters-paid-broker’s fee. Future broker’s fees will be paid by whoever hires the broker.
“This is about saving you money,” Governor Healey said. “And this is just one way we are lowering cost and getting after high housing prices.”
Where will the money go?
According to the Healey administration, nearly $2.4 billion of the budget comes from the voter-approved Fair Share surtax. That money will help support various initiatives in transportation and education.
Within that severance, $469.2 million will fund programs in early education and the Commonwealth Cares of Children (C3); $711.9 million will go towards transforming transportation services, such as MBTA’s income-eligible reduced fares, regional transit grants, and operating support.
Housing was another major share of the budget. The bill allocated $276 million for Emergency Assistance Family Shelter and services to continue and maintain the state’s shelter program and housing stability efforts.
More than $253 million will support the Rental Voucher Program for low-income tenants, and more than $115 million for the Local Housing Authorities around the state.
Cuts from the budget.
Gov. Healey vetoed $130 million, halted a planned non-union manager pay raised that was scheduled for January next year, and continued an Executive Branch hiring freeze. She said this will save $17 million in taxpayer money.
President Donald Trump’s Budget Bill
The 2026 state budget raises spending by more than 5% but was more than $1 billion short from the original proposal Healey filed in January.
Gov. Healey’s budget approval came just hours before President Donald Trump also signed his contentious budget bill into law on Friday, which she said would cause major detriment to the state’s health care programs and SNAP benefits.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports.