Municipal Group Seeks $351M Boost in State Aid
The Massachusetts Municipal Association is pressing for a larger share of unrestricted state aid for fiscal 2028 as education funding decisions loom.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in City Hall
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The Massachusetts Municipal Association, which represents the state's 351 municipalities, said it will seek a $351 million increase in Unrestricted General Government Aid for fiscal 2028. The request follows a similar call last year, when the final fiscal 2027 budget raised the aid by $40 million to a total of $1.363 billion.
Why it matters
Unrestricted General Government Aid has remained relatively flat compared with state budget growth and inflation, and the association says a significant gap remains before aid returns to pre-Great Recession levels. For Massachusetts communities, the outcome shapes how cities and towns balance local budgets.
The association is seeking a $351 million increase in Unrestricted General Government Aid, compared with the $40 million increase in the final fiscal 2027 budget that lifted total aid to $1.363 billion. Whether the state will fund the larger request for fiscal 2028 has not been determined.
The players
Massachusetts Municipal Association
A statewide organization representing the state's 351 cities and towns that advocates for municipal interests in state policy and budgeting.
Michael McCabe
The mayor of Westfield, Massachusetts, who has spoken publicly about uncertainty facing residents over local funding.
The details
The association plans to make the aid increase one of its central advocacy priorities, using $1 million for each of the 351 cities and towns as a symbolic benchmark. Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe said residents are facing uncertainty as local leaders plan budgets.
Timeline
November 11, 2026: The association said it will prioritize Unrestricted General Government Aid funding.
October 2026: The Executive Office of Administration and Finance certified the $45.271 billion fiscal 2027 tax revenue estimate without adjustments.
October 31, 2028: The Foundation Budget Review Commission's final report is due.
Political Context
The request comes as the seven-year Student Opportunity Act rollout winds down, leaving state officials without a settled approach to education funding. Cities and towns are pressing for more unrestricted aid even as the Foundation Budget Review Commission's final report, due October 31, 2028, is unlikely to arrive in time for the fiscal 2028 or 2029 budgets.
Cities and towns depend on Unrestricted General Government Aid to fund local services, so the size of any increase affects what communities can afford to maintain. The final outcome will determine how much pressure residents may face through local budgets and property tax decisions.
The takeaway
Unrestricted aid is a quiet but central piece of how Massachusetts funds its cities and towns, and the coming budgets will show whether the state narrows the gap left by years of flat funding.
What happens next
The state is expected to hear from economic experts next month to develop a joint revenue estimate, which will shape the fiscal 2028 budget debate.
Further reading
For more on how these decisions play out locally, see City Hall coverage across the state.
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