WORCESTER—The state’s legislature has passed a $61.01 billion budget for FY2026, with more than $1 million in targeted funding for programs in Worcester. The spending plan, approved July 1, maintains state services without raising taxes or dipping into the state’s record-setting $8.1 billion Rainy Day Fund.
In announcing the budget’s passage, Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury) highlighted a slate of earmarks for the Second Worcester District, including more than $1 million in local funding and $1.5 million across the broader district.
Worcester-specific allocations include:
- $500,000 to Veterans Inc. to continue support programs for veterans
- $250,000 for the EcoTarium to bolster animal care and zoo operations
- $90,000 for the EcoTarium’s STEM education outreach in community centers and libraries
- $80,000 for Worcester Police Department software and equipment
- $80,000 for Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce student events and workshops
- $20,000 to the South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation
- $21,000 to CASA Project Worcester County, supporting legal representation for vulnerable children
“These investments reflect our confidence in the future of the Commonwealth,” Moore said in a statement, adding that the funding will “support educational programs, community services, infrastructure, Veterans services, and more in our neighborhoods.”
Statewide, the FY26 budget includes a 2.25% increase in projected tax revenues and uses $2.4 billion in Fair Share surtax funds for major investments in education and transportation. Highlights include $475 million for early education grants, $460 million to support implementation of the Student Opportunity Act, $180 million for universal free school meals, and $120 million for the MassEducate program, which makes community college tuition-free.
The budget also codifies fare-free service on Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), expands housing assistance, supports childcare and mental health services, and boosts funding for food security, cultural programming, and workforce development.
Moore also touted $250,000 allocated statewide for firefighter cancer screenings—a measure that builds on his legislation banning PFAS chemicals in firefighting gear.
Other Central Mass earmarks include funding for senior centers, public safety, environmental restoration, and municipal equipment in towns such as Millbury, Grafton, Shrewsbury, and Westborough.
The budget now heads to Governor Maura Healey’s desk for final approval.
Have news, tips, or a story worth telling? Reach Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org—because good stories (and great scoops) deserve to be shared.
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