Governor Deval Patrick announced extensive budget cuts yesterday, to the tune of $1+ billion and 1,000 jobs at the state level. That’s a huge amount of money, and how it will all trickle down to the local level directly and indirectly is still a huge “TBD,” though it is clear many of the program/service cuts will deeply effect different Worcester populations. Still, there are some elements of Patrick’s plan that specifically target budgeted funds and grants for Worcester-based programs and services. An initial survey:
- $242,480 in voluntary cuts from the Worcester DA’s office, to be determined by October 31st. (Every DA’s office statewide is reducing their budget by between $97,000 and $424,441)
- $16,315 out of the $440,000 Worcester Talking Book program
- $425,000 cut from the WPI School of Excellence program(total initial state budget: $2,175,231)
- $2,762,500(from $5,525,000) from the Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine
- $1,183,413 from Worcester State College; $761,748 from Quinsigamond Community College(5% for all state colleges from payroll funds)
- Workforce Development Cuts: $125,000(50%) from the Center for Women and Enterprise programs in Boston/Worcester; $75,000(50%) from Centros Las Americas; $75,000(50%) from the Martin Luther King Jr. Business Empowerment Center; $100,000(100%) from programs at the Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School/QCC.
- Tourism grant cuts: $50,000(100%) from the Commonwealth Cup; $50,000(100%) from YouthGROW; $100,000(100%) from the Rockwood Sports Complex at Worcester State; $50,000(50%) from the Worcester Comprehensive Marketing Plan
- Another $25,000(50%) from YouthGROW in agricultural grants
- Youth-at Risk Grants: $62,500(50%) from Greater Worcester YMCA Youth Programs;
- $40,463(50%) from the Central Mass Housing Alliance
- Housing and Community Development Grants: $25,000(50%) from the Quinsigamond Village Community Center; $25,000(50%) from the Worcester Youth Center; $25,000(50%) from the South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation; $31,720(50%) from the Worcester Housing Authority; $50,000(50%) from the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network.
- $80,000 off of Dismas House and Almost Home programs
Again, this is only a quick survey of the cuts, and the true slicing is sure to go deeper locally.
Any of your pet programs facing a massive cut? Let us know.
