Yesterday was the launch of the new budget season. The Baker-Polito administration released its $45.6 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2022.

As WWLP reports, the budget “continues the Administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and addresses critical priorities including promoting economic growth, fully funding the first year of the landmark Student Opportunity Act, and supporting cities and towns across Massachusetts. This balanced proposal does not raise taxes on the Commonwealth’s residents and preserves substantial financial reserves for the future.”

The budget would take more than $1.6 billion from the state’s rainy day fund, according to The Boston Globe. And the budget does not “include any broad-based new taxes, nor does it make any major changes to social safety benefit programs, CommonWealth Magazine notes.

Governor Baker’s FY22 proposal for early education and care is $76 million lower than the current FY21 state budget, but very similar to his FY21 proposal from October, 2020. The FY22 proposal does not fund a rate increase nor does it fund the sliding scale parent fee line item. The proposal does makes $20 million in increases to child care access through the supportive and income eligible accounts. The governor does not continue funding the new $25 million reserve for Coronavirus-related supports for early education programs and workforce, which were established in FY21.

Visit Strategies for Children’s state budget page for details. And check out the full budget proposal here.

And please stay tuned: the release of the governor’s proposed budget is the first step in a six-month state budget process. The House and Senate are expected to release their budget proposals in April and May, respectively.

So get ready to advocate in 2021!