Updated May 12
State Sen. Julian Cyr announced on Friday morning that more than $2 million in funding has been earmarked for ferry improvements and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
If added to the final Fair Share supplemental budget, funding would go locally to bike path repairs in the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest and dock work for ferry lines like the Steamship Authority.
The funding stems from the $1.33 billion Fair Share supplemental budget passed by the state Senate on Friday. The release notes this is funded through a surtax paid by Massachusetts households that earn more than $1 million annually, and is used to “expand career and technical education opportunities, fund school and college construction projects, and support public transit and municipal infrastructure.”
According to the press release from Cyr’s office, the state’s Senate and House of Representatives will “now reconcile both branches’ budget proposal differences in a conference committee.
“We’re talking about improving air quality for middle schoolers. Repaving bike paths that Islanders use every day. Keeping our ferries running smoothly. This is exactly what Fair Share was designed to do: deliver real returns for working families and communities in every corner of the commonwealth,” Cyr said in the release.
The largest of the “local investments” in the Cape and Islands is $2 million for ferry services and dock maintenance across Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, and Nantucket counties.
“On behalf of our Port Council and board members, I want to extend my sincere thanks to Sens. Cyr and [Mark] Montigny for securing this amendment to the supplemental appropriations bill,” Robert Davis, general manager of the Steamship Authority, said in the release. Steamship communications director Sean Driscoll told The Times that to his understanding, the funding is entirely for the ferry line, although it doesn’t have “specific projects earmarked for this [funding] at this time.”
According to Bob Keary, Cyr’s communications director, the $2 million is being made available to the counties, and “entities like the Steamship Authority can request from their respective counties.”
Meanwhile, $80,000 is planned to be given to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission to repave parts of the bike path in the State Forest.
“We have been working very hard to get the remaining sections of the State Forest bike paths repaved,” Adam Turner, the commission’s executive director, said in the release. “Their condition is dangerous for users. The earmark will move us forward in that effort. Our thanks to the senator for including us.”
Updated with a comment from Bob Keary.
