We tried to protect those who need help most

In today's Concord Monitor, House Finance Chairwoman Marjorie Smith justifies the budget that her Committee will likely approve today. Smith pens an op-ed outlining where Finance is increasing spending over Gov. John Lynch's budget proposal:

The governor's budget left many valuable and innovative programs on the cutting room floor. We have, nonetheless, been able to address some needs that had not been in the budget or had been funded at a lower level.

We decided to:

• Return rooms and meals revenue to cities and towns;

• Fully fund education adequacy according to the formula approved by the General Court in the last session;

• Provide additional money to cities and towns, the Department of Resources and Economic Development and Fish and Game Department, and as a result of inclusion of the gas tax in the budget;

• Support Family Resource Centers which assist at-risk families.

• Support Senior Volunteers, Foster Grandparents and RSVP - programs that provide assistance to seniors and school children;

• Support the Catastrophic Illness Program, which provides minimal assistance to those with serious illnesses;

• Fund family planning at the maintenance level;

• Provide funding for AIDS services organizations;

• Increase funding for programs to divert at-risk youths from the juvenile system;

• Fund the Governor's Commission on Drug and Alcohol programs at the 2009 level, and

• Fund the Comprehensive Cancer Plan at 25 percent of maintenance level.