How Budget Concerns in Beacon Hill Could Collapse the House of Cards Southwick Plans to Build.

[Southwick] Recently, concerns have begun to arise from lawmakers on Beacon Hill around the budget for the fiscal year 2026. The numerous factors causing the concern stem from decreases in tax revenue combined with post-COVID spending, leading to growing concerns that budget cuts will have to be made to key programs. With a decrease in federal funding coming from cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Beacon Hill lawmakers have every right to be concerned about whether they will have enough money coming in to avoid budget cuts.

With budget concerns rising, Western Massachusetts towns like Southwick are looking to bond money for expensive broadband projects that put their residents and taxpayers at risk. The bonds, which in Southwick's case could be upwards of $15 million, are a significant concern. With a statewide budget crisis looming in the coming years, Southwick cannot afford to build a house of cards that would be a government-owned broadband project. If it collapses key programs and departments could see their budgets cut in order to ensure the bonds are paid back on time.