BOSTON — Representatives Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose) and Donald Wong (R-Saugus) joined their colleagues in the state House of Representatives on Friday, October 29, to pass a $3.82 billion dollar spending package that would make critical investments with money received from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and state surplus revenue.
During deliberations on the bill Thursday, Lipper-Garabedian delivered her inaugural speech on the House floor in support of the legislation, focusing on the proposed $10 million investment in older students with special needs to remain eligible to access education and transition services as they turn 22 during the pandemic. A career champion for public education, the representative had advocated for expanded eligibility and funding over the course of the year. In her remarks, she acknowledged the many teachers in her family’s ancestry and her own time as a seventh grade teacher.
“House Bill 4219 is attuned to both broad and discrete challenges and opportunities in the Commonwealth,” Lipper-Garabedian said. “It invests once-in-a-lifetime funds into programs and resources that serve our constituents, particularly those most impacted by COVID-19. Our investments today in low-income workers, housing security, our health care system, the arts and culture sector, food infrastructure, small businesses, and climate resiliency have the potential to change life trajectories.
“Among its critical provisions, House Bill 4219 would appropriate $10 million dollars and expand eligibility for special education services to any student who turns 22 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill before us will empower our older students to continue to access their desks, work with their educators, and progress in their education with additional critical time to compensate for that lost during the pandemic, to put them on a more stable, effective path to the promise of adulthood.”
The spending bill includes major investments including $600 million for housing, $765 million for health and human services, $777 million for economic development, $265 million for education, and more than $400 million for combatting climate change. The bill also includes $500 million in bonus payments to low-income essential workers who worked in-person throughout the COVID-19 state of emergency. Of the economic development investments, $200 million would be put toward tax relief for small business owners that paid personal income tax on state and federal relief grants during the pandemic.
In addition to these investments, Representatives Lipper-Garabedian and Wong secured funding for the following two local priorities in Wakefield:
• $75,000 for the Wakefield tree planting efforts in response to the damage caused by the microburst storm, and
• $125,000 to address restoration of the Lakeside Cemetery Chapel.
“I thank my House colleagues for supporting the inclusion of these important investments for Wakefield,” Lipper-Garabedian said. “Representative Wong and I have worked to secure support for the Town’s efforts to replant trees across Wakefield since the damage caused by the microburst storm last year.”
“Many people who walk the Lake have seen the Lakeside Cemetery Chapel. The $125,000 will help restore it back to the beauty it once was.” Representative Donald Wong said. “Representative Lipper-Garabedian and I worked together to convince our House Members how important this is to our community. “
“The investments made by the House today address evident needs across all Massachusetts communities and sectors of the economy, particularly among those who have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Speaker of the House Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I thank Chair Michlewitz and the members of the Committee on Ways & Means, as well as all legislators, stakeholders and residents for their advocacy, guidance and work in making this bill a reality.”
“This spending package makes significant, targeted investments into areas such as affordable housing, workforce development, and boosting our health care system that will give a much-needed boost to our residents who were hit the hardest by this pandemic,” said Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means (D-Boston). “Throughout this legislation, the needs of communities that were disproportionally affected by the pandemic are prioritized. By doing so, the House has passed a truly equitable spending plan.”
“I thank Speaker Mariano and Chair Michlewitz for their work on the American Rescue Plan Act appropriation and for running an extensive and robust public process,” said Representative Dan Hunt, Chair of the House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight (D-Dorchester). “The provisions for low-income and affordable housing along with a dynamic jobs plan will ensure that those most affected by the pandemic can recover faster and stronger.”
“With this funding, Massachusetts has the opportunity to fix a system that unfortunately hasn’t worked for everyone by making meaningful investments for the benefit of our communities,” said Representative Bud Williams, Chair of the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion (D-Springfield). “Investments in housing and health care, among others, focused on communities of color mostly impacted by the pandemic will go a long way in our recovery. I’m particularly pleased to see tracking and accountability dollars included in this bill to ensure its equitable distribution. I thank Speaker Mariano and Chair Michlewitz, as well as all who testified in the hearings, for their input.”
“The funds distributed in this legislation have the potential to be transformative,” said Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Vice Chair of House Committee on Ways & Means (D-Gloucester). “Every dollar appropriated toward areas such as workforce development, housing, and mental health services has the ability to reverse the secondary crises caused by the pandemic and assist Massachusetts residents in resetting their lives. Thank you to Speaker Mariano and Chair Michlewitz for leading the way in the deliberate and judicious use of these once-in-a-lifetime funds.”
Economic Development
The House bill includes $500 million to replenish the Unemployment Trust Fund which will offset businesses’ contributions for unemployment programs. The bill includes $200 million worth of tax relief for small businesses that paid personal income taxes on state or federal relief awards during the pandemic. It also includes $60 million for grants to support small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic, with $35 million of it reserved for minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses.
To assist recovering cultural organizations and artists, the bill appropriates $125 million to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for grants supporting cultural events, education or performances highlighting underrepresented voices. Other economic development investments include $40 million for youth summer and school-year jobs; $50 million to close the digital divide; and $12 million to assist in the resettlement of Afghan refugees in Massachusetts.
Health and Human Services
Building on the House’s longstanding commitment to support and protect community hospitals, the bill allocates $250 million for financially strained hospitals and $20 million for community health centers. This bill includes more than $250 million for behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment services, including $100 million for workforce initiatives with $15 million specifically for community health centers. The bill also includes over $150 million for local and regional public health systems.
Other investments include more than $78 million to address food insecurity; $15 million for prison re-entry grants; $10 million for community-based gun violence prevention programs, $6.5 million for coordination teams for triage treatment and service supports and post-treatment supportive housing in Boston; and $5 million for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation to bolster access to legal services for the most vulnerable.
Workforce Development
The bill includes $500 million towards providing premium pay bonuses for low- and middle-income workers who worked in-person during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. To promote employment, the bill also includes $150 million to enhance workforce opportunities through workforce skills training, as well as $100 million for vocational and career and technical schools.
Affordable Housing and Homeownership
The bill appropriates funds for affordable housing, with $150 million directed toward public housing maintenance and $150 million to create permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals, survivors of domestic violence, seniors, and veterans. The bill also includes $100 million for homeownership assistance and $100 million for production and preservation of affordable rental housing for residents of municipalities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Environment and Climate Change Mitigation
Building on the House’s commitment to the environment and clean energy, the bill includes investments for environmental infrastructure and development spending, with a focus on environmental justice communities, climate change resiliency and clean energy. This bill includes $100 million for port infrastructure development and revitalization to facilitate economic activity and support the offshore wind industry.
Other investments include $100 million toward infrastructure for communities to adapt and become climate resilient; and $100 million for water and sewer projects, including those to remediate combined sewer overflow into waterways.
Education
To improve indoor air-quality in schools and support healthy learning environments, this bill includes more than $100 million for grants to public school districts with high concentrations of low-income students, English language learners, and communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. This bill also includes $75 million for capital and maintenance projects for higher education; $25 million for the Endowment Incentive Program at the University of Massachusetts, state universities and community colleges, $20 million for special education, including $10 million for workforce development; and $10 million for programs focused on recruiting and retaining educators of color.
Accountability and Public Engagement
As a tool to inform future ARPA spending, the House’s bill allocates $5 million for the Inspector General’s office to create a public database and website to track total spending, including the percentage of funds spent in communities that were disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and to track the number of projects awarded to minority-owned businesses and organizations.
Speaker Mariano and the House Ways & Means Committee introduced their spending proposal on October 25, 2021, following a review of the Governor’s proposal and six public hearings. The bill House of Representatives approved the bill 159-0 and now goes to the Senate.