Sen. DiDomenico continues the fight for low-income families

Special to The Advocate

State Senator Sal DiDomenico recently spoke at a Lift Our Kids Coalition rally on the State House steps to gather support for his bill to raise cash assistance for low-income families. Later that day, Senator DiDomenico testified in favor of his bill before the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. This bill would raise cash assistance grants for very low-income families with children, older adults, and persons with disabilities.

Currently, the maximum grant for a family of three with no income is $861 a month. If passed, DiDomenico’s legislation would increase these benefits by 20% each year until they reach half of the federal poverty level. It would also build in annual cost of living updates, so grants don’t lose value to inflation. When a household has income below half the federal poverty line, they are considered to be living in “Deep Poverty” — currently $1,110 each month for a family of three. This bill would pull every family in Massachusetts out of “Deep Poverty.”

At the rally, Senator DiDomenico said he gets asked “What does a Senator do?” His answer, he said, is “We help people.”

With that mission, Senator DiDomenico has succeeded in getting grants raised four times in the annual state budget, starting in January 2021. “Significant progress,” Senator DiDomenico said, “but not enough to meet families’ needs.”

“As one of the richest states in the country, we can do better,” he said.

At the hearing, Senator DiDomenico emphasized the need to enshrine regular grant increases in state statute. “We need to get the bill passed now,” he said. “Families don’t have time to wait. They are living on the edge. In addition to the obstacles and challenges of living in poverty, they are being attacked at every turn. We need to pass legislation now to help people who need our help the most.”

Over half the Senate has joined with Senator DiDomenico to cosponsor the bill. A coalition of more than 160 Massachusetts organizations actively supports the bill.

The Massachusetts Law Reform Institute’s Senior Economic Justice Attorney, Deborah Harris — one of the leaders of the Lift Our Kids Coalition — praised Senator DiDomenico’s leadership: “Senator DiDomenico doesn’t rest on past success. Together with Representative Marjorie Decker, he shows up and he stands up for very low-income people struggling to keep a roof over their heads, to put food on the table, and to keep the lights on. He is an inspiration to all of us.”