Malden House delegation votes to pass FY24 Budget

Bill prioritizes addressing housing instability, food insecurity, shortages in early education, and workforce development to support families

  On April 26, 2023, the Massachusetts House of Representatives unanimously passed H.3900, the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budget. Funded at $56.2 billion, H.3900 addresses the critical needs of families and residents across the Commonwealth while dedicating funding to make our communities and state more affordable, livable and equitable. While taking into consideration the ending of COVID-era federal funding – and rising inflation nationwide – this spending bill represents a continued commitment to the people of Massachusetts and aims to put the state in a more competitive position in a post-pandemic world.

  “This year’s $56.2 billion budget prioritizes creating a more livable Commonwealth by addressing critical issues including food insecurity, housing instability, as well as increasing educational supports and access to workforce development opportunities,” said State Representative Steve Ultrino (D–Malden). “I am excited to see Malden community organizations receiving funding to continue their critical programs and services for our residents in need. Once again, I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in the House, especially with Representatives Paul Donato and Kate Lipper-Garabedian to successfully advocate for investments in the Malden community. Lastly, thank you Speaker Ron Mariano and Chair Aaron Michlewitz for the leadership and hard work throughout this year’s budget process.”

  “Malden has secured funding for an array of important services in the 2023 budget. This important funding will help to improve housing, infrastructure, and public safety services,” said State Representative Paul Donato (D–Medford). “As always, it was great to work with Representative Lipper-Garabedian and Representative Ultrino, focusing on the most critical needs of the community to build an ever-improved Malden.”

  “With the Malden delegation, I am proud to have secured funding for the City of Malden including in the areas of housing security, public safety, and infrastructure,” said State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D–Melrose). “Additionally, among the many critical and responsive statewide investments in the House’s budget bill, I am thrilled to see ongoing historic funding in early education and childcare, a top priority for which I advocated. And I’m glad to join the House in supporting universal free school meals, which would make Massachusetts the sixth state to make the program permanent.”

  The Malden House delegation has worked with leadership and other legislators to ensure the bill will provide financial support and much-needed resources to the Malden community. Representatives Ultrino, Donato and Lipper-Garabedian have successfully advocated for and secured $475,000 in local earmarks in the FY24 budget, which include the following:

• $150,000 for Portal To Hope to develop programs combatting domestic violence and providing supportive services to survivors and victims of domestic violence
• $100,000 for Housing Families Inc. to assist in their general operations
• $75,000 for a new multi-utility vehicle for Malden’s Department of Public Works
• $75,000 for Malden’s Pedestrian Safety Pilot Projects
• $75,000 for Action for Boston Community Development’s Mobile Homeless Outreach Team

  While state revenue collections remain strong, the House legislators have supported this budget’s approach of integrating new revenues from the Fair Share Amendment and the recent tax relief package. Furthermore, the budget passed uses $1 billion in anticipated Fair Share revenue, funding that this budget splits evenly between education and transportation initiatives. Revenue from this change will supplement existing funding for education and transportation investments, and will be directed to a new Education and Transportation Fund, then distributed to a series of Education and Transportation-centered programs, including:

• $161 million (M) for permanent Universal School Meals, making Massachusetts the sixth state nationwide to provide free school meals to all public-school students
• $40M for C3 Childcare Stabilization Grants, bringing the total investments for C3 Grants to $490M
• $20M for MassReconnect, which will provide free community college certificates and degrees to Massachusetts residents aged 25 or above who have yet to earn a college-level credential
• $250M for MBTA Capital Investments
• $65M for MBTA Workforce and Safety Reserve to address ongoing safety concerns identified by the Federal Transit Administration’s inspections

  Other key highlights included in the FY24 budget were:

• $181M allocated to the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program, which is a $31M increase from FY23
• $15M for the Early College program to help expand access to higher education pathways for high school students, representing a $5M increase from FY23
• $17.5M for Head Start grants, which provides comprehensive social, educational, physical, and emotional services for Malden families and youngsters
• Elimination of asset limits for Medicare Savings Program eligibility
• A two-year pilot program extending eligibility for ConnectorCare to applicants at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Limit
• No Cost Calls, which requires the Department of Corrections and House of Corrections to provide free phone calls to individuals committed to those facilities

  Following a review of the Governor’s budget proposal and a series of public hearings, on April 12, 2023, the FY24 budget proposal (H.3900) was introduced by Speaker Ronald Mariano and the House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways & Means. The House passed the budget, 156-0, and it now goes to the Senate for consideration.