Representative Christine P. Barber of Somerville and Medford voted with other House members to enact the fiscal year 2022 House Budget, which makes key investments in schools, early education, affordable housing, economic development, public health, food security, services for people with disabilities and other priorities for economic recovery. 

In addition to statewide programs, Rep. Barber also prioritized the needs of the 34th Middlesex District. Pedestrian safety and traffic calming are major issues in Somerville and Medford, particularly on the roads controlled by the state MassDOT and DCR. Rep. Barber was able to secure funding to improve pedestrian safety both on Alewife Brook Parkway near Dilboy Field and on Mystic Avenue in Somerville, along I-93. This funding bolsters other allocations, for a safer crosswalk and bus stop work at Mystic Ave at Shore Drive and a new intersection at Powder House Boulevard and Alewife Brook Parkway. 

“Pedestrian safety is critically important to our communities now more than ever. This funding will help reduce risk for people who are outside enjoying our neighborhoods. I am incredibly happy that I was able to secure funding to improve community infrastructure and safety,” Rep. Barber said.

Representative Barber also worked to address the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, particularly in the areas of public health and health care services. She was successful in including a budget amendment to ensure that the Autism Commission compile data and make recommendations on the impact of the pandemic on communities of color with autism. The pandemic has severely impacted people with autism and families of color have been shown more likely to experience additional barriers related to accessing remote services and impacts from COVID-19.

In addition, Rep. Barber secured funding for the Health Care for All Helpline, a free multilingual statewide service that helps people with questions about medical bills, getting health care and finding a vaccine. Rep. Barber also worked with Greentown Labs to ensure that new state investments in wind energy will include energy start-ups and fund nonprofits and schools through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.

The FY22 House budget made critical investments to strengthen the capacity of emergency homeless assistance and prevention programs to help combat the eviction crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The House provided $22 million in direct appropriations for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) and $148 million for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) Program. This funding, which assists families living in Somerville and Medford, is a down payment on upcoming federal funds which will also be targeted at housing security. (The budget does not appropriate American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, as the state awaits more information on spending parameters by the federal government.)

In addition, the budget supported efforts to address food insecurity and ensure low-income residents have access to cash benefits during the economic downturn. The budget included $30 million for Emergency Food Assistance and $13 million for the Healthy Incentives Program, which fund local food banks, along with $771.1 million in funding for the Department of Transitional Assistance to shore up investments in families, at-risk parents, victims of intergenerational trauma, the elderly, the disabled, and communities most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

Other budget highlights include:

• Funding and a mandate to test a backlot of sexual assault evidence kits, after it was discovered that over six thousand rape kits remained untested by the state over the past many years
• Investments of $20 million in early education rate increases for child care providers across Massachusetts
• $35 million for the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (civil legal aid), increases for Prisoners’ Legal Services and Mental Health Legal Advisors.

The budget now goes to the Senate.

— The Office of Rep. Christine P. Barber