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By State Senator Pat Jehlen

First, an update: I’m happy to say that the. governor signed the Act Expanding Protections for Reproductive and Gender-affirming Care, that I wrote about in an earlier newsletter.   

As you probably know, the legislature finally adjourned formal sessions at about 10 am Monday, after an all-night session.  In the last few days, we passed many important bills.  The governor can still decide to sign, veto, or send them back with amendments.  It’s too late to override a veto, or to deal with an amendment unless there is unanimous support.

The Elephant in the Room

You’ve probably read that the governor announced three days before the end of formal sessions that an obscure 1986 law (“62F”)would require sending $3 billion in tax rebates.  This was while we were considering major bills to provide funding to provide tax rebates and reductions, as well as funding for transportation, housing, and other needs. (Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay)

I don’t yet have a clear explanation for why we suddenly have more revenue than the little-known (until now) law allows for. I hope to have more understanding soon. Up until this year, state revenue was far below the limit so something unusual (probably related to the pandemic and probably not repeatable) is happening with the formula.

In the meantime, if the state returns $2.5 – $3 billion in income taxes, we may not be able to afford the $1 billion in tax relief in the Economic Development bill, or other transportation, housing, and climate projects. We can’t pay for programs without money.  Some people may get sizable checks, but the state economy and the climate will be worse off.  And we will have fewer reserves to continue funding things like early education during an expected recession.
 
This issue – how to deal with the likelihood that we’ll be more than $2 billion short of what we expected – is not resolved.  More soon.

The FY 2023 Budget

The budget for FY 2023 (which started July 1) was finally approved by the legislature on July 17, and signed by the governor on July 28.  The governor sent back vetoes and amendments, many of which we took up yesterday.  More on one particular amendment next time.  For good summaries of the conference committee, see Mass Budget and/or Mass Taxpayers.  

As usual, I won’t even try to sum up anything other than the specific amendments or bills I and my excellent staff worked on. 

The major hour-long debate of the last session was about the governor’s budget amendment, pitting free phone calls for incarcerated people against pre-trial detention for dangerousness.  It was the subject of the only major debate on the last night of session.  I’ll write about that soon.

FY 2023 Budget – Education

The final $52.7 billion budget fully funds the continued implementation of the Student Opportunity Act and sets aside $150 million in a trust fund to make sure we can keep on track even if revenues aren’t adequate in the future.
It appropriates $1.18 for early education and care, about a 25% increase, and a similar trust fund to ensure adequate funding in future years.

Jumpstart – expands early childhood education programs in Boston, Cambridge, Lawrence, Lowell, Somerville, and Worcester.  Involving college students to assist helps build the early educator workforce pipeiine. 
JET (Journey into Education and Teaching) – expands program to help urban paraprofessionals become licensed teachers, giving them opportunity and helping diversity the teaching workforce.

FY 2023 Budget Amendment – LGBT Aging Commission

Another of my amendments provided $50,000 to the LGBT Aging Commission, which has done amazing work for many years, with all support provided by outside organizations.  As a long time co-chair of the commission, I was shocked to learn that it’s the only such commission with no public funding, which it needs to continue.  For an example, we heard a lot of testimony at our hearings about the need for LGBTQ-friendly senior housing, assisted living and long-term care.  I was excited when the PRYDE project in Hyde Park broke ground on mixed income housing for seniors, including LGBTQ seniors, and I was upset when the site was defaced with graffiti.  

FY 2023 Budget – Enough Pay to Stay – for Direct Care workers

I also worked on the $27.9 million funding for the Enough Pay to Stay initiative, implementing the bill I sponsored to raise the pay of home care workers.  Here’s a flyer about the importance of paying enough to attract, train and retain these essential workers.  (It’s a 2019 flyer; while we’ve increased pay, the shortage is now much worse because pay is still low and unreliable, and the work is hard.)  In my office, we have heard from people who aren’t receiving the home care services they need and are qualified for, because there just aren’t enough workers.  (The photo shows me visiting a home care client and her home care worker.)

A recent report shows that 5,269 older adults were waiting for approved home care services, an increase of almost 600% in past 3 years. 71% of them were waiting for any hours of homemaker services to be filled. The main reason was lack of workers.

In addition, $115 million will fund nursing home staff pay increases and supplemental payments.  Like home care, nursing homes face severe staff shortages,  A recent report found 1,066 patients in Massachusetts hospitals waiting to be discharged.  Most of them are waiting for a nursing home that has enough staff to take them. In other cases, they’re waiting for placement in rehab, or home care, both of which are short-staffed.  (I sponsored an amendment in the Economic Development bill – now stalled because of the concern about the $3 billion tax rebates – that would give additional funding for nursing homes willing to take more discharges, or more complex patients.)

FY 2023 Budget Amendment- support for exonerees

One of my amendments would give $250,000 to the New England Innocence Project to support people who are released from prison after being exonerated but lack any support as they return to life outside bars.  Social services, housing, job search and other assistance can help them get back on their feet.

In the last three years alone, 22 wrongfully convicted people in Massachusetts have been released after serving decades in prison for crimes they didn’t commit.  Together they spent 613 years in prison.

Nothing can repay the moral debt we owe them for the years of their lives lost despite their innocence.  I led passage of a law in 2003, updated in 2018, giving wrongfully convicted people the chance to receive some compensation for their lost years.  But it takes up to two years to receive any assistance.

Meanwhile, when they are released, they receive no services or assistance from Probation, Parole, or any other state program – unlike other formerly incarcerated people.

The Globe recently wrote about recent Massachusetts exonerees and the mutual network they founded.

FY 2023 Budget – Local Earmarks
Here are my amendments that are included in the final budget signed by the governor.  There are many other important earmarks, proposed by representatives from our district; it’s a good idea to check their websites and newsletters to learn more.  
–  $150,000 to improve pedestrian facilities at busy intersections in Medford for users of all abilities, at Elm Street and Aquavia Road, Elm and Sturges Streets, and South Border Road at Governor’s Avenue.
– $150,000 for  design and implementation of traffic changes at the dangerous intersection of Broadway and Alewife Brook Parkway in West Somerville, as advocated for by Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets, one of many improvements they are working on with Rep. Barber and me.-  $50,000 for ABCD to provide support for homelessness outreach teams in Medford and greater-Boston. 
– $75,000 for the Community Action Agency of Somerville for community organizing to prevent evictions
– $75,000 for the youth violence prevention efforts of Teen Empowerment.  
– $50,000 for Groundwork Somerville to support youth jobs