State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian Supports $1.6 Billion Budget Bill for Municipal Roads & Infrastructure, Housing Security, Pandemic Era Supports, & Flexibilies
BOSTON- March 16, 2022 – Last week, State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose) joined her colleagues in House of Representatives in voting to unanimously approve H.4532, a FY22 supplemental budget bill.
“I was glad to vote in favor of such comprehensive and supportive bill reflective of the needs of the Commonwealth,” said Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian. “Investments in housing, COVID-19 response, and workforce training are critical to our ongoing recovery. I’m also pleased that the bill will send additional financial support to our cities and towns for roads and bridges. And we continue to look for ways to support our restaurants, extending outdoor dining and cocktails-to-go until April 1, 2023.”
The $1.6 billion bill’s specific investments include the following:
• $5M: Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• $1.75M: Department of Fire Services for the State
• $100M: Road/bridge winter damage repair
• $100M: Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program
• $2.8M: Shelter services including for homeless individuals
• $359K: Climate adaptation and preparedness
• $140M: Grants for special education schools to help address the impacts of COVID-19 and its variants
• $8.4M: Guardianship, foster care, adoption, family preservation and kinship services provided by the Department of Children and Families
• $1.66M: DCR’s state parks and recreation division
• $8M: Early Intervention Services
• $5M: Adult Mental Health and Support Services
• $10M: Emergency aid to the elderly, disabled and the children
• $500K: Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women
• $10M: To assist with the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees and immigrants
• $108.3M: Collective Bargaining Costs
The bill also exempts COVID-19 premium pay bonuses to essential workers from income tax. Notably, many of the spending items included in the bill are eligible for reimbursement from the federal government. The actual cost of the bill to the State is projected to be approximately $842
million. The bill now heads to the Senate for its consideration.