Affordability

In my district and beyond, families are feeling the squeeze of rising costs. Increasingly, many young people, families, and seniors on fixed incomes are considering moving out of the City. To alleviate some of these rising costs, I have supported a number of measures at the State House to help ease the pressures.

This includes supporting the largest State Aid Package to the City of Boston in history:

• $237 million in Unrestricted Government Aid to address infrastructure improvements, parks and public safety improvements;
• $250 million in Chapter 70 state aid to support public elementary & secondary education; and
• $20 million to subsidize the Boston Public Library system

I sponsored and passed a Property Tax Relief Package for homeowners and small businesses, and expanded state tax credits for seniors and working families, which includes a more generous Child and Family Tax Credit, an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, and an improved Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. I also introduced the Main Streets Tax Relief amendment to offer property tax exemptions to businesses with 10 or fewer employees.

In addition, I supported $20 million in supplementary funding for a MBTA Income-eligible Reduced Fare Program that supports low-income public transit riders, and a statewide retirement savings program for employees whose workplaces do not otherwise provide access to a savings plan.

Furthermore, I supported $10 million at the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) last year to improve recipients’ access to SNAP benefits with the aim to forestall federal cuts to this critical program.