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星期五, 3月 14, 2025
PLANNING DEPARTMENT ADVANCES NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALLSTON, DOWNTOWN, AND MISSION HILL
星期四, 3月 13, 2025
Governor Healey Unveils Exhibition Celebrating Women Veterans and Legacy of Former Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers
Governor Healey Unveils Exhibition Celebrating Women Veterans and Legacy of Former Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers
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Governor Healey Nominates Robert Palumbo as Clerk Magistrate of the Barnstable County/Town of Plymouth Juvenile Court
Governor Healey Nominates Robert Palumbo as Clerk Magistrate of the Barnstable County/Town of Plymouth Juvenile Court
BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey announced the nomination of Robert Palumbo to serve as the Clerk Magistrate of the Barnstable County/Town of Plymouth Juvenile Court. Attorney Palumbo has worked for the Barnstable County/Town of Plymouth Juvenile Court since 2015 and was appointed as Acting Clerk Magistrate in 2023. He will now be considered by the Governor’s Council for confirmation.
“Over the course of his career, Attorney Palumbo has taken a compassionate, respectful, and just approach to difficult cases involving youth and families of Barnstable County and Plymouth,” said Governor Maura Healey. “As Acting Clerk Magistrate, he has been integral to ensuring the smooth operations of the Juvenile Court, and we are excited to work with the Governor’s Council to see him officially assume the Clerk Magistrate position.”
“During his time as Acting Clerk Magistrate, Attorney Palumbo has proven that he will always keep the interest of children at the forefront of his work, while handling difficult situations with calm, courtesy and respect,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We are excited to see his continued work for the Juvenile Court and look forward to working toward his confirmation with the Governor’s Council.”
Attorney Palumbo began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, where he spent seven years prosecuting cases in the District, Municipal and Superior Courts. He later spent seventeen years as an attorney for the Department of Children and Families, where he gained extensive experience handling cases involving children and families in both the Juvenile and Probate and Family Courts. He joined the Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office in 2015 as an Assistant Clerk Magistrate. In 2023, he was appointed to serve as Acting Clerk Magistrate. In this capacity he is responsible for managing the administration of the Clerk’s Office, as well as conducting show cause hearings, running court sessions and reviewing applications for complaints and search warrants. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctor from New England School of Law. He resides in Pocasset.
“I am thankful to Governor Healey for recognizing my commitment to the mission of the Juvenile Court and giving me the opportunity to continue serving the community,” said Attorney Palumbo.
The mission of the Juvenile Court is to protect children from abuse and neglect, to promote opportunities for children to reside in safe, stable, permanent family environments, to strengthen families, to rehabilitate juveniles, and to protect the public from delinquent and criminal behavior. The Juvenile Court Department has jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters including delinquencies, youthful offender cases, care and protection matters and children requiring assistance cases. It has 42 judges, including the Chief Justice, sitting in over 40 courthouses.
For more information about the Juvenile Court, visit its homepage. Governor Healey has previously nominated Jennifer Currie, Tiffanie Ellis-Niles, Andrew Hoffman, Audrey Murillo, Jeannie Rhinehart, Fabiola White, and Karin Wilinski to the Juvenile Court.
牙買加平原202戶可負擔住宅竣工 140戶給無家可歸者
MAYOR MICHELLE WU, PINE STREET INN, AND THE COMMUNITY BUILDERS CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF BOSTON’S LARGEST SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
New development at 3368 Washington Street welcomes residents and provides 202 affordable homes with essential support services
BOSTON - Wednesday, March 12, 2025 – Mayor Michelle Wu, The Community Builders (TCB), and Pine Street Inn (PSI) today announced the completion of Boston’s largest supportive housing development, at 3368 Washington Street. This transformative project in Jamaica Plain, which broke ground in January 2022, will provide 202 affordable homes, including 140 units dedicated to individuals formerly experiencing homelessness. The announcement underscores the City and State’s commitment to making critical, long-term investments in supportive housing and providing resources for individuals who have experienced homelessness.
“3368 Washington Street represents our unwavering commitment to ensuring every Bostonian has a safe, stable place to call home,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “With supportive services on-site and a strong community network, these new apartments provide a foundation for residents to rebuild their lives. I am grateful to our partners and the community for making this vision a reality.”
“Everyone has a role to play in meeting our housing needs in Massachusetts and partners like Pine Street Inn and Community Builders embody our mission of ensuring homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring. I am grateful for the new housing being created here for formerly homeless and low-income people,” said Chris Thompson, Undersecretary of Housing Stabilization, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
The newly completed, five-story building provides 140 supportive housing apartments for formerly homeless individuals and 62 income-restricted apartments for families. Residents will also be provided additional services by Pine Street Inn and TCB’s Community Life team, ensuring access to healthcare, employment support, and other essential resources. The building also includes 21 units for mobility-impaired individuals and 18 sensory-impaired units, bolstering accessibility for residents. Additionally, Pine Street Inn will operate office space on the first floor, enhancing their ability to provide on-site services.
“The opening of this new building marks a milestone for Pine Street Inn, bringing our total to more than 1,000 units of housing – 1,100 to be exact – for people moving out of homelessness,” said Lyndia Downie, President and Executive Director of Pine Street Inn. “The building offers 140 units of permanent supportive housing, the largest development for its kind in New England. Together with The Community Builders, our development partners, we are creating a community where people can rebuild their lives, along with support staff, who help people remain stable and housed. A 96 percent retention rate in Pine Street’s housing shows us we are on the right track. This is how we will end homelessness.”
“This grand opening is personal to me. For many years I’ve lived with my family in Jamaica Plain, blocks from 3368 Washington St, and even closer to another long standing permanent supportive housing building. I know it works, for residents and for a neighborhood. The partnership that brought this project to reality is a powerful combination – a permanent home, when paired with strong support services, provides a critical platform for personal growth, stability, and increased independence. Today’s ribbon-cutting celebrates the collaboration that made it possible,” said Andy Waxman, Senior Vice President of Development for The Community Builders.
This development was made possible through a combination of public and private funding sources, including the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Housing, Community Preservation Act and Neighborhood Housing Trust funding and the Boston Housing Authority, which provided 156 Project-Based Vouchers to support affordability. Additional funding was provided by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, Bank of America, and MassDevelopment.
"The completion of 3368 Washington Street is a powerful example of what we can achieve when we work together to end homelessness,” said Chief of Housing Sheila A. Dillon. “This development not only provides a safe and stable home for individuals and families, but it also provides supportive services to ensure that the residents remain housed and thrive.. The Pine Street Inn and The Community Builders have built a development that will serve the Boston community for decades."
“The Boston Housing Authority is proud to support this transformative development, which expands access to stable, affordable housing for our city’s most vulnerable residents,” said BHA Administrator Kenzie Bok. “3368 Washington Street demonstrates how Boston can create lasting solutions by pairing housing with essential services, ensuring that residents have the support they need to thrive in a safe, equitable community.”
“Stable housing is essential for enhancing overall well-being and promoting long-term stability. The Community Preservation Fund continues to contribute to the creation of inclusive and affordable housing in Boston,” said Thadine Brown, Director Community Preservation Office. “This support is making it possible for residents to secure supportive housing and have a place to call home. The Community Preservation Committee is thrilled about the new Washington Street development, which will add more supportive housing units, help prevent homelessness, and ensure safe, affordable living spaces.”
This announcement builds on Mayor Wu’s work to make Boston a home for everyone. This historic project is an example of Boston's commitment to addressing homelessness through its investment in supportive housing. With 664 permanent supportive housing (PSH) units either completed, under construction, or in the pipeline, the City is ensuring that residents have access to stable, service-enriched housing. These efforts reflect Boston’s dedication to long-term, sustainable solutions that not only provide shelter, but also offer essential support services to help individuals and families regain stability and thrive in their communities.
About the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH)
The Mayor’s Office of Housing is responsible for housing people experiencing homelessness, creating and preserving affordable housing, and ensuring that renters and homeowners can obtain, maintain, and remain in safe, stable housing. The department develops and implements the City of Boston’s housing creation and homelessness prevention plans and collaborates with local and national partners to find new solutions and build more housing affordable to all, particularly those with lower incomes. For more information, please visit the MOH website.
About the Boston Housing Authority
The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) is a public agency that provides subsidized housing to low and moderate-income individuals and families. In addition to conventional public housing communities throughout Boston, BHA offers rental assistance programs. BHA receives federal and state funding to provide housing programs to individuals and families. BHA’s mission is to provide stable, quality affordable housing for low and moderate-income persons; to deliver these services with integrity and mutual accountability, and to create living environments that serve as catalysts for the transformation from dependency to economic self-sufficiency.
About The Community Builders, Inc.
The Community Builders (TCB) is one of America's leading nonprofit housing organizations. Its mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive. Its mission-driven businesses work with partners to develop, finance and operate residential communities, neighborhood amenities, and opportunity initiatives for families, seniors, and adults with disabilities. Since 1964, TCB has advanced housing equity through award-winning affordable and mixed-income communities and our pioneering Community Life model for resident success. Today, anchored by offices in Boston, Chicago, Columbus, New York, and Washington, D.C., TCB owns or manages over 13,000 apartment homes across 15 states and Washington D.C. www.tcbinc.org.
About Pine Street Inn
Supporting over 1,400 individuals daily, Pine Street Inn is the largest homeless services provider in New England. Pine Street’s programs include permanent housing, job training, emergency shelter, and street outreach, with a goal of moving individuals off the street, out of the shelter, and back to home and community. With a housing retention rate of 95%, PSI’s strategy to scale up supportive housing builds on the success of its current program, which includes 850 tenants in buildings it owns, leases and/or manages in Boston and Brookline, as well as rental units throughout Boston. www.pinestreetinn.org.
Healey-Driscoll Administration Releases Recommendations to Make Child Care More Affordable and Accessible
Healey-Driscoll Administration Releases Recommendations to Make Child Care More Affordable and Accessible
Child Care Task Force recommendations center on family affordability, sustainable
high-quality local early ed businesses and workforce development
Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration released a report today with recommendations to make early education and child care more accessible and affordable for all families in Massachusetts. These recommendations were crafted by Governor Healey’s Inter-Agency Early Education and Child Care Task Force, which was established last year in recognition of the essential role child care plays in driving the state’s economy and competitiveness forward.
Secretaries of Education Patrick Tutwiler, Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones, and Economic Development Yvonne Hao and Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw announced over 30 actionable efforts across five primary areas today at Ellis Learning Center, highlighting the state’s commitment to leading the nation in early education and child care access, affordability, equity, and quality:
- Ensure broad access and availability of early education and child care for families with young children.
- Support high-quality early education and child care programming.
- Foster sustainable business conditions for all types of programs with fewer barriers to entry.
- Make early education and child care affordable for all families, prioritizing those with the highest needs.
- Build a robust workforce ecosystem that supports the growth and wellbeing of educators and providers.
“We have made a lot of progress in the last two years, from expanding affordable child care seats to increasing educator wages to providing programs with more financial support. But we know that more needs to be done. That’s why we are proud to share these recommendations today that outline the ways in which we can continue making early education and child care more affordable and accessible,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Child care is central to the success of our entire state, and together we are taking important steps toward solutions.”
“I want to thank all of the parents, caregivers, educators and child care providers who attended a listening session or provided written feedback – your experiences and ideas have helped us outline short and long term efforts to make child care more affordable, accessible and equitable across our state,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Access to affordable early education and care sets our youngest learners up to succeed in school and beyond, while also supporting our local economy and communities. Today’s recommendations highlight why Massachusetts is the best place to live, work, raise a family and go to school.”
The Governor’s Task Force is co-chaired by the Secretaries of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Economic Development, and consists of leaders from every Secretariat in the Cabinet, taking a whole-of-government approach to affordable high-quality child care. Over the past year, the group hosted a series of 14 Listening Sessions across Massachusetts to hear directly from hundreds of parents, child care providers, and community stakeholders. These insights directly informed today’s strategic recommendations that include intermediate steps and immediate initiatives, as well as longer-term aims.
“We know that education doesn’t start at kindergarten – it starts at birth. Early education and child care experiences spans some of the most important years in a child’s education and also promote a strong workforce and economy,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “I want to thank my colleagues for their partnership and collaboration in this critical work, dedicating time and resources to together improve educational opportunities for our youngest learners across the state and their families.”
“Our administration has and will continue to work across secretariats to support a more affordable and accessible early education and child care system for Massachusetts’ caregivers and workforce,” said Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones. “Among recommendations, we will build on efforts to strengthen and grow a pipeline of early childhood educators through workforce strategies like Registered Apprenticeship and credentialing with academic partners for workers entering the field or looking to upskill and advance their careers.”
“Affordable and accessible early education and child care is vital for expanding economic opportunity in our state,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “These recommendations will help ensure adequate child care and resources for our youngest generations, empower parents and guardians to more fully participate in our workforce, and support the businesses that power the state's child care system – all while reaffirming our administration’s commitment to making Massachusetts the best places for families to start and grow.”
"The Governor's whole-of-government approach brings new resources, thinking and innovations to address some of the early education and care sector's most pressing challenges. These recommendations build on the significant progress and investments we have already made in partnership with our legislative colleagues and are directly informed by the voices of hundreds of educators, program directors, advocates, parents and families across Massachusetts. I look forward to the work ahead with my colleagues across state government to deliver on this ground-breaking, collaborative approach," said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw.
Examples of recommendations include:
- The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ Office of Outdoor Recreation will work with EOE and EEC to help connect children, families, and programs to nature and resources to support the exploration of the outdoors and natural world, while also exploring regulatory changes to facilitate that exploration.
- The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities will explore incentives to encourage construction projects for housing renovation and new buildings that include spaces for EECC programs.
- The Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, EOE and EEC will explore opportunities to repurpose public physical space to expand EECC programs.
- The Executive Office of Health and Human Services and its agencies with EEC will work towards integrated eligibility, as well as to facilitate simpler enrollment in these programs with the support of MyMassGov’s universal profile, an initiative of Executive Office of Technology Services and Security.
- In collaboration with MassDOT, Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, and municipalities, EOE and EEC will explore opportunities to provide traffic safety measures and signage to ensure the safety of children, families, staff and educators of providers in a manner similar to how K-12 schools are treated.
- The state will maximize and focus small business resources offered by EOED, and their agencies, to support center-based and family child care programs, including exploring the expansion of some business development programs to non-profit EECC providers.
- EOLWD, EOE, and the Executive Office of Veterans Services, with support from EEC, DHE, and in collaboration with the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges, will call attention to higher education opportunities facilitated by EEC, as well as create an institutionalized pathway to such opportunities, including for veterans, and make sure MassReconnect and MassEducate support the needs of the EECC sector.
“Since taking office, our administration has prioritized support for early education and child care in our state budget, providing resources to stabilize the system, expand access, and increase affordability," said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. "The Task Force's recommendations provide us with tools to continue strengthening this critical sector for our state, and I appreciate the thoughtful work that enabled today's report.”
“Nature serves as the best playground for children to learn and grow,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Our agencies recognize the importance of outdoor play and are committed to ensuring that caregivers and educators have access to our natural resources. Creating avenues for families to explore and recreate outdoors, supports the development of heathy children and communities.”
"We're proud to partner with our colleagues across state government in this work to make child care more accessible, which we know is central to family stability and well-being," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh. "Alongside EEC and team, we're working to make sure that our state's early childhood educators, in addition to our youngest learners and their families, are able to take full advantage of our nation-leading health care and human services available in Massachusetts."
“Many Massachusetts families must delicately balance the cost of housing and childcare in their monthly budgets, and we want to make it easier for them,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “As EOHLC continues to expand affordable housing options across the state and works to bring down housing costs for all residents, we will collaborate with our interagency partners to ensure families also have access to affordable childcare, including encouraging developers to support on-site childcare services in new and renovated developments.”
“I commend the dedicated work of everyone involved in this vital initiative. The commitment and collaboration across state government, under the leadership of Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, has been instrumental to developing innovative solutions that advance access to affordable, high-quality childcare and support the unique needs of emergency responders,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “This achievement not only supports families statewide but also enhances our ability to attract and retain the next generation of public safety professionals.”
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is committed to providing residents with simple, secure, accessible digital services. A great example is EEC’s leadership to advance a modern Child Care Financial Assistance system, funded by an authorization in the FutureTech Act,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “Along with making it easier for providers to administer the program, TSS looks forward to implementing the Task Force’s recommendation to ensure that enrollment is simpler by leveraging the MyMassGov universal profile. I thank the Task Force for recognizing technology’s critical role in delivering affordable, high-quality child care.”
“The Healey-Driscoll administration is taking concrete steps across agencies to expand residents’ access to educational, cultural, economic, and transportation opportunities,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The recommendations from the Task Force align with our commitment to ensuring all families have a better quality of life. At MassDOT, we look forward to working alongside other secretariats, municipalities, and partners to implement additional safety measures around locations that serve our youngest children, their families, and educators.”
“For many veterans and military families, access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential to building a stable future. Our administration is expanding access and creating new career pathways to ensure they have the support they need to succeed,” said Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago.
The full report and recommendations can be found online at Mass.gov/ChildCareTaskForce
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星期三, 3月 12, 2025
今年的波士頓市長選舉可能有多至4人參選
(Boston Orange 編譯) 今年的波士頓市長選舉，在吳弭市長，新英格蘭愛國者球隊東主之子Josh Kraft之外，又出現一名潛在競爭者，現年47歲的社區活躍份子Domingos DaRosa。
波士頓前鋒報 (Boston Herald)刊文報導，說這位有4名子女，住在海德公園
(Hyde Park)的有意參選者，曾經三度參選波士頓市議員，這次改為參選市長因為他不想當橡皮圖章。
Domingos DaRosa說，波士頓已經成為一個笑話，這些市議員席位是屬於人民的，但我們卻容許人們親手挑選他們想要的人出任那些席位。
上一次的波士頓市議員選舉，吳弭市長背書支持4名首次參選者，其中3人在2023年11月當選為波士頓市議員之前，包括Sharon
Durkan、Enrique
Pepén 和Henry
Santana，都曾在吳弭政府，或吳弭的競選團隊中工作過。
DaRosa組織了一個競選委員會，還在在3月11日撥款給競選及政治財務辦公室。
一旦市長候選人多於2人，波士頓的市長選舉就得在9月9日舉辦初選，然後在在11月4日舉辦大選。
吳弭和Josh
Kraft都是民主黨，也都已確定參選。另一名波士頓環球報
(Boston Globe)說有意參選的民主黨人是Thomas
O’Brien，地產發展商HYM投資集團的執行合夥人，也是萬寧路
(Tom Menino)時代的波士頓重建局局長。
DaRosa 則表示自己獨立無黨派。他形容自己只是一個人。
他說，在波士頓的某些社區，人們可能對成為暴力受害者沒有什麼感覺，但是諸如洛士百利，多徹斯特，以及麥特潘和海德公園的某些地方，那是人們面對的現實。人們必須改變這些情況，沒有一名祖母應該在夏日炎炎中，坐在自家門口喝杯飲料，就失去了生命。
DaRosa說他曾任波士頓市青年及家庭中心
(BYCYF)救生員，2014年離職，2015年他自己開了一家公司，現在是一名獨立合約商。
麻州長Healey 提醒民眾報稅季別忘了兒童抵減稅
Ahead of Tax Filing Deadline, Governor Healey Promotes Savings for Families Under Expanded Child Tax Credit
Massachusetts taxpayers can learn more about the ways Governor Healey lowered their taxes at Mass.gov/TaxCuts
SPRINGFIELD – As Massachusetts residents are filing their taxes ahead of the April 15 deadline, Governor Maura Healey is raising awareness of the money that Massachusetts families will save on their returns this year because of the tax cuts package she signed in 2023.
“We know that the number one challenge facing the people of Massachusetts is the high cost of living. That’s why we cut taxes for the first time in 20 years – and we did it in our first year in office,” said Governor Healey. “Because of the strong partnership between our team and the Legislature to deliver these tax cuts, Massachusetts families, businesses, seniors and renters are all saving more money, including benefiting from the most generous Child and Family Tax Credit in the nation. And there's no additional paperwork required – every eligible Massachusetts taxpayer will automatically get more money back when they file their taxes this year.”
“Massachusetts residents might not even realize that they are paying less in taxes because we passed this tax cuts package,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This means more money back in your pockets to use for groceries, energy bills, medicine or gas. We encourage everyone to visit mass.gov/taxcuts to learn more about how you are saving – and don’t forget to file your taxes!”
“The House understands that affordability is a top concern for residents across Massachusetts, which is why the sweeping tax relief bill that we passed last session was so important. That legislation cut taxes for residents of all income levels and for businesses that are based in Massachusetts, one of several bills from last session that was designed to make the Commonwealth more affordable and more competitive,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the House, and to our partners in the Senate and in the Healey-Driscoll Administration, for their continued focus on tackling the significant affordability challenges that continue to face residents here in Massachusetts.”
"The Senate was thrilled to pass the largest tax cut in a generation in partnership with the House and the Healey Administration last session,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "The tax relief bill was packed with meaningful savings for families, homeowners, renters, older residents and others, and it will make a difference when residents file their taxes this year. Together with our investments in early education and care, housing, and small businesses—and making community college free for all—this tax relief is part of the Senate’s commitment to lowering costs for residents and expanding opportunities for everyone.”
“This is good news and we are happy to help share it with our community, especially as we are in the midst of tax filing season. I deeply appreciate the support and leadership from Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll on signing this historic tax package that includes relief and savings for our residents and families, including updates to the Child & Family Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit that will benefit hundreds of thousands of families,” said Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. “We will also continue to work diligently on the city level to continue to provide tax relief while also being mindful of our credit and bond rating, and debt services, and while also maintaining vital core city services for our neighborhoods. I am proud of my administration’s efforts in providing much-needed tax relief for our residents. From our targeted tax relief initiative, working with the City Council on tax relief for our Veterans as part of the local option of the HERO Act signed by Governor Healey, utilizing the interest from our investment in the T-Bonds, and all of the existing tax relief programs, there are now multiple means for homeowners to seek tax relief and we want to be sure our residents are aware of these options.”
The Governor visited Educare Springfield, a child care center that serves young children and their families with a full-day, year-round program, to highlight the expanded Child and Family Tax Credit, which is now the most generous in the nation. Governor Healey increased the benefit from $180 per dependent child, adult with disabilities or senior to $440 and lifted the two-dependent cap. This means that a family with three children will now receive $1,320 back each year, compared to just $360 two years ago.
"Our mission is to give young families the foundation they need to be successful — academically, physically, socially, and financially,” Dawn DiStefano, President & CEO, Square One. “It starts with providing a safe, healthy, nurturing environment for children to learn and grow, while their parents are at work. Adding in supports like workforce development, emergency diapers, food, and guidance on issues like tax credits and other financial supports, works to position our young families for long-term success in every way."
Governor Healey’s tax cuts package included a number of other provisions to make life more affordable for Massachusetts families, seniors, renters, businesses and more. She doubled the Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit so that senior homeowners will receive an extra $1,200 back each year and increased the Earned Income Tax Credit from 30 percent to 40 percent of the federal credit.
Massachusetts residents can visit mass.gov/taxcuts to learn more about the credits and deductions available to them. Information about free tax assistance available through local community action agencies and non-profit partners is also available at findyourfunds.org.
Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Success of Higher Education Financial Aid Road Show
Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Success of Higher Education Financial Aid Road Show
Education Secretary Tutwiler, higher education officials visited 8 schools across Massachusetts; spoke with hundreds of students about historic financial aid opportunities
BOSTON – The Healey–Driscoll Administration concluded its Higher Education Financial Aid Road Show this week, capping off a five-week tour across Massachusetts that encouraged students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and apply for the nearly $400 million available in state financial aid. The administration has been focused on seeing that students have consistent and equal access to the information, tools, guidance, and resources that they need to pursue all types of postsecondary opportunities.
Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler, Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega, and other state and local education leaders visited eight high schools throughout February and March and spoke with hundreds of students to promote the state’s many financial aid programs and grants. The discussions allowed students and educators to provide direct feedback and suggest ways to increase FAFSA completion rates through social media, advertising, and word of mouth.
“We are committed to making college more accessible and affordable for all Massachusetts students,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Through the Financial Aid Road Show, our administration connected directly with students to ensure they know about the resources available to help them pay for college. I’m proud of the work we’ve done and look forward to building on this momentum to continue expanding educational opportunities.”
“Understanding financial aid options is a critical step in making higher education attainable,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This Road Show has been an incredible opportunity to engage with students in every corner of the Commonwealth, break down barriers and make sure everyone has the tools they need to plan for their future.”
“I am so inspired after speaking with so many bright and enthusiastic high school students who are hungry to learn more about higher education opportunities,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “Free and affordable college is more accessible than ever, thanks to historic investments by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and our partners in the legislature. The Financial Aid Road Show connected with hundreds of sophomores, juniors and seniors and made it clear they can pursue their academic and career goals without having to worry about cost.”
The Higher Education Financial Road Show made stops at high schools in Lynn, Athol, Lawrence, Springfield, Harwich, Great Barrington, New Bedford and Brockton. Each student was provided a QR code that connects them to the state’s financial aid website where they can learn more about completing the FAFSA and available financial aid programs and grants.