Rep. Haggerty secures 300k for Hurld Park in Economic Development bill

/in /by

BOSTON – Thursday, July 14, 2022 – The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed an economic development bill, which utilizes the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) surplus funds, and bonds to make significant investments across several vital sectors of the economy. Funded at $4.2 billion, the legislation addresses disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic through one-time investments in health and human services, the environment and climate mitigation, economic development, housing, and food insecurity.

Targeted investments for the City of Woburn include:

•$300,000 expended for the redevelopment, design, and construction of The Hurld Elementary School Park Project

“This Bill ensures our Commonwealth remains focused on job creation, economic growth, and opportunity for its residents”, said State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn). “I was also pleased to direct resources towards the Hurld Park Project, which will offer beautiful open spaces for our residents and help address the flooding challenges in the area.”

Online Lottery
In an effort to raise revenue for early education and care, Representatives adopted an amendment that would allow the Massachusetts Lottery to sell some of its products online. The new revenue collected from online sales will go to prizes for winners, for the administration and operations of the lottery, and to fund an Early Education and Care Fund. Revenue for the new Early Education and Care Fund would be used to provide long-term stability and develop a sustainable system for high-quality and affordable care for families. This will include significant funding for subsidy reimbursement rates, workforce compensation rate increases, and support for state-wide early education and care initiatives, among others. The amendment requires the Massachusetts Lottery to use age verification measures to ensure that any users are over the age of 18.

One-Time Targeted Investments
Highlights include:
Health and Human Services
•$350 million for financially strained hospitals
•$165 million for nursing facilities workforce needs
•$100 million for supplemental rates for human services providers
•$80 million for community health centers
•$30 million to support Rest Homes across the Commonwealth
•$25 million to address food insecurity across the Commonwealth
•$15 million for grants to reproductive rights providers for security, workforce, and educational needs
•$15 million for grants to non-profits and community-based organizations to address gun violence and gun violence trauma
Environment
•$175 million for state parks and recreational facilities upgrades, with $25 million for communities of color
•$125 million for environmental justice communities
•$100 million for marine port development
•$100 million for the Clean Water Trust Fund
Economic Development
•$300 million for the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
•$125 million for small businesses, with $75 million for minority-owned businesses
•$50 million for broadband investments in underserved communities
•$75 million in grants to hotels across the Commonwealth who saw financial loses during the pandemic
Housing
•$100 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund
•$75 million for minority-owned housing development

Bonding
The House bill also includes $1.26 billion in bond allocations to greater support the economic growth and stability of the Commonwealth. Highlights include:
•$400 million for the MassWorks Infrastructure Competitive grant program to support municipalities and other public entities support and accelerate housing production
•$200 million for the Technology Matching Grants program that supports various organizations to help compete for federal innovation grants
•$95 million for ADA compliance projects
•$73 million for the Housing Stabilization and Investment fund

The bill passed the House of Representatives 154-0 and now goes to the Senate for their consideration.