House and Senate approve a compromise spending bill for the FY24 which includes $885,000 dedicated to funding local initiatives in Malden.
BOSTON – Tuesday, August 1, 2023 – Yesterday, the Massachusetts Legislature passed, H. 4040, the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) state budget. Funded at $56.2 billion, the compromise FY24 budget makes critical investments in areas of food insecurity, early education and care, higher education, housing instability, healthcare, and workforce development. Taking into consideration the ending of COVID-era federal funding and rising inflation nationwide, this spending bill represents a continued commitment to the people of Massachusetts and aims to put the state in a more competitive position in a post-pandemic world.
The FY24 budget prioritized measures addressing rising food insecurity across the state by codifying free universal school meals, increasing funding for food security infrastructure grants, and providing capital investments to local food organizations. With this bill, Massachusetts is slated to become the seventh state nationwide to provide free school meals to all public school students. Additionally, the bill promises free community college programs for students over 25 years old, increases funding for Early College Programs, and expanding Pre-K opportunities across the state – reflecting historic investments across all levels of our public education system.
Representatives Steve Ultrino, Paul Donato and Kate Lipper-Garabedian, and Senator Jason Lewis have successfully advocated for and secured $885,000 in Malden earmarks in this budget including the following:
• $200,000 for the School-to-Career program operated by Triangle, Inc.
• $150,000 for Portal of Hope to develop programs combatting domestic violence and providing supportive services to survivors and victims of domestic violence;
• $100,000 for Housing Families to assist in their general operations;
• $85,000 for capital improvements and equipment for Bread of Life’s new building;
• $75,000 for a new multi-utility vehicle for Malden’s Department of Public Works;
• $75,000 for Malden’s Pedestrian Safety Pilot Projects;
• $75,000 for Action for Boston Community Development’s Mobile Homeless Outreach Team;
• $75,000 for the establishment of an arboretum at the Forest Dale Cemetery;
• $50,000 for Urban Media Arts to construct a new roof at their facility.
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