As a former City Councilor, I know firsthand that essential services are delivered at the local level. Residents look to police and fire departments to deliver public safety, to schools to educate their children, to public works departments to plow and maintain roads, and to libraries, parks, and senior centers to maintain a high quality of life.

During the Fiscal Year 2020 budget process, I fought for additional local aid funding for our cities and towns. As a result, the communities of Abington, Braintree, Holbrook, Rockland and Quincy have all seen increases in Chapter 70 (school funding) and in general local aid.

Over the years, I have also secured targeted funding for many important local concerns, such as the Quincy Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials Response Team, Abington’s Senior Center, renovations to Braintree’s public safety facilities, upgrades to Holbrook Town Hall, and the Veteran’s Memorial in Rockland.

I am a strong supporter of Chapter 90 funding, which supports local road maintenance and repair, and have advocated for a multi-year funding bill that would give greater stability and predictability to municipal leaders. This year’s Chapter 90 bill provides valuable funding at $200 million, but the single year nature of this funding restricts the range and scope of projects that municipalities can pursue, and leaves them guessing at the availability of subsequent years’ funding. I will continue to advocate for a longer-term vision in this area. As your Senator, I will continue to support our municipalities, fight for predictable local aid, and will continue my efforts to make the state more accountable to our taxpayers.