Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and well. As the State Representative for Needham, Dover, and Medfield, I invite you to attend a virtual Town Hall on Monday, November 1, 2021, at 7:00 PM to discuss the funding the Commonwealth has received through the Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) with my colleague and chair of the House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight, Representative Dan Hunt.
Many individuals in our communities and our country have been sick or have lost loved one to the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic has impacted our physical health and the health of our economy, as businesses have worked to stay open while keeping their staff and the public safe. This winter, 23.1% of households with children in Massachusetts were food insecure and our unemployment rate reached 7.8%. We have since made significant progress on our recovery from last winter, and assistance from our Federal partners will continue to aid us in this journey.
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) into law. ARPA provides $350 billion in funding for states and local governments to assist in our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, $8.7 billion was distributed in Massachusetts to municipalities, counties, tribes, and the State. The Legislature is now tasked with determining how to spend $5.3 billion to support our recovery. This relief will aid our efforts to continue to decrease the spread of the COVID-19 virus, strengthen vital public services, continue economic stabilization, and address systemic public health and economic challenges.
This fall, I am engaging in conversations with my colleagues in the House of Representatives and Senate over how to best allocate these one-time monies. The House has established a Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight, which has held a series of hearings on various topics to allow stakeholders, legislators, and other leaders to advocate for programs and uses of the funds that can lift the Commonwealth during our recovery. After these hearings, the Committee will use this testimony to determine how to spend this money based on these principles:
- Support public health expenditures
- Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency
- Replace lost public sector revenue
- Provide premium pay for essential workers; and
- Strengthen local communities.
This funding is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make transformational one-time investments in our economy and our people to support our path to recovery. I look forward to discussing the legislative process and providing clarity to your questions on this funding on November 1.
Date: Monday, November 1
Time: 7:00 PM – 7:45 PM
Location: Zoom
Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/GarlickTownHall
Agenda:
7:00 Welcome and Introductions
7:05 Representative Dan Hunt, Chair of the House Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight: Overview of ARPA Process
7:20 Representative Denise Garlick: State and Local Interests on ARPA
7:35 Discussion
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office by telephone at 617-722-2000 or by email at denise.garlick@mahouse.gov with questions you may have regarding this Town Hall or other concerns you may have.
Yours in Service,
Denise
