Massachusetts
Wary of Trump but vowing not to be ‘paralyzed,’ Mass. House leaders unveil $61 billion budget plan – The Boston Globe
Despite the White House’s aggressive moves to slash federal spending, House leaders also said their new budget plan does not build in any direct contingencies for potential cuts to federal aid, which have already come at breakneck speed as Trump implements his second-term agenda.
State Representative Aaron Michlewitz, the chamber’s budget chief, said their plan going forward will involve “monitoring how the situation is in Washington [and] being ready to pivot when necessary.”
“We can’t be paralyzed by the situation that’s taking place in Washington,” Michlewitz said. “We need to still be moving our budget forward, be aggressive in terms of our support for our constituents, and not get caught up, try to keep blinders on and build the best budget with the information that we have.”
House Speaker Ron Mariano told reporters that Trump has begun wreaking “havoc” on programs on which residents rely. The Trump administration, for example, is closing the Boston Head Start office, which administers free care to families in need. The House budget includes $18.5 million in Head Start funds.
“Government can be both fiscally responsible and an agent of good,” the Quincy Democrat said.
The House budget included several items that amounted to the chamber’s first meaningful response to the Trump administration so far, nearly three months into his presidency.
Mariano said the House budget would include a “significant increase” in funding — to $82.5 million, a roughly 7 percent increase from last year — for Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office, just shy of the total number Campbell requested last month as she’s waged several legal fights against the Trump administration. That amount is $6.8 million more than the $76 million Healey’s January budget would allocate to Campbell, a sum that would be less than what Campbell received during the last fiscal year.
The extra funds are designed “to ensure that AG Campbell can continue to push back against any unconstitutional actions taken by the Trump administration.”
Lawmakers also allocated $5 million to a new immigration legal assistance fund that would be distributed as grants to organizations who assist non-violent offenders. Another $1 million will go to a new gender-affirming care program to community health centers, as the federal government has cut funding to organizations that administer transgender care.
The House also included a measure designed to alleviate Massachusetts’ exorbitant housing costs by ending renter-paid broker’s fees in many situations, which renters typically pay to secure a home or apartment. The House plan would prohibit prospective renters from being charged a broker’s fee if they did not “initiate contact with the broker” during their housing search.
Their proposal comes after Healey included a measure in her own budget requiring the party that hires a broker, usually the landlord, to pay for brokers’ fees, after she said they “should be abolished” in January. The Senate included a similar change in its version of a sweeping housing bill last year, but it failed to make it into the final version of the law passed last July.
The House also allocated $275 million for the state’s emergency shelter system, $50 million less than what Healey’s budget had suggested. It would be far less than the $1 billion the state has committed in total to the program this fiscal year, but, Michlewitz said, reflects the state’s efforts to rein in costs, including instituting a 4,000-family cap starting this December.
The Healey administration said Wednesday that fewer than 5,000 families were in the system as of this week, the first time it’s dipped below that level since the summer of 2023.
The Trump administration has already begun cutting aid tabbed for Massachusetts on several fronts. It has already sought cuts to school aid and health funding, and Healey’s office on Wednesday said the Trump administration canceled another $90 million in disaster prevention aid for Massachusetts communities from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Healey said that move “ripped the rug out from under” 18 cities statewide that had planned to upgrade local infrastructure to withstand natural disasters.
Meanwhile, Congress is pursuing a spending blueprint that Democrats and state officials warn could mean deep cuts to Medicaid, through which the state is reimbursed billions of dollars each year for its MassHealth program. In all, the state budget typically leans on roughly $16 billion in federal aid — most of which is tied to health insurance for 2 million Massachusetts residents, including children, low-income families, and those with disabilities.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Matt Stout can be reached at matt.stout@globe.com. Follow him @mattpstout. Anjali Huynh can be reached at anjali.huynh@globe.com.
Massachusetts
Millions of gallons of wastewater discharged into Merrimack River due to broken pipe
Approximately eight million gallons of wastewater are currently being discharged into the river per day.
HAVERHILL, Mass. (WWLP) – Those traveling for the Fourth of July weekend are being advised of a wastewater pipe break on the Merrimack River.
The Massachusetts Environmental Police stated that over the weekend, a major wastewater pipe in Haverhill broke, releasing millions of gallons of sewage into the river. The broken pipe was carrying wastewater from the main pumping station to the treatment plant.
Police estimate that approximately eight million gallons of wastewater are currently being discharged into the river per day.
At this time, fishing in the river is not prohibited, and the estuaries and beaches remain open. However, the information is being released to the public to help community members be aware of current conditions and use caution.
To access more information on water quality testing results, you can visit the official DPH website. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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Massachusetts
4 shot during World Cup watch party in Massachusetts
BROCKTON, Mass. (WJAR) — Four people were shot on Friday night after hundreds had gathered to watch a World Cup match in Massachusetts.
Police said the shooting happened just before midnight on Main Street in Brockton.
Officers said the victims were taken to the hospital.
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Police have not said if there were any arrests.
Massachusetts
Man cited for alleged wrong-way deadly crash
BOSTON, (WPRI) — A somerset man has been cited for allegedly causing a deadly wrong-way crash in Boston late Saturday night.
Just before midnight, troopers from the H9 Barracks were called for a report of a multi-vehicle crash on I-93 North before Exit 15A.
A preliminary investigation showed that the driver of a 2004 Cadillac Escalade, identified as 81-year-old Antone Carvalho, of Somerset, entered Route 93 North at Exit 15B and drove southbound in the northbound lanes.
Two vehicles, a Honda Odyssey and an Audi A4, attempted to avoid the Carvalho and crashed into each other.
Four people in the Honda Odyssey, were taken to a Boston-area hospital for evaluation.
Shortly after the initial crash, police say Carvalho collided head-on with a Chevrolet Cruze.
Carvalho and the other driver were taken to Boston-area hospitals for their injuries
The driver of the Chevrolet Cruze, identified as a man in his 20’s from Haverhill, died from his injuries.
Carvalho will be issued a summons to appear in court at a later date.
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