According to a late-march report in the Boston Herald, the blue state of Massachusetts is spending a whopping $75 million a month on shelters for migrants. Yet worse for the state and its taxpaying residents, it could run out of cash for emergency services as soon as next month as officials struggle to contend with and pay for the state’s migrant crisis.
Reporting on the matter, the Boston Herald notes that though the state’s governor, Democrat Governor Maura Healey, has not provided exactly when the emergency services money will run out, the expected time around when that will happen is early- to mid-April. Adding to the state’s woes is that DC has offered no help, and state revenues have come in below expectations.
The state legislature is, according to House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz, trying to piece together a new spending bill that addresses the problem. The problem needing to be addressed “as quickly as possible” is lower than hoped-for revenues and consistently high use of emergency services, particularly with the migrant shelters remaining open.
Commenting on the matter, Michlewitz told the Boston Herald, “I’m hopeful that once we get into this discussion with our counterparts that we’ll be able to produce something with time to spare in terms of any funding running out.“
Joining, Matt Murphy, the spokesman for the governors’ Executive Office for Administration & Finance, told the Boston Herald, “We don’t have any further updates at this time. We are encouraged by the progress the Legislature has made and look forward to working with them to finalize the supplemental budget as soon as possible.”
One of the problems is that many migrants are remaining at the shelters, causing a large expense to the state, about $75 million a month, according to the Boston Herald. In an attempt to lesson that burden, state officials will require those staying at the shelters “demonstrate action toward getting work permits, jobs and housing.” Currently, about 8,000 migrant families live in Emergency Assistance shelters and state overflow sites.
Commenting on that change, Emergency Assistance Director General Scott Rice, commenting on the matter, said, “We have said for months now that our system is at capacity, and we do not have the space, providers or funding to continue expanding.” Rice continued, “This new certification policy is a responsible step to address the capacity constraints at our safety-net sites. Families will need to demonstrate that they’ve taken action to get on a path toward independence and out of shelter.”
Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, attacked the policy changes, saying, “While we understand state leaders are responding to a humanitarian crisis that is without precedent here in Massachusetts, we are deeply concerned that forcing families to reapply for emergency shelter each month will create unnecessary red tape, sow confusion, and ultimately, place more families on the street. Implementing deadlines will solve little when immigrants are already striving to leave the emergency shelter system and provide for themselves and their families as quickly as possible. Instead, state – and federal – leaders should focus on providing community service organizations the resources they need to support arrivals in pursuing work authorization, long-term housing, and case management services.”
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