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Gov. Maura Healey marked about halfway through her term in office Thursday night with a wide-ranging State of the Commonwealth address. Framed within the context of what’s to return 250th anniversary As the Revolutionary War began, Healey touted various successes of her first two years in office and laid out ambitious plans to enhance transportation, increase affordability, and more.
Here are three key takeaways.
Affordability
It's no secret that Massachusetts is probably the most expensive places within the country. are adults of working age leave the state in droves, and lots of young people cite extremely high rental prices as a significant component of their decision to remain or move elsewhere. Healey acknowledged that “too many people were walking away” and portrayed her government as one which refused to present up on the cause and ignored concerns about affordability.
She spoke in regards to the $1 billion tax relief package she signed into law in 2023, saying it was the primary tax cut in 20 years. It included essentially the most generous child and family tax credit within the country, which authorities say shall be fully implemented this 12 months. Healey highlighted a budget measure that now allows every resident to attend a community college tuition-free.
Healey said her administration “saved” Massachusetts' child care system after the pandemic, becoming the one state to “fully replace lost federal support” with a $1.5 billion investment.
Healey mentions housing affordability in lots of her media appearances, and Thursday was no exception. This got here after recent data showed Massachusetts had that third largest Increase in homelessness in every state in 2024. The homeless population here increased by 53% in 2024, in keeping with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Healey referred to the Affordable Housing Actwhich she signed initially of the 12 months. It authorizes $5.16 billion in spending over the following five years to spice up housing construction.
“For decades we haven’t built enough homes in this state. We are now paying the price for this. There isn't enough housing and it's too expensive. But we’re changing that,” Healey said.
An essential a part of this discussion is the MBTA Communities Act, which requires cities and towns served by the MBTA to ascertain zones for more multifamily housing. So far, 116 of 177 communities are complying. Despite resistance from some communities, the administration is doing every little thing it may well to implement the law.
Healey took a moment to talk on to the tenants, who turned out to be way more “cost-burdened” as a home-owner within the Boston area. Healey is looking for the abolition of tenant-paid agent fees, which frequently end in tenants paying the equivalent of a month's rent when moving right into a recent apartment for a service they “didn't even ask for.”
While Healey praised the state's status as “America's healthcare leader,” he spoke of plans to “shift healthcare resources to the front lines” to extend the variety of primary care physicians in Massachusetts. PCP deficiency is related to longer wait times, racial disparities, and overall poorer patient outcomes.
transport
Healey praised the work of the MBTA general manager Phil Engwhom Healey appointed in 2023 to oversee the beleaguered transit system. Under Eng's leadership and with the assistance of 1,500 recent employees, the MBTA successfully achieved its goal of eliminating all slow zones by the top of 2024.
The T is now running at “full throttle” for the primary time in 20 years, Healey said. Staffing levels have been at their highest since 1999 and ridership is showing signs of improvement.
“We trust Phil!” said Healey.
Healey said transportation is improving across Massachusetts. Healey spoke in regards to the $30 million in grants her government announced in October for 13 of 15 regional transit agencies to enable them to offer a free service.
She also said that for the primary time in 70 years, commuter rail service will connect Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford to Boston via the town South Coast Railway Project.
Healey said her administration has made a concerted effort to secure transportation funding from the federal government. Massachusetts moved from thirty fourth to seventh nationally “in transportation costs alone,” she said. Some of that cash shall be used to enhance Union Station in Springfield and the tracks between Springfield and Worcester, projects Healey called “the next steps forward on the West-East Rail.”
The state also received nearly $1 billion to exchange the Sagamore Bridge.
Shelter
Recently Healey was received criticism for his or her handling of the state's overwhelmed shelter system. Given high real estate prices and an influx of immigrants into Massachusetts, the system has been at capability for greater than a 12 months.
Healey vowed to make transparency a priority when he took office, but that was met with multiple requests for records and others called on the state to release records of greater than 1,000 serious incidents at state-run shelters. These included greater than a dozen suspected sexual crimes.
The arrest of an undocumented immigrant who was allegedly found with 10 kilos of fentanyl and an assault rifle at a Revere hotel used as a government shelter prompted Healey to order a full inspection of the shelter system. Healey then acknowledged that despite her order last 12 months, comprehensive criminal background checks haven’t been conducted on all shelter residents.
The government is working to phase out the usage of hotels and motels as accommodation, Healey reiterated on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Healey proposed sweeping changes to the state's right to housing law. New residency regulations would effectively exclude newly arrived migrants from accommodation.
“I want to be very clear: we are cutting costs dramatically; and we have and will continue to prioritize Massachusetts families,” the governor said.
During the shelter crisis, Healey has repeatedly blamed the federal government. On Thursday, she said again that the federal government must “address the problem at the source by passing a border security law.” While violent criminals should be deported, Healey said that “immigrant families who have lived here, have children here, have jobs here and pay taxes here need and deserve a path forward.”
image credit : www.boston.com