CABRAL FIGHTS FOR NEW BEDFORD IN FY2023 HOUSE BUDGET

April 28, 2022

BOSTON, MA – On Wednesday, Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral (D-New Bedford) joined his House colleagues in unanimously passing a $49.73 billion budget proposal for FY2023. Focused on providing critical support to help residents and businesses in Massachusetts grow and diversify while also dealing with the aftereffects of the pandemic, the House’s budget includes significant investments in health care, education, housing, and workforce development, among many other priorities  the budget proposal includes many priorities championed by Rep. Cabral.

The City of New Bedford will receive $25,965,033 in unrestricted general government aid for the City’s budget. The New Bedford Public Schools will receive $199,086,038 in state funding, an increase of $25.3 million over FY22’s allocation. “This increase delivers on the promise of the Student Opportunity Act to ensure more equitable funding for schools, especially like those in New Bedford that serve low-income and English Language Learner (ELL) students. This funding increase is a major victory for our students, families and schools,” said Rep. Cabral.

The FY23 budget includes $110 million to continue free school meals statewide through the 2022-2023 academic year. “We know first hand how essential New Bedford Public School’s universal meals program is to our students and families. Kids can’t learn on an empty stomach,” said Rep. Cabral.

Rep. Cabral was able to secure specific funding for the following local community organizations and programs:

  • $80,000 for youth programs at the Dennison Memorial Community Center
  • $75,000 for outreach and educational programming at AHA! Arts, History, & Architecture of New Bedford
  • $50,000 for opioid abuse treatment at the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center
  • $50,000 for the support of productions and programming at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
  • $50,000 for programming at the Frederick Douglass House
  • $25,000 for new citizenship education and workforce readiness programming at the Immigrants’ Assistance Center
  • $25,000 for the youth apprenticeship program at the New Bedford Festival Theatre
  • $25,000 for cultural educational programming at the Cape Verdean Association of New Bedford

“The work these organizations do is far-reaching and vital to our community.  From keeping our youth engaged, promoting the creativity and spirit of downtown, preserving our multicultural history, and providing vital health services to our neighborhoods, these programs are a window into the heart of New Bedford and I am pleased to partner with them,” said Rep. Cabral.

Rep. Cabral again secured $550,000 for UMass Dartmouth’s SMAST for fisheries research, an increase of $100,000 from FY22.

Gateway Cities

Rep. Cabral and the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus (GCLC) focused their budget priorities on education support programs and community development initiatives that meet the specific needs of Gateway Cities, such as New Bedford. “This is one of the most successful budgets for the GCLC’s priorities in history,” said Rep. Cabral. “It speaks to the strength of the caucus and our ability to voice our unique needs to leadership.” The GCLC secured:

  • $9,000,000 for Dual Enrollment grants, which enables high school students to earn college credit
  • $1,000,000 for the English Language Learners Gateway Cities Program
  • $750,000 for neighborhood stabilization efforts within the Transformative Development Fund to support community-led revitalization efforts
  • $60 million for Adult Basic Education/ESOL

  • $10 million for Early College programs, with priority given to programs that serve students who are currently underrepresented in college

The House has made a significant commitment to children, families, and providers by investing an unprecedented $912 million into Early Childhood Education and Care, an increase of over $50 million from FY22’s budget. “Early childhood education and care has been a longtime priority for me. The pandemic has shown us how important these services are to working families,” said Rep. Cabral.

Additional priorities of Rep. Cabral will also receive funding increases, including:

  • $12,336,583 for the Senator Charles E. Shannon, Jr. community safety initiative grant program
  • $3,000,000 for the Youth Build Coalition’s workforce training and skills development program
  • $28.3 million for the YouthWorks jobs program to fund over 6,000 summer and year-round jobs

In order to better address the housing crisis, the FY23 budget provides significant investments to the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program ($150 million), the RAFT/Residential Assistance for Families in Transition Program ($140 million), and other homelessness prevention programming.

For the first time, the House removed a major barrier to communication between incarcerated individuals and their families. All state and county correctional facilities, including sheriffs’ departments, must provide phone calls free of charge.

The budget now goes to the Senate for their consideration.