Budget amendments have been filed by state Sen. Sonia Chang Dìaz following the release of the Massachusetts Senate state budget that, if passed, could benefit Boston residents.
“Over the past several weeks, residents of the Second Suffolk District have enthusiastically shared with me what values and priorities they want to see reflected in the final budget,” said Chang-Díaz in a press release. “As an elected official, my strategy is to fight for the priorities that I hear again and again — at neighborhood meetings, through email, phone calls, and social media, and from grassroots organizers — that are critical to our neighborhoods. Budget season is no different. Without adequate funding to vital programs, our community suffers the consequences. I know these programs deserve the Senate’s attention not only because I’ve seen the data, but because I hear about the positive results and challenges faced by those who are affected by these issues every day.”
Chang-Díaz’s amendments seek to increase funding to a number of programs. One amendment increases funding to a program for those at risk for being affected by gun violence, called the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative. Another amendment increases grants for violence-prevention programs. Increased funding for rehabilitation and re-entry for prisoners has been proposed, as has increased funding for the civil rights agency, the Mass Commission Against Discrimination. The senator’s amendments also seek to increase funding for the MBTA bus program.
Chang-Díaz chairs the Senate Joint Committee on Education. Most of her budget amendments are education-related. Increased funding for full-day kindergarten, METCO, early learning and adult literacy programs are among her amendments, as is an increase in reimbursement to school districts to reflect the increase in charter school enrollment.
