Governor makes his case for time-sensitive funding bill

Date: 6/20/2022

SPRINGFIELD – If Gov. Charlie Baker had his way, the proposed FORWARD bill (An Act Investing in Future Opportunities for Resiliency, Workforce and Revitalized Downtowns) would use $2.3 billion in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and $1.256 billion in capital bond authorizations to fund projects in all cities and towns in the commonwealth.

Springfield alone would receive almost $14 million.

What is preventing his bill from becoming law is the Legislature, which is now considering the proposal.

Baker was at the recently opened Overland Lofts in Springfield on June 14 with Housing and Economic Development Undersecretary Ashley Stolba, and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Martin Suuberg, presenting his case for the legislation. He was also joined by Mayor Domenic Sarno, state Reps. Bud Williams, Jake Olivera and Carlos Gonzalez and state Sen. Eric Lesser. He stressed the time sensitivity of the proposal as having to be passed by the House and Senate by July 31.

Time figures prominently in several aspects of the bill and Baker said, “The clock is ticking.” Part of that time sensitivity are federal requirements for when a project is to be approved, funded and started and when it must be completed. Baker noted ARPA funds must be committed by states by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. This legislation prioritizes investing ARPA funding into projects that are already defined as “shovel ready” so they can be completed by 2026.

As described by the Baker-Polito Administration in a press release, “The FORWARD legislation supports $1.2 billion for climate resiliency and preservation efforts, including $413 million for over 100 projects across state parks and trails, water and sewer, and environmental infrastructure grant programs. The bill also proposes spending $750 million on the commonwealth’s clean energy industry.”

Baker said that with the current inflation, the costs of projects is rising. “Every month that goes by the projects become more and more expensive,” he said.

FORWARD would also fund, “Nearly $970 million for investments to revitalize the commonwealth’s downtowns and help communities adapt to the post-pandemic world. This includes $550 million for the MassWorks program to support 94 local projects. Nearly 250 municipalities will receive downtown recovery grants totaling $108 million; $325 million in ARPA funding for workforce efforts, including $300 million for the Unemployment Trust Fund to address unemployment overpayments. The HireNow program, which provides grants to employers to train and hire new workers, would receive $25 million. Two hundred seventy million dollars in authorization to support housing production across the commonwealth, including affordable rental housing production and rehabilitation, public housing, climate resilient housing, and transit-oriented development. The bill also makes several policy proposals to increase housing production, including an increase of the cap on the Housing Development Incentive Program from $10 million to $30 million,” according to the Baker-Polito Administration.

Watching COVID-19 rates increase in China as well as the fuel prices affected by the war being waged by Russia, Baker expressed his concern about supply chain issues affecting the cost of projects.

The bill, Baker added, would put more people to work.

Suuberg stressed the bill would fund projects that would assist the state in reaching its energy goals. “This is a generational opportunity,” he said.

Lesser is the co-chair of Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee and Chris Lisinski of the State House News Service reported, “The committee favorably reported a revision that calls only for the borrowing component and leaves the pot of federal aid untapped for a future date.”

Lisinski added, “The legislation heads next to the Joint Bonding Committee, and lawmakers could reintroduce spending some or all of the federal pot at any upcoming committee stop or via amendments during debate.”

At the press conference with Baker, Lesser stated of passing the bill, “It’s kind of a high wire act, but we’ll get it done.”