- Special thanks to everyone who has contacted their state legislators. We are writing with an update, and to ask you to contact your state legislators in response to the latest developments.
- As you may know, there are several steps involved in creating the State Budget. During the week of 4/23/2007, the Mass. House of Representatives took another major step, by amending and passing its version of the State Budget for fiscal year 2008.
- One of the amendments adopted last week by the House “earmarks” $100,000 in Dept. of Transitional Assistance funding for HHC’s Playspace Programs. This represents a significant improvement from where things stood at this time last year, when the House did not include any funds for the Playspace Programs. However, it still comes as a disappointment, given that in the end, last year the Legislature provided $500,000 for the Playspaces Program, via a supplemental Budget.
- 36 State Representatives sponsored or co-sponsored the original amendment filed by Rep. Stephen LeDuc that would have provided $500,000 for the Playspaces Programs (vs. 23 last year).
- The House did not adopt HHC’s proposal to earmark funds to increase the number of contracted early education and care “slots” for homeless children. 33 State Representatives sponsored or co-sponsored an amendment filed by Reps. Jamie Eldridge, Tim Toomey and Kay Khan that would have earmarked $1.4 million for this purpose.
- Now the focus shifts to the Mass. Senate. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will release its version of the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget in Mid-May. HHC’s Budget priorities are very much “in play” in the Senate.
We need your help - please take a few minutes for these action steps:
- Click here to see whether your State Representative co-sponsored House Budget Amendment 1239 (which would have provided $500,000 for the Playspace Programs) and click here to see whether he or she co-sponsored Amendment 1306 (which would have earmarked $1.4 million for early education and care for homeless children).
- Get your state legislators’ e-mail addresses or fax nos. at
www.wheredoivotema.com. After entering your address, click “Find My Election Information,” scroll down to “Rep in General Court” and “Senator in General Court.” (If you already know who your state legislators are, to get their e-mail addresses or fax nos. visit www.mass.gov/legis/ and click on “House” and “Senate.”)
Please send your State Representative an e-mail or fax. Click here for a sample message to your State Representative. If your State Representative co-sponsored Amendment 1239 re: Playspace Programs and/or Amendment 1306 re: early education and care for homeless children, please thank him or her.
Please send your State Senator an e-mail or fax. Click here for a sample message to your State Senator.
Please forward your faxes or e-mails to bkramer@horizonsforhomelesschildren.org, along with any response you get from your state legislators or his or her staff.
“Bonus” action step:
Please click here to vote for our issue listing on Governor Patrick’s issues website, DevalPatrick.com. Please spread the word – ask your friends, family and co-workers to search for “homeless” on DevalPatrick.com, and vote for the issue listing that begins with “80,000 homeless children.”
Background:
- On Feb. 28th, Governor Deval Patrick unveiled his proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2008.
- On April 11th, the Mass. Legislature’s House Committee on Ways and Means released its own proposed Budget.
- Neither of HHC’s top priorities – continued funding for Playspace Programs, and expanded access to early education and care for homeless children via contracted slots – was included in either of these versions of the Budget.
Thank you for your ongoing involvement and commitment!
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