Governor Charlie Baker said Thursday he will direct $100 million in additional aid to four hard-hit communities that received far less than their peers in the latest federal COVID-19 relief bill.
In part due to antiquated federal funding formulas that depend on a population threshold of 50,000 people, those communities — Chelsea, Everett, Methuen, and Randolph — received far less in direct aid than some of their neighbors, despite suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic more than almost any other cities and towns in Massachusetts.
Chelsea, the original epicenter of the crisis in Massachusetts, was set to receive $11.6 million in direct aid for its population of just under 40,000, while Newton gets $65.3 million for its population of about 88,000, according to estimates from the Massachusetts Municipal Association.
That $100 million is expected to come out of the $4.5 billion in direct aid Massachusetts received through the recent American Rescue Plan, which state leaders have flexibility on how to spend.
Baker said last week he would direct additional money to the four communities, but didn’t say how much until this week. Chelsea City Manger Thomas Ambrosino, who described the initial federal allocations as “unconscionable,” estimated last week that it would cost $75 to $100 million to achieve “the equitable fix” for the four communities.
“We believe it’s critically important that these communities get the resources they need to continue to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic,” Baker said at a press conference Thursday.
It was Congress that devised the funding package. But the Massachusetts delegation has called on Baker to use the state’s allocation to address the disparities.
At a banking hearing this week, Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to ensure that governors had the flexibility to spend the money in that way.
In a statement Thursday, Warren praised Baker’s decision but suggested the move fell short, saying “other communities in Massachusetts need help too.”
“This relief should be used as Congress intended — to fully support the communities that have been on the frontlines on this pandemic, including our communities of color hit hardest by this public health emergency,” she said.
Emma Platoff can be reached at emma.platoff@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @emmaplatoff.
March 25, 2021 at 10:21PM
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/25/metro/governor-baker-will-direct-100-million-hard-hit-cities/
Governor Baker will direct $100 million to hard-hit communities - The Boston Globe
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