Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2022 BAKER | FROM PAGE 15 will keep the state moving forward, and we are looking forward to working with the Legislature to pass this bill into law.” The bill seeks to support Massachusetts’s communities by authorizing $496 million for established and successful grant and community programs that have a track record of providing valuable resources for workforce development, economic development, housing and more to communities across the state. This includes the Workforce Skills Capital Grants Program, the Community Compact IT Grants Program, the Cultural Facilities Fund, the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, the Housing Stabilization Fund and the Housing Choice Capital Grants Program. In June 2021, the Baker-Polito Administration finalized its Capital Investment Plan for Fiscal Years 20222026, and the authorizations in this bond bill would support investments and initiatives in the upcoming annual update to the Capital Investment Plan, which will include capital spending for Fiscal Years 2023-2027. Highlights of the bond bill • $185 million (M) for various cybersecurity and IT infrastructure initiatives, including $100M for cybersecurity investments and to support existing large business applications modernization projects; $50M for virtual and physical security infrastructure at the trial courts facilities, such as intrusion detection, duress, physical screening, access control, video monitoring and communications; $35M to upgrade lottery gaming systems, decommission end-oflife equipment and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities • $160M for public safety investments, including $100M for the replacement of approximately 300+ vehicles per year, half of which will be hybrid; $60M for public safety equipment for fire services, corrections, state police and parole vehicles and communications towers • $100M to continue support for the Workforce Skills capital grants program, which provides grants to high schools, community colleges, training programs, and nonprofit organizations to purchase equipment that will help expand access to career technical education programs • $100M for municipal grants to support a broad range of local infrastructure
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