THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 Page 9 Governor Baker fi les FY22 supplemental budget T he Baker-Polito Administration recently fi led a Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) supplemental budget proposal that supports the Commonwealth’s ongoing response to COVID-19 and invests in other priority areas with immediate need, including child care, human services, housing, climate change preparedness and local infrastructure. The bill recommends $2.4 billion in supplemental appropriations, at a net state cost of $1.6 billion, relying on surplus revenues realized through the fi rst half of FY22. “Massachusetts remains in a strong fi scal position, which enables us to use surplus Fiscal Year 2022 revenues to sustain our eff orts to respond to COVID-19 and invest in areas COUNCIL | FROM PAGE 1 not about to tell people what they can do or can’t do on email,” he said. Resident Paula Sterite asked the councillors to make, what she believes, is the right decision. “We’re not asking you to put on a uniform and go fi ght in a war – all we’re asking is to do the right thing for the people of Everett,” she said. “Giving the mayor any additional money is an insult to every resident and taxpayer, especially when he has already pocketed over $180,000 wrongfully.” Resident John Puopolo said DeMaria’s annual base salary of $191,000 continues to be out of line. “The current salary is more than [the salaries of] many governors in the country,” he said. Further investigation by The Advocate showed that Governor Charlie Baker has the fifth-highest gubernatorial salary in the nation, receiving $185,000 per year. Elsewhere in New England, Vermont Governor Phil Scott receives $184,100, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont receives $150,000, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee receives $145,755, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu receives $134,581 and Maine Governor Janet Mills receives $70,000. D During the City Council’s February 17 meeting, Ward 3 Councillor Anthony DiPierro presented his ordinance to keep Mayor Carlo DeMaria’s longevity pay at $2,500 per year. Sandra Juliano, owner of JRS Properties, said DeMaria has not done anything worthy of a longevity bonus. “I do not believe the mayor should be entitled to such a bonus,” she said. “He’s simply doing the job that he is paid to do; this is not private industry.” Resident Janice Lark said DeMaria’s real reward came in November 2021 when he was reelected to a sixth term. “We like to say this bonus is about the position, but we know this is about the mayor,” she said. “The mayor received his reward when he was reelected; he doesn’t need a cash reward.” For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 617-387-2200 or Info@advocatenews.net Resident John Puopolo said the mayor has a higher salary than many governors. Maria Bussell, executive secretary of the Everett Fire Department, said she has worked for the city since 1996 and makes a base salary of $64,000. Although she receives $1,650 per year in longevity pay, it took her a while to reach that point. “I did not start receiving longevity until I was employed for 10 years,” said Bussell. like early education, human services, housing and more,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Thanks to our careful management of state finances in partnership with the Legislature and the resilience of our economy, revenues continue to exceed projections, making Massachusetts well-positioned to make these investments.” “This supplemental Fiscal Year 2022 spending plan expands on our eff orts to support the Commonwealth’s families and communities, including resources for counseling, advocacy and intervention services to fi ll an important gap in federal funds for victims of crimes,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We look forward to partnering with the Legislature to make these and other critical investments through this spending plan.” The spending bill proposes a signifi cant investment to stabilize child care providers, special education schools and human service providers to ensure that the critical services that they provide remain available to all who need them, despite enrollment and utilization fl uctuations caused by the pandemic. The legislation includes $450 million to extend Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) stabilization grants for child care providers through Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). It also includes $140 million for special education schools to continue support through FY23 that will help address direct care and clinical staffi ng needs and ensure that these schools are able to safely provide residential and day education services to approximately 7,000 people between the ages of three and 21. The bill further proposes $401 million to extend rate enhancements for human service providers and support other investments in Home & Community Based Services; $346 million of this spending is supported by federal funding provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), for a total of $55 million in net state cost. The bill increases support for children and families, with a focus on those whose lives have been significantly disrupted by the pandemic. It recommends $100 million for matching grants to youth-focused nonprofits that will support the construction and renovation of new facilities for youngsters across the state. It provides $60 million to maintain access to rental assistance through the Rental Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program as the federal Emergency Rental Assistance program begins to wind down. Additionally, the bill includes $8.4 million to continue additional short-term assistance to families fostering children during the pandemic, which will benefi t approximately 4,500 foster families caring for 6,700 children. The Administration’s supplemental budget also includes $700 million dedicated BUDGET | SEE PAGE 14 Massa named to Dean’s List at University of Maine eanna Massa of Everett was named to the Dean’s List at the University of Maine for the 2021 fall semester. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must have a grade point average of 3.50 or higher.
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