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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2024 Page 15 by Gov. Healey, but the demand for services continues to grow and has created a lengthy waitlist,” said House Minority Leader Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “Imposing a minimum residency requirement of three months is reasonable and will help to ensure that people who are already living in the commonwealth will have access to housing assistance when they need it.” Some amendment opponents said the amendment might be unconstitutional. Others said people from around the world who are the victims of rape, violence and oppression are coming to Massachusetts and the state should not impose residency requirements on these suff ering migrants. “I would also just like to underscore, as I did a moment ago, that no families — whether they are longtime Massachusetts residents or families that are new to the state — are being put out on the street,” said Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley). “We do have these overfl ow shelters. I don’t want anyone to be operating under the assumption that we have Massachusetts residents who are being left out on the street, so once again, I ask you please … reject the residency requirement.” (A “Yes” vote is for the 3-month requirement. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino No Rep. Jeff Turco No PRIORITIZE HOMELESS VETERANS (H 4600) House 27-129, rejected an amendment that would prioritize honorably discharged homeless veterans for eligibility for placement in the shelter assistance program. “Massachusetts is widely recognized as a national leader for the programs and services we provide to our veterans and our shelter system should be refl ective of that,” said amendment sponsor GOP Minority Leader Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “No individual who has served their country with valor and dedication should ever be forced to sleep on the street. Ensuring the well-being of homeless veterans, who have sacrifi ced so much for our country and our commonwealth, is not a policy decision; it’s a moral imperative.” Opponents of the amendment said it is a political stunt designed to make it appear that Democrats are against helping veterans and noted that nothing could be further from the truth. They noted this shelter assistance funding was designed to protect women, children and families. They noted that the Bay State proudly already has some of the best veterans’ benefi ts in the nation and pointed to increased veterans benefi ts in the House budget. Rep. Gerard Cassidy (D-Brockton), House chair of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Aff airs, previewed a veterans bill being prepared by his committee for consideration in May and said it will provide even more benefi ts for veterans. “This is not a veterans’ bill. This is basically a political ploy,” said Cassidy. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment giving priority to homeless veterans. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino No Rep. Jeff Turco No HOUSE APPROVES $58 BILLION FISCAL 2025 STATE BUDGET (H 460 House 153-4, approved a $58 billion fi scal 2025 state budget after three days of debate. The House version now goes to the Senate which will approve a different version. A House-Senate conference committee will eventually craft a plan that will be presented to the House and Senate for consideration and then sent to the governor. “This budget builds off the successes of the last few years by prioritizing our residents,” said Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “Whether it is greater investments into programs like housing stability, public transportation or early education, these initiatives are a reflection of our shared values. By reinvesting in the people of the commonwealth, we will continue to make our economy more competitive and equitable for years to come.” “We take pride in our collective eff orts to develop a budget that mirrors the needs of our constituents,” said Rep. Pat Haddad (D-Somerset), Assistant Vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means. “The fi scal year 2025 budget underscores our dedication to signifi cant investments in healthcare, education, housing, veteran services, energy and environmental services, among other critical areas. Passing this budget will provide vital protection for the cities and towns of the Bay State, particularly amidst fiscal challenges. Our commitment to supporting municipalities has never been more resolute, with local aid emerging as a top priority to sustain essential local services.” “This budget contains billions in taxpayer dollars for illegal migrants, cash bail and $35 million for free phone calls for inmates,” said Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica). “All the while in this $58 billion budget, education and local aid are less than 25 percent of the budget. The taxpayers are not the priority in this budget and I can’t support that.” “Clearly Speaker Ron Mariano has one thing on his mind, which is to spend now and fi gure out the economic mess later,” said Paul Craney, spokesperson for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “His budget successfully mugs the taxpayers of their hard-earned money and keeps them on the hook to fund new priorities. The speaker’s top three priorities are to spend, spend and spend. His budget has nothing to show in the way of spending restraint or fi scal responsibility. Through budget amendments, the House had several opportunities to reform how they spend our taxpayer money, but they were all shot down. The speaker was unusually cruel to taxpayers of Massachusetts, as spending continues to grow with nothing to show for it.” (A “Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Jeff Turco Yes ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) COLLEGE CREDITS (H 4600) House 25-132, rejected an amendment that would require all public institutions of higher education in Massachusetts to develop and adopt written policies and procedures allowing full acceptance of all appropriate college credits earned by students in advanced placement courses who have successfully completed these courses and have also achieved profi - cient advanced placement test scores to satisfy these credits. “If a high school student is taking advanced college level courses before graduation and has also achieved satisfactory AP test scores, I think it’s only fair that their hard work be recognized by giving them full credit for these courses once they enroll as a freshman in college,” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “With families of college-age students facing large tuition bills, this policy change would help to ease some of their fi nancial burden BEACON | SEE Page 16 How to Find Affordable Internet Services? Dear Savvy Senior, I was recently notifi ed that the Aff ordable Connectivity Program, which subsidizes my monthly internet bill, is about to end. What are my options for fi nding aff ordable home internet services now? I’m 71 years old and live primarily on my Social Security benefi ts. Barely Getting By Dear Barely, It’s unfortunate, but without additional funding from Congress, the Aff ordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is winding down and will end in mid-May. For those that aren’t familiar with this program, the ACP is a government benefi t that has provided millions of fi nancially eligible households with a discount of up to $30 per month toward their home internet service, or up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. The ACP was initially born out of a pandemic-era program called the Emergency Broadband Benefi t in 2021 and replaced six months later by the longer-term ACP when Congress devoted $14.2 billion to the program as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. More than 23 million households are currently enrolled in the ACP which has signifi - cantly helped close the digital divide, as aff ordability has been the primary barrier that has kept most ACP benefi ciaries from getting home internet services. But funds are almost out, and a sharply divided Congress has chosen not to continue funding the program, unless they change their mind in the 11th hour. What to Do Now? A good fi rst step in securing aff ordable home internet services is to contact your current provider to fi nd out if they off er any other discounts or low-cost services that fi t your budget. If not, you should shop around. The nonprofi t organization EveryoneOn has a National Off er Locator Tool that can help you fi nd low-income discounted internet services from providers in your area. Just go to EveryoneOn.org/fi ndoff ers, type in your ZIP code and answer a few questions regarding your household fi nancial situation so the internet services you’re eligible for can be located. Some cities and states across the country are also off ering their own local versions of the ACP to help low-income households pay their internet. The best way to look for these services is by going to Google and searching for “(location) internet resources.” Check Lifeline Benefit If you haven’t already done so, you also need to fi nd out if you’re eligible for the Lifeline program. Unlike the ACP, Lifeline is a permanently funded federal assistance program that provides a $9.25 monthly subsidy that can help pay your home internet, phone or bundled services (up to $34.25 if you live on Tribal lands). Only one benefit is available per household. To qualify, your annual household income must be at or below 135 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, which is $19,683 for one person or $26,622 for two. Or, if you’re receiving certain types of government benefi ts such as Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, public housing assistance, veterans’ pension or survivors pension benefi t, or live on federally recognized Tribal lands. You can apply for Lifeline online at LifelineSupport.org, via mail or through your internet or phone provider. Or, if you need assistance call their support line at 800-234-9473. Other Options If you fi nd that you aren’t eligible for any of the lower-income services, you may still be able to save on your internet by shopping and comparing. The best way to do this is at websites like InMyArea.com, which provides a list of internet providers in your area, along with pricing and download speeds. Most providers off er plans under $50 monthly, and you can often fi nd additional discounts for things like bundling with a cellphone plan or signing an annual contract. Another way to save some money is to buy your own equipment. Most internet service providers charge around $15 per month to rent a modem and router from them. But you can buy your own for as little as $100, which will pay for itself within the fi rst year. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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