Gov. Maura Healey considers Massachusetts taxpayers a really “choose” group.
First, she “chosen” varied communities throughout the Bay State to deal with emergency shelters for the inflow of immigrants who began arriving in 2022. Then Healey “chosen” Mass. taxpayers to foot the roughly $1B invoice to deal with and look after the surge of immigrants and homeless, a quantity that solely now sees hope of dwindling.
And on Friday, Healey “chosen” taxpayers to shell out for a $5 million authorized protection fund for immigrants. It was a part of the $61B FY state finances she signed, one which bears her veto mark on $130 million in funding.
It might be nice if Healey may choose another person, however there aren’t many locations within the U.S. who haven’t additionally shouldered the fiscal burden of President Biden’s porous border coverage. It wasn’t that way back that Democrats, notably of the progressive wing, have been all for giving sanctuary to anybody and everybody who wished it, no matter unlawful entry into the U.S. Households looking for a greater lifestyle, criminals, drug traffickers, it didn’t matter. All have been welcome.
If Blue State pols had stood as much as Biden then and requested: “Who’s going to pay for all this?” and “how is that this sustainable?” and “is there any vetting being accomplished?” we wouldn’t be the place we’re right this moment.
However Democratic pols aren’t blaming Biden, they’re taking intention at Donald Trump for tightening the border and implementing immigration legal guidelines.
And in Massachusetts, taxpayers are budgetary cannon fodder. That $5M authorized protection fund isn’t from “leftover” money. It’s a program that may get pleasure from funding whereas Healey’s finances workplace stands on the able to slash thousands and thousands in legislative earmarks for native tasks.
It’s all Trump’s fault, after all. “We’re additionally signing this finances in a second of nice dysfunction in Washington. The president is poised to signal a invoice that’s going to kick tons of of 1000’s of Massachusetts residents off their well being care, improve vitality and grocery costs, and price individuals their jobs,” Healey mentioned in a press release.
That $5M would come in useful then. However as we’ve seen over the previous few years, cash for migrants isn’t on the chopping block.
It’s a dangerous political transfer as Healey primes for a re-election marketing campaign. Any cuts to native earmarks would remember to draw pushback from state lawmakers who push the requests by the finances course of. They’re those who carry the bacon house to their districts, and Healey’s cuts, in the event that they occur, might be felt.
Her opponents jumped on it. Mike Kennealy, a Republican operating for governor, mentioned Healey has already used billions “in tax {dollars} to subsidize shelters, meals, transportation, rental help, training, and well being care.
“This newest $5 million is yet one more insult to taxpaying authorized residents,” he mentioned in a press release.
Brian Shortsleeve, one other Republican operating for governor, mentioned “She cuts native tasks out of the state finances, however $5 million for attorneys for the migrants survives her veto pen. Our taxpayer {dollars} shouldn’t be funding attorneys for people who find themselves not legally in our nation.”
Whether or not taxpayers are fed up sufficient to pick somebody apart from Healey on the voting sales space stays to be seen.
