By Seth Daniel
In a flurry of legislative activity last weekend before the end of the current session, state lawmakers scrambled to vote on controversial bills and to restore cuts made by Gov. Charlie Baker.
State Sen. Sal DiDomenico reported that five major funding earmarks for Everett were secured through line item overrides.
“All of these funding items for Everett were vetoed by Governor Baker, and I was able to override his vetoes on all of these items,” said Sen. DiDomenico.
The local funding secured for Everett by Senator DiDomenico includes:
- $75,000 for computers and new technology inside Everett Police vehicles;
- $50,000 for indoor turf for the Allied Veterans Memorial Rink in Everett to make it a four season facility;
- $75,000 to increase access to office-based opioid treatment (OPOT) services in Everett through the Cambridge Health Alliance;
- $60,000 for new flooring at the Keverian School Tot Lot
- $250,000 in additional funding the Everett Public Schools (in addition to regular Chapter 70 funding).
In addition, the FY`17 Senate budget makes a number of investments that are consistent with the preliminary recommendations of the Senate’s new ‘Kids First Initiative.’
Earlier this year, Sen. DiDomenico was appointed by Senate President Stan Rosenberg to lead this multi-year initiative, charged with identifying best practices and innovative ideas to support children across the Commonwealth.
As the leader of this initiative and through his position as vice chairman of Senate Ways & Means Committee, DiDomenico played a key role in crafting a budget that seeks to develop and support resilient children, he said.