Democrats will have to choose between immigrants and budget cuts
Budget cuts may be coming in Massachusetts, thanks to that state’s handouts to immigrants.
Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano, a Democrat, recently hinted that budget cuts may come in fiscal 2026 in order to fund the state’s emergency shelter system. That system now costs the state $75 million per month (and is increasing). “Every program that we fund is susceptible to being tapped to get to fund this shelter program — not in this budget, but in the next budget,” Mariano told reporters last week. “People continue to come, and we have a commitment to keep this emergency shelter program open.”
Since the state’s right-to-shelter law lacks a residency requirement, people from all over the world, primarily from Haiti, come to Massachusetts to obtain free housing, including long-term taxpayer-funded stays in hotels and motels.
The legislature will likely tap into its rainy day fund this year before it has to start cutting programs. That said, Democrats in state government and their constituents are going to have to choose what they want: immigrant handouts or social programs. They can’t have both.
The state will spend about $600 million more than initially allotted on its shelter system due to the influx of immigrants coming to the Bay State. This unexpected expense contributed to the state’s financial woes this year and caused Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA) to enact $375 million in emergency budget cuts, including cuts to over 30 fire departments statewide. It’s clear that the Massachusetts legislature shows no interest in prioritizing longtime Massachusetts residents over illegal immigrants. It shows even less interest in putting a residency requirement in place.
Last year, the state budget included provisions that made school lunch free for all students, community college free for residents aged 25 years old and older, and provided health insurance subsidies for families of four or more making up to $150,000 per year (up from $90,000). None of those permanent programs are enshrined in state law. The same is true of the new half-priced public transportation fare program for low-income residents from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
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They face the chopping block.
Top line: Massachusetts lacks the money to solve the world’s problems. Hundreds of families remain on the waiting list for emergency shelter despite the state paying to house several thousand immigrants. If one drives through just about any of the state’s cities, they’ll still see homeless panhandlers. At the same time, however, liberals on Beacon Hill expect taxpayers to pay for foreigners to live in hotels.
So much for the Democrats being the party of working families.
Tom Joyce (@TomJoyceSports) is a political reporter for the New Boston Post in Massachusetts.
