Sign-on Letter: Call for Emergency Rental Assistance

Progressive Mass signed onto the following letter about the urgent need to allocate additional funding for emergency rental assistance.

December 20, 2021
Senate President Karen Spilka
Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano
Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues
House Ways and Means Committee Chair Aaron Michlewitz
Members of the Massachusetts Legislature
Governor Charlie Baker
Secretary Mike Kennealy, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox, Department of Housing and Community Development


Re: Take immediate action to allocate additional funding for emergency rental assistance instead of curtailing benefits


Dear Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano, Chairperson Rodrigues, Chairperson Michlewitz, Members of the Legislature, Governor Baker, Secretary Kennealy, and Undersecretary Maddox:


The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides critical emergency rent and utility funds to Massachusetts families and individuals dealing with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. ERAP is a program of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the bulk of funds awarded for Massachusetts residents are administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through the network of regional administering agencies. The Baker Administration has begun notifying stakeholders that ERAP is projected to run out of funds in just over six months, and that in response, DHCD will begin to wind down key portions of ERAP.


We are alarmed that the state has abruptly decided to ramp down ERAP instead of allocating additional — and available — federal funds to continue this critical emergency assistance. At a time when application numbers are increasing, these changes will place additional burdens on families and individuals already in crisis due to the pandemic. These changes are being implemented on a very short timeline amidst another winter COVID-19 surge, without input from community stakeholders or notice to households counting on assistance to remain in their homes. We are asking you to leverage resources that were provided to the Commonwealth specifically for COVID relief and continue to allocate these critical funds to households in need while minimizing bureaucratic barriers to obtaining funds.


While DHCD is moving forward with multiple, unanticipated changes to ERAP, three policy changes in particular represent a fundamental shift in ERAP eligibility: (1) the recertification process will be eliminated as of January 1, 2022 [1]; (2) most tenants will be unable to apply for future rent assistance from ERAP or the parallel state-funded homelessness prevention program, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), unless they have already fallen behind on rent [2]; and (3) tenants will not be ableto use RAFT after exhausting ERAP benefits. [3]

At the same time, DHCD is planning to implement a decreased cap on RAFT benefits, as required by the Legislature’s language from the FY22 budget. As of January 1, 2022, households only will be eligible for $7,000 in RAFT assistance in a 12-month period, down from the current $10,000 cap. Like the planned ERAP changes, this restriction on RAFT benefits is ill-timed, and will lead to further housing instability at a time of heightened need.


These significant policy changes will add further confusion to an already complex process, causing more applications to “slip through the cracks” and further destabilizing families over the holidays. Taken together, these changes are likely to lead to an increase in eviction filings and displacement. With so much money available for emergency relief, moving forward with these changes would be a disgraceful and unnecessary outcome.


We must not allow the most vulnerable members of our community to suffer when we have the means to prevent it. We call upon the Legislature to take emergency action to access resources from the $2.25 billion remaining from the state’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fiscal recovery funds to replenish ERAP and eliminate arbitrary barriers to access, while also restoring the RAFT cap to $10,000. We also call upon the Baker Administration to cease implementation of these disruptive ERAP policy changes.


During yet another frightening surge of the virus, where positive infection rates have matched January 2021 levels and are increasing, families with children, unaccompanied adults, elders, youth, people with disabilities, and other households at risk of losing their housing must be at the top of our list of urgent priorities.

We look forward to working with you to further promote housing stability, equity, and public health.

[1] Through recertifications, eligible households in need of additional ERAP assistance have been able to request an extension of their approved benefits without falling behind on rent and with fewer administrative and documentation barriers. Recertifications have provided households with up to 18 months of assistance, allocated in three-month increments. This change presents tremendous barriers for tenants who still rely on ERAP for rent, such as those who have not yet found employment.

[2] Tenants seeking rent assistance are currently able to apply and receive upstream assistance before they fall behind on rent. Requiring tenants to have at least one month of arrears (absent an additional housing crisis) will incentivize people to fall behind on rent, straining tenant and landlord relationships and making eviction more likely.

[3] RAFT currently plays a critical role in keeping tenants safely housed by covering expenses not covered by ERAP. Under the new policy, tenants who use RAFT first might still be able to access ERAP, but households who have reached the ERAP limit will be unable to access RAFT. Tenants with pre-pandemic
utility debts not covered by ERAP will be unable to access relief. Households are being encouraged to pay for such expenses out of pocket, even when that is not possible based on their resources.

Coordinating Organizations and Contacts
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
Kelly Turley
Associate Director
kelly@mahomeless.org
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Andrea M. Park
Housing and Homelessness Attorney
apark@mlri.org
Homes for All Massachusetts
Isaac Simon Hodes and Rose Webster-Smith
Co-Anchors
info@HomesForAllMass.org

Endorsing Organizations in Alphabetical Order, as of December 20, 2021
ACE
Action for Boston Community Development, Inc.
Action for Equity
AFT Massachusetts
AIDS Project Worcester Inc.
Alliance of Cambridge Tenants (ACT)
Allston Brighton Health Collaborative
Amherst Survival Center
Arise for Social Justice
Asian American Resource Workshop
Asian Community Development Corporation
Beacon Communities
Behavioral Health Network
Berkshire County Regional Housing
Berkshire United Way
Bethel AME Church – Lynn
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC)
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

Boston Tenant Coalition
Brazilian Women’s Group
Breaktime United, Inc.
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Cambridge City Councillor Quinton Zondervan
Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee
Cambridge Housing Justice Coalition
Cambridge Residents Alliance
CAN-DO
Castle Square Tenants Organization
Center for Human Development
Central West Justice Center
Children’s HealthWatch
Chinatown Community Land Trust
Chinese Progressive Association
Christian Community Church
City Life/Vida Urbana
City of Boston Office of Housing Stability
City of Lawrence Mayor’s Health Task Force
City of Somerville
Clean Water Action
Commonwealth Care Alliance
Community Action Agency of Somerville, Inc.
Community Action Pioneer Valley
Community Day Center of Waltham
Community Labor United
Community Service Network, Inc.
Congregation B’nai Israel Tikkun Olam Committee
De Novo Center for Justice and Healing
Domus Incorporated
DOVE (DOmestic Violence Ended), Inc.
Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)
Eliot CHS Homeless Services
Emmaus Inc.
Essex County Community Organization

Evangelizo
Family ACCESS of Newton
FAMILY Movement, Inc.
Family Promise North Shore Boston
FamilyAid Boston
Father Bill’s & MainSpring
First Parish in Waltham, Unitarian Universalist
Franklin County DIAL/SELF, Inc.
Franklin County Transition from Jail to Community Task Force
Gandara Center
Greater Boston Legal Services
Greater Boston Real Estate Board
Greater Bowdoin/Geneva Neighborhood Association
Greater Lawrence Community Action Council
Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council
Greening Greenfield
GreenRoots
Grow Food Northampton, Inc.
Hadwen Park Congregational Church, UCC
HallKeen Management Inc.
Harvard Law School Legal Services Center
Health Leads
Health Resources in Action
Healthcare & Human Service Consulting Group LLC
HealthLink
Heisler, Feldman & McCormick, P.C.
Homes for Families, Inc.
HomeStart, Inc.
Housing Families Inc.
Immigrant Service Providers Group/Health
International Language Institute of Massachusetts
Jay Rose Consulting
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Jewish Climate Action Network – MA
Jewish Family & Children’s Service

Joint Executive Council, UMass Amherst and UMass Boston Professional Staff Union
Jordana Roubicek Greenman, Attorney at Law
Just A Start
Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts
La Colaborativa, Inc.
Lawrence CommunityWorks, Inc.
Lynn United for Change
Male Engagement Network
Maloney Properties, Inc.
Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants
Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Massachusetts Climate Action Network
Massachusetts Coalition of Domestic Workers
Massachusetts Communities Action Network
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
Massachusetts Interfaith Power & Light
Massachusetts Jobs with Justice
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Massachusetts Public Health Association
Massachusetts Voter Table
Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee
Metro Housing|Boston
Metrowest Worker Center – Casa
My Brother’s Table
National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter
Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts Education Fund
New England United 4 Justice
New Lease for Homeless Families
New Lynn Coalition
Northampton Survival Center
Northeast Justice Center
Northern Berkshire United Way
On The Rise
One Family
Our Revolution Cambridge

Partners In Health
Peabody Properties
Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts
Progressive Massachusetts
Project Place
Project Right to Housing
RCAP Solutions, Inc.
Reclaim Roxbury
Resist the Pipeline
Sociedad Latina
Somerville Homeless Coalition
Somerville Office of Housing Stability
Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services
Southeast Center for Independent Living, Inc.
Springfield No One Leaves
Springfield Technical Community College
Tapestry Health
Tenants’ Development Corporation
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
The Neighborhood Developers Inc.
Three County Continuum of Care
Trinity Management LLC
UHM Properties LLC
Union of Minority Neighborhoods
United Way of Greater Fall River
United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region
Veterans Legal Services
VietAID
Waltham City Councillor Jonathan Paz
Waltham Public Schools
WATCH CDC
Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness
WinnCompanies
Worcester Interfaith
Y2Y Network

The Winter Solstice: A Reminder of the Importance of Sunlight

Sunlight - Beacon Hill

Today marks the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.

It is also a reminder of the importance of sunlight—and not just when it comes to the weather.

Bringing greater sunlight to state politics is a core part of what we do at Progressive Mass.

  • Shining light on how legislators vote with our Progressive Scorecard (and updates throughout the session)
  • Shining light on how to take action on important bills when thousands upon thousands get filed each session
  • Shining light on elections with our public candidate questionnaires
  • Shining light on how to engage effectively at the local, state, and national levels through chapters that organize year-round
  • Shining light on how our commonwealth can actually live up to its professed values and be a progressive beacon for other states

We have a lot of work to do in the new year, and we’re looking forward to fighting alongside you!

Can you donate $25, $50, or $100—or more—to support our work in 2022 and beyond?

Sunlight on Beacon Hill

Mass Budget: Why Federal Stimulus Money *Strengthens* the Case for the Fair Share Amendment

FSA voter

Two weeks ago, the Boston Globe published an article casting doubt on the necessity of the Fair Share Amendment: “Massachusetts has nearly $5 billion in unspent federal stimulus dollars to spread to its residents. At least another $8 billion in aid is coming from the US government to help repair roads, bolster public transit, and shore up the state against climate change. The state’s tax receipts are again running well ahead of expectations.” If we have so much money, the Globe article implies, why would we need a ballot initiative to raise taxes on income over $1 million to fund additional investments in education and transportation?

But such framing is short-sighted, and a new report from Mass Budget explains why: short-term federal money is no substitute for long-term investment. In the report’s own words: “One-time federal funds during the pandemic have been crucial in providing immediate relief and helping recover from COVID, but are insufficient to meet the long-terms needs or close the kinds of gaps in access to transportation and education that the Fair Share Amendment (FSA) seeks to address.”

Let’s break down the key parts of this argument:

(1) Federal funds are inadequate to meet the scale of our transportation needs: “Around the state, 1 out of 11 bridges are considered structurally deficient and public transit systems large and small will see big dropoffs in revenue when the short-term federal relief funding runs out. Regional Transit Authorities, such as the Worcester Regional Transit Authority, have been able to use federal funds to improve service and eliminate fares, which particularly helps low-income riders and people of color. But they lack a way to continue these improvements in a few years when federal pandemic funds are depleted.”

(2) We need both the early investments to start new major transportation initiatives and the continuing investments in their long-term operation: “Ramping up major new infrastructure systems and commitments to more frequent and accessible service on existing systems without a backstop of permanent increases in transportation revenues would set up a funding cliff after federal funds run out. Lawmakers on Beacon Hill are understandably hesitant to invest in new commitments that they won’t be able to sustain.”

(3) Pledging our own investments in transportation will enable Massachusetts to better leverage federal money: “Like with the current Green Line extension that was financed through competitive grants in the 2009 federal stimulus package, states must offer partial state matching funds from state revenues. Winning federal grants will also be easier if the Commonwealth demonstrates a commitment to innovation, repair, increasing transit ridership, and improving the transportation networks that would connect to new federally-supported projects.”

(4) Our investments in pre-K and early education lag behind what’s needed for a strong recovery: “In our research earlier this year MassBudget found the cost of a full, universal, high quality and affordable system for early education and care in Massachusetts was projected at $5 billion above the amount of existing funding at that time….Proposed new federal funding in the “Build Back Better” plan will also likely come with state match requirements, making ongoing state revenue from FSA even more important.”

(5) We need a reliable funding source to deliver on the promises of the Student Opportunity Act: “The SOA creates growing commitments to continue to fund state Chapter 70 support for school districts at this higher level permanently….Back in 2019, the complete figure for increasing Chapter 70 funds under the SOA was estimated at $1.5 billion after 7 years.”

(6) We need a vision for world-class, affordable public higher education, not just temporary band-aids: “Current federal relief funding addresses COVID-era harms such as decreased enrollment, disruption to other funding streams like housing and dining that depend on in-person life on campuses, and some staff layoffs. With additional ongoing revenue from FSA, Massachusetts could start heading towards where we want to go: world-class campuses at UMass/state universities/community colleges, well-supported staff and faculty, and affordable opportunities for students to learn without taking on massive debt.”

If you haven’t yet signed a pledge to be a Fair Share voter next year, do so right now at raiseupma.us/pm!

Live Every Day Like It’s Giving Tuesday

Today is Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving where we celebrate the nonprofits we cherish after a few days of good eating (and maybe some shopping).

But here’s the catch: the best way to show your support is through sustained giving. In other words, live every Tuesday (or maybe just a Tuesday each month) like it’s giving Tuesday.

Our monthly donors recognize that kernel of wisdom: that the work of progressive organizing is year-round, and recurring donations help us best plan and fund that ongoing work.

Can you become a monthly donor to Progressive Mass today?

Next year will be a busy year. We have plenty of candidates to get on the record, ballot initiatives to win (Fair Share!), ballot initiatives to fight, and progressive legislation to get across the finish line.

But we can’t do that without you.

Can you become a monthly donor to Progressive Mass today?


Our 2022 (!) Annual Member Meeting, Expanding Our Board, New Chapter Info Session, & More

Yes, it’s almost 2022 already. Can you believe it?

So it’s time to mark your calendars for our 2022 annual member meeting on Saturday, January 22nd.

With an important election year coming up, we’ll be hearing from statewide candidates running next year. Stay tuned for more.

WHAT: Progressive Mass 2022 Annual Member Meeting

WHEN: Saturday, January 22 (Time TBD)

WHERE: Zoom (But we hope to see you in person again before too long!)

Not yet a member? Become one today!

Not sure if you’re a member? Check your status here.

2022 Board Elections

Every year, at our Annual Meeting, Progressive Mass elects new Board members to serve 2-year terms. This year, we are looking to elect at least 2 new board members.

Our Board is a working Board, setting direction for all of PM’s external political work and internal organizational development, and leading or getting involved in various efforts. See more info here.

Interested? Email governance@progressivemass.com with a brief bio, an expression of interest, and relevant expertise/experience (as well as with any questions) and, attach this linked form providing at least ten names of dues-paying members of Progressive Mass who will support your candidacy.

Forms are due by Thursday, December 23.

Join or renew before the end of 2021!

  • Were you active this year and are looking for a home base to stay involved?
  • Are you looking for like-minded, mission-driven fellow activists and organizers?
  • Do you want to have a say in PM’s priorities and endorsements?

Then be sure to join or renew your PM membership!

You’ll be supporting PM’s grassroots movement to make Massachusetts live up to its progressive reputation.

No PM chapter in your area? Want to start one?

Join us for an information session on Saturday, December 11, at 10 am to find out what’s involved in starting and running a chapter.

  • What do chapters do?
  • What difference do they make?
  • What are the steps to launch a chapter?

Sign up here for our chapter interest info session!

An Exciting Announcement: Expanding Our Team

Progressive Mass is thrilled to announce our new staff, who will start at the end of the month. We’ve waited to hire so that we can start with a team!

Jonathan Cohn as Policy Director

Nazia Ashraful and Melanie O’Malley as Outreach & Operations Co-Directors

You may think you already know Jonathan Cohn, and chances are high that you’ve seen him on Twitter or out canvassing, but there’s definitely more to share. While Jonathan was the Chair of PM’s Issues Committee and Elections & Endorsements Committee in recent years (and the source of many PM calls to action), his day job has been as a professional editor. Jon also served on the Political Committee of the Massachusetts Sierra Club, he’s been chair of the Boston Ward 4 Democratic Committee, and communications director for Young Democrats of Massachusetts.

Becoming PM’s Policy Director allows us to expand and formalize Jon’s role to deepen our advocacy and accountability efforts, and represent PM in statewide coalitions on voting rights, immigrants’ rights, and economic justice.

PM’s Outreach & Operations Co-Directors will strengthen chapters and help launch new chapters in a wider geography, engage members, manage marketing and fundraising, and so much more! We are extremely excited to be able to hire both Nazia Ashraful and Melanie O’Malley!

Nazia Ashraful is a committed advocate and organizer for minority populations, women’s rights, and health and equity. She is the former Director of Government Affairs at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Massachusetts. During her time at CAIR-MA, she built the first political advocacy department to serve the Massachusetts Muslim community, active in both legislative and electoral seasons, where she worked on community outreach, voter engagement, volunteer management, and developing a media plan, strategies, and training.

Melanie O’Malley has over a decade of experience advocating and organizing for progressive issues and candidates in Massachusetts, especially dedicated to the intersection of race, class, and gender. Prior to coming to Progressive Massachusetts, Melanie was the Communications and Policy Manager at the Massachusetts Public Health Association, advancing policies for health equity and organizing the state’s local public health leaders. She is the former Chapter President of the National Organization for Women, Boston, a chapter-based organization.

Onwards,

The Progressive Mass Board

Caroline Bays, Gumby Breton, Stephanie Everett, Zayda Ortiz, Rachel Poliner, Meg Wheeler

Our Endorsement: Lydia Edwards for the First Suffolk & Middlesex Special

Lydia Edwards

With the resignation of Sen. Joe Boncore (D-Winthrop), the First Suffolk & Middlesex State Senate district will be having a special election next month. The district consists of parts of Boston (East Boston, the North End, Beacon Hill, Downtown Boston, Chinatown, Bay Village, a few blocks of the South End), parts of Cambridge (MIT, Cambridgeport, Riverside), Revere, and Winthrop.

The primary will be Tuesday, December 14, and the general will be January 11.

Two candidates are running in the Democratic primary: Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards and Revere School Committeeman Anthony D’Ambrosio. (Read their questionnaires here.)

Our members voted, and the results were overwhelmingly clear. We are proud to endorse Lydia Edwards for State Senate.

As a public interest attorney at Greater Boston Legal Services, Edwards was a leader in the effort to pass a Domestic Worker’s Bill of Rights, the first of such kind in the nation. As a city councilor, she has been a leader on housing issues, from strengthening the regulations of Airbnb and corporate short-term rentals to fighting for equitable zoning and a transfer fee on high-end real-estate transactions. She has worked in coalition with groups and electeds across the state on affordable housing policy and authored key eviction sealing legislation, and she was the lead Councilor in the successful effort to reform Boston’s city charter to allow for a more democratic and inclusive budgeting process. The Senate could benefit from such advocacy for workers’ rights and housing justice, and if elected, Edwards would become the only Black woman in the State Senate, bringing a much needed diversity of perspective.

Learn more about Lydia’s campaign at https://www.lydiaedwards.org/.

What’s the Purpose of a Platform?

Next month, the Massachusetts Democratic Party will be updating its party platform. Last updated in 2017, the platform is a solidly progressive document (possibly the most progressive in the country), even if it is out of date on some issues.

However, the problem activists always face is that in a state with an overwhelming 80% Democratic Legislature, why do we not see more of the platform planks become law? We typically understand a party platform to be a roadmap for governance: what a party would seek to implement if in power.

But we see a fundamental disconnect. And that’s why it’s so important to see the work of year-round organizing, outside of a party structure, to push all elected officials to be bolder in their ambitions.

However, in the short term, it is also good to bring the party platform up to date with where the state is today, what activists are calling for today, and what we need so that everyone can thrive.

If you want to submit testimony, you can do so here by Saturday at 5 pm. Want some ideas? Feel free to pull from the suggestions below.

Education

  • Change “Fixing the public education funding formula to fully fund high-quality public education for all students” to “Fully and equitably funding K-12 public education for all school districts as outlined in the Student Opportunity Act.”
  • Change “Providing in-state tuition for all residents admitted to Massachusetts public colleges and universities and exploring debt-free models of higher education” to “Guaranteeing that all Massachusetts students are able to graduate from our public colleges and universities without debt.”
  • Add “Requires school districts to provide sex education that is comprehensive, age-appropriate, and LGBTQ-inclusive, with an emphasis on informed consent to prevent sexual violence.”

Environment, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy

  • Change “Achieving the goals of the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act to reduce emissions by at least 25 percent by 2020, at least 45 percent by 2030, and at least 80 percent by 2050” to at least “Achieving the goals of the Next-Generation Roadmap Act to reduce emissions by 50% from 1990 levels by 2030, 75% by 2040, and at least 85% by 2050”
  • Change “Doubling our commitment to renewable energy by increasing the Massachusetts renewable portfolio standard to at least 50 percent by 2030” to “Increasing the Massachusetts renewable portfolio standard to 100 percent by 2030.”

Ethics and Transparency

  • Add “with both in-person and virtual components” to “Public hearings and other opportunities for citizens to influence the legislative process”
  • Add “including the online posting of committee votes and testimony submitted to committees (with appropriate redactions for sensitive information)” to “Ensuring the public has convenient and financially reasonable access to all public documents and data at the executive, legislative, judicial, and local levels of government.”

Gender and Racial Equality

  • Change “Protection of a women’s right to choose” to “Protection of every person’s right to access the full range of reproductive health options, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion.”

Healthcare and Human Services

  • Add “Improving vaccination rates by standardizing immunization requirements and exemption processes, filling gaps in vaccine rate data, and boosting outreach efforts.”
  • Change “Protection women’s reproductive rights and a woman’s right to choose” to “Protection of every person’s right to access the full range of reproductive health options, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion.”

Housing

  • Add “Lifting the statewide ban on municipalities’ ability to pass their own laws to stabilize rents and protect the rights of tenants.”
  • Add “Enabling municipalities to tax high-end real estate transactions in order to provide dedicated funding for affordable housing”
  • Add “Eliminating zoning laws that discriminate against the construction of multifamily housing and the creation of diverse communities”
  • Add “Sealing eviction records for tenants who were evicted through no fault of their own, and creating a process for the sealing of all other such records, out of a recognition that housing is a human right.”
  • Add “Strengthening and promoting the Community Preservation Act, which provides vital resources for affordable housing, green and open space, and historic preservation”
  • Add “Guaranteeing legal representation for low-income tenants and owner-occupants in eviction proceedings”

Justice, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties

  • Add “Eliminating the use of solitary confinement for more than 15 days.”

Labor and Workforce

  • Add “Eliminating all subminimum wages, which reinforce gender and racial inequities.”
  • Add “Guaranteeing paid vacation time to all workers.”
  • Add “Guaranteeing fair scheduling for all workers, including the right to 14 days advance notice of hours, the right to request specific hours without retaliation from the employer, and the right to rest for 11 hours between shifts.”

Public Safety and Crime Prevention

  • Add “Raising the age of criminal majority to 21 in order to allow to have better access to treatment and educational services and thereby reduce recidivism.”
  • Add “Imposing a moratorium on the construction of new jails and prisons or the expansion of existing ones.”
  • Add “Banning facial surveillance technology, which invades privacy rights and is well-known to be both racist and inaccurate”
  • Add “Banning tear gas, rubber bullets, attack dogs, and other forms of crowd control that escalate a situation and put protesters’ health and lives at risk.”
  • Add “Preventing prisons and jails from charging individuals who are incarcerated for phone calls to loved ones.”
  • Add “Eliminating qualified immunity protections for law enforcement in order to ensure that victims of police brutality have their fair day in court.”
  • Add “Funding local efforts to divert 911 calls away from the police and toward trained mental health workers, social work professions, or community members.”

Revenue and Expenditures

  • Add “and ensure that the wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share” to “Fair, equitable corporate and personal taxes and fees, which do not unduly burden low income families.”

Transportation and Infrastructure

  • Add “Phasing out the production of new fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2030.”
  • Add “Making public transportation fare-free because mobility is a human right.”

Voting and Democracy

  • Add “and the ability to vote by mail” to “Ensuring early voting in all elections.”  
  • Add “Enabling cities and towns to increase civic engagement by lowering the voting age for local elections to 16 and allowing all legal residents the ability to vote in local elections.”

What We Learned from the Past Year

As we get into summer and the world of in-person events opens back up, it’s an opportune time to reflect on what we learned about activism during the past year. 

  • Virtual events can increase attendance and access by eliminating child care and traffic considerations (cc: Beacon Hill), but…
  • In-person events, like vigils or rallies, are still essential for building community and growing awareness.
  • Volunteers who are shy–or chatty–can find text banking an easy entry into activism, but…
  • People are still willing to get over their aversion to phone-banking when they truly believe in a cause (Really! It’s fun!).
  • When the media finally focuses on an overlooked issue, you can make legislative progress faster than you ever thought, but…
  • That ability to take advantage of such opportunities is only possible through the long, hard work of year-round organizing and education. 

Progressive Mass was formed to do that work. That work takes time. It takes money. And it takes people like you. But it pays off. 

Please support our work by donating to Progressive Mass today!