ACLU praises lawmakers for prioritizing equity and justice
Massachusetts lawmakers announced a 2024 state budget compromise over the weekend, with a final proposal filed Sunday night and a vote scheduled for today.
Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, today released the following in response to the compromise:
"This is what leadership looks like. We applaud Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano and Ways & Means Chairs Rodrigues and Michlewitz for crafting a budget that prioritizes equity and justice. In no arena are these values more evident than education, where bold new investments in early childhood education, universal free school meals, affordable community college, and in-state tuition for immigrants will help our state and economy grow and prosper. Education can be the great equalizer, especially when the state devotes resources to lifting up low-income families and marginalized communities. We also applaud the Legislature for keeping families connected with no-cost calls for people in prison, and for investing in unarmed, community-based crisis response. These measures will strengthen our communities, making them safer and more free. We are excited to see the Commonwealth lead with its values and we hope Gov. Healey will sign all these budget provisions into law."
For more information about the ACLU of Massachusetts, visit aclum.org
