Community Organization Rallies Against Budget Cuts

Boston – Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts (N2N-MA), a statewide organization of low-income people, released a statement in response to the MA House of Representative’s Budget announced today. The budget includes $800 million more in cuts than the Governor’s version. Local aid would be cut by over $400 million, and the Mass Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) would be cut by half, leaving thousands of low-income people without access to affordable housing.

“These cuts will be devastating for families across the state that are already being hit hard by the economic crisis,” said Juan Leyton, N2N-MA’s Executive Director. “We cannot allow more overcrowded classrooms, unsafe streets, and people becoming homeless.”

Neighbor to Neighbor plans to fight the budget cuts, joining with its allies in a Week of Action beginning on Monday. The group is demanding that Massachusetts continue to invest in education, health care and housing. However, the organization’s members also recognize that stopping the cuts is only the first step towards solving the crisis.

“We need a real solution that gets to the root of the problem,” said Juan Leyton, N2N-MA’s Executive Director. “Together we can rebuild our economy by raising new revenue and investing in our schools, infrastructure and social programs.”

.Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts is fighting for a “People’s Recovery Agenda” that includes:

• Reforming our tax system to promote fairness and develop the revenues we need to invest in our future
• Investing the federal stimulus funds in education, health care and housing for low-income people
• Ensuring that our state’s growing green economy will provide quality jobs, healthier communities and energy savings for low-income people

“We already had two school closings last year. We’re afraid that there will be more. Where will we put our students then? How will we educate them?” said Maria Carrasco, an N2N-MA member and a member of the Lynn School Committee.

Attachment: 

Budget Cuts Press Release 4.15.09