BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey applauded the resilience and strength of Massachusetts during her third State of the Commonwealth address.
Governor Healey reflected on the past year and outlined her policy priorities for the upcoming fiscal year during Thursday night’s speech.
She made several references to the Commonwealth continuing to stand up to the damage she said the Trump administration is doing every day.
She said people across Massachusetts can count on a state that stands united during a time in America that feels divided.
“People are feeling fear, anxiety, and anguish. They’re seeing the chaos coming from Washington every day. They’re worried about their family, their job, their healthcare, their rights,” said Governor Healey. “But I have a message tonight: This is Massachusetts.”
The Governor said her administration is working hard to make life more affordable.
She announced new actions to lower costs for people and businesses across Massachusetts.
“It starts with housing. It’s got to,” said Governor Healey. “We’ve got to be a state where your teachers, nurses, and recent grads can actually afford to live.”
She said her plan is to build more housing and faster.
According to Governor Healey, that includes speeding up the permitting process, turning state land into thousands of new homes, and creating a first-in-the-nation fund to finance mixed-income development.
“In this moment, part of my job as governor is to help us provide what this federal government hasn’t: stability, security – and how about a little common sense?” she said.
The Governor talked about the state’s healthcare rate relief, new regulations to ban medical debt from being reported to credit agencies, and an $8 billion plan to modernize roads, bridges, and rails.
Healey faces her first re-election fight this year, and thus far, her competitors are all Republicans.
Former MBTA administrator Brian Shortsleeve, former Baker administration Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Michael Kennealy, and former Abiomed CEO Michael Minogue are vying to win a Republican primary in the fall.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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