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Pignatelli Secures Funds for County Initiatives, MassPike Study
05:48PM / Tuesday, May 02, 2017
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BOSTON — State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, D-Lenox, secured funding and language for the 4th Berkshire District in the House of Representatives' version of the fiscal 2018 state budget was passed last week.
 
It includes language that would require the state Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of building a new exit between Exits 2 and 3 of the Massachusetts Turnpike and report back to the Legislature by next January. There are 29 miles between those two exits — Lee in Berkshire County and Westfield in Hampden County. 
 
"The distance between Exits 2 and 3 of the turnpike is the longest on the state highway," Pignatelli said. "A new exit there could potentially be a huge economic driver for the area while relieving congestion in Westfield. With the implementation of the new all electronic tolling system, a new exit is more feasible now than it has ever been."
 
Also set aside is $100,000 for Soldier On to serve homeless veterans in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire Counties and $200,000 for the Berkshire Youth Development Project.
 
The successful youth development amendment, co-sponsored by state Reps. Paul Mark, D-Peru, Gailanne Cariddi, D-North Adams, and Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, will go a coalition of youth-serving agencies throughout Berkshire county: Railroad Street Youth Project in Great Barrington, Berkshire United Way in Pittsfield, and the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition based in North Adams.
 
"As our communities continue to be touched by the opioid epidemic, we must continue to invest in our young people," said Pignatelli. "The Berkshire Youth Development project has been at the forefront of confronting the epidemic in our community and providing meaningful support to our young people, and I'm glad to continue to support them."
  
Pignatelli also secured an additional $100,000 (increasing the total line item to $500,000) for a statewide program that supports mentoring relationships to support young people: Mass Mentoring Partnership. He also took the lead on the inclusion of statutory language that requires that the Department of Health and Human services develop a timeline to fully restore adult dental benefits through MassHealth.
 
He also supported these outcomes in the final state budget:
  • Chapter 70 (State funding for Public Schools): $106 million increase over fiscal 2017
  • Unrestricted Local aid: $40 million increase over fiscal 2017
  • Massachusetts Cultural Council: $12 million, a $2 million increase over the House Ways and Means budget
  • Meals on Wheels: $750,000 for home-delivered meals for seniors (not included in House Ways and Means budget)
  • Buy Local Initiative: $300,000 to support buy local initiatives across the commonwealth (not included in the House Ways and Means budget)
The budget now moves to the Senate for consideration.
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