Westfield State Representative John Velis has managed to secure more state funds in the Massachusetts House of Representatives budget for the upcoming fiscal year. For the 5th year in a row, Velis has filed successful amendments to the House budget that have funded local organizations such as the Athenaeum, the Westfield Senior Center, and the Westfield State Veterans’ Center in the past. This year, he says he is “especially proud” of the funds that were included in the final House budget, including $50,000 for opioid addiction treatment and prevention grants in Westfield.
“Hampden County, like many communities in Massachusetts, finds themselves still in the throes of an opioid epidemic. We are losing an average of 5 people a day in the Commonwealth. I don’t think I know a single person who hasn’t been affected by this epidemic in some way,” said Velis. “I wanted to make sure that Westfield got a piece of state funding to continue the fight.”
An additional amendment included in the budget would provide funding for the Banacos Academic Center at Westfield State. Banacos serves students with learning disabilities- about one-fifth of WSU’s student body- by providing assistive learning technology and additional help with their coursework.
Says the Representative, “I, too, had several learning disabilities, and if it weren’t for exceptional teachers and some additional support, I wouldn’t have even graduated Westfield High. I’ll jump at any chance to support special education programs like Banacos because I know how crucial they are to the success of so many students.”
Velis’ third and final amendment to the upcoming budget would fund for tourism-boosting initiatives in Westfield. With the new MGM Springfield Casino opening later this year, Velis says it’s the “opportune time” for Westfield to capitalize on the expected bump in visitors to the area.
The final House budget for fiscal year 2019 will include all three amendments filed by Velis, who was elevated to House leadership last year. Since his inauguration during budget negotiations in 2014, Velis has consistently brought back thousands of dollars in state funds to Westfield in the form of budget amendments and local aid.
“I have a lot of responsibilities as a State Rep, but to me one of the most important ones is making sure Westfield residents are getting what they need from us. I have always made local aid, like chapter 90 money for roads, or state funding for education, a priority. I campaigned on bringing state dollars back to Westfield, and it remains at the top of my to-do list,” concluded Velis. “I’m not doing my job unless I’m constantly advocating for Westfield and Western Mass, at-large. I have been given an opportunity to advocate for our City at the highest level as a member of House leadership and I will continue to do so for as long as I hold this office.”
The budget will now be passed to the State Senate, where the bill will undergo another round of redrafts and amendments. The budget is expected to be on Governor Baker’s desk sometime in June, and, if passed, will go into effect July 1st.
