Rep. John Velis
BOSTON – Representative John Velis (D – Westfield) has secured funding for Westfield in the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. So far, he has managed to bring money back to the district every year since first taking office during budget season in 2014.
“Since I started knocking on doors in the winter of 2013, I have pledged to aggressively and zealously advocate for anything and everything that would benefit the City of Westfield and Western Mass at-large. Local aid from the state is by far one of the most important sources of money for our city, and I’m proud that I have been able to deliver again for our residents,” said Velis.
Velis says is his particularly proud that he was able to get $100,000 in funding to continue the opioid and substance abuse prevention grant administered by Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield. This marks second year in a row that he has secured this funding in the House budget, which benefits local organizations such as the Westfield Drug Taskforce, the Hilltown Community Health Center, and the Behavioral Health Network in their efforts to combat opioid abuse. Nearly 60% of the money used for the grant program comes directly from the tax on recreational marijuana in the Commonwealth.
“The opioid epidemic has caused the death of over 40 Westfield residents in the last 5 years alone,” continued the Representative. “Hampden County has been hit particularly hard by the opioid epidemic and we need all the help we can get from the state to combat the problem. People are losing loved ones – this is an emergency. I’m thankful to Baystate Noble for administering this grant program and I’m hopeful that this funding will continue to affect change in Westfield and the Hilltowns.”
In addition to the opioid grant monies, Representative Velis also secured funding for improvements to the playground at Highland Elementary School to supplement the fundraising work being done by the Parent Teacher Organization. It’s been several years since the playground was updated and the rough New England winters have made the blacktop uneven, causing parents and teachers to be concerned for the safety of the students, especially those with special needs.
“Often times, school districts are squeezed so tight that secondary projects like playgrounds have to fall by the wayside. The PTO at Highland has been doing amazing work, and luckily I was able to get the playground listed as one of the very few school improvement projects approved in the House budget every year.”
The House budget also includes funding for improvements to Billy Bullens Field, home to several baseball leagues and the host site for the 2019 Babe Ruth World Series in August. While the field had a major upgrade in 2016, the playing surface of the field was left untouched. The funding in the House budget would allow for drainage improvements to be made and will hopefully cut down the number of game delays due to poor weather in the coming seasons.
As of 5 PM on Thursday, the budget was not yet passed, and Velis says there are still more projects he is pursuing. Once the budget passes the House, it will be passed over to the Senate and eventually a Conference Committee to hammer out the differences between the two chambers.
