Happy November Everyone,
I hope everyone had an eventful Halloween night full of sweets. Emily, Carson, and I had an amazing time walking around Westfield looking at all the decorations and seeing everyone in their costumes.
As a reminder, election day is this Tuesday! Voting is the fundamental way that we can all participate in our democracy. If you haven’t voted yet, I encourage you to make a plan to vote on Tuesday. You can find your polling location at: sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA
This week folks will start receiving tax rebates as a result of the Chapter 62F ballot question that the Commonwealth triggered earlier this year. On average residents will receive about 14% back of their 2021 state income tax liability. Building on this relief, the Legislature sent a compromise Economic Development bill to the Governor’s desk this week that makes important investments in our Commonwealth and provides critical relief to our healthcare system and other sectors. After several months in conference committee, I am especially glad that all the funding amendments I filed for our district remain in the final bill, including $1.5 million to help repair and replace the Main Street Sewer pipe system in Agawam, $100,000 for the Westfield Police Department, and $50,000 each to Westfield and Agawam to make safety and security improvements in our school systems.
This week I attended a couple different events in West Springfield, starting off with the ribbon-cutting of Linda’s Unique Boutique Jewelry and Accessory Store on Tuesday. It’s so great to see businesses opening their doors amidst the setbacks brought on by the pandemic. On Friday I joined the West Springfield Boys and Girls Club for their donor lunch, where we thanked donors for their contributions to the Club. This morning I was back in West Springfield for the Veterans Councils annual breakfast, where I had the pleasure of speaking with fellow Veterans and service members.
This week I also had the chance to virtually speak at the Mass Rehabilitation Commission’s Workforce Recovery symposium. The discussion was centered on how employers can support employees in their recovery, and in turn how the state can support them. It was great to hear from advocates on the topic and learn more about what we can do to support the workforce’s efforts.
On Thursday Southampton held a ceremony for the East Street Bridge Replacement, which will allow vehicles to cross the river from Southampton to Holyoke after being closed for the better part of a year. Thanks to this $2.6 million dollar project, the town will be able to successfully renovate the old bridge and link the two towns together once more.
This week, my office held office hours in Southwick on Wednesday from 11:00am to 12:00pm. On Monday we will be in Agawam from 11:00am to 12:00pm. You can also reach me at my email: john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone: (413) 572-3920. And you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com where you can also sign up for my newsletter!
Sincerely,
John Velis