Hello everyone,
It is so hard to believe we are already a quarter way through 2025!
Spring in many respects is budget season over at the State House. Over the last few weeks, I have been involved in countless meetings about what our communities need most and what feedback stakeholders have about the Governor’s proposed FY’26 budget. This week I had the opportunity to connect with the Chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee to discuss some of my larger priorities that I would like to see in the Senate’s budget, including increasing school aid and finding ways to improve affordability for our residents.
On Tuesday I was absolutely thrilled to join Boston Children’s Hospital and the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association at their Children’s Behavioral Health Summit alongside Representative Domb to discuss our legislative priorities related to youth behavioral health. Our kids are seriously struggling. It’s been something I’ve heard loud and clear from parents, teachers, and kids themselves when it comes to the behavioral health challenges that they are facing. During the summit I was proud to highlight some of the bills I filed this session on this topic, many of which were spurred by the very feedback I’ve heard directly from students across our district.
This week we celebrated the grand opening of two new businesses here in the district. On Thursday Team Velis joined the West Springfield community in celebrating the grand opening of Abby Care, a home health organization dedicated to serving families of young children with disabilities or medical complexities. Over in Agawam we also celebrated the grand opening of Soulo Hair Lounge where we shared a citation from the Senate in recognition of this occasion. Congratulations to both of these new businesses!
On Friday I spent the day traveling between several of our schools in Westfield. Starting off the day bright and early, I was at Westfield High School to speak with students in Mr. Dargie’s current event class. From there, I made my way on over to the Southampton Road School to learn more about Project Lead the Way, a hands-on STEM curriculum that helps build problem solving skills and foster students’ interest in these subjects at an early age. To round out the school day I joined Westfield Technical Academy’s IT shop, another incredible STEM opportunity that prepares students for higher education and an ever-growing field of work.
Next week Team Velis be hosting office hours on Monday at the Agawam Council on Aging from 11:00AM to 12:00PM, on Tuesday at the Chicopee Council on Aging from 10:00AM to 11:00AM, and again on Wednesday at the West Springfield Council on Aging from 11:00AM to 12:00PM.  If you are unable to make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.  
Best,  
John Velis