Lexington, MA – Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy today criticized Governor Maura Healey following the release of new figures showing her administration spent $978 million on the state’s emergency shelter program in Fiscal Year 2025 – nearly matching last year’s total and signaling no end in sight to the migrant crisis her policies have created.
“Another year goes by and Maura Healey continues to fuel this crisis,” said Kennealy. “Just shy of one billion dollars wasted because the Governor has been asleep at the wheel. She’s now taking a victory lap for moving migrants from hotels into government-subsidized apartments and calling that a solution. It’s not – it’s an insult to taxpayers and every Massachusetts family struggling to get by, and frankly, it’s offensive.”
Kennealy continued, “We’re spending nearly a billion dollars a year to house migrants while veterans sleep on the streets, the Cape fights for Sagamore Bridge funding, schools can’t afford proper air conditioning, courts can’t afford to properly function, and municipalities struggle to stay afloat. Maura Healey’s priorities are so backwards it’s offensive to every hardworking resident of this state.”
“When I’m Governor, there will be real residency requirements – not loophole-laced policies that invite abuse. We’ll bring accountability to the HomeBase Program and ensure benefits go to Massachusetts citizens who truly qualify. What’s happening now is an outrage, and the people of Massachusetts deserve so much better.”
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