LYNN — $1.5 million has been allocated to multiple Lynn programs and organizations in the Massachusetts House of Representatives’ fiscal year 2024 budget, which passed last week.
The Lynn delegation in the House, which includes Rep. Daniel Cahill, Rep. Jenny Armini, Rep. Peter Capano, and Rep. Donald Wong, worked collaboratively to secure those allocations, Cahill said.
“We make it a point to try to have a unified front on a lot of these projects and a lot of these pieces of legislation,” Cahill said. “So on the House side, the four members of the delegation met and discussed all our individual districts’ priorities, and then priorities that impact the greater Lynn area.”
Armani echoed Cahill’s sentiment about the delegation working as a team.
“It’s a powerful and effective approach,” Armani said.
For education, $100,000 of the funds are going to the E-Team Machinist Training Program. This program is a priority for Capano, Cahill said.
“It was started primarily from the Local 201 IUE General Electric Union in hopes of getting young adults and adults trained to be able to perform machinist work, which is desperately needed in this region,” Cahill said.
Capano, who represents Nahant and part of Lynn, also secured $50,000 for security improvements at Nahant’s Johnson Elementary School.
“We are proud to have secured funding for these key provisions in the budget. These initiatives will help ensure that our students receive the resources, support, and security that they need to succeed,” Capano said.
$850,000 is going toward public health programs. The Lynn Police Department is receiving $100,000 for its behavioral health unit, the Lynn Community Health Center is receiving $100,000, Self Esteem Boston is receiving $175,000, and Forsyth Dental is receiving $475,000.
Forsyth Dental has a program that serves Lynn and other communities with in-class dentistry, Cahill said.
“A lot of these kids either don’t have access to dentistry, or have families that don’t know how to access dental work or come from other parts of the country or the world that have never seen a dentist,” he said.
$250,000 will be allocated for veteran homeless prevention.
City beaches, parks, and recreation programs and organizations are receiving $150,000. That will include $25,000 for North Shore Maritime Center, $25,000 for Lynn Youth Soccer upgrades, $25,000 for Gannon Golf Course, $25,000 for Clark Park Lynn, and $50,000 for algae cleanup at Kings and Long Beaches.
$25,000 is allocated for At Risk Youth Programming “for support, mentorship, and care for our struggling youth,” said a press release from Cahill’s office.
The New American Association of Massachusetts is receiving $125,000 to “continue its mission of assisting our refugee and immigrant community members with job placement, vocational skills, employment services and resettlement,” according to the press release..
“This budget addresses the needs and supports the ambitions of all our citizens — from early education and care to housing subsidies for our seniors,” Armini said. “I am grateful to Speaker [Ronald] Mariano and House Ways & Means Chair [Aaron] Michlewitz for considering the concerns and needs of the 8th Essex District throughout the budget process.”
