In Visit, Michlewitz Calls State Economy Strong, Recognizes Housing, Food Concerns

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Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, tackled concerns about housing, hunger and energy affordability Monday when addressing members of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Michlewitz noted the state can do better and has places where it has to be more competitive, but gave the state an overall thumbs up. He said the “numbers don’t lie,” the state still has a “strong economy.”

“Considering all the chaos that you’re seeing across the country and in the global markets and everything like that, Massachusetts has continued to stay pretty steady in its growth and in its consistency,” he said.

Introduced by Second Assistant Majority Leader Frank A. Moran of Lawrence, Methuen and Andover, the chairman said a lack of housing is the state’s biggest challenge in keeping people in Massachusetts, “young people in particular.” He pointed out Haverhill Rep. Andy X. Vargas has championed the “Yes in God’s Back Yard,” or YIGBY, bill that would loosen zoning rules to allow religious organizations to develop housing by right. While Michlewitz said the House put some restrictions on it, the proposal is advancing.

“Typically, traditionally, I don’t think we would have done that bill, but going back to it, we are in a housing crisis so we need to think outside the box. We cannot just continue to do things in a normal, traditional way,” he explained.

At the time of his address, the chairman said he hadn’t yet heard all of the details on Gov. Maura Healey’s energy affordability strategy. He said, however, he is “cautiously optimistic” the House and Senate, with differing approaches, will come together and “get some savings put together here for folks.” One idea, he said, is to “pause” the MassSave energy efficiency program, trim a billion dollars from it over the next three years and put the money back into ratepayers’ pockets.

Will Courtney of Amesbury-based Our Neighbor’s Table called attention to federal rule changes in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, that’s driving an increase in hungry families. He explained, “For every one meal a nonprofit serves, SNAP does about nine.”

“What we’re seeing is 60,000 kids are falling off the rolls,” he said.

Courtney asked the state representatives if there’s anything they can do to make up for that gap. Michlewitz noted the state learned lessons about feeding people during the COVID-19 pandemic and the House is leading the way.

“We’ve seen it kind of trickle back up now, in the last year, year and a half, and so we’re laser focused on that in terms of a resource standpoint. We’re going to continue to try to look to alternative ways to deliver as much funds as we possibly can,” he said.

Michlewitz also noted the state hasn’t dipped into its rainy-day fund for 10 years.

Besides Michlewitz, Moran and Vargas, state representatives in attendance were Reps. Estela A. Reyes, Adrianne P. Ramos and Ryan M. Hamilton. Representing the Chamber were Cal Williams, government affairs chairman and President and CEO Michael Bevilacqua.