Somebody made financial institution on the Massachusetts migrant disaster, and it certain wasn’t Bay State taxpayers.
All of us noticed the inflow of migrants steadily develop, communities “chosen” for shelter websites, overflow crowds sleeping in Logan Airport, with the meter operating all of the whereas.
Because it seems, there’s quite a bit we didn’t know, particularly about how all that cash($2 billion+) was spent. Months after State Auditor Diane DiZoglio’s workplace discovered that Gov. Maura Healey’s administration authorized “improper and illegal” no-bid contracts for meals and transportation companies within the thousands and thousands of {dollars} as a part of the state’s emergency shelter system, prime Republicans are addressing reforms to how emergency contracts are reviewed and used.
We might have used this oversight about $2 billion in the past, however higher late than by no means.
The Senate Republican Caucus says it has filed “complete laws” that goals to put deadlines on contracts and enhance critiques, whereas expediting the general public disclosure of procurements. “Public disclosure” is a four-letter phrase on Beacon Hill, and we want them the very best of luck.
The Legislature received’t even conform to an audit, even after voters gave the transfer a thumbs-up through poll query.
Stories of foul play proceed to emerge, Republicans highlighted, as they pointed to a Boston Globe article from earlier this month on how a nonprofit was “paid almost $10 million by the state for emergency shelter companies, outsourced meal catering to an area grocery chain owned by a board member of the identical nonprofit.”
To name this disheartening is an understatement. The emergency shelter and housing disaster wasn’t meant to be a monetary windfall for service suppliers, particularly on condition that taxpayers have been writing the checks. For Bostonians, it’s particularly galling, as we’ve watched our share of the White Stadium overhaul tab double, with extra price hikes on the way in which.
It’s one factor to make use of Massachusetts taxpayers as bottomless ATMS, it’s one other to maintain us at midnight whereas making all these withdrawals.
It will get worse, in fact. Because the Herald reported, Gov. Maura Healey’s administration now not publishes a public, common accounting of how a lot the state is spending within the present fiscal 12 months on the emergency shelter system as a result of a state legislation mandating the information expired.
Simply because the legislation expired doesn’t imply the information isn’t wanted, particularly in an administration the place “transparency” and “accountability” are allegedly the order of the day.
Senate Minority Chief Bruce Tarr acknowledged emergencies name for shortly offering assets and options, however he argued that procurement “use must be restricted, tailor-made to particular emergency situations, and accompanied by transparency and accountability.”
The taxpayers already watched $2 billion of our hard-earned {dollars} head out the door for the housing and shelter emergency; any considered overspent money coming again to state coffers is probably going a pipe dream.
However the Republican laws is necessary going ahead. Emergencies occur, and we must be ready to deal with them and ensure we all know the place our cash is getting used.
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