The main deputy of the Housing of Governor Maura Healey met privately with the Democratic senators on Wednesday to discuss the financing of the emergency refuge system, which is expected to be left without cash at the end of the month without a budget infusion that the Governor has asked the legislators to approve it.
The meeting occurred when Healey has pressed legislators to make Greenlight newcomers receive benefits instantly.
The Secretary of Housing, Ed Augustus, organized a “listening session” for senators in the shelter system during a one -hour meeting within the Senate President’s office, Karen Spilka, the Senate Budget Head, Michael Rodrigues, to The Herald.
Rodrigues, a Westport Democrat who presides over the powerful forms and media committee of the Senate, said he wanted to hear “everything” from the Healey administration about the refuge system.
“We need to hear more about the system and how it works, how they intend to manage it in the future, what tools they need to help them manage it in the future, what kind of resources in terms of dollars that need for us for us pay the Invoices, ”he said.
A spokesman for the executive office of housing and habitable communities said that Augustus was “again” information about the shelter system included in a letter sent Monday by the Healey administration to a Democrat from the upper chamber.
Augustus did not answer questions about the meeting when he left the Office of Spilka.
“I will let the senators speak for themselves,” he said.
Senator Michael Moore, a Millbury Democrat, said there is an urgency feeling to provide more funds and received calls from shelter suppliers in his district about the need for more effective.
“They are worried that funds (available) are not carried out to pay the services after the deadline,” he said.
The main budget writer of Healey said earlier this month that the financing of the state shelter system is expected, which has come to house thousands of migrant and local families, dries at the end of January if legislators do not approve more money.
The legislators of the House of Representatives are still reflecting the Healey expenses bill and have promoted the governor for more information. The early thing that the expense bill could eliminate the camera next week after the Chamber canceled a formal session that had originally scheduled for Thursday.
In an unrelated event on Wednesday, Healey did not say what would happen if the money is exhausted.
“I know that discussions are currently in this time in the legislature. We are aware, I know they are aware of the calendar about this, so hopefully, we can obtain some resolution, “Healey told the journalists of the State’s house.
Senator Liz Miranda, a Democrat of Boston, said the meeting with Augustus was “really substantial.”
“I learned a lot and I think there are much more they have to share,” he said. “But it was for me, a very healthy conversation to learn, particularly, the part of the EA refuge that most affects my community, since I have a large immigrant population.”
Augustus met with the senators just when other elected officials in Beacon Hill pushed their colleagues to approve a trio of bills that would largely untangle the local police to work with federal immigration officials.
A bill, which the supporters have called the “Law of Safe Communities”, would largely limit the interactions between the local police and the federal immigration authorities, even when expelling the police in Massachusetts to perform the functions of an officer from an officer of immigration.
Senator Jamie Eldridge, Marlborough Democrat and main sponsor of the bill, said immigrant communities in Massachusetts “have become more scared, insecure and uncertain during last week.”
“I want to raise that this legislation is not about political affiliation or partisanship, but to establish a clear and brilliant line between the role of federal immigration officials and our law personnel and personnel of state and local law,” he said in a demonstration outside the state house.
