BOSTON – Standing before a packed State House chamber, Governor Maura Healey delivered her State of the Commonwealth Address, offering a mix of pride in past achievements and determination to tackle the challenges ahead. With a focus on key issues like transportation, housing, education, and economic development, she painted a picture of a state poised for transformative growth while rooted in fiscal responsibility.
Governor Healey began by reflecting on a milestone achievement—Massachusetts’ first comprehensive tax cut package in two decades. She noted its immediate impact on residents, including 64,000 seniors who each saved an average of $1,000 in taxes. Families also felt the relief, as more than half a million households benefited from child tax credits, receiving $310 per child or dependent adult last year, with the amount rising to $440 this year. “These are real savings that make a difference in the daily lives of our residents,” she emphasized.
On the subject of child care, Governor Healey highlighted the state’s unique position as the only one in the nation to fully replace expiring federal pandemic relief funding for this sector. This decision ensured that 36,000 children continued to access affordable, high-quality care, providing working parents with stability while contributing to a robust economy.
Housing also took center stage in her address. The Governor hailed the success of the Affordable Homes Act, calling it “the largest housing investment in our state’s history.” This initiative led to a 50% increase in housing production under state programs and brought significant results in 2024, including the construction of 4,000 new homes and support for 2,400 first-time homeowners. These numbers, she argued, reflect a growing commitment to solving the housing crisis.
Transportation, long a pain point for Massachusetts residents, was another area of progress the Governor celebrated. In a bid to restore trust in the MBTA, her administration has hired 1,500 new workers to address workforce shortages, eliminated slow zones for the first time in two decades, and expanded services such as the South Coast Rail. This long-awaited project will reconnect communities like Taunton, Fall River, and New Bedford to Boston for the first time in nearly 70 years.
The state’s ability to leverage federal funding has also yielded significant results. Since October 2023, Massachusetts has secured $9 billion in federal dollars, propelling the state from 34th to 7th nationally in terms of transportation funding. “This is not just an investment in infrastructure—it’s an investment in our communities and our future,” she said.
Governor Healey also spoke passionately about supporting the state’s veterans. She detailed the HERO Act, which aims to end veteran homelessness while expediting construction of cutting-edge veterans’ homes in Chelsea and Holyoke. The legislation, described as the most comprehensive in the state’s history, underscores the administration’s commitment to those who served the nation.
Education, a cornerstone of Massachusetts’ success, continues to thrive under Healey’s leadership. The Governor highlighted the expansion of the Innovation Career Pathways program to 100 high schools and the enrollment of 9,000 students in Early College programs. By aligning education with workforce needs in high-demand sectors like biotechnology and clean energy, the state is equipping students for the jobs of the future.
Mental health remains a priority as well, with the state’s 31 Community Behavioral Health Centers providing critical care to over 30,000 young people in just 18 months. Governor Healey announced plans to dedicate additional resources to school-based behavioral health programs in the upcoming fiscal year.
Looking ahead to 2025, Governor Healey unveiled an ambitious $8 billion plan to modernize the state’s transportation infrastructure, marking the largest such investment in two decades. She also announced plans to address housing affordability by advocating for a policy that would shift broker fees from renters to landlords—a move she said would alleviate financial burdens for thousands of residents.
Closing her address, Governor Healey reassured citizens of the Commonwealth’s financial health. With the state enjoying the highest median household income in the country and a record-breaking Rainy-Day Fund, she declared, “Massachusetts is not just leading—it is thriving.”
Her speech struck a balance between celebrating past accomplishments and setting an ambitious agenda for the future, underscoring her belief in the Commonwealth’s ability to meet the challenges ahead with innovation, resilience, and community-focused solutions.
