Mayor Dan Rizzo discusses the importance of increasing funding for youth violence prevention and teen jobs
May 21, 2014
Yesterday, to a crowd of about one hundred and twenty-five young people, nonprofit directors, community advocates and law enforcement officials Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo, representing the Metro Mayor’s Coalition, and other leaders spoke about the importance of increasing funding for youth violence prevention and teen jobs throughout the Commonwealth. The rally, held at the State House, was called in response to the across the board cuts that a number of state funded programs have received in the Senate and House budgets. Organizations represented at yesterday’s rally included the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the Youth Jobs Coalition, the Workforce Solutions Group, the Massachusetts Communities Action Network and the Boston Private Industry Council, among others. The event was highlighted by powerful youth, business, and nonprofit leaders. After the event those in attendance went and urged their senators to increase funding for these important efforts, including the Shannon Community Safety. We will keep you updated on our progress in increasing funding as the Senate debates the budget today and tomorrow.
State House News - TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
ACTIVISTS PRESS SENATORS ON YOUTH VIOLENCE, JOBS $$$
Youth violence prevention and teen jobs advocates plan to rally at the State House on Tuesday afternoon in support of funding increases for four key programs as Senate Democrats meet to discuss the budget proposal that will be debated starting Wednesday. Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo, representing the Metro Mayor’s Association, will join advocates from the Youth Jobs Coalition, the Boston Private Industry Council, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the Massachusetts Communities Action Network and others at 4 p.m. for a rally before fanning out to meet with senators about amendments filed to the fiscal 2015 Ways and Means budget. The groups are looking for enhanced funding for the School-to-Career youth jobs programs, the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative, the Shannon Anti-Gang Violence grant program and the Department of Public Health’s primary violence prevention grants. Sen. William Brownsberger has filed an amendment to boost the School-to-Career program to fiscal 2001 levels at $5 million, up $2.25 million over this year. Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz has two amendments of interest to the groups. One would increase funding for Safe and Successful Youth to $9.2 million, more than double the amount approved by the House and $400,000 higher than in fiscal 2014 when the program received supplemental funds from the Legislature. The second Chang-Diaz amendment would add $500,000 to DPH violence prevention programs, bringing the total for the program to just under $1 million more than recommended by the House. Sen. Eileen Donoghue has also filed an amendment to increase Shannon grant funding by $2 million to a total of $9 million for 28 communities to fight gang violence. - M. Murphy/SHNS