Dear allies, 

Just this week, Massachusetts legislative committees forwarded several bills, advocated for by us and our partners, to build equitable infrastructure in our state. With recent movement of proposals like H.3526, An Act Relative to Low-Income Fares, we must uphold the momentum to pass legislation that provides much-needed financial relief to our communities. As we move forward, we’ll continue to call on our leaders to implement policies that work for everyone. By establishing infrastructure that promotes access to essential public goods and services, we can reduce the strain on working families and communities in our commonwealth.

NEW Report: A low-income fare at the MBTA would bolster struggling Massachusetts families with $500 annual savings per rider
A recent report by the Public Transit Public Good Coalition reveals that a low-income fare system would save riders up to $500 annually. This system would reduce costs for eligible riders by almost $50 million. Rising fare prices have placed a high burden on working families, and the MBTA would be able to provide relief through the allocation of ‘one-time funds.’ Implementing this system would increase mobility for low-income riders and greatly reduce costs for more than 90,000 people.

Read the full report at Public Transit Public Good.

Letter to the Editor: T leadership disappoints riders again over low-income fares
“The pandemic has taken a financial toll on working people, and reducing the cost of public transit would dramatically improve the affordability and accessibility of the T. We estimate that a pilot program would cost the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority only $42 million, 2 percent of its budget. The T could use one-time funds to run a yearlong pilot program. The agency must do this now, instead of ignoring the needs of our communities and MBTA riders.”

Read the full letter at The Boston Globe.

We, along with our coalition partners, are excited to see the movement of the low-income fare bill through the legislature. 

Op-ed: Why fighting climate change must embrace cultural and economic diversity
In a recent op-ed, Paulina Casasola, organizer at Clean Water Action, Luisa Santos, researcher at Community Labor United, and Staci Rubin, Vice President for Environmental Justice at the Conservation Law Foundation, highlight the importance of Massachusetts’ three-year energy plan. In the face of climate change, implementing energy efficiency programs that benefit renters and BIPOC residents is critically important. This plan will promote necessary accessibility and inclusion to Massachusetts’ energy efficiency programs. 

Read the op-ed in WGBH.

Letter to the Editor: A Massachusetts child tax credit would relieve families
“‘Families face tough times as child tax credit ends’ (Page A1, Jan. 24) exposes the heartbreaking reality of working-class families with young kids. Families depend on multiple forms of child care to get by, and 1 in 4 families used the federal advance Child Tax Credit payments to pay for child care expenses. Our child care system needs systemic change, but right now families need immediate relief to offset the high cost of raising kids, including child care. Local leaders should step up and utilize American Rescue Plan funding to establish a Massachusetts child tax credit to alleviate the abrupt end of the federal credit.”

Read the full letter at The Boston Globe.

Take Action: Transit Equity Month 
This Transit Equity Month, there are a number of ways to take action. Together, we can advocate for affordable and inclusive transit in our commonwealth. Take a stand by attending these events organized by our partners Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE), T Riders Union, Boston Teachers Union (BTU), NAACP Boston Branch, and allies. Today is the Transit Equity Day of Action, but there are more chances to get involved. Save the date for these exciting opportunities for action. 

Virtual live stream: The Rosa Park Story & The Montgomery Bus Boycott-Film History
Friday, February 18 at 6 p.m.
Register today at Eventbrite.

Virtual panel discussion: Women in the transit equity movement
Monday, February 28
More details to be announced via ACE.

Clean Water Action, Conservation Law Foundation, GreenRoots, and Community Labor United issue statement on the new Energy Efficiency Three-Year Plan
“In a joint statement, the groups Clean Water Action, Conservation Law Foundation, and Community Labor United said they were disappointed that specific measures to help environmental justice communities had been watered down and made vague. ‘DPU’s actions today send a clear message that they fail to understand, let alone value, the interconnections between poverty, racial, and climate justice that are now a formal part of their public mandate, the groups said in the statement.”

Read more at The Boston Globe.

Mass Renews Alliance Press Briefing
This Wednesday, Mass Renews Alliance held a press briefing to call on Massachusetts’ legislators to pass the Building Justice with Jobs Act H.3365/S.2226, the Food Justice with Jobs Act H.967/S.495, and the Food Justice Frontline Act H.973/S.564. Mass Renews Alliance and allies were joined by lead sponsors Sen. Marc Pacheco, Sen. Patricia Jehlen, Rep. Christina Minicucci, Rep. Adrian Madaro, Rep. David LeBoeuf, Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, and Rep. Tami Gouveia to advocate for these initiatives. If passed, these policies would create thousands of jobs, improve the safety of millions of homes, and promote access to local, fresh food for families who need it. 

Watch the event livestream on Mass Renews Alliance’s Facebook page, and read more about the event at WWLP. 

Calling on Legislators to Support the Work and Family Mobility Act 
Under Massachusetts law, immigrants without legal status are currently ineligible for a driver’s license. The Work and Family Mobility Act, H.3456 and S.2289, would enable immigrants in our community, regardless of status, to hold a license. This mobility allows access to critical goods and services, as well as transportation to employment.

An extension order was filed this week, allowing the Work and Family Mobility Act until early March to move out of committee. Join us in calling on State Representatives and Senators to support the act today.

To call your legislator, visit the click-to-call tool.
To email the joint transportation committee, visit Action Network.

Thank you for reading and taking action!

In Solidarity,
Community Labor United