“[We] appreciate the support and partnership with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and remain committed to ensuring that our most vulnerable populations, including elders, have access to local, fresh food. At a time when food insecurity rates remain high, the added benefit will provide elders with high-quality, nutritious food while supporting our Massachusetts farmers and food producers.”

— Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux announcing that Massachusetts has been awarded $1.4 million to expand the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

“Massachusetts has completely lost its economic competitive edge, now having the highest top tax rate for income taxes in New England, and seventh highest in the entire country. Despite this setback, some Massachusetts lawmakers are pushing forward with ways to add more taxes such as penalizing couples when they file their taxes as married.”
— Paul Craney, spokesman for the Mass Fiscal Alliance on a new Tax Foundation report.

“His public health expertise and military service make him uniquely qualified to serve as Massachusetts’ first-ever Secretary of Veterans’ Services. I’m confident that he will be the leader our veterans need and deserve and will always stand up for their health, safety and wellbeing.”
—Gov. Maura Healey on appointing Rep. Jon Santiago (D-Boston), a major in the U.S. Army Reserve and a physician as the state’s Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs which was recently elevated to a cabinet level position.

“One thing I did hear as I crisscrossed the state is, yes, folks want us to pay attention to some national issues, of course, and protect us, but they don’t want us to forget the issues we have to deal with here at home.”
—Attorney General Andrea Campbell.