Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey vowed Tuesday to protect funding to state projects in the wake of federal cuts.
The governor convened cabinet members, legislators and community members to take part in an “acceleration team” tasked with readying her $400 million “DRIVE initiative” for rollout should state legislators give it the green light.
“We just can’t afford to sit on our hands here in Massachusetts,” Healey said. “This federal administration has defunded funding for science, for research, for discovery, along with a whole host of things for infrastructure.”
“It’s about rolling up our sleeves and harnessing the ideas of this amazing group to make sure that Massachusetts remains at the forefront of the innovation economy,” said Quentin Palfrey, the state’s director of federal funds and infrastructure.
“With funding from D.C. now hanging in the balance, those jobs and income are at risk, and the future of life-saving research is uncertain, as is our competitive edge as a state,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew Gorzkowicz.
But not everyone sees this as a critical priority.
“I see a transfer of wealth from the taxpayer of the commonwealth to institutions like Harvard,” said MassGOP Executive Director John Milligan.
Republicans are pushing back on the governor’s assertion that Massachusetts needs to respond to the Trump administration’s actions.
“I think if we want to retain world-class talent, the governor should focus on lowering the cost of living in Massachusetts, making housing more affordable and building a better economy,” said Milligan.
Even so, stakeholders sitting at the table contend Massachusetts’ future is at stake. Healey made clear her expectations during Tuesday’s meeting.
“I expect the work to be going on,” she said. “We don’t have time.”