Your stories, our campaigns

Public Health on the Ballot

In the successful effort to pass Ballot Question 4 for Safer Roads, MPHA was a consistent and trustworthy ally. Over the last four years, MPHA made themselves available time and time again as supportive partners in the legislative and ballot phases of the Driving Families Forward campaign. MPHA was willing to show up, and call others to action to assure passage of the law and ballot initiative that will improve the wellbeing and quality of life of so many across the Commonwealth.“

Chrystel Murrieta Ruiz,
Political Coordinator, 32BJ SEIU

As part of our ongoing efforts to promote health equity, MPHA endorsed two statewide ballot questions in 2022, both of which passed by sizable margins.

The first, known as Question 1: The Fair Share Amendment, changed the state Constitution to implement a 4% surtax on the portion of an individual’s income over $1 million. This change is expected to raise more than $1 billion annually for transportation and education. MPHA is now working to ensure that a significant portion of this funding is allocated to public transportation, which promotes positive health outcomes by connecting residents to jobs, groceries, health care, and other critical services.

The second, Question 4 for Safer Roads, reaffirmed the Work and Family Mobility Act, which was passed by the legislature in July of 2022. This important legislation allows all qualified state residents to apply for a standard driver’s license, regardless of their immigration status. In passing this law, Massachusetts became the 17th state to ensure that all drivers are tested, licensed, and insured, while enabling families to safely make essential trips like dropping kids off at school and going to the doctor.

Legislative Advocacy

I have been honored to partner with MPHA for many years in the effort to create a 21st-century local public health system for Massachusetts. They have provided essential leadership at every step, from developing an advocacy strategy to communicating with stakeholders and building relationships with legislative champions. I continue to be impressed by their expertise in strategic thinking and their devotion to improving health for everyone in the Commonwealth.“

Phoebe Walker,
Director of Community Services, Franklin Regional Council
of Governments

Last year, MPHA continued supporting legislation to promote the fundamental building blocks of good health and guarantee equal access to strong local public health protections. In 2022, our top legislative priority was passage of the Statewide Accelerated Public Health for Every Community Act (SAPHE 2.0).

Thanks to the hard work of our legislative champions, the bill earned widespread support in the legislature and passed unanimously in both the House and Senate! Unfortunately, after the end of formal session, Governor Baker returned SAPHE 2.0 to the legislature with a poison pill amendment. His proposed changes would have dramatically weakened the bill by making minimum public health standards a local option, thus further entrenching the patchwork of policies that have made the Commonwealth’s local public health system both ineffective and inequitable.

Now, MPHA and our partners are once again working to promote the passage of SAPHE 2.0. Support in the legislature remains strong, and with the recent inauguration of Maura Healey as Governor, we are optimistic that this critical bill will finally become law.

Capacity Building

MPHA has been an invaluable partner in the fight to keep buses free in Worcester. They are dedicated to supporting the leadership on the ground in our community and have helped us to develop work plans that leverage the expertise we have at the table, as well as strategies for building out our coalition. Because of MPHA, our coalition is not only more effective at the local level, but we are also more engaged in conversation about fare free buses and strong regional transit at the state level.“

Anne Bureau,
Program Director, Worcester Community Connections Coalition (affiliate of the Seven Hills Foundation) and longtime member of the ZeroFare WRTA Coalition

In addition to making key strides in priority legislative campaigns, MPHA coached partner organizations interested in leveraging their time and resources to influence policy change at the state and local level. In 2022, MPHA equipped non-profits and community groups with tools to navigate the state legislative process, communicate effectively with policymakers and build their sphere of influence.

In 2022, MPHA continued to support the ZeroFare Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) Coalition in their campaign to win a permanent fare free bus policy. Transportation is a critical social determinant of health, and fares are one of the biggest barriers to access for people who rely on the bus in Worcester County. To date, the WRTA has one of the longest running fare free pilots in the Commonwealth, in large part due to the coalition’s strong network of supporters that span riders, community-based organizations and elected officials. In 2022, the coalition was successful in convincing the WRTA to extend the fare free policy through June 2023.

Partnership Building

MPHA has been an invaluable partner in our efforts to advance housing justice in Worcester and Springfield. By leveraging our collective skills and values, we are able to co-develop strategies and tactics to empower tenants across Neighbor to Neighbor’s chapter cities, while working towards realizing a more just housing system for all. This partnership is truly rewarding, and we look forward to continuing to work together to effect meaningful change.“

Katie Talbot,
Lead Organizer and Miles Gresham, Campaign Director for
Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts

Last year, we made critical advances in our efforts to promote the fundamental building blocks of good health, including access to reliable public transit, stable and affordable housing, and clean air, while deepening partnerships with community-based organizations and community-led coalitions that are informing and enriching these campaigns, including Homes for All Massachusetts, the Regional Transit Authority Advocates Coalition, the Massachusetts Environmental Justice Table, and Neighbor to Neighbor, a grassroots advocacy organization.

In 2022, through a community-driven process, MPHA and Neighbor to Neighbor altered the scope of our joint initiative to focus on the skyrocketing housing costs that have put growing financial pressure on most middle- and low-income families across the Commonwealth, particularly in Gateway Cities like Worcester and Springfield. Access to affordable housing is a fundamental driver of positive health outcomes, promoting well-being, fostering stable employment, and contributing to long-term family and social connections. As we look ahead to the next legislative session, we will continue to build a coalition of residents, community-based organizations, and local leaders across Neighbor to Neighbor’s chapter cities to advance housing justice campaigns that will empower low-income residents and residents of color to advocate for anti-displacement, tenant empowerment, and local rent control legislation at the municipal and state level.

Your stories, our campaigns — 2022

Your stories, our campaigns

Public Health on the Ballot