What $1.8 Billion Could’ve Done for US

Jun 5

For years, we’ve been told there’s no money for roads. No money for parks. No money for the things that matter most to our neighborhoods.

But here’s the truth: the money was there, Beacon Hill just spent it elsewhere.

In the past few years, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts allocated nearly $1.855 billion on projects that, at best, are symbolic and at worst, completely unnecessary. These are just a small fraction. Let’s break it down:

Wasteful State Spending Snapshot:

$1.02 billion – Emergency shelter spending (FY24–FY25) with no long-term plan and little local control
$200,000 – Redesigning the state flag, seal, and motto

$350,000 – Subsidy to the privately run Basketball Hall of Fame

$500,000 – Mattress recycling employment program
$25,000 – Dishwashers for Lexington elementary schools
$85,000 – A failed 2017 effort to rebrand the “Pioneer Valley” to “West Mass”

This isn’t conservative or liberal. This is just plain irresponsible.

What That Money Could’ve Done

If that $1.855 billion were redirected to the Chapter 90 program, which funds municipal roads and bridges, Chicopee could’ve received an estimated $17.5 million, which is more than 10 times what we currently get.

That kind of funding could’ve:

Repaired and repaved entire neighborhoods
Improved traffic safety and pedestrian walkability
Saved taxpayers from future maintenance costs

And if just $15 million had been set aside for Chicopee’s public parks, we could’ve transformed:

Williams Park
Litwin Park
Ray Ash Park
Szot Park
And many more, adding splash pads, walking trails, ADA-compliant features, security cameras, lighting, and family-friendly recreation options across the city.

This kind of investment would’ve been historic.

It’s Not Just Chicopee

This isn’t just about my district or my city, it’s about every community across Massachusetts.

If the state had used this funding for Chapter 90, here’s what others could have seen:

Boston: $ 100 M+ for major structural upgrades
Mid-sized cities (e.g., Framingham, Pittsfield): $8–15M each
Small towns (e.g., Ware, Palmer): $2–5M each — compared to the usual $200–600K

These dollars would’ve gone to roads, sidewalks, safety, jobs, and real infrastructure, not symbolic commissions or one-town kitchen equipment.

This Wasn’t a Revenue Problem. It Was a Priority Problem.

Massachusetts doesn’t need more tax hikes. We need smarter decisions.

The state had nearly $2 billion and chose to waste it on politics, public relations, and pet projects instead of investing in the very streets we walk, drive, and live on every day.

We need to refocus our government on results, not rituals.

We Deserve Better.

I’ll keep fighting for fiscal responsibility and transparency. We can’t allow this kind of mismanagement to continue, not when our streets are crumbling and our communities are being told to wait their turn. I am imploring everyone to contact their state representatives and Senators to urge them to spend our tax dollars wisely.

Find your State Legislator here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

It’s time Beacon Hill worked for the US again.

– Sam Shumsky