Shaun Robinson Boston University Statehouse Program
BOSTON Massachusetts is set to receive about $8 billion from the American Rescue Plan, about $4.5 billion of which will go to the state and $3.4 billion of which will go to cities and towns, officials say.
The state is in better financial health than was initially expected amid the economic challenges of the pandemic, having upgraded revenue projections several times for the 2021 fiscal year.
How exactly the state will leverage the $8 billion in aid remains unclear, at least until there is additional guidance from the federal government. The Massachusetts House of Representatives this session created a Committee on Federal Stimulus and Census Oversight, which is charged with reviewing federal spending and making recommendations for how the state can secure additional funding.