By Rep. Christine Barber
34th Middlesex District

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

As we settle into 2018, most of us are looking for a new start and more hopeful news, instead of the challenges and division we faced in 2017. Make no mistake, we have good reason to be angry or fearful at many of the federal policies leveled at us. But despite terrible news, we in Massachusetts have good reason to be optimistic.

From my work with neighbors throughout Somerville and Medford, I have seen positive signs of hard work and resistance. Here are three things that I am hopeful about in 2018:

• Our Commonwealth is made up of people who care about their communities and neighbors. It is clear, again and again, that residents are ready to stand up for each other. We have the strongest levels of health coverage in the nation, but when the Affordable Care Act was threatened on the federal level, and Governor Baker threatened to roll back the Medicaid coverage for low-income people at the state level, residents pushed back to protect health care. We also saw hundreds of activists come to the State House to support women’s health and ensure contraceptive coverage for all in Massachusetts, even as the Trump Administration rolled back these protections. Amid federal challenges to Temporary Protected Status, ending DACA and increasing deportations, I was proud to stand with neighbors at many rallies and public hearings to support policies like the Safe Communities Act, in-state tuition for DREAMers and other undocumented students, and other policies to support immigrants. Massachusetts residents are passionate and care deeply about their community. I know in 2018 we’ll continue to stand up for our values.
• We have already accomplished a lot, and can build upon that. Progress at the state level can get lost in the daily news. The Massachusetts House and Senate have each passed, and are now finalizing, a large-scale criminal justice reform bill that will be transformative for communities. This bill will likely include reductions in mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug crimes, restorative justice practices, new focus on how women are treated in the justice system, and limitations to solitary confinement.

Other accomplishments have been a long time coming, but are real. After decades of advocacy, meetings, and legal briefs, the federal and state governments have finally moved forward on funding Phase I of the Green Line Extension, including the Community Path, though Somerville and Medford, which will start construction this year. One of our strengths in Massachusetts is our ability to work together, stay the course and lead. Victories may not come easily or quickly, but we are able to move forward.

• We are fighting for critical issues, and they are winnable if we keep working together. In this era with new policies every day that provoke fear in our immigrant communities, we are working hard to move forward on legislation that protects immigrants, like the Safe Communities Act. We need to ensure state tax dollars are spent on keeping our communities safe, not stoking fears of interaction with law enforcement or tearing apart families. What’s more, policies that promote economic justice are only going to happen at the state level – we cannot count on the federal government to act. Massachusetts is working to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour and a fair wage for tipped employees, who often still make $3.75 an hour. This increase would lift thousands of families out of poverty.

Amid the housing crisis in our region, the state legislature is working on both a Housing Bond bill that funds state capital programs for affordable housing, and also zoning reforms that could encourage innovative solutions to address the housing crisis, including accessory dwellings, artist space and multi-family housing. Finally, as Washington moves backward on climate change, we have the tools to continue to move forward in Massachusetts. I continue to work on a bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through financial incentives for utilities to fix gas leaks quickly, rather than pass the costs on to consumers. With all of these legislative proposals under consideration at the State House, there is a lot to do, but these are attainable goals if we keep working together.

It is easy to feel distraught and cut off by what is happening at the federal level. But positive changes are possible in Massachusetts, and have the ability to strengthen our communities. It is more critical now than ever that our state has people to fight for what we care about most. I have seen the action and activity over the past year, and I trust that it will continue to grow stronger. Here in Massachusetts, we can work together to build social and economic justice that supports our communities, and the work starts at home.