“We want to make sure Somerville is a city that works for everyone, and these funds give us the opportunity to address many of the equity gaps we need to bridge,” Mayor-elect Ballantyne said. “This pandemic has not hit everyone equally. Some people have kept their jobs while working from home, or even got promotions and raises. Meanwhile, others have experienced major financial and health setbacks or had to expose themselves to a greater risk of catching COVID-19 to earn the money they need to pay their bills. This isn’t free money to spend in a cavalier fashion. It’s money we need to direct to those in the most need.”
“My administration will continue to work with the community to identify the highest impact, highest value ARPA investments to support both our community’s recovery and progress on shared goals,” continued Mayor-elect Ballantyne. “That includes considering further investments in these initial areas as well.”
