AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang released the following statement in response to Governor Maura Healey’s budget for Fiscal Year 2026:
“Governor Healey’s budget reinforces her Administration’s commitment to making a more equitable Commonwealth – one where all residents can access affordable housing, reliable transportation, healthcare, and high-quality public schools.
“States are facing unprecedented cuts to federal investment and critical programming. President Trump’s talk of helping working families was clearly nothing more than campaign rhetoric. The rich will get richer over the next four years, further widening the equality gap plaguing our nation.
“That makes it even more critical that we have a state budget and agenda that comprehensively reflects the vision we have for Massachusetts. This is a good first step in that work, but we can and should lead in the resistance to the Trump Administration’s dangerous, divisive agenda.
“We can show the world that Massachusetts will not be deterred from protecting the things we value most – workers’ rights, healthcare access, high-quality public education from pre-k to post-secondary, social services our most vulnerable rely on, and economic opportunity for all.
“The AFT Massachusetts remains committed to justice, equity, and opportunities for all students and working families and we will continue to push Massachusetts to be the leader we know it to be.”