Boston, MA - The taxpayer-funded Emergency Assistance (EA) shelter system has spiraled into unchecked spending and a full-blown humanitarian crisis-all at the expense of hardworking Massachusetts residents. Tomorrow, the EA shelter budget runs out, and the Massachusetts Republican Party is calling for a halt to any additional funding until meaningful reforms are enacted to restore the program’s original intent: assisting Massachusetts families facing genuine hardship. 

Governor Maura Healey’s recent response to critical questions from House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Aaron Michlewitz failed to provide the answers that taxpayers deserve before more money is allocated. Meanwhile, the so-called “reforms” introduced by the Healey-Driscoll administration are nothing more than half-measures that do nothing to curb the program’s unsustainable spending cycle. 

MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale issued a sharp rebuke of the administration’s approach, stating: 

“We cannot, in good conscience, continue funding the Emergency Assistance Shelter Program without meaningful reforms that include concrete measures to scale back the program and rein in spending. Our state’s revenue streams and overall budget are simply not in a position to sustain massive, unchecked expenditures.” 

Carnevale also pointed to the broader economic challenges facing Massachusetts: 

“Massachusetts is already overly reliant on one-time revenue sources and the so-called Millionaire’s Tax to fund key initiatives. Yet, we know these temporary revenue streams will eventually disappear, and the data is clear-Massachusetts is experiencing an exodus of residents, particularly those targeted by the Governor’s tax on success. We cannot continue down a path of reckless spending without real solutions to curb costs and restore fiscal responsibility to the EA shelter program.” 

The Massachusetts Republican Party stands firm in its demand for transparency, accountability, and real reform before taxpayers are asked to foot another massive bill for a program in crisis. The time for half-measures is over-Massachusetts needs leadership that will enact lasting solutions, not continue down a path of financial irresponsibility.