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VOTE411 Voter Guide

2024 State House Eighth Hampden District

The Massachusetts House of Representatives is comprised of 160 members, each representing a district of approximately 40,000 people and each elected for a two-year term. As required by the Massachusetts Constitution, the House meets year-round in either formal or informal sessions to consider legislation. The Massachusetts House is led by the Speaker of the House who is elected by the members of the body at the beginning of each two-year legislative session. Base salary for each representative is approximately $66,256.

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    Shirley B. Arriaga
    (Dem)

Biographical Information

Do you support election day voter registration? Why or why not?

What actions should the legislature take to address the climate emergency?

What should the legislature do to increase the supply of affordable and middle-market housing in Massachusetts?

What measures would you support to deal with the needs of the large number of immigrants coming to Massachusetts?

What are your priorities for dealing with transportation statewide and in your district?

Yes, as it increases access to voting.
The Legislature is legally required to meet the GWSA goals, and must enact policies that allow us to achieve that. Expanding funding for solar, community and residential, alongside battery storage as storms intensify is both addressing the current climate emergency and work to reduce GHG emissions. Incentivize clean new developments such as heat pumps through tax credits Transportation answer below also speaks to climate
We should begin Modernizin Zoning and eliminating the "not in my backyard" mentality .Many local cities and towns support more housing development, just not in their own neighborhoods.

Furthermore, we must recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We need to think creatively and outside the box. That's why I wholeheartedly support the Housing Bondbill, which presents multiple ideas to expand our housing market. These include converting unused storefronts, creating low-income housing options, and allocating a percentage of homes for our disabled and veteran communities. These initiatives are crucial steps toward addressing the housing crisis.
I believe we must exert pressure on our federal counterparts to address the migrant crisis across Massachusetts and the nation. The federal government has the power to expedite the issuance of temporary work permits, enabling migrants to become self-sufficient. Once accomplished, we can expect a swift reduction in state dependency, benefiting us all
Transportation can also reduce emissions through a decrease in personal use vehicles such as public transit, trains, etc. Electrifying public transit, which is cheaper per person than electric vehicles, expedites car companies' adoption of cheaper EV development East West rails continues to be a priority for climate and economy Public transit is only as good as its schedule. Ensuring schedules meet the needs of all so that personal use vehicles aren’t needed, especially for working families who can not afford them.