What's In Store For North Shore In $3.8 Billion MA Economic Bill?

SALEM, MA — The $3.76 billion state economic development bill that the Massachusetts legislature passed this week includes some big funding for the North Shore, including $45 million for offshore wind energy infrastructure in Salem and funding for projects and organizations in Beverly, Danvers and Peabody.

The legislature touted the bill, which now heads to Gov. Charlie Baker's desk, as one that targets energy assistance, supports ongoing transportation needs, and invests in the state's small businesses, caregivers, health care system, affordable housing and efforts to fight climate change.

Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) said she was proud to work alongside Reps. Paul Tucker (D-Salem), Jerry Parisella (D-Beverly), Sally Kerans (D-Danvers) and Thomas Walsh (D-Peabody) to secure funding for the Second Essex District in the final economic development bill.

That funding includes $45 million for infrastructure improvement in Salem to facilitate the offshore wind port project, $300,000 to alleviate flooding in the area around Jordan Street and adjoining neighborhoods in Beverly, $200,000 for the installation of solar panels at Beverly High School and other municipal properties, $100,000 for traffic mitigation measures related to the Hall-Whitaker bridge closure in Beverly, $30,000 for the Haven From Hunger food program in Peabody, $20,000 for the Danvers Community Council, Inc., and $10,000 for increased staffing at Salem Alliance for the Environment.

(Also on Patch: What's In The $3.8 Billion MA Economic Development Spending Bill?)

"I am pleased to join my colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives to pass an economic development package to support our families, residents and businesses,” Lovely said. "The comprehensive spending bill will strengthen our Commonwealth's economic stability and makes investments in key industries, including $45 million to support the construction of the offshore wind port in Salem."

The spending plan is on top of tax refunds heading to about 3 million state residents, the result of an obscure law that caps how much income tax revenue the state can collect in a given year.

There are key items that were omitted from the bill on top of tax cuts, including bringing back happy hour, and proposed $250 stimulus checks for some state residents.

Some of the other big beneficiaries of the bill were $112 million for MBTA safety and service upgrades, $350 million for hospitals strained during the pandemic, $200 million for a COVID-19 response fund, $100 million to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, $20 million to help immigrants and refugees relocation to Massachusetts, $57 million in home heating programs and $153 for business pandemic relief.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)