Council submits testimony on FY '11 budget

The Providers' Council attended the Joint Committee on Ways & Means public hearing on the budget on Friday, March 5th and submitted testimony to the joint committee seeking a $28 million salary reserve for human services workers making $40,000 and under per year.

"A strong human service workforce is a prerequisite for a strong economy," Providers' Council President & CEO Michael Weekes said in his testimony. "Thousands of people are able to go to work every day because a family member is being served by human service providers.  Further, a large percentage of any salary adjustments will be spent in the 351 cities and towns where our programs exist and our workers live.  The money they make comes back to the economy."

The People First! campaign filled the room to talk to legislators about their budget requests. Many of the attendees at the event wore green stickers with the People First! logo that had the slogan "Put People First!"

For more information about the Providers' Council testimony or budget request, please e-mail Michael Ripple at the Providers' Council or call him at 617-428-3637.