In Fiscal Year 2021 Mass Cultural Council invited its Cultural Districts to apply for up to $7,500 in assistance to support rebuilding and renewal efforts in their communities and ultimately awarded a total of $359,000 to 48 districts. Read the full article on Mass Cultural Council. 

At a Joint Session of the Massachusetts Legislature, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D- Arlington) and Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) joined their colleagues in the House and Senate in a Constitutional Convention to advance an amendment to the state Constitution to provide greater investments in education and transportation funding. Read more.

On Thursday May 20, 2021, Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington), Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford), and their colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature gave final legislative approval to a bill to guarantee COVID emergency paid leave to workers, as well as avoid drastic unemployment insurance rate increases paid by employers. Read the full article on BCAT.

Mass Cultural Council is pleased to announce two new state cultural districts, designated today by unanimous vote of the Agency’s governing Board: Bedford Cultural District in the Town of Bedford and Boston Little Saigon Cultural District, located in the Fields Corner neighborhood of Dorchester, in the City of Boston. Read the full article on Mass Cultural Council 

State Rep. Ken Gordon, D–Bedford, and his colleagues in the state House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) budget on Thursday, March 29. The $47.7 billion budget includes significant investments in education, supportive services for vulnerable populations, MassHealth, and economic development, in addition to local funding for the towns of Burlington and Bedford. Read the full article on Wicked Local.