{"id":2393237,"date":"2025-01-21T13:00:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T18:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massachusetts-to-return-2-1-billion-in-misspent-federal-covid-19-funds\/"},"modified":"2025-01-21T13:01:17","modified_gmt":"2025-01-21T18:01:17","slug":"massachusetts-to-return-2-1-billion-in-misspent-federal-covid-19-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massachusetts-to-return-2-1-billion-in-misspent-federal-covid-19-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Massachusetts to return $2.1 billion in misspent federal COVID-19 funds"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmassachusetts-to-return-2-1-billion-in-misspent-federal-covid-19-funds%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2393237&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>massachusetts has announced plans to return \u200d$2.1 billion of the $2.5 billion in federal COVID-19 funds that were\u200b misallocated during the management of former Republican Governor Charlie\u2063 Baker.This decision \u200creflects the state\u2019s efforts to address the misuse of federal \u2062resources and comply\u200b with federal regulations by\u2062 repaying \u200cthe funds to\u2062 the government. The financial discrepancy highlights the challenges faced during the distribution of emergency funds\u2064 amid the \u2063pandemic.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Massachusetts to return $2.1 billion in misspent federal COVID-19 funds<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1941346\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/massachusetts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Massachusetts<\/a> will pay the federal government $2.1 billion of the $2.5 billion it misspent under former Republican Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/charlie-baker\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Charlie Baker<\/a>&rsquo;s administration.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Gov. Maura Healey&rsquo;s (D-MA) administration announced Monday that the state reached a settlement with former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Joe Biden<\/a>&rsquo;s administration last Friday to pay back most of what it misspent to pay jobless claims. The settlement lets the state spread out the payments over 10 years, beginning Dec. 1.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It is incredibly frustrating that the prior administration allowed this to happen, but we are going to use this as a moment to come together with the business and labor community to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rnc-will-advise-candidates-to-stay-out-of-debates-if-reforms-arent-made\/\" title=\"RNC: Will Advise Candidates to Stay Out of Debates If Reforms Aren&#039;t Made\">make meaningful reforms<\/a> to the Unemployment Insurance system,&rdquo; Healey said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The federal government&rsquo;s bill could have exceeded $3 billion if it held the state to the full amount including interest and penalties, but negotiations with the Labor Department reduced the amount owed to $2.1 billion, according to Healey&rsquo;s office. Anyone who received jobless benefits during that time will not be affected.<\/p>\n<p>Months after taking office in 2023, Healey announced that her administration discovered that the Baker administration improperly used $2.5 billion in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/orange-county-supervisor-accused-of-taking-bribes-pleads-guilty-to-conspiracy-and-resigns-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Orange County supervisor accused of taking bribes, pleads guilty to conspiracy, and resigns - Washington Examiner\">federal pandemic relief funds<\/a> to pay for jobless claims when it should have used state funds. The state continued to make this error for over three years during the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>The majority of the money will be paid from the state&rsquo;s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which is funded by a tax on employers. Healey said employers will not see any increase in their tax rates until at least 2026, while Massachusetts is weighing changes to its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swing-district-dems-break-from-biden-on-increased-unemployment\/\" title=\"Swing-District Dems Break From Biden on Increased Unemployment\">unemployment insurance system<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The state will take $73 million from its general budget to pay back interest.<\/p>\n<p>The governor additionally instructed state Labor Secretary Lauren Jones and Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz to &ldquo;conduct a comprehensive review of the solvency of UI and assess potential reforms.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The payment back to the federal government could create a headache for lawmakers in Boston as the Healey administration projected the UI Trust Fund will be hundreds of millions of dollars in debt by the end of 2028, even before $2.1 billion in additional payments were announced.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Christopher Carlozzi, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business Massachusetts chapter, said lawmakers need to embrace major changes to reform the state&rsquo;s UI system.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It is incomprehensible that the state made a monumental error, and it&rsquo;s Massachusetts small employers that are required to today foot the $2.1 billion bill,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Add this to the $2.7 billion they are currently paying back as a result of state-mandated COVID shutdowns that were beyond their control, and it paints a very clear picture as to why Massachusetts&rsquo;s businesses correctly feel like they are being crushed by one the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">worst unemployment insurance taxes<\/a> in the nation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1941346\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1941346\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Massachusetts to repay $2.1 billion in misused COVID-19 funds<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2393238,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/charlie-baker-1024x591.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[40644,48940,5610],"class_list":["post-2393237","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-covid-19-funds","tag-federal-money","tag-massachusetts"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/charlie-baker-1024x591.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2393237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2393237"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2393237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2393241,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2393237\/revisions\/2393241"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2393238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2393237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2393237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2393237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}