WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:01.280 It's nice eyes. 2 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:05.400 I'm going Boston's news radio. 3 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:09.080 Thanks very much. Al. There were a couple of articles, 4 00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:10.679 and the one in the Herald and one of them 5 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:13.839 in the Globe today. They kind of were the same story, 6 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:16.280 but a bit of a different take. Both of the 7 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:20.800 stories suggested that we have finally come to a realization 8 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.600 here in Massachusetts that maybe maybe we have bitten off 9 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:27.679 more than we can chew. The headline of the Globe story, 10 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:32.000 in sweeping changes to shelter policy, mass reflects other states 11 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.039 navigating immigration debate. We've been talking about this now for 12 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:40.359 a long time, a long time, and with us is 13 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:45.240 State Representative Paul Frost. He's a Republican from Central Massachusetts. 14 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:50.000 Home bases Auburn, Massachusetts. Welcome to nightside, Representative. How are 15 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:50.399 you tonight. 16 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:52.359 I'm doing well. 17 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:53.560 Thank you for having me on. 18 00:00:54.039 --> 00:00:56.439 I think you're doing better than our shelter system, that's 19 00:00:56.439 --> 00:01:00.920 for sure. Your district includes all of Auburn and all 20 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:03.799 of Milbury to great towns right up by the mass 21 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:06.319 turned bike in central Massachusetts, as well as a little 22 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:11.519 bit of Oxford, Charlton and Lester. It's pronounced Lester right, 23 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:14.640 all right. So we got that taken we got that 24 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:20.920 taken care of. So you have been someone who has 25 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:27.439 followed this story really closely. I actually was covering the 26 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:31.120 story the day that Governor Decaucus in nineteen eighty three 27 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:34.799 assigned what came to be known as the Right to 28 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:38.239 Shelter Law here in Massachusetts in nineteen eighty three. And 29 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:41.920 here we are, I don't want to say it, but 30 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:48.959 it's forty one years later, and we're in a world 31 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.640 of hurt right now. How did we get from a 32 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:56.719 piece of legislation signed by Micrococcus in nineteen eighty three, 33 00:01:56.760 --> 00:02:01.480 which was intended to help women and uh and and 34 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:06.159 pregnant women and women with children who were in oftentimes 35 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:10.039 situations of domestic dispute or whatever, from you know, to 36 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:14.039 help those individuals here in Massachusetts. How do we get 37 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:16.520 to where we are today, where we're spending a billion 38 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:21.360 dollars a year on sheltering people who have come here 39 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:23.400 from far away lands looking for help. 40 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:29.199 Uh, you know, it's a great question. And but the 41 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:32.280 way the Right in the Shelter Law was, you know, 42 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:35.039 was written, was really, as you said, was intended to 43 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:39.759 help people who were local to Massachusetts, people who ran 44 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:43.479 into hard time families who ran into hard times, and 45 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.800 we didn't want them living you know, in the alleyway 46 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:49.919 or in their cars. You know, you want to get 47 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:53.680 them some sort of emergency shelter, especially if they had, 48 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:56.319 you know, obviously with children involved or like you said, 49 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:00.199 pregnant women involved, and and and uh and it's now 50 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:03.439 kind of morphed into this. You can show up for 51 00:03:03.560 --> 00:03:07.639 one day in Massachusetts from out of state, out of 52 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:11.919 country and claim that you need a place to stay, 53 00:03:11.960 --> 00:03:15.159 you need emergency shelter, and you'll be granted some sort 54 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:19.039 of assistance. And it's gotten crazy, it's gotten out of hand. 55 00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:22.280 It was out of control, and it's still you know, 56 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.960 it still is and it's it's unsustainable. And that's what 57 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:28.479 we were saying, you know, almost a year ago, and 58 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:33.120 nothing is really changed and as far as as far 59 00:03:33.159 --> 00:03:36.479 as what's been happening, and so it's it's been it's 60 00:03:36.520 --> 00:03:38.400 you know, that's not what the system was meant for, 61 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:39.800 you know, for you to be here for a day. 62 00:03:39.879 --> 00:03:42.759 And you know, when the governor did put in a 63 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:46.000 a sort of a cap back in November on the 64 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:49.719 emergency shelter shelter, she was still taking in people and 65 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:53.960 giving them overflow shelter places, so places at the border 66 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:56.199 continuing to send them here, I mean groups at the 67 00:03:56.199 --> 00:03:58.240 border continuing to send these families here because they know 68 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:02.680 they'll get some sort of help. And in meanwhile, they 69 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:06.360 created a waiting list, and that waiting list pitted people 70 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:08.479 who have been a resident of Massachusetts for years and 71 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:12.439 years and years against against those who are coming from 72 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:15.560 out of state, out of country and who have only 73 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:18.600 been here a day, and competing for those spots, uh 74 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:22.160 limited spots that were left in the emergency shelter systems. So, 75 00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:25.319 you know, and that was wrong. So it's just it's 76 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.839 just been a comedy of errors that could have been 77 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:30.680 resolved a long time ago. But I know myself and 78 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:32.920 my members of my Republican caucus in the House and 79 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:36.319 the Senate, you know, are are pleased with with some 80 00:04:36.360 --> 00:04:38.879 of the changes the governor's making. We're gonna still have 81 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.120 to see how some of this stuff works out, but 82 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:45.120 but it's by much a step in the right direction, 83 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.519 uh than than there was when when everything we've been 84 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:51.240 doing and saying and calling for, including you know, filing 85 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:54.560 amendments on the House floor and the Senate floor, have 86 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:57.800 gone uh, you know, just you know, you know, no 87 00:04:57.839 --> 00:04:59.959 one's been listening to them, and they've been voting a. 88 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:05.040 Question that I've never asked anyone before, but I think 89 00:05:05.079 --> 00:05:09.959 it's important. It's an important question, and that is we 90 00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:14.399 hear the stories about people who have crossed the border. 91 00:05:15.160 --> 00:05:17.720 They come from. I think it's one hundred and eighty 92 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:22.879 countries around the world, literally literally, very many of them 93 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:26.639 do not speak a word of English, and if they 94 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:28.600 do speak a word of English, it's probably yes, no, 95 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:31.000 and a couple of other words that they might know. 96 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:41.199 How are they so fortunate to find their way to Massachusetts. 97 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:45.560 I'm assuming there must be a structure in place for 98 00:05:45.639 --> 00:05:47.480 these yes or souls? 99 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:48.319 So what happened? 100 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:48.920 So? 101 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:51.720 What what's happening with? And it's kind of like a 102 00:05:51.720 --> 00:05:54.639 two tiered issue here that kind of branches off from 103 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:58.720 each other. Or what you have is is that you 104 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:02.160 have the group of folks that have come here and 105 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:05.680 are using the Family Emergency Shelter. Uh, there are folks 106 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:10.240 that the Biden administration allowed, you know, they're applying for asylum, 107 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:13.920 they priding for refugee status, and under the previous administration 108 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:17.000 or the Trump administration, you had to wait it out 109 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:19.800 in Mexico or another or your home country, right, and 110 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:23.160 then you got approval to come over once your paperwork 111 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:25.399 was done and everything was processed, and you could then 112 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:27.120 come over, get your work permit and then you know, 113 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:29.120 come to you go wherever you want in the United States. 114 00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:32.639 What's happening is the Biden administration is letting them in 115 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:36.360 if they if they come for one of these refugee countries, 116 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.360 uh status countries, and they they can come in and claim, 117 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:42.600 you know, ask for asylum, which can take years to happen, 118 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:45.120 by the way, and then they. 119 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:48.720 Go to getting correct me if I'm wrong, but if 120 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:50.680 they get in court dates that are seven, eight, ten 121 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:51.759 years out. 122 00:06:52.279 --> 00:06:54.879 Yeah, that's that's my understanding, but you know, years out. 123 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:59.079 But yeah, they're coming in and without work permits either 124 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.199 the FASI istting them in and they're giving but they're 125 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:05.639 giving them lawful permission to be here. So that's a 126 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:07.519 bit of a difference between the people who are coming 127 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:09.839 over legally and then sneaking in and then coming to 128 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:13.199 Massachusetts and other places. These folks are coming in and 129 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:16.399 they have lawful presence now because they have lawful presence 130 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:19.560 from the Biden administration. What happens is these groups like 131 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:22.680 Catholic charities. Maybe the governor of Texas what have you, 132 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:25.800 takes these folks and says, hey, look, if you go 133 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:28.240 to Massachusetts, the entire state has a right to shelter 134 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:30.759 the law. They're going to give you benefits and a 135 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:33.639 place to live. They'll give you a better shelter than 136 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:37.800 you would here in Texas or somewhere else, and you 137 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:39.240 just have to get there and we'll and we'll help 138 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:42.160 you get there. And that's why that group has come here, 139 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:44.279 and that's why they overloaded our shelter system. And then, 140 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:47.480 you know, less than a year now if you take 141 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:49.120 the other side of it, which is another group of 142 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:52.879 folks that are coming across illegally and they're not stopping 143 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:55.519 and getting there and they're just coming here. And then 144 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:58.040 you know, they they come into Massachusetts. And that's a 145 00:07:58.040 --> 00:07:59.600 whole other issue. And that's been an issue for a 146 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.040 very long time. But the one kind of key thing 147 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:06.720 here about because the Biden administration gives them a lawful 148 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:08.879 presence instead of making them wait in Mexico or where 149 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:12.279 else their home country because he's letting him in. What 150 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:15.279 happens is they have that lawful presence document. Because they 151 00:08:15.279 --> 00:08:18.079 have that lawful presence document. They're not considered undocumented, they're 152 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:21.560 not considered illegal, so that's what makes them eligible for 153 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:25.240 the emergency shelter program. If they were illegal, like as 154 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:29.000 we understand it, undocumented, they would not be eligible for 155 00:08:29.079 --> 00:08:32.279 the family Emergency Shelter system. That's why it hasn't blown 156 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:35.639 up before because we've always had illegal immigration coming to 157 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:37.799 Massachusetts and elsewhere. And that's a whole issue as well. 158 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:41.440 Quote incentives and things that Massachusetts does and other states 159 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:43.679 do that you know, makes it an attractive place for 160 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:47.000 illegal immigrants to want to come here. But these folks 161 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:48.960 are being sent here by groups at the border, you know, 162 00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:50.960 Catholic Charity is one of them, because they know they're 163 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:53.519 going to get taken care of. And we had to 164 00:08:53.559 --> 00:08:56.919 try to We needed to cut that the incentive off 165 00:08:57.559 --> 00:09:00.440 a long time ago, like ten eleven, twelve months ago, 166 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:04.039 and and and we did it, and and we made efforts. 167 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:07.559 In November, I filed several amendments and one of them 168 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:12.279 was a ah A residency requirement in order to apply 169 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:15.200 for for it. If I did I did so again 170 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:17.200 in in March, and I did so again in April 171 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:19.279 to say, look, and you got to be here for 172 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:20.879 twelve months and I made it to six months, and 173 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:22.120 I made it three month. You know, you had have 174 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:23.320 been here for a period of time. You can't just 175 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:25.759 get these benefits of the day you show up. And 176 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:28.080 we tried to do things on the waiting list. Representative 177 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:31.679 Brad Jones, our House minority leader, filed an amendment during 178 00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:34.799 our budget debate that said, hey, look it if if 179 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:37.399 if you're you know, on the waiting list. You know, 180 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:39.399 is that, Hey, if you're on a waiting list and 181 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:43.799 you have veteran status, you should be able to get priority. 182 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:47.200 And we have that for everything else, right, Veterans get 183 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:49.759 that for housing authorities, everything else. But but we put 184 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:51.360 that on the floor the speaker, I was a co 185 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:55.200 sponsor of that amendment. Representative Jones put that on the floor, 186 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:57.759 spoke on it, and uh, you know, it was voted 187 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:01.000 down overwhelmingly. All the Republicans voted for it, but voted 188 00:10:01.039 --> 00:10:01.759 down overwhelmingly. 189 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:06.440 So the Democrats essentially voted in unison to prevent. 190 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:10.279 I believe, I believe there was a in fairness. I 191 00:10:10.279 --> 00:10:12.120 believe there was a few Democrats who crossed over and 192 00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:16.519 supported our proposal, but it was overwhelmingly opposition by the Democrats, 193 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:20.480 and and to do that and then come find out 194 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:26.480 the governor put our provision into the UH into her 195 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:28.000 new reform that she just released. 196 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:34.080 I mean, but give it credit for that. We need 197 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:36.200 to take a quick break Paul here. I know I've 198 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:39.080 thrown a lot at you, and you responded really well 199 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.480 and given us information, even things I didn't quite realize. 200 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:46.039 You brought it into focus. I assume Catholic Charities has 201 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:49.679 has some sort of a financial benefit of being involved here. 202 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:53.759 Correct that that I can't I can't speak to that. 203 00:10:53.879 --> 00:10:56.200 I don't you know, I don't know the ins and 204 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:57.879 outs of that, so I don't want to say anything 205 00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:59.200 that I have. 206 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:03.440 Read that they basically as an expeditor for all of this, 207 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:07.960 are compensated because obviously people have to to put them 208 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.679 in a shelter in Massachusetts. They have to physically get 209 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:16.399 from here, you know, from Texas to here. So that's that. 210 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:18.919 But we can we'll we'll love to have someone on 211 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:21.879 from Catholic Charities tonight some night and talk about that. 212 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:25.360 Will take quick break. My guest is Paul Frost. At 213 00:11:25.399 --> 00:11:30.120 this point, we are spending billions of dollars, a billion 214 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:34.360 dollars a year to house migrants here in Massachusetts, and 215 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:37.480 I don't see where it's going to stop. That's would 216 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:40.639 be my next area of questions with State representing Paul Frost. 217 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:44.039 If you'd like to join the conversation, feel free, uh 218 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:47.240 six one seven, four ten thirty six one seven, nine 219 00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:49.519 three one ten thirty. We'll get you in as well 220 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:52.600 as triple eight nine to nine, ten thirty. My name 221 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:55.679 is Dan Ray. We are having a conversation here on 222 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:57.720 a Friday night. I think it's important and we're going 223 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:00.840 to continue with this. I think, I hope into the 224 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:02.960 next hour or so because it's kind of a movie 225 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:05.519 target and I want to understand it better so I 226 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:08.240 can make consider judgments, and I hope you do as well. 227 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:10.879 We'll be right back on night Side. 228 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:14.759 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 229 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:18.000 night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio. 230 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:21.840 My guest the state represented Paul Frost. He's a Republican 231 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:27.399 from a Republican from Auburn. He also has been appointed 232 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:34.320 to a committee to study this situation. He bipartisan committee. 233 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:35.720 What do you what do you hope this committee is 234 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:38.519 going to achieve or accomplish? 235 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:43.159 So it's a Special Commission regarding this emergency Family Shelter crisis, 236 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:45.480 and we will see. You know, we just had our 237 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:47.279 first meeting last week and it was just more of 238 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:51.000 an introductory meeting. I know, Senator Fatman who I am, 239 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:54.240 Senator Ryan Fatman who I am on this commission with 240 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:58.960 from the Republican side, you know, are hoping to get across. 241 00:12:59.080 --> 00:13:01.000 I think a lot of the things that some of 242 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:03.240 these things that have already now have happened that the 243 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:06.120 Governor's announced, but to talk about we needed we need 244 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:08.120 to stop the spigot, you know, to keep it from 245 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:11.399 continuing to grow out of control. And you know, you 246 00:13:11.480 --> 00:13:15.480 need to stop the influx and and then you know, 247 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:19.200 otherwise it's just never going to stop. And uh so, well, 248 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:21.600 but and now some of this new information that's come out, 249 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:24.759 and I think the Commission will probably be talking about 250 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:27.360 that and seeing how that's going to be implemented and 251 00:13:27.559 --> 00:13:29.360 see if are the costs going to get shifted to 252 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.200 other other parts of the budget. Are they going to 253 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:35.799 there going to be other expenses? I mean, you know, 254 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:39.120 how are these how we basically going to tell folks, sorry, 255 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:42.960 we're full, you know, if you want to stay, we 256 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:45.039 have no place for you, but you might be better off, 257 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:49.360 you know, going somewhere else. And and until you do that, really, 258 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:51.919 until you do that, then these groups at the border 259 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:56.279 aren't going to stop sending them here and and uh 260 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:58.639 and and that's been my issue all along. I mean 261 00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:00.960 I even shut down a session for like three days 262 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:03.679 in December because of this, because they wouldn't include any 263 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:08.159 form reforms but they wanted to spend money that stole 264 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:13.559 Christmas read yes yes, yes, yes yeah for three straight days. 265 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:16.799 I Uh, I held up session with other members of 266 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:22.360 the Republican Caucus and uh and and uh because you 267 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:24.120 were like, look, you know, we want either want to 268 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:28.240 roll call vote on this final bill or or we 269 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:34.159 want you to put in reforms that that are that 270 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:38.279 are necessary to put a stop to it. And and 271 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.759 they wouldn't do either. And eventually, because we were an 272 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:46.120 informal session time of year, the Democrats had to show 273 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:48.679 up with over eighty one members to to push it through, 274 00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:50.879 and they eventually did. But because they didn't want to 275 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:52.360 have a debate, they didn't want to call us back 276 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:53.840 for a formal session, they didn't want to have a 277 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:56.080 roll call vote, or they didn't want to you know, 278 00:14:56.200 --> 00:14:58.279 send it back to the committee and come out with 279 00:14:58.360 --> 00:15:01.679 some sort of meaningful reform to put a stop to it. 280 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:03.799 And and uh, and here we are. 281 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:05.639 I want to I want to go to phone calls, 282 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:07.639 but I got to kill litle other questions along the way. 283 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:11.399 The folks who are going to after is it now 284 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:14.879 nine months are going to be in effect? I should 285 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:17.840 out of the centers, which I therefore I assume is 286 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:19.919 that that is that the number that the governor's talking about. 287 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:21.039 Do they get nine months? 288 00:15:21.320 --> 00:15:23.279 So it is the stuff that you got people in 289 00:15:23.320 --> 00:15:27.440 these overflow shelters and and and that are waiting for 290 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:30.120 for like the hotel stage if you will, you know, 291 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:33.519 the more the longer term stays. And then they did 292 00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:37.320 pass this bill that that myself and others voted against 293 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:39.679 because again they didn't want to put meaningful reforms in 294 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:41.919 the stop it. They will try to put a caveat 295 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:44.240 on like not a cab yeah sorry, put a put 296 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:46.519 a cap on how long people could stay in the hotels. 297 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:48.840 But then they made all these sort of exemptions and 298 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:50.960 then and then you could apply for you know, oh, 299 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:53.120 you could apply for stay longer, stay longer, stay longer. 300 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:56.000 You know. Ultimately, how that's going to happen. I mean, 301 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:57.879 one of the things to Dan what I want to know, 302 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:01.000 and we haven't got answers to yet, is these folks 303 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:03.919 that some of these folks have now got employment, but 304 00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:06.039 they're still living in the hotels. So it's like, Okay, 305 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:08.440 are these people that are getting employment, are they going 306 00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:12.000 to be able to afford and they're going to be 307 00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:15.120 able to form market rate housing right? Or are they 308 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:19.480 going to need some sort of affordable subsidized housing that's 309 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.360 already in demand as it is. So is there going 310 00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:25.679 to be another sort of uh roadblock if you will, 311 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:29.039 up ahead where where we've already got a strain on 312 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:32.200 the system to get affordable housing for folks and subsidized 313 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:34.200 housing for folks, are they going to be entering that 314 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:38.320 system and and and and and and really causing more 315 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:40.240 of a bottleneck is probably the better term I should 316 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:42.759 be using. And and uh, you know, we don't know 317 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:45.080 the answer to that yet, but I you know, are 318 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:47.320 are these folks able to get gainful employment to get 319 00:16:47.320 --> 00:16:50.919 out of the hotels with their families and and uh 320 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:52.080 and get and get. 321 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:55.679 Jobs be able to market Here's what I'm thinking, representative 322 00:16:55.960 --> 00:17:01.519 what gainful employment can these folks get I mean, you know, 323 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:07.279 God love them. They don't bring necessarily any professional skills, 324 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:10.160 so they're going to be working at best at minimum 325 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:15.599 wage jobs. I assume, what a mess. What a mess. 326 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:18.480 Let's do this. Let's let's get some phone calls going here. 327 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:20.880 People are waiting, so if you're if you're up, We've 328 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:24.039 got full lines. I'd love to get some of these 329 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.799 folks on the end. Let me go first off, to 330 00:17:26.920 --> 00:17:29.039 let me get to where I want to get to. Here. 331 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:31.359 Jack is in Plymouth. Jack, I'm gonna get your name 332 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.599 be from the news at the bottom of the hour. 333 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:35.759 You're first on with state Represented Paul Frost talking about 334 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:38.680 the migrant shelter crisis here in Massachusetts. 335 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:43.119 Ahead, Jack, Yeah, Hey, Dan, Hey, Representative Frost. I'm calling 336 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:47.160 in from Plymouth here, and I'm just really really encouraged 337 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:51.559 to hear this conversation, particularly as it relates to the 338 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:55.000 role of the Republican Party here in this crisis, because 339 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.680 just hearing what Rep. Frost was saying, the amount of 340 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:04.079 action that the Republican Caucus has taken on Beacon Hill 341 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:08.119 is really really, really encouraging. And if anybody knows how 342 00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:12.400 Beacon Hill is run. It's totally controlled by the Speaker 343 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:14.880 of the House and the Senate President. And the idea 344 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:20.920 that Governor Healy has basically taken word for word a 345 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:24.960 mirror image of what the Republicans have been proposing for months, 346 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:29.480 is a testament to those sort of experienced leaders in 347 00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:32.720 the Republican caucus that have been advocating for so so long. 348 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:35.279 And what really ticked me off actually is I was 349 00:18:35.319 --> 00:18:37.240 thinking about this, and this is why I called in, 350 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:40.039 is I know folks in my neck of the woods, 351 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:44.440 like Matt murratory Susan Gifford, are facing primaries where they're 352 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:47.960 being accused of being rhinos, when in fact it's totally 353 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:50.519 the opposite. They're the ones who have been on Beacon 354 00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:54.759 Hill fighting the good fight, and their words and their actions, 355 00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:58.119 their proposals, their speeches on the House floor have been 356 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:02.079 the impetus for the governor to finally wake up from 357 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:05.440 whatever crazy slumber she's been in to actually start to 358 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:08.240 turn the tide on this issue in our state. So 359 00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:10.720 why why I called in, to be totally honest with you, 360 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:14.319 is I'm set up with people calling our Republican leaders 361 00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:19.039 in Deacon Hill rhinos, and you know, somehow, you know, 362 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:20.240 we look. 363 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:22.720 Look the fact. The fact of the matter is, Jack, 364 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:25.279 when you think about it, I think it's twenty five 365 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:27.279 members in the House. Correct me. If I'm wrong in 366 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:29.359 these numbers, you would know them better than I would 367 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:32.680 call twenty five members out of one sixty in the 368 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:36.799 House of Representatives, that's correct, and four I think in 369 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:40.920 the State Senate that's correct. So that's ten percent of 370 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:45.480 the State Senate. And it's I don't know one sixth 371 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:48.839 in the House of Representatives. It's a small group. And 372 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:54.279 you know, fratracide is supposed to be illegal, and it 373 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:57.720 sounds like it's a circular firing squad, and why anybody 374 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:01.640 is trying to take people out? And further we can 375 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.880 you know the second part. We need a two party 376 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:07.519 state in Massachusetts. It's as simple as that. And anyone 377 00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:10.720 who doesn't understand that obviously doesn't understand the way politics 378 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:12.799 are supposed to work. A little bit of a checks 379 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:17.839 and a balance. And congratulations to you, Paul for what 380 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:21.000 you and your colleagues have done. And Jack, hopefully people 381 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.119 will listen to what you have to say, and that is, 382 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:28.720 you know, the Republicans don't get any stronger and the 383 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:31.799 second party in Massachusetts, which is the Republican Party, doesn't 384 00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:35.960 get any stronger when we have fresh acide going on 385 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:38.400 within the Republican Party. 386 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:43.519 It's time to unite behind the people fighting the good fight. 387 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:46.960 It's so important. We cannot be taking out the people 388 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:51.599 that have experienced and have delivered results on these issues. 389 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:53.799 Yeah, and I think it's also time to try to 390 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:57.559 grow the party and make people realize that, hey, a 391 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:00.039 little competition is going to be good up at the 392 00:20:59.880 --> 00:21:03.920 state House, because obviously things are run up thereby as 393 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:08.039 you said, the Speaker and the Senate President and even 394 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:10.559 most of the Democrats in the legislature. They just have 395 00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:13.720 to move along like a group of cattle. We're going 396 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:17.039 over here. Boys. Let's go boys and girls. Anyway, they'll 397 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:18.640 get me going on that. I just think we need 398 00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:21.359 a second party in Massachusetts. That and we have one. 399 00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:24.720 And I would hope that some people would look at 400 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:27.480 rational people who are running as Republicans and say, hey, 401 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:30.200