Karyn Polito Endorses Steve Xiarhos for State Representative

September 6, 2024

SANDWICH – Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito has officially endorsed Steve Xiarhos for State Representative in the 5th Barnstable District.

Polito announced her endorsement as the special guest at a packed campaign event for Xiarhos at Tomatoes Restaurant in Sandwich on Thursday night.

“I am confident that Steve is the right choice to keep delivering results for the people of Sandwich, Bourne, and Barnstable. I proudly endorse Steve Xiarhos for State Representative in the 5th Barnstable District,” Polito said.

In announcing her endorsement, the former Lieutenant Governor praised Xiarhos for his ability to work in a bipartisan manner to get important projects done for the people of the 5th Barnstable District. “As Lieutenant Governor, I had the privilege of collaborating with Steve Xiarhos on initiatives to make Cape Cod a better place to live, work, and raise a family,” Polito said. She continued, “Together, we addressed many local issues where Steve played a key role in bridging the gap between state and local officials, ensuring critical projects moved forward. He was a trusted partner in our administration, and I greatly appreciated having him in the Legislature. For example, during his first term as a Representative, Steve successfully worked across party lines and united legislators to pass Nero’s law—a remarkable and rare accomplishment in today’s political landscape. It speaks volumes about Steve’s character and leadership.”

Polito also praised Xiarhos for his work on behalf of public safety and veterans issues. “I’ve also known Steve for years through his advocacy for veterans as a Gold Star father and his distinguished law enforcement career,” Polito said. “I am continually impressed by his genuine compassion for everyone he encounters and the unwavering energy he brings to every task he undertakes.”

Xiarhos thanked Polito for her endorsement, saying, “Karyn Polito was a terrific Lieutenant Governor for our state for many years, and it was my honor to have been able to work with her. She was always there for our district whenever we needed her, ready to serve as a trusted partner and a resource for us with anything we asked the state to provide. I am honored and humbled by her endorsement of my candidacy and I very much appreciate her kind words of support.”

Polito’s endorsement is the latest in a series of recent endorsements announced by the Xiarhos campaign. Noteworthy recent endorsements include:

Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito
MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council (LIUNA)
The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts
The State Police Association of Massachusetts PAC
Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association
Massachusetts Coalition of Police
The New England Police Benevolent Association
Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald
Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association
The Sandwich Police Association
Joint Base Cape Cod Fire Fighters Local S-28
The Bourne Republican Town Committee
The Sandwich Republican Town Committee

Xiarhos says his campaign has received and plans to continue announcing several additional endorsements in coming weeks.

Steve Xiarhos has served as State Representative for the 5th Barnstable District on Cape Cod since 2021. The district currently includes the Town of Sandwich and portions of the Towns of Barnstable (Precincts 10, 11, and 12) and Bourne (Precincts 1, 2, 3, 5A, and 7). More information about Steve Xiarhos and his candidacy is available online at www.XiarhosForRep.com.

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MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council Endorses Steve Xiarhos for State Rep.

August 29, 2024

BARNSTABLE, Mass. – Steve Xiarhos has officially received the endorsement of The Massachusetts and Northern New England Laborers’ District Council (a constituent body of the New England Region of the Laborers International Union of North America, “LIUNA”), in his campaign for re-election as State Representative in the 5th Barnstable District.

According to a statement by Joseph Bonfiglio, LIUNA District Council Business Manager, “Rep. Xiarhos is well-acquainted with the challenges faced by working families and tirelessly fights to improve their lives. We know that he doesn’t let up when it comes to advocating for workers and we appreciate partnering with him on Beacon Hill and in his District to deliver for LIUNA members and our communities.”

The Massachusetts and Northern New England Laborers’ District Council is one of seven District Councils making up the New England Region of the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA). The District Council’s 30 affiliated local unions are proud to serve and represent over 20,000 hard working men and women across the Northeast. Members of the Council’s affiliated construction unions build the homes, offices, roads, bridges, tunnels, highways and energy infrastructure that Massachusetts depends on. Meanwhile, members of affiliated public sector unions keep municipal governments, housing authorities, hospitals, schools, and cafeterias running year-round.

“It is my distinct honor to be endorsed by the Massachusetts and Northern New England Laborers’ District Council in my campaign for re-election as State Representative,” Steve Xiarhos said. “As a former police officer I myself was a member of a labor union for many years. I respect the importance of organized labor for making sure working men and women earn decent wages so they can support their families, that they have adequate insurance and other benefits to protect them, and that there are sufficient safety measures in-place to keep them safe and secure on the job. I stand together with working men and women here on Cape Cod and it’s my honor to support them on Beacon Hill as their State Representative.”

The endorsement is the latest in a series of recent endorsements announced by the Xiarhos campaign. Noteworthy recent endorsements include:

MA & Northern New England Laborers’ District Council (LIUNA)
The Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts
The State Police Association of Massachusetts PAC
Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association
Massachusetts Coalition of Police
The New England Police Benevolent Association
Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald
Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association
The Sandwich Police Association
Joint Base Cape Cod Fire Fighters Local S-28
The Bourne Republican Town Committee
The Sandwich Republican Town Committee

Xiarhos says his campaign has received and plans to continue announcing several additional endorsements in coming weeks.

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Rep. Xiarhos maintains perfect voting record in 2023-24 session

Was recorded on all 199 votes taken by the House of Representatives

August 12, 2024

BOSTON – State Representative Steven Xiarhos (R-Barnstable) maintained a perfect voting record during the 2023-2024 legislative session, participating in all 199 roll call votes recorded in the House of Representatives between February 1, 2023, and August 1, 2024.

Representative Xiarhos compiled a 100% attendance record over the last two years, casting votes on several major policy initiatives including health care reform, veterans’ benefits, housing affordability, tax relief, data privacy protections, Second Amendment rights, prescription access, anti-stalking protections, and animal welfare. He has also consistently advocated for reforms to the state’s emergency assistance family shelter system, filing his own legislation to address the shelter program and mitigate the strain on municipal finances directly while also urging the state and Healey-Driscoll Administration to take steps to stem the flow of migrants and to provide homeless Massachusetts residents and veterans with priority placement status.

With the annual cost of maintaining the emergency shelter system projected at more than $1 billion a year in current and future fiscal years, Representative Xiarhos supported multiple amendments this session to implement much-needed changes to the program. One such amendment, offered by House Republican Leadership and included in a Fiscal Year 2024 supplemental budget signed on April 30, requires any funds expended for providing food through the state’s emergency housing assistance program to be subject to a competitive bidding process. The amendment was filed in response to news reports that the state had signed several large no-bid contracts, including a $10 million, eight-month deal with Spinelli’s of East Boston to deliver meals to more than 30 shelter sites.

To help ensure that long-term residents do not lose out on housing assistance to individuals who have newly arrived from out of state, Representative Xiarhos voted on three separate occasions for amendments offered by Second Assistant Minority Leader Paul Frost (R-Auburn) limiting future emergency housing services to individuals who have been residents of the Commonwealth for at least one year, six months, or three months, respectively, and can provide documented proof of residency. These amendments, which were not adopted, included language providing an exemption for victims of domestic violence or individuals whose living situation has been affected by a fire or other natural disaster that occurred in Massachusetts.

During the Fiscal Year 2025 House budget debate in April, Representative Xiarhos supported a House Republican Leadership amendment to prioritize emergency shelter assistance placement eligibility for honorably discharged homeless veterans. While the amendment was rejected, new guidelines for the emergency shelter assistance program, issued on July 23 by Governor Maura Healey and effective on August 1, include a requirement that families with at least one member who is a veteran receive priority placement in shelters In addition to voting against supplemental funding for the emergency assistance family shelter program due to the lack of reforms to rein in costs, Representative Xiarhos also opposed an overreaching gun reform bill that threatened the Second Amendment rights of the state’s lawful gun owners. Noting that Massachusetts already has some of the strongest gun laws in the country and the second-lowest gun violence rate in the nation, he believes the bill will negatively impact licensed gun owners and will do nothing to reduce crime in Massachusetts.

Representative Xiarhos also supported a comprehensive tax relief package included as part of a 2023 economic development bill that is expected to provide taxpayers with an estimated $1.02 billion in savings once the changes are fully implemented in 2026. Highlights of the tax relief package include provisions to:

Double the Senior Circuit Breaker tax credit from $1,200 to $2,400, indexed to inflation, to assist nearly 100,000 seniors with their housing costs;
Eliminate the estate tax for all estates valued under $2 million and allow for a uniform credit of $99,600, effective January 1, 2023;
Combine the child and dependent tax credits into one while eliminating the existing cap and increasing the credit from $180 to $310 in FY23 and to $440 in FY24, which will benefit over 565,000 families;
Increase the rental deduction cap from $3,000 to $4,000, which will assist approximately 800,000 renters;
Raise the Earned Income Tax Credit from 30% to 40% of the federal credit, which will benefit approximately 400,000 taxpayers earning less than $60,000;
Allow municipalities to provide up to $2,000 in property tax reductions for older residents participating in the senior work-off program, which is currently capped at $1,500; and,
Reduce the tax on short-term capital gains from 12% to 8.5%.

Other key roll calls taken by Representative Xiarhos this session include votes to support:

Legislation authorizing $5.16 billion in bond authorizations and tax credits to spur housing production in Massachusetts, while implementing sweeping policy initiatives to facilitate the development of affordable housing and preserve public housing in Massachusetts (the “Affordable Homes Act”);
Legislation expanding benefits for the Commonwealth’s veterans and service members, including access to behavioral health treatment and providing local-option property tax exemptions for service members (the “HERO Act”);
Legislation criminalizing “revenge porn” to address the unauthorized distribution of sexually explicit images or videos via text messaging and online postings, expanding the definition of abuse to include coercive control, and assisting survivors by extending the statute of limitations for certain domestic violence offenses;
Salary transparency legislation to help address the gender and racial wage gap by requiring most employers to disclose the salary range for open positions on job postings;
Comprehensive hospital oversight legislation, filed in response to the crisis at Steward Health Care, that would change how regulators monitor and contain costs, strengthen financial data reporting requirements, and require notice to patients before the discontinuation of essential health services;
A long-term care oversight bill that would provide enhanced protections for patients as well as expanded training provisions for the industry’s workforce to help address persistent staffing shortages at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
Legislation to protect the privacy of patients accessing reproductive and other health care services, including those who utilize the state’s crisis pregnancy centers that provide abortion counseling, by prohibiting cell phone carriers and data providers from sharing or selling the individual’s location information;
Legislation to expand access to non-hospital childbirth options for expectant parents in Massachusetts and establish a formal licensing process for certified professional midwives and lactation consultants;
A pharmacy access bill limiting out of pocket prescription costs for consumers and establishing a licensing process for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs);
Legislation establishing a licensing process for alcohol and drug counselors and recovery coaches through the Department of Public Health (DPH) and requiring health insurers to offer policies covering prescribed opioid antagonists;
Legislation to protect Massachusetts homeowners facing foreclosure due to a municipal tax lien on their property from becoming victims of home equity theft; and,
A series of animal welfare bills designed to ensure the safety of dogs placed in kennels, prohibit the use of exotic animals in traveling acts, and prevent the intentional misrepresentation of service animals.

Representative Xiarhos represents the 5th Barnstable District. He currently serves on the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, and the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recovery.

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Listen to Steve on the Airwaves

August 12, 2024

Steve has been a recent guest on several regional radio programs.

On August 4, he joined The Pat Desmarais Show to talk about recent happenings on Beacon Hill and to discuss his legislative priorities. Please click below to listen:

And, on August 6, Steve joined host Kevin Tocci as one of several guests on the Monday Night Talk program to give listeners a State House Report. Please click below to listen:

Representative Xiarhos Celebrates Historic HERO Act Signing in Lexington

August 9, 2024

LEXINGTON – Yesterday, State Representative Steven Xiarhos joined Governor Maura Healey, Secretary of Veterans’ Services Jon Santiago, and numerous colleagues in Lexington to celebrate the signing of the HERO Act, the most comprehensive and expansive legislative package in Massachusetts history dedicated to the welfare of veterans.

“This is a monumental step forward for our veterans, one that has been years in the making,” said Representative Xiarhos. “The HERO Act ensures that no veteran is left behind by expanding access to benefits to provide vital support for those who have served our great Nation.”

The bill comes as a conference committee agreement between the two chambers, of which Representative Xiarhos was appointed to serve, with the final version of the HERO Act introducing over 30 provisions aimed at enhancing veterans’ benefits and services across Massachusetts. Some of these key components include:

Benefits Expansion:

Behavioral Health Treatment: Veterans will now have expanded access to behavioral health treatment, with reimbursement available for outpatient visits.
Disabled Veteran Annuity: The tax credit for small businesses hiring chronically unemployed or low-income veterans is increased to $2,500.
Vet-Hire Tax Credit: The tax credit for hiring veterans, including those on SNAP benefits or with service-connected disabilities, is raised to $2,500.
Active-Duty Buyback Program: The timeframe for veterans in public service to utilize the Active-Duty Service Buyback program is extended from 180 days to ten years.
COLA Cliff Prevention: Veterans’ eligibility for Chapter 115 benefits will not be affected mid-fiscal year by Social Security cost-of-living adjustments.
Local Flexibility for Property Tax Exemptions: Municipalities can now double property tax exemptions with local options and adjust for inflation.
Sales Tax Exemption Protection: Disabled veterans using the Purple Heart specialty license plate are ensured continued sales tax exemptions.
Support for Military-Connected Students: Public school districts are now required to provide support services to students when a parent or guardian is called to active duty.
Military Family Advocacy Program: A new program is established to protect against child abuse on military installations.

Commitment to All:

Broadened Veteran Definition: The definition of the state Chapter 115 program is aligned with the definition of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Expanded Veterans Equality Review Board: The scope now includes discharges related to Military Sexual Trauma, PTSD, TBI, mental health conditions, or HIV.
Expanded Definition of Veteran Dependent: More dependents are supported based on the Family Court definition

Modernization of Veteran Services:

Dental Assistance Benefits: Essential dental care is codified for Chapter 115 recipients.
Medical Assistance Benefits: Consistent medical care is ensured for veterans.
Authority for Veterans Cemeteries: Proper management and care of veterans’ cemeteries are codified. -Modernized Statute Language: Gender-neutral and inclusive language is adopted in Chapters 115 and115A.
Study on Alternative Therapies: A working group is established to explore the benefits of alternative therapies, such as psilocybin, for veterans’ mental health disorders.

Recognition and Honoring Our Veterans:

Half-Staff Flag Requirement: Flags are to be flown at half-staff from the day of death until the day of interment for any military service member residing in Massachusetts.
Expanded Gold Star Families Recognition: A Memorial Day proclamation and illumination of bridges in gold are required.
United States Space Force Day: December 20th is declared as United States Space Force Day.
United States Merchant Marine Day: May 22nd is declared as United States Merchant Marine Day.

The ceremony’s emotional highlight was when Amanda Braga Tipton, a close colleague of Representative Xiarhos, took the stage to share the heartbreaking story of her brother Joshua, a veteran who tragically lost his life to suicide. Her moving and courageous testimony underscored the importance of the HERO Act in helping to provide continuing support and mental health assistance to veterans and their families.

“As a member of both the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs and the HERO Act Conference Committee, I am deeply proud and honored to have contributed to this historic legislation,” Representative Xiarhos added. “This Act will have a profound impact on the lives of our veterans, honoring their service and ensuring they receive the support they so richly deserve.”

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Legislature Passes Largest Housing Investment in State History

August 1, 2024

BOSTON – With the support of Representative Steve Xiarhos (R – 5th Barnstable), the Massachusetts Legislature has passed the Affordable Homes Act, the largest housing investment in Massachusetts history and a powerful first step in tackling the state’s housing affordability crisis.

The legislation authorizes $5.16 billion in bond authorizations and tax credits to spur housing production in Massachusetts, while implementing sweeping policy initiatives to facilitate the development of affordable housing and preserve public housing in Massachusetts.

“I’m incredibly proud of the investments included in this bill, which together make the largest investment in affordable and middle-income housing in the history of the Commonwealth. Given that Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states in the entire country to buy a home or rent an apartment, the funding and tax credits provided by this bill will be crucial as we work to ensure that every Massachusetts resident can afford to live here, work here, and raise a family here,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank Governor Healey for filing the Affordable Homes Act, as well as Chairman Michlewitz and Chairman Arciero for guiding this bill through the legislative process. I am grateful to all my colleagues in the House, and to our partners in the Senate, for carefully considering every aspect of this legislation, and for recognizing the need for significant action on housing.”

To help municipalities convert commercial properties into multi-unit residential or mixed-use properties, the bill makes project sponsors eligible for a tax credit of up to 10 percent of the development costs upon completion of a project.

The bill includes a new tax credit to incentivize production of homeownership units targeting households with incomes of up to 120 per cent of the area median income (AMI). It also makes permanent the Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) while expanding the statewide cap on donations from $12 million to $15 million. Further, it extends the sunset of the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit through December 31, 2030, while increasing the total available amount from $55 million to $110 million.

Among the many policy initiatives included in the bill to create more housing is a provision to permit one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) equal to or less than 900 square feet to be built by-right on a property in single-family zoning districts in all Massachusetts communities. The bill further provides consumer protections to help prevent homeowners from being pressured into waiving a home inspection, protects tenants who have a years-old eviction record from having that record held against them when securing new housing, gives seasonal communities new tools to tackle their unique housing challenges, and protects renters from having their unit redeveloped into a condominium.

“This comprehensive bond bill will help address the Commonwealth’s undeniable housing crisis. By putting billions of capital resources towards constructing new homes and towards rehabilitating our aging public housing infrastructure, we will be making a difference to the thousands of residents who live in these facilities,” said Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston), Chair of the House Committee on Ways & Means and a member of the conference committee. “The policies also contained in this legislation will help incentivize housing production, increase affordability options for residents, and help alleviate the pressure on the housing inventory as a whole.”

Bond authorizations include:

Public housing

$2 billion to support the repair, rehabilitation, and modernization of over 43,000 public housing units across Massachusetts, with 25 per cent of the funds dedicated to preserve housing for those with incomes below 30 percent AMI.
$150 million to decarbonize the public housing stock and $15 million for accessibility upgrades.
$200 million to support Local Housing Authorities (LHAs) who partner with developers to add mixed-income developments on LHA land, leveraging funds to maintain and preserve public housing while increasing the overall housing supply.

Housing vulnerable populations

$200 million to support innovative and alternative forms of rental housing, including single person occupancy (SPO) units, transitional and permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness, housing for seniors and veterans, and transitional units for persons recovering from substance use disorder. 25 per cent of funds must be used to fund projects which preserve housing for those with incomes below 30 per cent AMI.
$70 million to support the development of appropriate community-based housing for Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Department of Developmental Services (DDS) clients
$60 million to modify homes of individuals or families with disabilities or seniors so that they may maintain residency or return home from institutional settings.
$55 million to support appropriate housing for people with disabilities who are not DMH or DDS clients.

Housing development

$800 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund which provides resources to create or preserve affordable housing for households earning less than 100 per cent of AMI.
$200 million to accelerate the development of mixed-income multifamily housing.
$100 million for the Middle Income Housing Fund which funds housing development for households earning less than 120 per cent of AMI.
$100 million for the Commonwealth Builder program for the construction of affordable single-family homes for households earning between 70 and 120 per cent of AMI, primarily in Gateway Cities.

HousingWorks

$425 million to support preservation, new construction, and rehabilitation projects through the Housing Stabilization Fund and the Community Investment and Preservation Fund.
$275 million to consolidate the existing Transit Oriented Housing Program and the Climate Resilient Housing Program and create a new, innovative program to accelerate and unlock new housing. 25 per cent of the funds must be used to fund projects which preserve housing for those with incomes below 60 per cent of AMI.
$175 million for municipal infrastructure projects to encourage denser housing development.
$50 million to provide payments to municipalities that receive a Housing Choice designation through high housing production and/or demonstration of best practices, including a grant program to assist MBTA Communities in complying with the multi-family zoning requirement in the MBTA Communities Law.
$50 million for grants to municipalities for planning and zoning initiatives that support housing production, workforce training and economic opportunities, childcare and early education initiatives and climate resiliency initiatives.
$20 million to provide incentive payments to municipalities who adopt smart growth housing districts.

Having passed both chambers on August 1, the bill (H.4977) was signed into law by Governor Healey on August 6 (Chapter 150 of the Acts of 2024).

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