In 1983, Massachusetts passed a Right to Shelter law, “the first of its kind in the nation,” after a promise from then-Governor Michael Dukakis, According to Boston University. The law guarantees housing and some facilities for families. Among the provisions of this law, these families must be provided with cooling devices and basic cooking facilities.
But some facilities used to house illegal immigrants do not contain the accommodations required by law. In order to comply with state law, Massachusetts reportedly entered into a No bidding Contract with a local Boston company “full service catering company with 30 years of experience”: Spinelli Ravioli Manufacturing Company.
According to CBS News Boston, the six-month, $10 million emergency contract gives undocumented immigrants $64 a day's worth of food from a “home-style Italian” pasta company:
In some cases, hotels collect money from the state for three meals a day. $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch, and $31 for dinner. This means $64 per day per person.
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Spinelli's tells the I-Team, “As an authorized government vendor, Spinelli's was contacted at the beginning of the crisis. We are not the exclusive meal vendor and do not have a guaranteed contract or financial agreement beyond this initial emergency period. We are currently in the bidding phase for a permanent contract and are looking to To continue to assist the State and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to achieve their goals.
The state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities says the no-bid contract is justified because of unprecedented growing demand and requirements to provide families with three meals a day or have enough food. Spinelli's contract runs until the end of March.
Senator Durant says these contracts are just the tip of the iceberg of the total cost of the crisis. “The cost of MassHealth and the educational cost,” Durant said. “The concern is that the money has to come from somewhere, so there are only two options. Either you raise taxes or you cut services. So, all of that kind of flows directly to the taxpayers.”
Spinelli's website shows a beautiful wedding scene at a lakefront property, with champagne and white floral arrangements adorning the rustic tables. You can choose between two locations: Linfield and East Boston. The East Boston location was referenced in the CBS report.
From Spinelli's website:
Come to Spinelli's East Boston for all your Italian-American food needs. From homemade ravioli that is the foundation upon which Spinelli's was built, to large-scale catering, traditional bakery products, and decorated wedding cakes, we have it all.
As Americans struggle with rising food and energy prices, Massachusetts is extending its welcome to those who come here illegally. Spinelli Breakfast menu It offers breakfast options that range from “coffee, danish, tea bagel, or muffin and bagel” to “scrambled eggs with crispy bacon, tea bagel, muffin, bagel, juice and coffee.”
For lunch and dinner, they serve a wide range of fine Italian (and Spanish) fare such as eggplant parmigiana, pasta chica linguine, veal cutlet parmigiana, or shrimp scampi with linguine.
And don't forget to leave room for dessert!
While the “list” provided for these shelters was not revealed in the CBS reports, one can't help but ask: Was Chef Boyardee not an option?
