Currently, Ann-Margaret is the Vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means and sits on the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight, House Committee on Operations, Facilities and Building Security, and the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling. She has previously served as the First Division Chair of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses, and House Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, as well as a member of several other committees. In addition, she is the House Chair of the Tech Hub Caucus and serves on the Gaming Policy Advisory Committee. In all of these roles, she has been a dedicated and persistent advocate on behalf of the people of Cape Ann.
Ann-Margaret has been a pivotal force in securing local aid for Gloucester, Rockport, and Essex. Keeping in line with her ongoing effort to keep Cape Ann a vital cultural center, she has worked to pass legislation that awarded funding to the Cape Ann community. Such examples are the Downtown Initiative Technical Assistance awarded to Essex, the Newell Field Installation in Gloucester, unrestricted general state aid to cities and towns, as well as state funding for local tourism, arts, education and local aid to Gloucester, Essex, and Rockport.
Supporting Public Education
Ann-Margaret is an advocate for Cape Ann’s public schools. She advocated for the historic increase in Chapter 70 aid to local schools the fiscal year 2020 budget, as well as programs for schools with low-income students and integrated coordination of school and community-based resources, including enhanced access to social services and behavioral health providers. She supports legislative action to fulfill the Foundation Budget Review Commission’s recommendations to fund the Commonwealth’s responsibility to provide access to high quality public education.
Community Preservation
Believing in the effectiveness of the Community Preservation Act as a tool for local aid, Ann-Margaret filed legislation to increase funding to the Community Preservation Trust Fund, gaining the support of 117 of her colleagues in the House and Senate. A version of her proposal was included in the fiscal year 2020 budget, which will increase the current state match to local CPA funds from 12 percent to 30 percent, giving cities and towns more funding for historic preservation, open space, affordable housing, and recreation. On Cape Ann, CPA funds have been used for the restoration of Gloucester City Hall, the Rockport Meeting House, Essex Town Hall, and many other treasured local landmarks and spaces.