In 1983, Massachusetts passed a “first-of-its-kind in the country” housing law after then-Governor Michael Dukakis promised, according to Boston University. The law guaranteed accommodation and some services to families. Among the provisions of that law, those households must be equipped with refrigeration and basic cooking facilities.
But some of the facilities used to house illegal immigrants do not have the accommodations required by law. In order to comply with state law, Massachusetts would enter into a no offers contracted with a local Boston “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 entitles illegal immigrants to $64 a day in catering from an “Italian home-style” pasta company:
In some cases hotels collect state funds for three meals a day, $16 for breakfast, $17 for lunch and $31 for dinner. That works out to $64 dollars per day per person.
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Spinelli’s tells the I-Team, “As an approved state provider, Spinelli’s was contacted at the beginning of the crisis. We are not the exclusive seller of meals and do not have a guaranteed contract or financial agreement beyond this initial contingency period. We are currently in the process of bidding for a sustained contract and look forward to continuing to help the State and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities achieve their goals.”
The state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities says the no-bid contract is justified because of the unprecedented increase in demand and the requirement that families be provided three meals a day or sufficient access to food. Spinelli’s contract expires at the end of March.
Senator Durant says these contracts are just the tip of the iceberg of the overall cost of the crisis. “The cost of MassHealth and the cost of education,” Durant said. “The concern is that the money has to come from somewhere and so there are only two options. Either taxes are increased or services are cut. So, all of this goes straight to the taxpayers.”
Spinelli’s website features a beautiful wedding scene at a lakefront property complete with champagne and white floral arrangements adorning rustic tables. You can choose between two locations: Lynnfield and East Boston. The East Boston location is cited in the CBS report.
From Spinelli’s website:
Come to Spinelli’s East Boston for all your Italian American dining needs. From the homemade ravioli that are the foundation on which Spinelli was built, to large-scale catering, traditional baked goods and elaborate wedding cakes, we have it all.
As Americans grapple with rising food and energy prices, Massachusetts is rolling out the red “WELCOME” carpet for those living here illegally. Spinelli’s Breakfast menu offers breakfast options ranging from “coffee, Danish, tea bread or muffins and bagels” to “soft scrambled eggs with crispy bacon, tea bread or muffins and bagels, juice and coffee.”
For lunch and dinner they offer a wide choice of Italian (and Spanish) dishes such as aubergine parmigiana, linguine pasta checca, veal cutlet parmigiana or scampi with linguine.
And don’t forget to leave room for dessert!
Although the “menu” provided at these shelters is not disclosed in CBS reporting, one can only wonder: Chef Boyardee wasn’t an option?
