Gov. Maura Healey proposed a major increase in operations funding at the MBTA during her first State of the Commonwealth address Wednesday that also pitched residents on new investments as Massachusetts’ fiscal picture presents Beacon Hill with challenges.

Healey offered up an optimistic view of Massachusetts to a crowded House Chamber even as the state grapples with immigration, housing, and transportation issues. The Democrat’s first-year in office was marked by MBTA troubles, an influx of migrants that has pushed the state’s shelter system to the brink, and a massive revenue slowdown.

The governor argued Massachusetts “is more affordable, more competitive, and more equitable than it was a year ago,” a stark contrast to the Massachusetts Republican Party’s rebuttal Sen. Peter Durant planned to offer later in the evening.

“The state of our commonwealth, like the spirit of our people, is stronger than ever,” Healey said, according to a copy of her speech as prepared for delivery.

A week after her administration slashed $375 million from the fiscal year 2024 budget in the face of a $1 billion revenue shortfall, Healey pledged to shuttle millions of dollars to mental health and education initiatives. She did not touch on where she planned to increase taxes to account for new spending.

But Healey offered a rosy view of the state’s fiscal standing, touting a “strong” Massachusetts economy, “more jobs than ever before,” and low unemployment.

“But we also know prices are high, and too many families have a hard time making ends meet,” she said.

And in a strong rebuke of former Gov. Charlie Baker, Healey criticized the previous administration for running an “underfunded, poorly managed, and badly staffed” MBTA with 1,100 vacant positions.

“No wonder the trains weren’t running on time,” Healey said of Baker’s management. “So we pledged to make 1,000 new hires in our first year. We got a good new labor contract, to help recruit and retain workers. And last year, the MBTA hired 1,500 new employees, the best year of hiring the T has ever had.”

Healey said the fiscal year 2025 budget proposal she plans to unveil next week will “double our support for MBTA operations,” tackle deferred maintenance, and “build a system worthy of our economy.”

“And we will establish a permanent, reduced fare for low-income T riders; and continue affordable options at regional transit authorities,” she said.

Healey also said she plans to include in the spending document “transformative investments to improve all the ways we get around in Massachusetts” and “record levels” of money for local roads and bridges.

A surge of migrants arriving in Massachusetts last year, which pushed Healey to declare a state of emergency in August and cap the number of the families in state-run shelters months later, featured only briefly in the governor’s remarks.

Healey, like she has many times in the past, called on Congress to “fix the border and get us funding to cover our costs” and plugged a work authorization clinic her administration hosted for migrants.

“Every day we’re connecting them with businesses who need workers. Like Salem Hospital – that recently hired migrants, and now for the first time in years is fully staffed in their housekeeping department,” she said. “We’re going to do that around this state.”

Pointing to a majority of third-graders not meeting expectations on the English Language Arts section of the MCAS, Healey said her administration plans to kick off “Literacy Launch,” a five-year program that will make more reading materials available to school districts.

Healey said the five-year program will be backed “by budget investments.”

“Schools using the right materials are seeing major gains. We can bring that impact to every classroom. We will also mandate that educator training programs teach evidence-based instruction. And we’ll support our teachers in adopting best practices every step of the way,” she said.

Healey said her fiscal year 2025 budget will call for $10 million to develop “service models” to help young people struggling with mental health issues.

“Let’s be a state where every young person knows that they are not alone, that they can ask for help, and that they will get help,” she said.

Healey said the administration plans to fund “no-cost HVAC training” at schools across the state to train more than 400 students to install and maintain heat pumps in an effort to decarbonize buildings in Massachusetts.

“Clean energy will power not only our homes and cars – it will power opportunity and equity for workers in every part of this state,” she said.

Healey also proposed a “Disaster Resiliency Fund” to help cities and towns grapple with worsening storms like the ones seen last year that destroyed farms and ravaged municipalities.

“Severe weather isn’t going away anytime soon,” she said. “Let’s future-proof our communities and be ready when help is needed.”