Representative John P. Fresolo is a lifelong resident of the 16th Worcester District and an active member of his church and many civic organizations. He was born and raised in the Vernon Hill section of Worcester and currently resides within the Grafton Hill neighborhood.

John P. Fresolo is the State Representative for the 16th Worcester District.  John has two daughters, Francesca who is 15 years old, and Maria who is 14 years old. John is 44 years old and has lived in Worcester his entire life. John is currently serving his fifth term in the House of Representatives.

Fresolo serves as a member of the Worcester Democratic City Committee (Ward 5), and has been active in numerous local and state elections. In his fifth term, State Representative Fresolo currently serves on the Joint Committee on Housing, the Joint Committee on Public Service, and the House Committee on Personnel and Administration.

As the father of two children in the Worcester public school system, Representative Fresolo has fought for education funding reform and affordable childcare.  Rep. Fresolo and his colleagues in the House were able to secure an additional $6.5 million for a total of $180.5 million in Chapter 70 funding for Worcester Public Schools in the FY09 Budget and continues to fight for reform in underperforming schools.

Fresolo has also been active in addressing the public safety needs of the citizens of the 16th Worcester District. Fresolo successfully secured nearly $1,000,000 over the last ten years in additional community police funds for the Union Hill, Vernon Hill, Grafton Hill, Quinsigamond Village and Green Island neighborhoods of Worcester. This continued funding has and will continue to address the growing problem of illegal drug use, violent crime, and gang formation.

Realizing that much of his district is made up of hard working, mostly blue collar families, Rep. Fresolo has been instrumental in acquiring state and grant funding to allow for low and moderate income housing.  Within Rep. Fresolo's last term, he secured $75,000 in funding for much needed improvements to the Greenwood Gardens Housing Complex. Also, Rep. Fresolo filed legislation that would limit increases in homeowner insurance premiums for triple deckers in Worcester, in response to extreme increases in rates that many homeowners were expected to pay without explanation or recourse. Rep. Fresolo played an active role in helping open a 35 unit affordable senior housing complex at The Church of Ascension, made possible in large part due to the $4.23 million Rep. Fresolo secured. The units opened May 1, 2008. In the FY09 budget, Fresolo helped to obtain $50,000 for the South Worcester Neighborhood Improvement Corporation to continue to provide vital services to the poorest areas in the City of Worcester. Also in the FY09 budget, Fresolo secured $50,000 for the Quinsigamond Village Community Center to provide outreach services to those living in and around the Quinsigamond Village area. He has also worked with many area groups, organizations, and developers to help renovate and rehab abandoned and blighted buildings in the South Worcester and convert them into affordable housing and commercial space.

Rep. Fresolo was instrumental in securing state funds of $212,000 for the construction and maintenance of the Central Massachusetts Korean War Memorial in Worcester. Rep. Fresolo has also passed legislation to name the new Rt. 146/Massachusetts Turnpike Interchange as the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge Memorial Highway.

Rep. Fresolo is a former co-chair of the Central Massachusetts Legislative Caucus. He is also serving as the co-chair of the Route 146 Citizen Advisory Committee. This Committee is in charge of monitoring the Route 146/ Massachusetts Turnpike project, which is the 3rd largest construction project in the state. Rep. Fresolo has worked diligently to make the $300 million Rt. 146 Massachusetts Turnpike Project a reality for Central MA commuters.  The project includes over $160 million dedicated solely to Worcester; with the development and renovation of Hurley and Brosnihan Squares in Worcester, and that securing land takings and funding to widen the intersection of Cambridge and Southbridge Streets for dedicated right and left turn lanes. Recently, Fresolo has secured the $1.6 million state contribution to the new Blackstone Gateway Visitors’ Center.

Fresolo is also an active member of many civic organizations, including the Grafton Hill Neighborhood Association, Grafton Hill Business Association, Canal District CDC (formerly Green Island/Vernon Hill C.D.C.), Oak Hill CDC, College Hill Civic Association, Sons of Italy Lodge #168, East Side Improvement Club, Emerald Club, Worcester Elks Lodge #243, Vernon Hill American Legion Post 435, Polish Naturalization Independent (PNI) Club - Associate Member, Friends of Hope Cemetery, and the Brown Square Civic Club. Fresolo is also active in his parish of Ascension Church, where he serves as Cantor and Finance Committee Chairman.