The Stanley Report

Governor Patrick Delivered State of the Commonwealth Address

On Thursday, January 15, 2009, Governor Patrick delivered his 2009 State of the Commonwealth address. The governor thanked his Legislative partners for enacting so much of his ambitious agenda last session, and acknowledged the challenges of the nationwide recession, while promising that it will not stop his agenda for change.

Gov. Patrick and Rep. Stanley

Rep. Stanley shakes hands with Gov. Patrick in the House Chamber

Speaker Dimasi Reelected to Lead House; Rep. Stanley Voted Present

Despite ethics investigations surrounding him, the Massachusetts House of Representatives re-elected Salvatore DiMasi to his third term as Speaker of the House. While 135 of the 160 House members voted for Speaker DiMasi, seven Democrats and seven Republicans voted "present," including Rep. Stanley. Speaker DiMasi has been facing controversy over his involvement in a series of pending ethics and lobbying investigations.

Rep. Stanley Cosigns Letter to Gov Regarding METCO Cuts

Rep. Stanley and other members of the Legislature's METCO Caucus wrote to Gov. Patrick to express disappointment in his recent decision to disproportionally cut the METCO program in his recent round of 9C budget cuts, and urge him to resist making additional cuts to the program. The $1.3 million cut equates to a 6% cut to METCO's current budget, compared to an overall budget cut of 2.4% and a Department of Education cut of 1.6%. These cuts have already been impacting the ability of students to get to and from school efficiently as well as to participate in after-school activities like tutoring, extra-help, drama, and sports. The participating communities are increasingly facing deficits of their own and are unable to fund these shortfalls, essentially an indirect cut to local aid.

The METCO program has had a significant impact on raising achievement levels of inner-city youths of the Commonwealth while also increasing diversity in suburban schools. 87% of METCO graduates go on to college, while the state average is 77%. For five straight years, every METCO senior has passed the MCAS requirement. The Commonwealth now spends less than $4,000 per METCO student in education funding compared with the $9,332 per student Foundation Level minimum set for all students as part of Chapter 70.

MCSW Now Seeking Nominations for 2009 Unsung Heroines

On May 13th, 2009 the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) will host its Sixth Annual Unsung Heroine Celebration at the MA State House. MCSW will honor 100 Unsung Heroines from across the Commonwealth.

Unsung Heroines are women who perform unheralded acts on a daily basis that make our neighborhoods, cities and towns better places to live and to work. They are the Unsung Heroines who use their time, talent, spirit and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others. They are mentors, volunteers and innovators. They are the glue that keeps a community together, they are the spark that gets things started and gets things done...they care about other people and it shows.

MCSW seeks women of all ages, all economic, political and ethnic backgrounds. Any individual may nominate one or more Massachusetts' women to be considered for selection as an Unsung Heroine. After carefully reviewing the nominations received, a selection committee will choose the 100 Unsung Heroines of 2009. All 2009 Unsung Heroine honorees will be contacted and invited to attend a ceremony in their honor at the Massachusetts Statehouse on May 13, 2009.

Nomination forms are available for download on the MCSW website. Please note the deadline for nominations is February 27, 2009.

Health Insurance Coverage in MA: Survey Results

The Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy (DHCFP) announced the results of a new survey finding that more than 97 percent of Massachusetts residents have health insurance, with only 2.6 percent of state residents remaining uninsured.

The study, conducted by the Urban Institute, found that nearly ever major demographic group is within a few percentage points of full coverage, reflecting the ongoing successful implementation of health care reform. These estimates suggest that uninsurance has continued to drop in Massachusetts since 2007, when estimates based on the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey put insurance coverage in Massachusetts at just under 95 percent.

The full report, Health Insurance Coverage in Massachusetts: Estimates from the 2008 Massachusetts Health Insurance Survey, is available online.

DCR Held Public Meeting for Accelerated Bridge Repair Program

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) held a public meeting on January 14 to discuss projects the agency will undertake as part of Governor Patrick's $3 billion Accelerated Bridge Program. DCR projects in the Accelerated Bridge Program include the repair or replacement of 29 bridges and preservation work on an additional 50 bridges. At the meeting, DCR officials will provide an overview of the projects, outline the community process, and highlight the schedule of upcoming public meetings.

Rep. Stanley is pleased that the community of Lexington will benefit from Gov. Patrick's accelerated bridge bond bill, which will repair Route 2. The bridge program ensures public safety by funding repair work for bridges in most urgent need of repair, in addition to creating jobs in MA.

Upholding his pledge to quickly repair the Commonwealth's most neglected bridges, Governor Patrick last August signed an accelerated bridge bond bill that committed $3 billion to repair and replace 250 Massachusetts bridges identified as structurally deficient. Over the next several years, the program will ensure public safety by funding repair work for bridges in most urgent need of repair, and will create thousands of engineering and construction jobs. The project will save the state an estimated $1.5 billion in avoided inflation and deferred-maintenance costs.

To learn more about the Accelerated Bridge Program, click here.

Consumer Alert: Medical Discount Plans

The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, issued a Consumer Alert regarding Discount and Unlicensed Health Insurance Plans. If you are trying to purchase health insurance on your own, make sure the plans you are considering are actually insurance. Some businesses and individuals will try to take advantage of the requirement that everyone in Massachusetts have health insurance by using unfair or deceptive advertising practices or by operating scams. All legitimate health insurance companies are licensed by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance. Please call the Division of Insurance at (617) 521-7794 to verify that a company is a licensed insurer.

Secretary appoints Killins as Early Education Commissioner

Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville appointed Dr. Sherri Killins as the Commissioner of Early Education and Care. The Board of Early Education and Care unanimously recommended Dr. Killins to the Secretary recently, after an extensive search and interview process that began over the summer. She is expected to assume the post on February 2, 2009.

Regional Pilot Networks to Lessen Shelter Needs for the Homeless

The Patrick-Murray Administration continued to restructure support systems that serve the homeless by awarding $8 million to eight regional pilot networks around the state. The networks will help better coordinate, integrate and implement innovative services focused on securing permanent housing options for homeless individuals and families, and ultimately lessen the need for emergency assistance shelters.

Gov. Patrick convened the Massachusetts Interagency Council of Housing and Homelessness (ICHH) to implement the recommendations issued in January 2008 by the Massachusetts Commission to End Homelessness. The commission proposed to re-design the current system, which requires a significant restructuring of the way services reach the homeless. The commission's vision for individual and family systems included supportive housing, stabilization, prevention, rapid re-housing, linkages to appropriate community supports, and improved economic stability.

The eight regional networks include: the Department of Neighborhood Development to cover the City of Boston and the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership to cover Metropolitan Boston. The North Shore and Merrimack Valley will cover the North Shore Housing Action Group (North Shore Community Action Programs/Lynn Housing Authority) and Community Teamwork (Lowell). The United Way of Greater Plymouth County will cover the South Shore, while the Housing Assistance Corp (Barnstable) will handle the Cape and Islands. The City of Worcester will cover all of Worcester County and Western Massachusetts will follow the lead of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (Northampton).

House Approves "Slow Down, Move-Over" Roadside Safety Legislation

The House approved legislation to improve roadside safety by requiring drivers to clear the right lane when vehicles with flashing emergency lights are parked along highways. The legislation aims to provide roadside safety professionals, including state troopers and roadside assistance workers, with a safe margin to assist motorists in peril. The bill's passage comes after a series of dangerous and near-tragic incidents occurred on Massachusetts roadways, with state troopers struck while trying to assist drivers.

Under the legislation, drivers on highways with two lanes or more would be required to give wide clearance to roadside workers and to reduce speeds to a reasonable and safe level when lights are flashing on emergency vehicles parked along the roadside. If drivers do not comply with new safety regulations they could be fined up to $100. If signed into law, the bill would put Massachusetts in the company of 43 other states with similar roadside safety laws.

State Launches Consumer-Friendly Website Comparing Health Care Quality and Costs

The Massachusetts Health Care Quality and Cost Council (HCQCC) launched an interactive website designed to promote transparency in the health care industry. The "My Health Care Options" website, mandated as part of MA's historic health care reform initiative, was developed to help control costs and improve the quality of care available to patients. The website represents a significant achievement in ongoing, multi-pronged efforts to control rising health care costs and ensure that residents of Massachusetts can get the best care available.

The new website is the first of its kind in the nation to offer consumers, providers, employers, and policymakers comparative cost and quality information about medical procedures performed at Massachusetts hospitals and outpatient facilities. For example, a patient considering knee replacement surgery, angioplasty or a mammogram can now visit the site to compare cost and quality measures for those and other procedures at various local hospitals.

Treasurer Cahill Launches Covenant Fund

The Commonwealth Covenant Fund is an innovative program that provides accessible tuition loan repayments to undergraduate students who attend public universities or colleges in Massachusetts and stay to pursue careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields.

The initiative is designed at making the Commonwealth a national leader in the STEM fields and developing a dynamic workforce by keeping talented professionals in Massachusetts. The Fund will enhance the ability of students to pursue degrees in these sectors while enabling the Commonwealth to strengthen its economy by expanding its STEM-related industries.

While there are a number of criteria, you can register to begin the process if you can answer yes to the following questions: Did you graduate from a public institution of higher education in Massachusetts? Did you graduate after December 1, 2007? Did you major in a STEM area (science, technology, engineering, math)? Are you teaching in a STEM area?

Please click here to learn more.

Rep. Stanley urges constituents to apply for financial aid to help pay for college

To receive free guidance on identifying sources of financial aid and completing applications, students and families throughout Massachusetts may call The Education Resources Institute's (TERI) toll-free information hotline at 1-877-332-4348 or visit one of TERI's nine College Planning Centers in Boston, Brockton and Chelsea, MA. For hours of operation of TERI's Centers, click here. TERI's hotline is made available through a partnership among the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and TERI.

TERI College Planning Centers provide free, one-on-one information and advice on applying for financial aid and other concerns related to college planning. All TERI College Planning Center and Educational Opportunity Center services are free. For guidance over the phone or for information on the Center closest to you, please call 877-332-4348.

Federal and state governments, along with colleges and universities, are the major sources of financial aid. Students begin the process of applying for both federal and state aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This document is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Many private colleges and universities also require a second form, the CSS PROFILE, which is available at The College Board's website.

Kira Dunn new Executive Director of MCSW

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) announced that Kira Dunn will be its new Executive Director effective December 1. Ms. Dunn previously worked under the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. She served as the Director of Reentry and then as Director of Policy & Planning for the Massachusetts Parole Board. In that capacity, she worked to introduce transitional housing and human service programs designed to interrupt cycles of poverty including a program for women transitioning from prison back to the community.

The MCSW is an independent state agency and its 19 commissioners are appointed by the Governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House and Caucus of Women legislators. The MCSW conducts public hearings across the state to assess the issues of most importance to women in the Commonwealth and also holds the annual Unsung Heroines of Massachusetts Awards at the State House each spring. In 2009, its 10th year of service, the MCSW has a particular interest in teen pregnancy prevention, domestic violence prevention and pay equity for women. For more information about the MCSW full agenda of programs, services and activities, please click here.

New website for MassWorks

The state's employer-assisted mortgage program for first-time homebuyers launched a new website that makes it simple for companies to use the program to recruit and retain employees and easy for employees to determine quickly how much they can afford. The website has the documents necessary to run the program as well as an easy-to-use calculator that benefit administrators and employees can use to figure out how much lower a homebuyer's monthly payment.

MassWorks was created to help MA employers recruit and retain employees and to help promote safe, secure homeownership programs that will keep homebuyers in their homes for the long run. MassWorks is different than many traditional employer-assisted mortgage programs where employer funds are used strictly for down-payment assistance. While down-payment assistance is possible, MassWorks combines traditional fixed-rate financing from a bank with an employer contribution and a dollar-for-dollar state match. These funds are applied to a homebuyer's monthly mortgage payment which keeps a homebuyer's payments low.

MassWorks is being offered by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) and the state Department of Housing and Community Development, in partnership with participating banks. MassWorks is modeled after MHP's SoftSecond Loan Program, which has helped over 12,000 households purchase their first home, while maintaining industry-low foreclosure rates. To find out more about MassWorks, please click here or call 1-800-752-7131.

AGO Launches Energy & Utilities Website

Attorney General Martha Coakley recently launched a new website section dedicated to Energy & Utilities, as a part of the office's ongoing efforts to provide consumers with the tools and information to control their energy use. For more information, visit the Winter Heating & Energy Efforts webpage.

Gov. Patrick Agrees to Job Commission

After the House and Senate sent a resolve to his desk, Gov. Patrick agreed to the creation of a commission to investigate and study the economy with the goal of creating and maintaining quality jobs. The resolve called for the commission to report its results and recommendations by late June. Speaker DiMasi and Senate President Murray will appoint the co-chairs of the commission, which will also include representatives from business, labor and other economic sectors.

State Agency Spotlight: MA Department of Agricultural Resources

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources' mission is to support, promote and enhance the long-term viability of Massachusetts agriculture with the aim of helping this state's agricultural businesses become as economically and environmentally sound as possible. By so doing, it is hoped that our farmers will continue to support and maintain thousands of acres of valuable open space for the benefit of the state's economy and environment. The Department's divisions are working to fulfill this mission through a variety of initiatives and programs. For more information, please click here.

Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP) Assists with Hoarding Issues

Compulsive hoarding is defined as the acquisition of and failure to discard a large number of possessions that appear to be useless or of limited value (Frost & Hartl, 1996). Homes become so cluttered that tenants cannot live in them appropriately. Exits become blocked, kitchens and bathrooms become hard to move around in, and clutter becomes a fire hazard.

In May 2006, MBHP began its Hoarding and Sanitation Initiative in response to both the need to keep hoarders from being evicted and the need for interagency cooperation to achieve long-term tenancy. If you or someone you know needs assistance with hoarding issues, contact Jesse Edsell-Vetter at Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, (617) 425-6658.

Project Bread Announces Hunger Prevention Plan

Decrying a "food emergency" in MA, anti-hunger advocates offered a "hunger prevention plan" that focuses on enrolling families in social welfare programs. Citing an under-enrollment in programs for food stamps, school breakfast and lunch and summer food service, Project Bread said the state should encourage people to seek aid not only for their own benefit but to bring millions of dollars more in federal aid to the state. Project Bread estimates that 522,000 people in MA struggle with hunger. The organization also recommends promoting nutritional meals in schools and partnering anti-hunger initiatives with community health centers to ensure greater outreach. To learn more about Project Bread, please click here.

New Information Available for Tenants Living in Foreclosed Properties

The Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation released a brochure outlining the rights of tenants living in foreclosed buildings. The guide provides renters with information to ensure that they understand the foreclosure process and are not unfairly evicted if the building they live in is foreclosed upon. Please click here to view the brochure which is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole and Chinese.

The U.S Constitution and How We Elect our President

The Village University of Concord will offer a course entitled "The U.S. Constitution and How We Elect our President" and will take place six Thursday mornings, starting March 26. Cam Kerry will be the first speaker, with Pam Wilmot, exec. director of Common Cause, the following Thursday, April 2. Guest speakers, with knowledge and opinions of the electoral process, will lead each seminar. The seminars will be held at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center, Route 62, West Concord from 10-11:30a.m. To sign up, please click here.

The study group will examine how our nation elects its presidents and discuss the fascinating and complicated questions surrounding the process. What did the writers of the Constitution have in mind? Did they anticipate, as did Jefferson, that it would probably be amended? Does very vote count equally? Do the primary and caucus systems work in choosing a candidate? Would a 24-hour election day from Maine to Hawaii work? Does the Electoral College do what was originally intended? Should
it be abolished? Same-day voter registration is gaining ground-do you think it is a good idea? How do you feel about pending legislation in many states tying each state's electors to the national popular vote? The U.S. Constitution is required reading and copies will be available.

New DPW Facility Focus of League First Friday

Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Bill Hadley, and Michael Lawrence of HKT Architects, will preview the new DPW facility on Bedford Street at the League of Women Voters of Lexington's First Friday Forum on February 6. Focus will be on the building's "Green" features, particularly its water efficiencies (green roof, roof runoff captured for use, a "grey" water system, permeable paved surfaces, and more.)

Mr. Hadley will also explain the new Town bylaw on storm water runoff, which affects Town's watersheds, and suggest ways that homeowners can conserve roof runoff, including the use of water barrels.

This is the fifth in a series of 2008-2009 First Friday Forums hosted by the League of Women Voters of Lexington to promote awareness and understanding of public policy issues. Refreshments will be available at 9:30 a.m. and presentations will begin at 9:45 in the Community Meeting Room on the lower level of Cary Memorial Library, 1874 Massachusetts Avenue. The library is easily accessible by Lexpress and from the Minuteman Bikeway. For more information or to carpool, contact the League at 781-861-0123. All League forums are open to the public at no charge.

League of Women Voters Essay Contest

This is the tenth year that the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts is sponsoring an essay contest for Massachusetts students to focus students and their families on issues related to elections, voting, and citizen participation in government. This year's theme is Democracy and Change: the Newly Elected President.

The contest is open to all Massachusetts students, grades 4 - 12 and young adults 18 - 24.   Winners in grades 4 - 12 will receive a U.S. Savings Bond and the teacher or advisor of those winners will receive a classroom educational grant.   The winner in the 18 - 24 group will receive $1,000. Winners and their teachers and those receiving Honorable Mention will be recognized at the awards event in historic Faneuil Hall on Sun., April 5.

The contest runs through March 6, 2009. All information about the contest including rules, prizes, and essay questions can be found on the League's website.

Volunteer Drivers Needed One Day per Month

If you are retired, have a flexible work schedule, or have available time during the day, please consider becoming a volunteer one day a month for Lexington's F.I.S.H. (Friendly Independent Sympathetic Help), a community-service organization. F.I.S.H. has been providing free rides to medical appointments for over 30 years for Lexington residents, but our 130 volunteer drivers and phone callers cannot meet the current client demand. Drivers typically volunteer to drive for one day a month and can choose to provide round-trip rides to destinations either in Lexington and vicinity or in the greater-Boston area. "Phone F.I.S.H." volunteers make calls from their homes for a few hours on a given day to assign F.I.S.H. clients needing a ride to the volunteer drivers. Being a F.I.S.H. driver or Phone F.I.S.H. is a very rewarding experience and we hope you will consider helping out your fellow Lexingtonians who have become very dependent on this unique service. For more information about volunteering for F.I.S.H., please call F.I.S.H. President David Horton at 781-862-3293.

Winter Reveries: Lexington Symphony with Mezzo-Soprano Janna Baty

Lexington Symphony has packed its 750-seat hall for the first three performances of the season and performs again in Cary Hall, Lexington on Saturday, Feb. 7th at 8:00pm. The program showcases a Lexington native, mezzo-soprano Janna Baty, who visits from New York City to perform Barber's poignant Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Also on the program are I Crisantemi by Puccini, Sleeping in Air by renowned local composer Rodney Lister, and Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 5, a work first premiered during World War II and noted as a serenely beautiful refuge in turbulent times. A conductor's talk with Music Director Jonathan McPhee takes place at 7:00pm in the concert hall.

Mezzo-soprano Janna Baty, who grew up less than a mile from Cary Hall, enjoys a versatile musical career.   Recent engagements include appearances with the Hamburgische Staatsoper, the Boston Lyric Opera, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hartford Symphony, and at Carnegie Hall. She has sung under conductors Seiji Ozawa and Robert Spano, among others, and has appeared at Tanglewood and numerous national and international music festivals. Winner of several international competitions, Baty co-directs Music at St. George's, a Manhattan-based vocal chamber music series and Auros Group for New Music in Boston. She can be heard on critically-acclaimed Chandos and Naxos recordings.

Composer Rodney Lister, whose works have received notable performances at venues such as Tanglewood, the Library of Congress, and the Edinburgh Festival, has been a creative contributor to Boston's contemporary music scene for many years.   Sleeping in Air flows from a poem by Randall Jarrell about a baby bat's night spent clinging upside-down to his mother, witnessing her hectic life from that precarious yet comforting vantage-point.

The Lexington Symphony is a professional group of dedicated musicians who share a passion for their music and for exacting standards of performance. With an emphasis on accessibility within the community, the Symphony offers programming to reach all ages. For more information and to buy tickets, go to lexingtonsymphony.org, call (781) 863-9581 or visit Wales Copy, 1810 Massachusetts Avenue. Tickets are $35 standard, $30 seniors and $15 students; reserved seating.    Cary Hall is T-accessible and located at 1605 Mass. Ave., Lexington Center, next to Town Hall. Will-call tickets must be picked up at least 15 minutes prior to concert.

Non-profit Spotlight: The Nonprofit Net Inc.

Based in Lexington, Nonprofit Net's mission is to unite nonprofits within a community to attract local philanthropic resources and to increase their capacity to deliver services. It works with nonprofit organizations to facilitate access to local resources that would not otherwise be available. Whether the objective is fundraising, finding new board members, recruiting volunteers or improving operations, we help our member organizations reach their goals more easily and more quickly. We also help our members to improve the capacity of their boards and improve their own internal management and operational practices by providing access to managerial and executive talent at regular peer group meetings. To learn more and access a list of upcoming seminars, please click here.

Stanley Report to highlight Lexington non-profit orgs

If you'd like your organization highlighted in the Stanley Report, please let Rep. Stanley know! To allow more members of our community to hear about your organization's good work, please submit your upcoming community events, announcements and any other information about your organization. If interested, please email Judy Bromley or via mail to Rep. Tom Stanley, State House, Boston, MA 02133

Sailors for the Sea

Sailors for the Sea (SfS) is a nonprofit organization that educates and empowers the boating community to protect and restore our oceans and coastal waters. The organization was founded by David Rockefeller, Jr. to galvanize the sailing and boating community around ocean health issues. Mr. Rockefeller started SfS as a direct result of his work on the Pew Oceans Commission that identified profound and alarming ocean health issues.

SfS works with many organizations to leverage the effectiveness of our two projects and four programs. It has been collaborating on the film A Sea Change which will focus on ocean acidification and is scheduled for general release in 2009. SfS is also a co-supporter of the Around the Americas project, which will circumnavigate North and South America by sail to raise awareness of ocean conservation issues.

SfS has four core programs. Its nationwide Clean Regattas program certifies yacht clubs and regatta organizers as providing clean events that minimize impacts upon our oceans. The Clean Regattas program includes an online clean water program that will provide voluntary Best Management Practices (BMPs) for shore side facilities including yacht clubs, marinas and homes. The web- based Ocean Watch program provides essays on current ocean conservation issues as well as resources for further information and engagement with stewardship activities.

Its latest program aims to create a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) style pilot program for the marine manufacturing industry that will certify new production boats as "Sea Friendly." The CSF mission proposes to reduce the negative environmental impacts of building, maintaining and operating (recreational) vessels. The focus of CSF will be a voluntary certification system that recognizes these reductions.

To learn more, view the trailer to the film A Sea Change and join please click here.

Contact Information: State Representative Thomas M. Stanley State House, Room 36 Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2470 Thomas.Stanley@state.ma.us

Contact Information:

State Representative

Thomas M. Stanley

State House, Room 36

Boston, MA 02133

(617) 722-2470

Thomas.Stanley@state.ma.us