The Stanley Report

Rep. Stanley filed pension reform legislation

Rep. Stanley filed legislation to reform an existing pension law. He filed a bill to remove legislation that allows any elected official under age 55 "who has completed 20 or more years of creditable service and who fails of nomination or reelection" to apply for a pension increase. Current law allows veteran state legislators who retire or fail to win re-election to receive staggering pension increases worth thousands of dollars a year. Given the current economic climate, pension reform will be on the legislative radar this year as the government strides to curb pension abuse and loopholes in the system. The House will take up pension reform, including legislation filed by Gov. Patrick, within two weeks.

Rep. Stanley Meets with Parent-Child Home Program Advocates

Rep. Stanley recently met with Vanessa Johnson and Susana Saldana, advocates of The Parent-Child Home Program who were recently at the State House advocating for funding for their program.

The Parent-Child Home Program is a research-based and research-validated early childhood literacy and school readiness program. The program has a proven record in the state since 1970 when the first sites opened in Pittsfield, Newton and Cambridge. Currently there are 34 sites from Pittsfield to Boston serving over 1500 families, living at or below the poverty line, in their homes, homeless shelters, and family child care homes.

To learn more, please click here.

Rep. Stanley Meets with Advocates

Tax tips for Seniors and Retirees

The Department of Revenue (DOR) has created a "Tax Tips" fact sheet to assist seniors and retirees in completing tax returns to ensure that folks are aware of available deductions and exemptions. To learn more, please click here.

Rep. Stanley Speaks at Citizens for Public Schools (CPS) Legislative Breakfast

The event was to bring attention to CPS's legislation for the 2009-2010 legislative cycle. Specifically, Rep. Stanley spoke in support of a bill he sponsored, An Act Relative to Data Collection for Charter Schools.

This bill would require that charter schools report total net assets, the amount of funds transferred to a management company and the percentage of the school's budget spent on administration. Also, if a charter school ceases to exist, a detailed financial accounting of school assets and equipment and supplies must be submitted to the commissioner of education within six months after closing. The bill will also require additional information to be collected, including data on administrators, teachers, students who leave the school, numbers of students under the care of DYS and DSS or are homeless, numbers of students on individual education plans, or who are English language learners, details regarding waiting list process and comparison of actual and projected enrollment.

Dozens of Lexingtonians rally for education

Education advocates visited the State House on Tuesday, March 24 to ask legislators to apply new taxes and empower municipal leaders to drive down health care costs in order to pour additional funding into public schools.

Despite funding from the federal stimulus package, advocates worry that education will be shortchanged in the future. Members of Stand for Children attended a hearing at Gardner Auditorium before visiting lawmakers. The group requested additional funding for expanded learning time and early education programs.

MA Stimulus Funding Breakdown

MA is expected to receive $8.7 from the federal stimulus bill. The following is a breakdown of the funds: clean energy: $482 million, education: $1.955 billion, housing: $430 million, labor and workforce: $90 million, public safety: $71.7 million, safety net programs: $3.572 billion, technology and research: $1.295 billion and transportation: $809 million. Additionally, residents will receive payroll tax benefits and municipalities will be offered the chance to sell low-interest and no-interest bonds expected to amount to $5.294 billion. MA may also be given an unnamed portion of $125 million for coastal and marine habitat restoration, $600 million for superfund site cleanup and $589 million for national park construction.

Rep. Stanley files housing bill to help tenants leave welfare

Government subsidies often discourage people from seeking gainful employment. Working closely with the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP), Rep. Stanley filed legislation to establish "Moving to Economic Opportunity Housing," a five-year program that links rental subsidy to stabilize a tenant's housing to education, training and other job supports to help tenants increase income, build assets and leave welfare.

If passed, the bill will create a program to help tenants focus on increasing income and building a savings account to reduce the dependence on state-funded subsidies. The program itself is designed after a successful, federally-funded program and will target families and individuals who are extremely low-income or homeless.

Gov. will maintain the Division of Insurance (DOI) Board of Appeals

After Rep. Stanley and more than half of his House and Senate colleagues signed onto a bill to preserve the Board of Appeals, which the state plans to close on April 1, 2009, the Patrick administration abandoned its plan to eliminate the Board. The primary function of the appeals board is to respond to inquiries and intervene on behalf of drivers to resolve complaints against insurance companies. The board of appeals offers consumers much-needed protection while acting as a check and balance system between drivers and insurers.

For years, Massachusetts has operated under strict regulations that set prices for all automobile insurance in the state. As of this April, consumers will renew policies under new regulations that have the potential to significantly alter rate premiums. Under these new "managed competition" guidelines, insurers can set their own rates. These guidelines represent a significant change in the insurance system for MA residents.

However, as a result of these changes, the state planned to dissolve the DOI's board of appeals, a move that many residents considered anti-consumer. Some drivers viewed the board as a non-judicial and impartial alternative to pursuing complaints against insurers. According to DOI's website, the board ensures that consumers submitting a complaint receive a reply and/or resolution consistent with state law.

Gov. announces $280M in federal recovery funds to help school districts with special education costs

Gov. Patrick announced $280 million in federal education recovery funds will go to school districts to assist with costs for special education, care and support. The Governor also announced an additional $10 million for preschool special education services. Funding will be available to all school districts across MA over the next 27 months. Districts will receive half of the funding by the end of the month - $140 million through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), with $5 million dedicated to preschool programs. This fall, the remaining $140 million will be allocated to districts with another $5 million for preschool programs.

Federal recovery funds will include $818,090 for Lexington's special education program and $31,832 for special education preschool.

Rep. Stanley supports Governor's Ethics Task Force Legislation; also files own ethics legislation

In early January, Gov. Patrick's Task Force on Public Integrity issued a report outlining comprehensive recommendations to strengthen the state's ethics and lobbying laws. The bill filed by the governor focuses on the enhancement of rules and authority concerning lobbying and conflict of interest violations. The bill gives the Attorney General greater authority to enforce conflict of interest and lobbying laws. The legislation also includes enhanced penalties for these violations as well as mandatory education and training for all public employees. A vote for a consensus bill will take place on Thursday, March 26.

Rep. Stanley filed his own ethics legislation to define lobbying; ban gifts from lobbyists to public officials; provide the Secretary of State rule-making authority to implement the lobbying laws, to provide confidential, binding advisory opinions and impose fines; require lobbyists to wear name and affiliation badges while on duty in any public building; and remove the provision that allows the legislature to be exempt from the state's open meeting law.

METCO Supports Rally to Reverse Gov.'s Cuts

Students and parents recently lobbied at the State House to protest cuts to the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program's funding levels in the FY10 budget. The METCO program sends 3,275 urban students to 37 school districts that participate voluntarily. METCO supporters want the program's funding restored to its original fiscal 2009 budget figure which was $21 million.

State testing system to track state and local highway projects

State transportation officials are testing a new web-based system called "Comm-Works," projected to launch in 2009. The new website will allow city and town public works departments to track state and local highway projects. The system will be available for free to municipalities and state agencies.

According to the Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works, the software will graphically map project locations and provide key project status information for all public works projects that are entered into the system.

DCR Proposes Updated Fee Regulations

Through the regulatory process, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is proposing updated fee regulations that would increase selected administrative and user fees. DCR proposed the new fees after an extensive process during which the agency reviewed all existing fees and focused on those that had not been increased for at least 5 years. The proposed fees can still be adjusted depending on the response during the public comment period. The new fees would take effect in the spring of 2009.

As part of DCR's continued commitment to public outreach, three public hearings have been scheduled to solicit public comment on the proposed fees. Verbal and written testimony will be accepted at the hearings, but individuals are asked to provide written copies of their testimony. For additional information and a listing of the hearings, please click here.

Savings in the Commonwealth

The Massachusetts Office of Travel and TourismStarting announced great new deals on Massachusetts lodging, restaurants, and attractions at www.massvacation.com. When you visit the site, you'll see hundreds of newly discounted places to go and things to do - all across the Commonwealth. Just download the wallet-sized "MassValuePass" and take advantage of discounts that start at 25% off. These offers expire on March 31.

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