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Rep. Thomas M. Stanley
9th Middlesex District |
Rep. Stanley & House Clerk Steven James discuss legislation during recent formal session.
Firefighters gather on the Boston Common
Spring Rowing on the Charles
Rep. Stanley Speaks at ARC event
Advocates crowd State House hallways
Rep. Stanley Meets with Seniors
Student Government Day at the State House
MA Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Disability Policy Consortium celebrates Deaf Awareness Day
Egg Hunt
House Chamber
Great Hall, State House
If you'd like to arrange a State House tour, please call (617) 727-3676.
If you'd like Rep. Stanley to visit your classroom, call
(617) 722-2310. |
Contact Information:
State Representative
Thomas M. Stanley
State House, Room 167
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 722-2310
Thomas.Stanley@state.ma.us | |
Dear Friend,
It is my pleasure to deliver April's edition of The Stanley Report, my monthly update from Beacon Hill. Please feel free to pass this e-mail along to your friends, family and co-workers and let them know they can subscribe to receive my monthly newsletter by emailing me.
Thanks for reading, and for giving me the opportunity to represent you in the legislature. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (617) 722-2310.
Sincerely,
Thomas M. Stanley |
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News from Beacon Hill
House Passes Transportation Reform Bill
Rep. Stanley joined his colleagues in the House in passing a sweeping transportation reform package that would eliminate the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, bring down insurance and pension costs and help ensure a better future. These transportation reforms will create new pension rules for new MBTA workers, eliminating the "23 and out rule," put existing and future workers under the auspices of the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), which will lower healthcare costs and create a more efficient structure. The package focuses on efficiencies, cost-savings and oversight.
Gov. Moves to Close Additional Budget Deficit Gov. Patrick outlined a plan for closing an immediate state budget gap of $156 million, and announced his commitment to working with lawmakers to solve what could be an additional $400 million gap by the end of the fiscal year. As part of his plan to close the immediate budget gap, the Gov. will use a mixture of federal recovery funds, budget and spending controls, mandatory staff furloughs, and the elimination of over 750 additional state positions through layoffs, attrition, and stringent new hiring limits for state agencies. Additionally, the Governor has tasked Administration and Finance Secretary Leslie Kirwan with beginning negotiations with state collective bargaining units over a full range of potential cost-cutting initiatives to help address the economic crisis going forward. Specifically, the Governor's plan includes using $128 million in federal recovery funds, $16 million in additional budget cuts and spending controls, and $12 million in savings from furloughs and workforce reductions. Falling tax revenues and deficiencies in some accounts continue to create budgetary pressure. As tax revenues fall below projections, the Patrick-Murray Administration - working with the Department of Revenue and outside economic experts - estimates the gap could be as much as $400 million more by the end of the current fiscal year. To close this shortfall, the Governor will work with legislative leaders to identify appropriate solutions, including additional cuts, further reliance on federal recovery funds, and an additional withdrawal from the Rainy Day Fund.
MA Stimulus Funding Breakdown
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will provide the Commonwealth with an estimated $8.7 billion over the next two years. To view a breakdown of how the Commonwealth will allocate the funds, please click here.
House releases budget, calls for 25% cut in local aid
The House Ways and Means Committee released a $27.44 billion budget which relies heavily on federal aid. Since this budget calls for a 25 percent cut in local aid, Rep. Stanley cosponsored two amendments that would aide in municipal relief. One amendment will repeal the telecommunications property tax exemption and another will restore local aide to FY09 levels.
The House budget eliminated the line item that provides water and sewer relief. Rep. Stanley is filing a budget amendment that would restore this line item. In addition, Rep. Stanley is filing an amendment that would expand the bottle bill to include uncarbonated beverages. Unreturned deposit receipts would be placed in a dedicated fund available to municipalities, water districts and the MWRA to be used for water and sewer infrastructure repairs and projects.
House Passes Legislation to Preserve the Division of Insurance Board of Appeals The House approved legislation to maintain an independent appeals board for consumers to appeal fault for auto accidents. The legislation, approved 157 - 0, comes on the heels of the Division of Insurance reversing their previous decision to do away with the appeals board. The bill would create via statute, a motor vehicle surcharge Board of Appeals. This would ensure that the current Board of Appeals remained an option for any driver to appeal what they believe was a wrongful determination of a surchargeable incident due to an at-fault accident. Each year, the Division of Insurance Board of Appeals hears between 40,000 and 50,000 appeals from motorists. Of those, between 45-50% of all appeals are overturned. This accounts for a savings of a minimum of $400 a year for an individual policy holder and thousands of dollars for family policy owners, totaling a cost savings of $25-$40 million for consumers annually. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for final consideration, which previously gave initial passage to the bill. Firefighters gather at the State House
Firefighters gathered to "sound the alarm on fire service cuts, pension reform, municipal health insurance," and the state's changing of the fire promotional exam marks from a "whole marks to a banding system." Firefighters asked Gov. Patrick to allocate $90 million from the state stabilization fund to assist distressed fire departments and to rehire, hire and retain firefighters.
Firefighters at the State House
New Guide to Private Home Care Services Released
As the elderly population grows larger, so do the number of families confronting difficult care decisions for their loved ones. To alleviate this issue, the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts, a non-profit association of home care providers, has released the "2009 Guide to Private Home Care Services: A Directory of Private Home Care Agencies in Massachusetts." The directory offers residents a listing of reputable, professional home care providers by town and county as well as valuable information on how to both choose and pay for home care. According to data from the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA), Massachusetts ranks 13th in the nation with more than 650,000 caregivers who log an estimated 697 million care giving hours per year. Longer life expectancies and an increasing number of seniors from the baby-boomers group who want to remain in their home present challenges to their adult children who often are already balancing a job and family. In many cases, families are unsure of the different levels of care available, where they can go for reliable caregivers, and how they can pay for such services. The 2009 Guide to Private Home Care Services not only offers a listing of highly-regarded, highly-qualified home care providers, but also helps families navigate the questions they need to ask themselves to assess their needs and find the care that is best suited to them. For more information on the Home Care Alliance and to download or request a copy of the guide, please visit click here.
Gov. Commits $30M Over Two Years to Create Rep. Stanley Cosigns Family Support Letter
Rep. Stanley joined 108 of his colleagues in the House in signing a Family Support Letter which was submitted to Chairman Murphy, Vice-Chair L'Italien, and Speaker DeLeo. The letter requested that $45 million be restored to programs that offer support for families, 11,500 individuals, throughout the Commonwealth.
Rep. Stanley cosigned amendment to transportation reform legislation
The state Supreme Judicial Court told the MBTA that local approval is not needed to erect billboards, so town officials do not need to be notified. In response, Rep. Stanley cosponsored an amendment which was included in the house version of the transportation reform bill. The amendment requires that all billboards come under local town ordinances.
Legislators filed the amendment after the MBTA announced plans to auction off space for 60 new billboards on highways in eastern MA.The large advertisements are expected to earn the MBTA approximately $6 million a year and will be located in 32 locations in 19 cities and towns that have little or no control over their placement.
MSPCA Holds Lobby Day
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals held a lobby day on bills to protect pets and people in domestic violence situations, update the animal control and dangerous dog law and protect elephants in traveling shows.
MSPCA Advocates at State House
House Advances Pension Reform Bill
After the Senate adopted legislation to curtail abuses of pension system loopholes, the House of Representatives advanced a pension reform bill. The legislation empowers municipal pension boards to withhold members' payouts if they are in arrears, deduct health insurance premiums from pension checks and establish nonprofits to educate retirees. The bill would prohibit public officials from being credited with a year of service for a single day of service in a given calendar year, ban increased pension benefits for elected officials who fail to win reelection, end the practice of claiming higher disability payouts when injured while filling in for a supervisor and prohibit municipal officials earning less than $5K a year from claiming creditable service for that work. The pension reform bill requires elected officials to serve ten years prior to vesting in the pension system. MS Action Day Held on Beacon Hill The National Multiple Sclerosis Society Central New England Chapter held "MS Action Day on Beacon Hill" on Wednesday April 15 in Great Hall followed by citizen visits with legislators. Attendees included individuals with MS, family members, volunteers, fund raisers and health care professionals to advance priorities to benefit people with MS. Rep. Stanley Encourages Residents to Contact Energy Bucks to Access Energy Assistance by April 30 Spring Deadline
To see what energy efficiency and cost-saving services they qualify for, Rep. Stanley encourages his constituents to contact Energy Bucks. These services can help save qualified families up to 30 percent on their energy bills by insulating and weatherizing their homes, repairing or replacing a heating system, receiving discount rates for electric and gas, installing energy efficient appliances and obtaining fuel assistance. By spreading the word about the resources available, Energy Bucks links residents to programs that will help them stretch their dollars as the weather gets colder and budgets get tighter. To find out if you qualify for assistance, click here or call 866-LESS-COST.
Spring Mass Value Pass
The Spring Mass Value Pass starts just in time for School Vacation Week. Check out great deals on Massachusetts lodging, restaurants, attractions and retail at www.massvacation.com. When you visit the site, you'll see hundreds of newly discounted 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 June 30, 2009.
Digitial Television (DTV) Transition Recently, Congress passed into law the DTV Delay Act, which pushes the date of the Digital Television (DTV) transition back from today, February 17, to June 12. This transition is the switch from analog to digital broadcast television. However, there are a number of stations turning off analog service today, as noted by USA Today's portrayal of the official list provided by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Find out what digital television is, why we are switching to it, and how this will affect you by visiting the Digital Television (DTV) Transition website.
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.
New! Apply online for Food Stamps or Health Insurance and Health Assistance!
You may be able to complete a Food Stamps or Health Insurance and Health Assistance Programs application online. A simple screening survey asks questions about people in your household and compares your answers with the program rules. For more information, please click here.
Job Opportunities with the Commonwealth of MA
There are a number of job listings posted on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts home page. For more information, click here. |
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Lexington Corner
Lexington GWAC hosted Go Green Dance Party
Lexington GWAC hosted a benefit "Go Green Dance Party" at the Lexington Knights of Columbus Heritage Hall, on Saturday, April 11. The event featured local band "Trial Run" playing classic rock, Motown and blues. All proceeds funded LexGWAC, GWEN (Global Warming Education Network) and 350.org in their efforts to raise awareness about the 350.org Global Day of Climate Action on October 24 in MinutemanNational Park. For more information, see www.lexgwac.org or http://www.gwenet.org/events.htm.
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.
Donate Your Books to More than Words Bookstore and Café! Looking for somewhere to donate your books, CDs and DVDs? Interested in hosting a book drive? More Than Words Bookstore and Café is the place for you! More Than Words is a nonprofit that empowers youth who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school, to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business! By working as a team to manage their own retail and online bookstore and cafe business, our youth develop leadership, employment skills and self confidence as they prepare for their transition to adulthood! Please email Jennifer Stewart or via phone at 781-788-0035 for more information regarding book drives and donations or stop by 376 Moody St, Waltham. 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. |
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Lexington Calendar & Events (as announced in the Lexington Minuteman)
La leche league
The La League provides breastfeeding support and information through monthly meetings with accredited leaders and mother-to-mother support. The Lexington group meets the second Thursday of each month at the Cary Memorial Library, 1874 Massachusetts Ave. The Lexington group attracts women from Lexington and surrounding towns. For more information, call Francesca at 781.862.4762, Ann Marie at 781.863.1689, or Shari at 781.270.0944.
Moving On
Church of Our Redeemer, 6 Merriam St., Lexington. Thursdays, 7:30-9 p.m. Moving On is a nondenominational, on-going conversation and social group which provides a comfortable environment for now single adults to re-enter a fuller life after the loss of a partner through death, divorce or relationship termination. A $2 per person donation covers the room rental. For more information about this nonprofit group, contact John, 781.790.1708 (Waltham), moving.on@comcast.net; Marti at 978.256.5872 (Chelmsford); or Phil at 978.922.3690 (Beverly).
Liberty Ride
Leaves from National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington. Daily, 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m. The Liberty Ride, the town of Lexington's historically narrated tour of the first day of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775, features a colonial guide that takes passengers to the North Bridge in Concord and back, describing the events of the day. $20 adults, $10 children ages 6-17. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum. Call 781.862.0500, Ext. 702; email info@libertyride.us, or visit libertyride.us for more information.
Fix It Shop
Lexington Senior Center, 1475 Mass Ave., Lexington. Thursdays, 9 a.m.-noon. A Fix it Shop is held for the repair of small items. Drop-off and pick up only during the above times. Labor is free, repair parts at cost. Donations accepted.
Volunteers sought
Lexington Senior Center, 1475 Mass Ave., Lexington. The Friend to Friend Program at the Lexington Senior Center is looking for volunteers to spend a few hours a month to help isolated seniors keep in touch with everyday activities. Volunteers could help a senior with vision impairment pick up some groceries or a prescription, get a haircut, attend a special luncheon, or just have a cup of coffee and chat. People are carefully matched according to the time they have available and what they would like to do. Currently, there are several seniors looking for a friendly volunteer. Call Charlotte Rodgers, 781.861.0194, for more information.
Newcomers Club
Lexington Newcomers Club welcomes new residents to town. Consider joining the Lexington Newcomer's Club, a non-profit social organization, to meet friends and learn about the town. Visit lexington-newcomers. Org for more information or call Marjoleine, membership chair, 781.274.9822, to join.
Exhibit
National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington. Ongoing. The NationalHeritageMuseum opens "Sowing the Seeds of Liberty: Lexington and the American Revolution," its new cornerstone exhibition. The new long-term installation is designed to stimulate new ways of thinking about the battle at Lexington on April 19, 1775. In addition to describing the battle and events that led up to it, the exhibition will explain why members of this small farming community were willing to take arms against their own government to protect a way of life, Through an engaging mix of objects, documents, images, re-creations of historic environments, and interactive elements, people of all ages will be able to learn about the roots of the American Revolutions. "Sowing the Seeds of Liberty" will replace "Lexington Alarm'd," the museum's current exhibition on colonial life that has been on view since April 19, 1995. Free and open to the public. Call 781.861.6559 or visit nationalheritagemuseum.org for further information.
NAMI Support Groups
The Central Middlesex affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts, serving Acton, Bedford, Boxborough, Burlington, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, and Stow offers daytime and evening support groups for families and friends: Bedford, last Tuesday of each month, 7:30-9:30 pm, First Church of Christ, 25 Great Road, Routes 4, 62 and 225, Bedford; West Concord, first Thursday of each month, 12:30-2:00 pm, West Concord Union Church, 1317 Main Street, West Concord; Stow, -third Saturday of every month, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Fellowship Hall, First Parish Church in Stow, near the intersection of Rt. 117 and Rt. 62. Call 781.982.3318. |
Important Information on Foreclosure
Individuals facing foreclosure may benefit from qualified legal counsel to represent them in foreclosure proceedings. The Attorney General's Office, in partnership with several bar associations, legal services organizations and advocacy groups, announced the establishment of a Pro Bono Foreclosure Assistance Hotline. Low-income Massachusetts residents who are facing foreclosure may call (800) 342-5297 or (617) 603-1700 and leave a message in the foreclosure assistance mail box. Homeowners facing foreclosure should know that there are several organizations available to help.
NeighborWorks® America
NeighborWorks® America is a national nonprofit organization created by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance and training for community-based revitalization efforts. The NeighborWorks® website hosts information on trainings, policy, publications and data. NeighborWorks® Center for Home Ownership Education and Counseling promotes long-term home ownership for low-income families by promoting training standards and quality service delivery. One of the newest additions to its growing range of valuable practitioner resources are the Consumer Home Buying Guides, a set of four consumer-focused guides to various stages of the home buying process. Developed by Fannie Mae Foundation, these guides deliver practical, specific and concise information in a user-friendly format.
MassHousing
The Home Saver Foreclosure Program, a counseling and loan program, helps borrowers act proactively to their address their mortgage problems and address them before foreclosure becomes a reality. This program is geared towards moderate income homeowners who meet program guidelines and can afford a new loan payment. This program is not available to those already in foreclosure or own more than one property. MassHousing also provides information and assistance to individuals and families looking for affordable housing in the state.
National Consumer Law Center
The National Consumer Law Center works to defend the rights of consumers in the areas of consumer debt, bankruptcy, foreclosure and mortgage servicing, basic energy and utility issues, and student loans. It also works to protect vulnerable populations and ensure the provision of these rights. Though it does not represent individual clients in legal matters, the organization's website has a variety of consumer publications on issues pertaining to foreclosure and mortgage servicing, bankruptcy, as well as a number of other consumer protection concerns.
Citizens Housing and Planning Association
The Massachusetts Homeownership Collaborative is an initiative managed by CHAPA that supports and promotes homebuyer education. These agencies offer homebuyer education workshops and individual homebuyer counseling to prospective homebuyers.
Mortgage Bankers Association
The Home Loan Learning Center website sponsored by the Mortgage Bankers Association, is committed to empowering the consumer to make informed financial decisions through access to financial education. Consumers can learn about mortgage basics, financing options, and how to prevent foreclosures. They can also find links to reach state, federal, nonprofit and consumer group websites.
Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae is a Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) chartered Congress with the mission to provide liquidity and stability to the US housing mortgage markets. Their Homepath program is designed to help users find the Fannie Mae mortgage and lender that's right for them. Fannie Mae has developed a large array of innovative mortgage products, available through a nationwide network of Fannie Mae-approved lenders. Fannie Mae doesn't lend money directly to borrowers. Homepath also offers a number of tools, such as calculators, a glossary of terms, a list of organizations that provide counseling and a list of mortgage lenders.
Freddie Mac
Freddie Mac is Government Sponsored Enterprise dedicated to making the American dream of decent, accessible housing a reality. The Buying and Owning a Home section on the Freddie Mac website includes an online guide to the home buying process in English and Spanish, financial calculators and tools, and a list of properties for sale.
HOPE for Homeowners Program
Effective from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2011, as many as 400,000 homeowners could avoid foreclosure through HUD's H4H program. If you are having trouble making your mortgage payments, HOPE for Homeowners may be able to help you, by refinancing your loan into a new 30-year fixed rate loan with lower payments.
Local Aid
The Department of Housing and Community Development has identified and contracted with housing agencies from across the Commonwealth that help homeowners with foreclosure counseling and provide first-time homeownership guidance and down-payment assistance.
Legal Services
Massachusetts Legal Services offers resources and services for lower-income Massachusetts residents. Massachusetts Legal Services will connect you with legal aid in your area. | |
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