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Weekly Roundup
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February 2, 2009
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Greetings!
The long-term goal of ONE Massachusetts is to rebuild the public's
confidence in government by promoting a positive vision of government
as the place where we come together to address challenges that none of
us can take on alone: educating our children; creating safe
neighborhoods; building public infrastructure; protecting our
environment and other core elements of a civil society.
In this first weekly newsletter, you can learn more about the three long-term strategic goals of ONE
Massachusetts, along with some of the associated hot-button issues.
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By 2013, the voice and input of the state's multi-racial, multi-ethnic communities will create a counterweight to the currently dominant voice and will be tangibly reflected in the public decision making process.
Recent developments
The ONE Massachusetts Leadership Team has endorsed election
day registration, a measure being advanced by our partner organization Mass
VOTE. The measure is aimed at increasing voter participation by allowing
residents to register on the same day they vote. Currently, residents must
register 20 days before balloting. Eight states currently have EDR in place.
The measure is reputed to boost voter participation by between 3 and 12
percent.
State Rep. Gloria Fox has filed an EDR bill. A hearing is
scheduled for Feb. 4.
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By 2013, a fair, adequate, and stable tax system will be implemented. It will raise sufficient revenue so that state and local governments can fund the array of services needed.
Recent Developments
Governor Patrick released the state budget this week calling
for $1.6 billion in budget cuts as part of his effort to close a budget gap
estimated to be $3.5 billion. The cuts would include $60 million from the state
employee health insurance, $220 million in Local Aid reductions and $647
million in Executive Branch cuts and savings.
The governor's budget would rely on $711 million in federal
Economic Stimulus funds, a $586 million withdrawal from the rainy day fund and
$587 million in new revenue, including a $150 million elimination of sales tax
exemptions for candy, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, $148 million from a
1 percent increase to the meals/hotel tax and $75 million in new fees for the
Registry of Motor Vehicles.
A Boston Globe summary gives a good thumbnail sketch of the
budget. The governor's website also gives a detailed breakdown of the budget -
a new high watermark for transparency in the state budget.
More detailed analysis of the governor's budget can be found
on the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center's website.
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By 2013, a transparent, accessible and accountable state and local policy-making process will be in place.
Recent developments
ONE Massachusetts
submitted testimony Monday during a hearing on reforms proposed by the
Governor's Public Integrity Task Force. The task force has submitted a bill
that would increase requirements for reporting on lobbying in Massachusetts and increase penalties for
violations of state lobbying laws. We supported the task force recommendations
and also called for greater transparency in the state's budget and budgeting
process.
Testimony:
ONE Massachusetts is a network of organizations and
individuals across the state sharing a common vision: to rebuild the public's
confidence in our capacity to work together - through our government - to
expand economic opportunity and improve the quality of life in Massachusetts. We
conduct trainings that help people understand the state budget and how it
functions, how revenues are raised and spent in Massachusetts.
I'm here to
support the intent and the purpose of the Governor's Public Integrity Bill.
One of the
greatest obstacles to civic engagement in Massachusetts is a pervasive distrust and
lack of faith in government. This distrust is fed by stories of government
malfeasance and by a lack of understanding of what government is and what
government does.
The
lobbying reforms in appendix B of the Governor's Public Integrity Bill would be
tremendously helpful in rebuilding the public's faith in our public officials.
Its passage would demonstrate that our Legislature is committed to fairness and
openness.
It's
critically important that everyone who is engaged in lobbying register as
lobbyists and report on their lobbying on a quarterly basis. By making sure
these filings are submitted on time and are accessible in an easily searchable
database, this bill would bring the kind of transparency we need to restore
faith in our government.
The Public
Integrity Bill goes hand-in-hand with the Act Relative to Transparency,
sponsored by Senator Creem and representatives Kaufman and Cabral, which
directs ANF to create an online, searchable database for the state budget.
By making
information on the state budget more accessible and transparent, this act would
also go far to enhance public confidence in government and civic participation.
ONE Massachusetts
enthusiastically supports this act.
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Outreach
and Training
In January, we made ONE Mass
Connect the dots presentations to The
Boston Foundation staff and now are going around to their grantees with a
customized shorter session, to the Schott and Access Strategies staff and
grantees again with follow up, to the Health Foundation of Central Mass and
their grantees . We've done large group presentations with the Coalition for
Social Justice in Fall River
(64) and we presented at a special Insider Budget Briefing with about 45 people
In February we are hosting a training and strategy session for Proposition 2 1/2 organizations. We'll be looking a revenue proposals currently on the table and discussing how we can work together for more funds in our state budget. The meeting will be in Natick from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for more information, contact Yawu Miller at 617-821-8552.
ONE Massachusetts will host a public Connect the Dots session in Boston
at 30 winter on Feb 12th from 9:30 to 12:00 and from 1:00 to 3:30.
Please contact Carmen to reserve a place.
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