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Weekly Roundup
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March 16, 2009
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Greetings!
ONE Massachusetts was on the road last week with a series of Connect the Dots trainings in Western Massachusetts. The trainings focused on how budget priorities and revenue policies affect our state, and how to effectively communicate about our state government.
Charlie Dietz, of Northeast Public Radio (WAMC) covered the training in Lenox. Click here for an under-five-minute taste of the session!
 For those Spanish-speaking members of the ONE Massachusetts network, please stay tuned to the ONE Massachusetts YouTube page for a Spanish-language version of last week's video: Progressive versus Regressive Taxes - and stay tuned for more content en Espaņol!
Here is a look at what's been going on across Massachusetts:
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Goal: 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.
Current Developments
- This Week: Bilingual Ballots Hearing. The Boston City Council's committee on government operations
will hold a hearing this coming Wednesday, March 18th at 2 pm in the
Christopher Ianella Chambers on the 5th floor. The hearing is about proposed
legislation to keep bilingual ballots for the upcoming special election to fill the
Third Suffolk district seat. The city of Boston currently provides ballots in English
and Spanish and translates Chinese and Vietname names, but not on their
respective characters for state level positions. Mayor Thomas Menino filed the
bilingual ballot bill which is pending approval in the Legislature. The
proximity of this special election might not make possible the approval of this
Legislation together with its implementation. The special election will take place on June 16 with a
primary election on May 19th. [More information]
- This Week: New Americans Agenda. Mark your calendars for the last New Americans Agenda
hearing taking place in Fitchburg this Wednesday
March 18th, 5:30 - 7:30 pm at the Fitchburg High
School.On Monday March 10th, ONE Massachusetts and MIRA Coalition held their last joint
training event at the Cleghorn
Neighborhood Center for the testifiers of the last New Americans Agenda hearing taking place this week in Fitchburg. Through this
collaboration, MIRA and ONE Massachusetts trained testifiers about what to
expect during the hearings, how to develop a message following the Demos
model, and about civic engagement.
- Next Week: The Role of Social Work in a Challenging Economy: Legislative Education and Advocacy Day 2009. The National Association of Social Workers is holding their annual advocacy day Monday, March 23rd, from 9am - 2pm in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House. The event includes workshops that focus on various aspects of social work and meetings with state
legislators regarding policy and future legislation affecting the populations
that they work with. [More Information on NASW's LEAD 2009 Event]
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Goal: 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.
Current Developments
- This Week: Final Fiscal 2010 Budget Hearing. After two weeks of hearings dominated by testimony from Patrick
administration officials, the House and Senate Ways and Means Committee members will hold their final annual budget hearing this Friday, March 20th at 10am in the State
House's Gardner Auditorium, and will open discussion up to anyone who cares to testify. The annual general budget hearing usually draws those representing individuals
dependent upon state services and programs. The hearing will be co-chaired by
Rep. Barbara L'Italien and Sen. Harriette Chandler. [State House News Service]
- This Week: Senate President Murray's Budget Forum. As members of the Ways and Means
committees wrap up fiscal 2010 budget hearings on Beacon Hill, Senate President
Therese Murray and Sen. Thomas Kennedy will host what Murray is calling the "First Annual Budget
Forum," this Friday, March 18th, at 2pm, at the Plimoth Plantation. [State House News Service]
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Goal: By 2013, a transparent, accessible and accountable state and local policy-making process will be in place.
Current Developments
- This Week: Patrick Ethics Bill up for a Hearing. The Joint Committee on Administration and Regulatory Oversight will hear testimony on Gov. Patrick's ethics and lobbying law reform bill this Wednesday, March 18th at 12pm, in Room A2 of the State House. Patrick filed the bill on the first day of the 2009-2010 legislative session and called for lawmakers to pass the bill in 30 days.
- Next Week: Ethics and Lobbying Reform Bill. Learn more about how this bill would affect Massachusetts Nonprofits at next week's Insider Budget Briefing. [More Information Below]
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  Insider Budget Briefing
with Common Cause's Pam Wilmot
We know that policymakers make different
decisions when they are watched by their constituents. In order to make that
policy-making process more transparent, Governor Deval Patrick has filed "An Act Improving the Laws Relating to Ethics and Lobbying." [Background on the Act]
But what would this pending ethics
bill mean for all of the Massachusetts nonprofits that want to voice
their opinion on public policy? Will it restrict their ability
to advocate for their causes? Will registering lobbyists be
prohibitively expensive for small nonprofits?
It sounds like this bill is going to go quickly through the legislature, so now is the time to answer all of these questions! Pam Wilmot, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts, and a member of the Governor's Task Force on Public Integrity, will walk us through this important piece of legislation, and answer your questions!
Join us Wednesday, March 25th at 5:00pm in the 9th floor conference room at 30 Winter Street in Boston's Downtown Crossing [Map].
To make our Insider Budget Briefings more accessible, we are reducing
tuition to only $10, including a light supper and take-home materials.
Tuition may be waived for those who need assistance.
Stay tuned for more information on Connect the Dots trainings in April, and throughout the year! For more information on scheduling a training in your community or organization, please contact us at info@onemassachusetts.org.
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 Pumping up the Gas Tax? Leo Maley, ONE Massachusetts network member and Director of the Progressive Massachusetts PAC, was interviewed by Peter Vickery [Vickery Voice] on why he feels the Gas Tax is important to our state.
The ONE Massachusetts Leadership Team has not yet decided to take a position for or against the Gas Tax. |
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