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Weekly Roundup
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April 1st, 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. Please check the following WBUR segment to get a taste of our presentations and ways on how we can talk more effectively about our public structures.
 You can now view this newsletter en Espaņol! Please email carmen@realclout.org, and we will add you to our list!
Here is a look at what's been going on across Massachusetts: |
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:
Election Day Registration.The New York Times posted an editorial on March 17th, called "Still Broken" that comments about the current US electoral system. "Ever since the 2000 election in Florida, the serious flaws in the voting system have been abundantly clear."
Save the Date: April 29th, 2009 - Election Day Registration Lobby Day at Gardner Auditorium at 10:00 am. If you can not make it to this important event please call your Representative and Senator to let them know your support for Election Day Registration. To find who your Representative and Senator are go to: www.wheredoivote.com
Massachusetts Freedom to Vote Act. State Senator Jamie Eldridge and Representative Jay Kaufman filed the Massachusetts Freedom to Vote Act, a new piece of election reform legislation. This bill brings together many reforms to modernize our voting system, protect people's right to vote, and help cities and towns save money. If you would like to learn some of the highlights of this bill go to: http://www.onemassachusetts.org/node/505
From Leadership Team Member Gloribell Mota: Preliminary Census Canvassing. Beginning in April 2009, U.S. Census employees will visit every community during the first major field activity in preparation for the 2010 Census. By visiting addresses in every community, the Census Bureau will know where to send questionnaires and enumerators in 2010. You can help with this effort by making sure your community is aware that Census employees will be working in your neighborhood. Address Canvassing will be taking place during April, May, and June.
From our partner MassVote: In Massachusetts, we are gearing up to make sure everyone is counted in the 2010 Census. Nonprofits can make a difference. To find out more, please join the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network for an informative webinar to learn what you can do. To register, please visit www.nonprofitscount.org
National Kick-Off Webinar for Nonprofits Count! 2010 campaign
Presented by Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network
Wednesday, April 1st
2 PM ET / 11 AM PT
Update:
Mayoral and City Council Educational Forums. Last Thursday March 26th, MassVote lead a group of individuals and organizations to start conversations about the organization of mayoral and city council educational forums in the late summer. If your organization would like to co-sponsor this event or you would like to volunteer please contact Cheryl Crawford at ccrawford@massvote.com |
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:
Local Options Taxes. Local grassroots nonprofits are organizing around local options taxes! Parents of children who attend the Boston public schools rallied at the Statehouse on March 26th, hoping to persuade the governor and the Legislature to send more money to the city to avert budget cuts that could result in the loss of more than 500 school jobs, including those of many teachers. The parents advocated for a larger share of federal stimulus dollars. They also voiced support for the Legislature to pass measures that would enable communities to raise more revenue, such as increasing the local meals and lodging taxes.[Boston Globe]
Film Tax Credits. Massachusetts is chasing a pipe dream in its quest to become "Hollywood East" as it wages a taxpayer-funded "lunatic competition" with 40 other states for fleeting film dollars, the authors of a new study say. "It's very unlikely Massachusetts will be able to create a sustainable industry on the level of Los Angeles or New York," said Cornell University professor Susan Christopherson, who co-authored a new study raising questions about government giveaways to movie moguls. [Boston Herald]
 DeLeo: Budget will "cut to the very core". In the Boston Globe House Speaker Robert DeLeo said today "I want to warn you that the cuts that are required to balance this budget ...will cut to the very core of government's purpose and mission."In the State House News Service on March 31st DeLeo signaled reluctance to go along with Deval's Patrick lodging and meals taxes, said tax credits would be ripe for scrutiny to ensure that investments were paying off sufficient benefits.
Boston councilor seeks citizen participation in city's budget process. City Councilor Sam Yoon held a Post-Audit & Oversight Committee hearing on the city's budget last night at the Great Hall in Codman Square. Yoon solicited community input about the city's budget, and outlined the findings of a Boston Finance Commission report to suggest savings that could close the city's $140 million budget deficit. During the hearing, Judith Kurland, Mayor Thomas Menino's chief of staff, outlined cost-saving measures the city is currently implementing.
Revenue Committee to hold briefings on tax policies. Some four dozen lawmakers and aides met on Wednesday in the first of a series of briefings on issues surrounding the state's complex tax policies. "There is no topic that is off-limits for these seminars," said Rep. Jay Kaufman, House chair of the Joint Committee of Revenue. Kaufman said the seminars were an effort to educate himself and other committee members as they considers tax policy reforms. He added the committee will invite experts to the briefings. [Belmont Citizen-Herald]
Joint Committee on Revenue. The Joint Committee of Revenue will have its first hearing of the session this coming Tuesday April 7th at 10:00 am in Gardner Auditorium at the State House. Governor Deval Patrick together with 20 legislators will testify about a diverse range of tax bills. Feel free to contact the Revenue Committe for more information at 617-722-2320 |
Goal: By 2013, a transparent, accessible and accountable state and local policy-making process will be in place.
Current Developments:
House unanimously approves Ethics Bill. Lawmakers unanimously approved a bill making sweeping changes to Massachusetts' ethics laws on Thursday, saying reform was necessary to restore public trust in state government. "This will allow us to do our work each and every day and not worry that a few people who don't play by the rules will ruin it for everybody," said Rep. Steven Walsh, D-Lynn. In a statement released Thursday night, Gov. Deval Patrick said he appreciated the House's passage of the bill but said it fell short on some important issues. "I urge the Senate to include our proposals to strengthen the gratuities law and to permit recorded conversations in corruption investigations in its version of the ethics bill, and for the House to agree to these provisions in the final version of the bill," said Patrick. [Boston Globe]
Ethics and Lobbying Reform in Massachusetts. Pam Wilmot Executive Director of Common Cause posted a blog on bluemassgroup addressing the issue of how the gifts provision in the Governor's ethics bill is not the Diane Wilkerson memorial provision. "What Diane did-taking 10,000 gifts from Arthur Winn and the like-is illegal under current law. The Governor's provision wouldn't make it more illegal and the House bill wouldn't make it less illegal" Wilmot said.
Update:
Last Wednesday March 25th, ONE Massachusetts featured Pam Wimot as our special guest speaker at our Insider Budget Briefing event. Pam had a conversation with around 25 activists and guests about How Would the Pending Lobbying Reforms Affect Massachusetts Nonprofits? Most of the concerns in the room were related to the costs of registering as a lobbyist in the state and the reporting requirements. If you would like to read an opinion about why it would be important for non profits to register some of their members as lobbyists go to: http://www.onemassachusetts.org/node/492 |
Connecting the Dots with Demos Project for the Public Sector
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE
April 14th
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: 30 Winter Street 9th floor
June 3rd
Location and time: TBA
On April 14th and on May 29th ONE Massachusetts will host "Connect the Dots trainings" in the Boston area for anyone interested in learning more about the current fiscal crisis and ways on how to communicate more effectively about the government and our public structures.
Our Connect the Dots sessions focus both on understanding on how budget and revenue policy affects our state, and how to effectively communicate about our state government.
Tax and Budget Policy Literacy. Our country, state, and cities face one of the most devastating economic times since the Great Depression. In ONE Massachusetts, 9C cuts in FY 09 and threatened cuts in the FY 10 budget have exacerbated the crisis. These funding cuts put at risk the public structures that we all rely on and value, the public structures that make us a competitive state - attracting and keeping businesses and residents. We need to learn how to talk about these budget and revenue decisions in a way that is understandable to all, and to start seeking ways to address them as a group. Talking About Government. Advocates that can communicate effectively about public policy issues are able to better engage their communities, and to move their friends and neighbors to create positive social and economic change. Research shows that the way that you talk about these issues, and about government itself, can dramatically change the conversation and help to rebuild people's confidence in what we can accomplish together. The goal of the Connect the Dots sessions is to build the capacity of organizations and communities across the state to work together toward a more healthy and vibrant Commonwealth. Presenters include: * ONE Massachusetts Staff * Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center Trainers * Public Works: the Demos Center for the Public Sector: Patrick Bresette For more information on scheduling a training in your community or organization, please contact us at info@onemassachusetts.org
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