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Weekly Roundup
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September 16th, 2009
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Greetings!
As active members of the Massachusetts community, we all want our voices - and those of whom we fight for - to be heard on Beacon Hill. You may already know that on July 1, 2009, Governor Patrick signed into law "An Act to Improve the Laws Relating to Campaign Finance, Ethics and Lobbying."
 Yet many advocates are asking questions:
- Who has to register - only direct lobbyists, or are folks included who perform research and planning for lobbying efforts and grassroots events?
- When do the new registration deadlines go into effect?
- How will these registrations take place?
Folks are also concerned about the fiscal impact, both on small nonprofits and on the Secretary of State's office itself, which will take on more responsibility, but so far has no additional funding. Do you share these concerns? Do you have your own question to add?
Please join us as we discuss the Lobbying and Ethics Bill with:
- Pam Wilmot, Executive Director, Common Cause
- Judy Meredith, Executive Director, The Public Policy Institute
- Representatives from the office of the Secretary of State [Tentative]
The panel will give a quick briefing on the new law and how it may be implemented, and then will open the floor to nonprofit organizations and community advocates so that they may ask questions, express their concerns, and participate in regulation development on the lobbying reform bill that will likely take affect January 1st.
EVENT INFORMATION | FAQs ON LOBBYING REFORM
Here is a look at what else has been going on across Massachusetts: [Skip Ahead: Civic Engagement | Revenue | Government Reform]
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 Civic Engagement
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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.
Upcoming: Primary Election Season. A round of primary elections in towns and cities across the state has begun, and will continue into October. Primary elections are a critical step in our electoral process. Just some of the upcoming educational events leading up to them include the Boston Mayoral & City Council At-Large Forums.- September 17 - Mayoral. 6:30-8:00 PM at English High School, Jamaica Plain. Focus: Public Safety, Education, and Immigration.
- October 13 - City Council. 6:30-8:00 PM, at UMass-Boston Campus Center
- October 27 - Boston Mayoral Forum. 6:30-8:00 PM, at Faneuil Hall
- September 19 - Citizenship Workshops. The Ya Es Hora "Ciudadania!" campaign is holding a citizen workshop, that will include:
- Completion of the N-400 application
- Passport photographs
- Review of application by an immigration attorney
- $10 assistance fee
- For more information contact Courtney Snegroff at 617-878-7403 or at
csnegroff@seiu615.org.
- September 22 - Primary Elections in Boston, Lawrence, Westfield and Holyoke.
- October 6 - Preliminary Election in Agawam.
Updates:
- Community Media Relations. This week, the Public Policy Institute assembled a panel of journalists and
media relations specialists for a special Insider Budget Briefing on
 How to Maximize Media Relationships. The panelists addressed an audience of nonprofit employees and legislative aides and offered advice on to publicize the work of
nonprofit and government organizations and how to manage a media crisis. PPI's Insider Budget Briefing series is aimed at fostering
better relations and cooperation between government officials and the
residents of the Commonwealth's communities.
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| Revenue |
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.
Upcoming:
- September 29 - Providers and the Budget. Health and Human Service Secretary JudyAnn Bigby is
planning a meeting with organizations that provide care for the
elderly, mentally ill, children and people with disabilities to hear
suggestions on how to handle the state's fiscal challenges. "As
you all know, the national economic slowdown and continual decline of
state revenue require that all state agencies prepare for further
budget reductions," HHS legislative director David Martin in a Monday
email to providers, which was obtained by the News Service. "Secretary
Bigby would like to explain the process and principles we are using as
we construct our response to this fiscal challenge and to hear from the
organizations and advocates we partner with in serving our clients and
members." The meeting is planned for Sept. 29 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on
the 21st floor of One Ashburton Place. [State House News Service]
- October 22 - Tax Expenditure Training. Join the Public Policy Institute, with special guest Peter Enrich, Law Professor at Northeastern University and former general counsel to the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance, for a close look at our Tax Expenditure Budget (sometimes called the "Loopholes"), and what it means for our state's fiscal health. The event will take place from 5-7pm, location TBD. For more information, contact Carmen Arce-Bowen.
Updates:
Education Funding Adequate? The head of the Massachusetts Teachers Association joined ACLU,
school committee and Readiness Project officials Tuesday afternoon in
calling for a independent study of the adequacy of public education
funding and resources. According to the association, the so-called
foundation budget for education has not been significantly updated in 18
years and should be assessed based on modern methodologies for
determining resources necessary for students to succeed and meet state
education standards. A bill filed by Sen. Karen Spilka (D-Ashland)
would establish an Education Resource Study Committee. [State House News Service]
- Transportation Funding. With the transportation system still facing financing shortcomings, and what many see
as inequities in how users finance the system, state lawmakers asked their colleagues
Tuesday to consider additional tolls on north-south roadways.
Rep. Mary Grant (D-Beverly) wants state transportation officials to "design and price" an
electronic tolling system for the Metropolitan Highway System stretch of Interstate 93
southbound and Rte. 2 northbound in Boston, Somerville, Medford and Quincy. Grant's
plan is for north-south drivers to "share in the maintenance costs" of the Big Dig.
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state would provide a report back to the Legislature including data on how much the
highways are used.
"I raise this to begin the discussion of how we are going to pay for and maintain" the
highway system, [Grant said during a Transportation Committee hearing. [State House News Service]
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Government Reform
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Goal: By 2013, a transparent, accessible and accountable state and local policy-making process will be in place.
Upcoming:- September 30 - Lobbying Reform for Nonprofits. Do you have concerns about the effects of the Lobbying Reform and Ethics Bill on your nonprofit? Please join Pam Wilmot, Executive Director, Common Cause; Judy Meredith, Executive Director, The Public Policy Institute; and hopefully representatives from the office of the Secretary of State for an Insider Budget Briefing on the new Lobbing Law, with a panel discussion on how it may be implemented and an opportunity for nonprofit organizations and community advocates to ask questions, express concerns, and participate in regulation development on this bill that will likely take affect January 1st. [Event Info] [FAQ on Lobbying Changes]
Updates:- Transparency. An increasing number of folks, from all political
spectrums, are showing that they care about transparency.
MassOpenBooks is new website from the Pioneer Institute, that is described as "an online tool to find out how Massachusetts State government is spending your tax dollars." Unfortunately, two things stand out as missing in this website. First, it reports primarily on pensions, salaries and contracts, neglecting the vast majority of state revenue: schools,
roads, safety net services, public health and all the public structures
we have put in place in this Commonwealth so that Massachusetts
residents can have opportunities and prosper. Second, providing information on pensions, salaries and contracts with no background on the public structure these
people are working on is almost useless. How much
work would it take to describe what each agency does?
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