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December 2011
| Vol 6, Issue 5
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Denise Provost
Somerville Stateside |
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Contact Information
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Representative Denise Provost
State House, Room 473B
Boston, MA 02133
Office phone number is: 617-722-2263
Fax number is: 617-722-2837
Email address is: denise.provost@mahouse.gov.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Denise
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| Come to the Movies | |
"No-Impact Man" - December 7
Please join me on Wednesday, December 7, at 7pm at Groundwork Somerville, 21 Properzi Way, Suite O, in Somerville for a screening of "No-Impact Man." Sponsored in collaboration with Somerville Climate Action, Groundwork Somerville, and Somerville Local First, this film explores one man's effort to eliminate his "carbon footprint." For more information on the film and event details, follow the link to the Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/146249128812876/
Environmental Films at the Museum of Science - December 9
Somervillefilm maker Bob Nesson has been teaching Emerson College students how to tell stories about environmental issues through film. For several years now, the top films have screened at Boston's Museum of Science. Come see this year's crop on Friday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m. This event is free. |
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| Legislative Updates |
At Long Last, Transgender Equal Rights Bill Passes in Massachusetts
On November 15, 2011, I, along with 94 of my colleagues in the House of Representatives, proudly voted in favor of the Transgender Equal Rights Bill. This legislation extends civil rights and hate crimes protections to Massachusetts' transgender residents. The bill was passed by the Senate, and Governor Patrick signed it into law on November 24, 2011.
Since being elected to the House, I have been a co-sponsor and fierce advocate of this bill. In addition to extending the hate crimes laws to protect transgender persons, this bill also provides those individuals equal protection in education, credit, employment, and housing. I will continue to support the LGBT community, and all marginalized peoples, in the fight for full civil rights in Massachusetts.
Casinos
After many years of battle, the Massachusettslegislature passed a bill this fall that authorizes casinos in each of three regions in the state, plus one "slots parlor" at an existing race track. Residents of a casino's "host" community (or at least some residents), but not neighboring communities, will get to vote on whether to approve a casino location. For Somerville, this means having the possibility of a "destination" casino at Suffolk Downs and a slots parlor at Wonderland - only a few miles from our city - with no public input.
There are many reasons why I voted against this bill, ten of which I detailed in an op-ed that I was invited to write for Boston Magazine, which was then picked up by the Boston Business Journal. Besides overpromising the net revenue that expanded gambling will bring to the Commonwealth, this bill has little chance of curbing unemployment rates, and is likely to harm small businesses. Many national studies, including the University of Massachusetts-based United State Gambling Study in the 1990s, have concluded that expanded gaming does not revitalize struggling local economies.
What we get instead is an historically corrupt, economically unsound industry, authorized by and reliant on the state. We're obliged to create more new bureaucracy, in order to regulate this new "industry," which produces nothing. We have, moreover, enacted casino legislation which gives standardless discretion to a politically appointed Gaming Commission, and is larded with special deals, which prompted lawsuits being filed to challenge the legislation, just hours after it was signed by the Governor.
Redistricting
This year, the state legislature's Committee on Redistricting was in charge of remapping the Commonwealth's state legislative districts, and the (now) nine Congressional districts, changing many districts significantly. My district, the 27th Middlesex, will unfortunately lose Precinct Three of Ward Four, in the Winter Hill neighborhood. By way of consolation, that precinct will be added to the district currently represented by my colleague and friend State Representative Carl Sciortino.
While I am losing one precinct, I have gained another. Ward 2, Precinct 2, currently represented by my friend and colleague State Representative Tim Toomey, will next year become part of the 27th.Middlesex District. The configuration of the districts will change as of the March, 2012 presidential Primary, but representation of the districts will not change until after the representatives elected in the fall of 2012 are sworn in 2013 - so I continue to serve all current constituents until then. |
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Transportation Updates | |
Red Line Delays
As you probably already know, weekend service on the Red Line between Harvard Station and Alewife State has been replaced by shuttle bus service, to allow for necessary construction. This substitute service is scheduled to continue until March, 2012. To find out more about the so-called "Red Line Floating Slab Project," including information about weekend bus service, shuttle updates, advisories, and more. Visit: http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/default.asp?id=22956
Green Line Delays
I recently spearheaded the preparation of a letter to MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey, signed by all the Somerville delegation, protesting the announced GLX construction delay, questioning the administration's proposed measures to mitigate that delay,and requesting a meeting to discuss this matter. I'll be putting the letter up on my website soon, along with my comments on the Environmental Assessment for the project. As always, I'll keep my Somerville constituents updated on all developments.
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Somerville Public Hearing on Charter School Application | |
Public Hearing on Proposed Charter School in Somerville - December 14
I have heard from many constituents recently regarding the proposed new charter school in Somerville. I know that parents want the best possible education for their children, and can also understand the allure of being able to create an ideal school, as those who have proposed the new charter school wish to do. Along with many parents, educators, elected officials, and other community members, I'm concerned with the potential effects of this proposal on our current public school system, and Somerville's ongoing efforts to improve it.
I 'm surprised that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has allowed this application to move so far in the approval process, given the legal requirements for the charter school approval process. Under the "Closing the Achievement Gap" legislation enacted in January, 2010, for communities like ours, with MCAS scores in the lowest 10% statewide, and spending 9% of net school spending on charter school "sending tuition" (well, we're spending 8.32% now), DESE may only consider additional charter applications from "proven providers." Approval of new commonwealth charter schools in such communities is limited to schools that are already operating charter schools successfully for demographically similar groups of students.
The statutory limitation only applies to so-called "commonwealth charter schools." It would still be possible for Somerville's proposed new charter to operate as a Horace Mann charter school, which would make it more a part of the Somerville school system. Anyone who wants better to understand the applicable laws should look up Mass. General Laws, ch. 91, section 89 - dry, but important, reading.
There will be a public hearing on the charter school proposal on Wednesday, December 14, from 4 to 6 pm at the Somerville High School Auditorium. I will be unable to attend, but will continue to pay close attention to this issue. I've heard from many of you already, and want to hear your thoughts as this process continues. |
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