Thursday, January 31, 2013

Statement on NEFMC’s Vote to Drastically Reduce the Catching of Cod Fish

Today I released the following statement regarding yesterday’s vote made by the New England Fisheries Management Council to reduce the available catch of Gulf of Maine Cod by77% to 1,506 metric tons and George’s Bank Cod by 61% to 2,506 metric tons:

“Yesterday’s vote by the New England Fisheries Management Council is devastating news for fishing ports and fishing families throughout Massachusetts and our region.  The impending socio-economic devastation demands that public officials and industry stakeholders work together as never before to bring innovation, flexibility and leadership to the table, and to find ways to keep the fishing industry alive through these perilous times.

We cannot allow New England’s domestic fish harvesting capacity to disappear, and I am calling on my colleagues in government and those in the industry to rise to the challenge before us of ensuring the survival of an industry that feeds our country with a precious catch every day.”

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Statement on IG Welfare Report Revealing the Loss of Millions of Taxpayer Dollars

Today I released the following statement regarding a report by Inspector General Glenn Cunha revealing the continued loss of public dollars and ongoing abuse within the state’s welfare system, while taxpayers are being asked to pay more taxes, fees, tolls, and other expenses to finance the expansion of transportation and education initiatives proposed by the Governor:


“The report released yesterday by Inspector General Cunha proves that there is still substantial work to be done to eliminate and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in our state’s welfare system.  It’s unacceptable that taxpayers would be asked to pay more while millions are being wasted.  Equally unacceptable is the diversion of precious dollars intended to support those in need from people who deserve them to those who do not.

We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work in confronting these issues now, and our caucus is committed to action on them as soon as possible.”

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Senate GOP Caucus Files Additional Joint Rules for 188th General Court

The Massachusetts Senate Republicans Caucus are proposing an ambitious series of changes to the joint rules which govern the House and Senate, setting the stage for a critical debate tomorrow centering around transparency and accountability in the state’s legislative process.  The proposed changes, filed on Tuesday afternoon, would put more information in the hands of the public and members of the legislature, ensuring more informed and accountable actions on Beacon Hill.

The changes proposed by the caucus come at the beginning of a legislative session that will confront critical issues such as increases in taxes and spending proposed by Governor Patrick, the reform of the Sex Offender Registry System, and the oversight of the state’s forensic crime labs.

Highlights of the Senate Republican Caucus’ proposed rules package include:

  • Requiring committees to post all committee votes on the General Court website;
  • Requiring conference committee reports to be accompanied with a summary when filed with the Senate and House clerk’s office;
  • Requiring all conference committee reports to be filed no later than 5:00pm on the prior day scheduled for consideration by the General Court and the text of all conference committee reports be posted on the General Court website;
  • Providing conference committee members with the option of issuing a minority report;
  • Providing legislators at least 48 hours before meeting in an executive session to provide recommendations of legislation to the full membership of the House and Senate with the bill numbers and texts of all petitions to be considered;
  • Allowing the House and Senate to consider and adopt a joint resolution by March 15th of each year declaring the minimum level of state aid to be appropriated to the cities and towns for the upcoming fiscal year;
  • Requiring each committee to hold at least one public hearing per year to determine if the agencies and programs under its jurisdiction can achieve savings or operate in a more cost-effective manner, and to submit their findings and recommendations to the House and Senate Clerks and Chairs of the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees;
  • Requiring that each committee to consider the cost-effectiveness of all laws, regulations, and programs that fall under its purview, and recommend whether such measures should be continued, curtailed, or eliminated;
  • Requiring all joint committees to include a taxation impact statement showing the fiscal impact of any changes to fees or taxes contained in the proposed legislation, and how they will impact the average taxpayer and the state’s economy; and
  • Requiring the broadcasting of all informal sessions.

Modern technology and communications mean that more informed and accountable decisions are a necessity and not a luxury.  We must modernize our rules to reflect the fact that we can, and we should, provide increased amounts of information to each other and the people we represent.

Last week the Senate Republican Caucus was successful in the passage of a Senate rule that would require the posting of all roll call votes taken by the members of the Senate on the General Court website within 48 hours of the vote being taken.  That measure was passed unanimously by a vote of 39-0, and will take effect no later than May 1st of this year.

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Friday, January 25, 2013

Media Alert: On the Record with Channel 5

This Sunday at 11:00AM I will be featured alongside House Minority Leader Brad Jones on Channel 5’s political news show “On the Record”.  Representative Jones and I sat down with Hosts Janet Wu and Ed Harding to discuss the latest political news of the Commonwealth.

Don’t forget to tune in on Sunday to watch our lively discussion.

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Senate GOP Caucus Successful in Transparency Rule

Today the Senate Republican Caucus was successful in passing a Senate rule that would require the posting of roll call votes on the General Court website within 48 hours of the vote being taken.  The measure was passed unanimously by a vote of 39-0, and will take effect no later than May 1st of this year.

This is a step in the right direction of transparency.  This rule change will provide the public with the opportunity to see how exactly members are voting in a timely fashion.

Unfortunately, some of the rules offered by the caucus did not generate the needed support from the members of the majority party.

Those proposed rules included:

  • The television broadcasting of informal and formal sessions online and making a digital copy of the sessions available to public access television;
  • posting filed bills on the internet;
  • requiring a unanimous vote of all the members present to allow Senate business to proceed beyond the hour of midnight;
  • mandating that any measure that proposes an increase in taxation by available in print and posted on the Senate website at least 7 days prior to consideration;
  • directing the Senate Ways and Means Committee to include in its executive summary of the state budget any federal revenue source, non-recurring funding, and off-budget spending that alters an existing appropriation; and
  • pairing of votes only in cases where a senator is absent from the chamber due to military service or physical incapacity.
While an opportunity has been lost today, the Minority Party will continue to explore every option possible to promote transparency within the legislative process.

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Senate GOP Caucus Files Additional Senate Session Rules for 188th General Court

Today the Senate Republican Caucus is offering a package of rules scheduled for debate during today’s full senate session that if passed, would increase transparency and accountability within the legislative process.  The package offered comes at a particularly important time due to the Senate already slated to take up many important issues for debate early in the legislative calendar.

Highlights of the Senate Republican Caucus’ proposed rules package include:

  • Requiring the Clerk of the Senate to post all roll call votes within 48 hours of a vote being taken;
  • Broadcasting of informal and formal sessions online and making a digital copy of the sessions made available to public access television;
  • Requiring a unanimous vote of all the members present to allow Senate business to proceed beyond the hour of midnight;
  • Mandating that any measure that proposes an increase in taxation by available in print and posted on the Senate website at least 7 days prior for consideration;
  • Allowing any senator to object to the consideration of a particular matter during an informal session, even if a senator is not physically present as long as a written request to the Clerk of the Senate has been received no later than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of session;
  • Directing the Senate Ways and Means Committee to include in its executive summary of the state budget any federal revenue source, non-recurring funding, and off-budget spending that alters an existing appropriation;
  • Requiring the Clerk of the Senate to post on the Senate website the text of legislation introduced in the Senate that has not been assigned a bill number;
  • Allowing the opportunity to repeal, add, change or modify any rule if two or more senators propose the measure;
  • Allowing a bill or amendment be divided into two or more separate measures if they are capable of detaching;
  • Pairing of votes only in cases where a senator is absent from the chamber due to military service or physical incapacity; and
  • Prohibiting the use of cell phones or other mobile electronic devices in the Senate Chamber while the Senate is in session.
We must ensure that the rules of the Senate provide as much transparency and accountability as possible as we face important issues.  These proposals for change will not only ensure that members have access to information in a timely way, but also that the public has greater access to what transpires on Beacon Hill as well.

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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Media Alert: On the Air with NECN


Today New England Cable News (NECN) Reporter Allison King stopped by my office to interview me regarding Governor Patrick’s FY’14 budget proposal, which includes increases in taxes, fees, tolls, and other charges to finance his education plan, future transportation expansions, and other state spending initiatives.

Please tune in to see Allison’s report during this afternoon and evening’s news beginning at 4:00pm.

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Protecting Oneself from Extreme Cold Weather

With a cold artic air currently moving through Massachusetts this week, everybody should be taking extraordinary precautions to prevent hypothermia and other cold weather related illnesses. Try not to remain outside for too long, bundle up with extra layers of clothing and outerwear, and keep small children and pets inside.

Posted below is a situational awareness statement from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA):


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Boston Herald Reports: Pol calls for lab worker drug tests

A story in today’s Boston Herald by reporter Chris Cassidy contains information regarding a bill that I filed with the Senate Republican Caucus that would create a forensic services drug laboratory oversight board within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security. In light of the recent arrest of biochemist Sonja Farak, I have decided to add a provision to the legislation requiring random drug screenings of individuals who work in our crime laboratories.

Chris’ report quotes me as saying “We have the integrity of the criminal justice system at stake,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), who will add the provision to a drug-lab bill filed last week. “I don’t think it’s an extraordinary measure to require testing in this environment, where precision and accountability are important.”

To read the article in its entirety, please click here to visit the Boston Herald’s website.

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

On the Air with Fox 25

On Monday morning I was featured on the Fox 25 News to discuss the recent arrest of state crime lab chemist Sonja Farak, and why I have filed legislation that would create a forensic services drug laboratory oversight board. With the second chemist now under investigation, the need for such an oversight board is greater than ever.

To learn more about my proposed oversight board, please click here to read a previous post. To view Monday morning’s appearance of Fox 25, please play the posted video below.

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

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Monday, January 21, 2013

Remembering a Remarkable Man

“His dreams were the natural reflex of hope and redeemed curiosity.” ― Michael Eric Dyson, April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Death and How It Changed America

On this day, it is my hope that everyone takes a few moments to reflect on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Through his actions of leading nonviolent protests and the ability to galvanize people with his messages of hope and equality, Dr. King symbolized the sacred mission of this nation that “all men are created equal”.

As a nation, we are truly a better people because of the courage, faith and perseverance of Dr. King and his moral path of ending segregation and racial injustice. He preached tolerance to all, asking everyone to love their enemy, even when his and his family’s lives were in constant jeopardy. Dr. King stood on the front line of one of the most divisive times in American history, and because of him, this nation was led to a better Union.

Dr. King’s messages of brotherhood and equality still echo today, and his contributions will continue to inspire unborn individuals for generations to come. Had he not been assassinated on April 4, 1968 he would have been 84 years old. Posted below is his 1963 public speech “I Have a Dream”, which was delivered in front of a crowd of approximately 200,000 civil rights supporters during a rally in Washington D.C. in front of the Lincoln Memorial.



Full text to the "I Have a Dream" speech:

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

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Sunday, January 20, 2013

Media Alert: On the Air with Fox 25

Later tonight I will be interviewed by Fox 25 News Reporter Sharman Sacchetti to discuss my thoughts of today’s arrest of state crime lab chemist Sonja Farak , and why I have filed legislation seeking a forensic services drug laboratory oversight board.  Please tune in to tonight’s 10:00pm and 11:00pm news to see my interview.

Also, tomorrow morning at 7:45am I will be providing a live interview with the Fox 25 morning news crew to further discuss my proposed forensic services drug laboratory oversight board legislation.  To learn more about my bill, please click here to read a previous blog post, and don’t forget to tune in tomorrow morning to watch our lively discussion.

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Friday, January 18, 2013

On the Air with Fox 25

Yesterday I was interviewed by Fox 25 News Reporter Sharman Sacchetti regarding legislation I am filing that would offer major reforms to the Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB). Some details of the bill include:

• the requirement and authorization for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to communicate with the SORB in a timely fashion about the commitment of subsequent offenses by a registered sex offender;

• the legal authority of the SORB to re-classify sex offenders based on new information, which was taken away by the Massachusetts Court of Appeals on July 16, 2012 in its ruling in the case of John Doe 16748 v. Sex Offender Registry Board (Docket Number 11-P-308);

• the ability of the SORB to expedite the re-classification process of a sexual offender upon the recommendation of law enforcement and prosecutors;

• the requirement for the timely re-classification of sex offenders who have committed subsequent offenses; and

• the making of Level 1 sex offenders’ information available to the public. To view Sharman’s report please play the posted video below.

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

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Thursday, January 17, 2013

Media Alert: On the Air with Fox 25


Earlier today I was interviewed by Fox 25 reporter Sharman Sacchetti regarding a bill that I am filing this legislative session that would enact reforms regarding the Sexual Offender Registration Board (SORB), and our system of classifying and registering sex offenders.  The legislation will include making more information available to the public, greater communication between law enforcement officials and the board, and the authority for the board to reclassify offenders based on new information or offenses. 

Today’s interview will air during tonight’s 6:00pm news broadcast and again at 10:00pm.  Be sure to tune in tonight to see Sharman’s report.

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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Statement on Governor’s State of the State Address

Tonight I released the follow statement regarding Governor Patrick’s State of the State address where he announced a plan to raise the state income tax to 6.25% to fund transportation and education initiatives:

Tonight we saw an ambitious plan to dramatically increase state spending, and the corresponding tax burden on the citizens of Massachusetts.  Transportation and education are important priorities that we all share, but those priorities come in the context of an uncertain economic recovery, a state budget is wrestling with a gap of $540 million, and too many people that are unemployed or underemployed.

We need to have a discussion that first focuses on what we need, what state government has already committed to, and what people can afford.  Only then can we have a serious debate about revenue.

When we do, we all need to realize that changing tax rates isn’t the only way to increase revenue.  Building a stronger economy with more taxpayers is also important, and we need to fully understand the adverse impacts a nearly $2 billion tax increase will have on the economic growth we need for the sustainable revenue to fund priorities like transportation and education.

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Senate GOP Caucus Calls for State Drug Lab Oversight Board

     This week the Massachusetts Senate Republican Caucus will be filing legislation calling for the creation of a forensic services drug laboratory oversight board within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security to help prevent a recurrence of the problems that were exposed at the state drug lab following the criminal investigation of rogue chemist Annie Dookhan.

     Dookhan is currently facing 27 counts of tampering with drug evidence while working at the state lab in Jamaica Plain between 2003 and 2012, compromising thousands of cases and resulting in a number of convictions being overturned. Dookhan has pled not guilty to the charges.

     Dookhan’s actions have exposed a systemic failure in the operation of the state drug lab which demands that we take immediate action to ensure that both public safety and the prosecution of drug-related crimes are not compromised.

     The proposed five-member board – which will have oversight authority over all state facilities engaged in forensic services in criminal investigations – will consist of the secretary of public safety and security, the attorney general, the inspector general, the colonel of state police, or their designees, along with one appointee from the Governor. The undersecretary of public safety for forensic sciences will advise and report to the board on the administration and delivery of forensic services at such facilities.

     We need to create a new infrastructure of oversight, accountability, transparency and integrity, and this legislation will accomplish these goals.

     The Caucus proposal requires that each forensic services facility be fully and actively accredited with the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board and compliant with standards promulgated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The bill requires:

• Quarterly reports from the undersecretary of public safety for forensic sciences that will include, but not be limited to, information regarding:

     - The volume of forensic services at each facility;
     - The volume of forensic services of each employee at such facilities;
     - The costs and length of time from submission for testing or procedures and the return of results from such facilities;
     - Compliance with accreditation standards of such facilities; and
     - Facility employee records, qualifications, and incident reports.

• A minimum of one public oversight hearing per year for the board to receive testimony relative to the operations of state laboratories;

• A system to receive complaints or tips about potential problems at a state laboratory via telephone and e-mail;

• Certification that all state laboratories are accredited in accordance with the other requirements of the bill; and

• The timely reporting of suspected or potential criminal wrongdoing to the Attorney General for investigation and prosecution.

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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Media Alert: On the Air with NECN


Earlier today I was interviewed by NECN Reporter Allison King regarding Governor Patrick’s latest announcement in calling for an increase in educational spending over the next several years. His plan could require as much as $1.57 billion in new revenue next year.

Please tune in to tonight’s NECN News Broadcast to see today’s interview.

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Seeking Aid for Our Fishermen

Today I sent a letter to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner urging him to support any measure that would provide the fishing industry with monetary assistance.  Currently, the House is debating a disaster appropriations act, however, the House Committee on Rules struck down several amendments that would have provided the fishing industry with as much as $150 million of aid.

With a decrease in allowable catches of certain groundfish looming, the situation in Gloucester and fishing ports up and down the Northeast Coast is dire, and while some of our elected officials are working hard, without the cooperation of all our federal elected leaders, the fishing industry will cease to exist as we know it, putting the livelihoods of our fishermen, their families and shoreside business owners in jeopardy.

Posted below is the letter to Speaker Boehner and a press release I sent to the local media.




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Thursday, January 10, 2013

MEDIA ALERT: On the Air with Fox 25

I was interviewed by Fox 25 reporter Sharman Sacchetti this afternoon regarding Governor Patrick's public housing consolidation proposal. Be sure to tune in to Fox 25's 6 p.m. newscast tonight to watch the segment.

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Statement on Governor Patrick's Public Housing Consolidation Proposal

I released the following statement today in response to Governor Deval Patrick’s unveiling of a proposal to consolidate the state’s 240 local housing authorities into six regional housing authorities:

“I appreciate Governor Patrick’s decision to address the issue of public housing reform in light of some of the egregious cases that have been reported involving the mismanagement of public funds and resources, which has detrimentally impacted thousands of tenants across the Commonwealth.  Clearly, stronger safeguards are needed to protect taxpayer dollars, and to ensure that those dollars are used efficiently and effectively to rehabilitate and maintain our deteriorating public housing infrastructure.

A significant question remains, however, as to whether replacing our current system of local housing authorities with larger, centralized bureaucracies represents the best approach to achieving increased efficiencies and needed accountability.  Recent systemic failures involving the Sex Offender Registry Board, the state drug evidence testing lab and the oversight of compounding pharmacies prove that large bureaucracies do not guarantee effectiveness, efficiency or safety.

We cannot be certain how effective the Governor’s proposal will be until we have all the details, but productive reform needs to be about more than a power shift to Boston of responsibilities currently handled locally.  I look forward to working with all of the interested parties to produce needed and meaningful reforms.”

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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Statement on Gov. Patrick's Unemployment Insurance Rate Freeze Proposal

Today I released the following statement on behalf of the Senate Republican Caucus regarding the announcement by Governor Deval Patrick that he will be filing legislation to freeze the unemployment insurance rates paid by Massachusetts’ businesses for 2013:

“We’re glad to hear the Governor is joining us in seeking to combat unacceptable unemployment insurance rates and hope he will also join us as we seek to implement long-term reforms in the state’s unemployment insurance system to provide more stability, predictability and fairness to the employers and employees of the Commonwealth and eliminate the need for what has become an annual rate freeze exercise that leaves employers with the perennial uncertainty of whether or not they will face additional substantial increases.  The coming legislative session will offer us the opportunity to move beyond these necessary but one-time fixes to comprehensive solutions that promote economic growth.

We’re also glad to hear the Governor is responding to what has long been a priority of the caucus by including in his proposal a provision that will eliminate the Fair Share contribution for businesses.  Republicans in the House and Senate led a successful effort to increase the threshold for businesses impacted by the Fair Share assessment during the previous legislative session, and now we are on the verge of eliminating a cumbersome government mandate that has not promoted employment growth.”

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Friday, January 4, 2013

MEDIA ALERT: On the Air with NECN

I will be appearing on tonight's episode of "Broadside" on New England Cable News,where I will join State Senator Brian Joyce (D-Milford) and host Jim Braude for a discussion of some of the top political stories of the week, including the inauguration of new US Senator Elizabeth Warren; the upcoming special election to fill US Senator John Kerry's seat; the fallout from the fiscal cliff deal in Washington; and a look at the 2013-2014 legislative agenda on Beacon Hill, including the debate over the state's transportation funding needs.

Be sure to tune in to NECN at 6 p.m. "Broadside" will be rebroadcast at 8 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.

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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Taking my Oath of Office

With the passage of New Year’s Day, the members of the state legislature will be sworn in today commencing the 188th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I will be joining with my Senate colleagues in swearing to uphold my oath of office to the constituents of the 1st Essex and Middlesex district and to the people of the Commonwealth.

I take great pride in this pledge and I look forward to working with all my colleagues in both branches and of both parties in navigating this state to greatness by being fiscally responsible and socially conscious of the issues at hand. Please check back to see continued coverage of the day.

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Progress on the Bates Bridge

Even though the cold winter months have started to chill the air, progress on the Bates Bridge over the Merrimack River continues to be made. The work by MassDOT officials and the contractor have brought the project up to 66% of completion with the contractor continuing to place cement and reinforcement steel for bases and walls in pier 3, and the drainage, pavement, and sidewalk placement activities are in progress at the north and south roadway approaches.

The existing bridge remains closed to marine traffic due to structural deterioration. Please click "Read more" to view the latest update from MassDOT. Below are two photos of the bridge’s progress.
* Drilled shaft installation in the channel for the fender system.
* Photo looking towards Haverhill showing ongoing work associated with the bridge deck, curbing and sidewalk.

Municipality Groveland/Haverhill
Project Bridge Reconstruction: Bates Bridge over the Merrimack River
Status 66% complete Cost $49,750,000
Description The project consists of the replacement of the existing Bates Bridge carrying Routes 97/113 over the Merrimack River with a new bridge located approximately 60 feet downstream. The existing bridge will remain in service during construction. The proposed bridge will have a movable span similar to the existing bridge. In addition to the 775 feet long bridge, the project includes reconstruction of the approach roadways in Haverhill and Groveland and traffic signal and geometric improvements at the intersection of Groveland Street with Lincoln Avenue in Haverhill and at the intersection of Groveland Street with Main Street near Elm Park in Groveland. Cianbro Corporation from Pittsfield, ME is constructing the project.

The primary elements of the roadway work include excavation, grading, installation of bituminous pavements, curbing, sidewalks, highway guardrail, pavement markings, relocation and/or adjustment of existing utilities, and installation of traffic signal systems.

The primary elements of the bridge work include the construction of a new movable span bridge which includes the installation of drilled shaft foundations, reinforced concrete piers, a structural steel superstructure, a concrete filled grid deck, a moveable bascule lift section, concrete abutments on pile foundations and retaining walls. Temporary cofferdams will be used during the construction of the work, which will include removal of the existing bridge.

Current Project Status – The majority of work within the river continues to be staged from two working barges that are in place to support heavy construction activities. The contractor has finished cement concrete placement for the northeast and southeast retaining walls/caps and for piers 1, 2, and 4. The contractor continues to place cement concrete and reinforcing steel for bases and walls in pier 3. Rail posts are installed along the north and south retaining walls. The cement concrete bridge deck has been installed placed from the north abutment to pier 2, which includes the end diaphragm wall and approach slab at the abutment. Cement concrete installation for the bridge sidewalk and adjacent curb is ongoing. Drilled shaft installation has commenced downstream in the channel for the fender system. Drainage, pavement, and sidewalk placement activities are in progress at the north and south roadway approaches.

The existing bridge remains closed to marine traffic due to structural deterioration. MassDOT is maintaining the draw as inoperable until such time as the new bridge is in service and the existing bascule span is removed.

Note: Additional project information and history can be found by visiting MassDOT’s website at: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us and clicking on the Projects tab, then selecting “Current Road and Bridge Projects” and after entering the Town of Groveland or the City of Haverhill, select Project No. 600988.

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