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.

Letter to Speaker Boehner regarding monetary aid for the fishing industry by Troy Wall

Tarr Urges Speaker Boehner to Support FIshing Industry with Disaster Relief Money by Troy Wall

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.

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.”

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.”

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.

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.

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.