ATKINS: Legislature’s session a productive one
Posted in: Accomplishments on 08/14/2008
The 2008 formal legislative session ended as one of the most productive in the last decade, both for the 14th Middlesex District and the commonwealth as a whole. Below is a brief snapshot of the progress we have made.
Despite the dramatic downturn in the economy, we were able to increase statewide local aid and Chapter 70 funding levels. These increases go far to keep property taxes stable. Unrestricted local aid to cities and towns reached $935 million, and funding for public schools (Chapter 70) increased 6 percent to nearly $4 billion.
I have been working closely with officials from each of my towns and the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to secure state reimbursements for school projects. Because of work completed in years past, I was able to secure funding for two schools, one in Chelmsford and one in Concord, which were both built during the moratorium. I am delighted to report that Chelmsford is being hailed as a model community for dramatically reducing its project costs associated with the high school. Because of that, the town was able to secure a 56 percent reimbursement rate. Additional projects in Acton, Concord and Carlisle are in progress.
My colleagues and I worked hard late into the hours after midnight to insure that legislation important to our districts passed. Despite facing an economic slowdown, I was able to secure increased local aid for Acton, Carlisle, Chelmsford and Concord.
Acton: 22 percent rise in Chapter 70 aid (a long-needed increase because of rapidly rising student population); $6,288,787 in overall funding — an increase of 21.5 percent
Carlisle: 9.24 percent rise in Chapter 70 aid; $1,358,498 in overall funding — an increase of 9.2 percent
Chelmsford: $15,670,085 in overall funding — an increase of 8.1 percent; 12.76 percent rise in Chapter 70 aid (we are in the third year of a five-year plan to significantly raise the percentage of Chapter 70 aid provided to under-funded towns)
Concord: 9.1 percent rise in Chapter 70 aid; $4,268,302 in overall funding — an increase of 6.6 percent
I also have been working hard for specific legislation that affects the quality of life and efficiency of management in my towns:
H.4421 authorizes the town of Concord to establish a post retirement group health insurance trust fund, which benefits retired residents and sets a precedent for other towns to follow within the commonwealth.
S.38 Permanently protects approximately 215 acres of state owned land in Concord and Acton surrounding the Northeastern Correctional Center. The newly protected land has historically been used for farming and acts a buffer to neighborhoods adjacent to the prison property.
S.2509 protects the rights of the town of Acton regarding its use of land for recreation purposes owned by the state Department of Corrections.
These bills are ready for passage in informal session:
H.4758 will enable the Chelmsford Housing Authority to create 37 units of affordable housing for seniors with a broader range of incomes, preventing seniors from being priced out of their own community.
H.4870 will remove the deputy police chief of Acton from Civil Service, broadening the pool of qualified applicants.
H.4542 will authorize the town of Concord to make certain changes in the Concord Historic Districts Commission.
S.2789 will authorize the Concord Board of Selectmen to mail certain information to voters about local ballot questions prior to an election.
The greatest natural resource the commonwealth has is its brainpower. Investing in education is vital to keeping Massachusetts economically strong and secure. The House passed a landmark Higher Education Bond Bill to guarantee that community colleges, state colleges, and the University of Massachusetts have the infrastructure and tools necessary to provide top quality learning.
As House chairman of the Science and Technology Caucus, I and other members are working hard to develop a state plan for STEM (Science Technology, English, Math) education in coordination with the governor’s learning readiness program. We hope to have a plan finalized for the STEM statewide Summit in October.
In my capacity as chairman of the Science and Technology Caucus, I traveled throughout the commonwealth with Gov. Deval Patrick and his economic development team to promote the passage of the LifeSciences Bill. Days after the legislation was finalized, I accompanied the governor to the International Bio-Technology Conference in San Diego where we established Massachusetts as a leading biotech center of the world. This high visibility will help draw new jobs and investments in the bio-tech sector to Massachusetts.
Our bold healthcare initiative, now in its third year, has made us the national leader in preventative medicine. The system is now being used as the national model for healthcare reform. In the final days of session, we passed legislation aimed at curbing health care costs and improving the overall quality of the system.
On a more somber note, John Kerry, Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, and I co-hosted a heart-warming event this past June that raised funds for NEADS, a program that provides service dogs to disabled combat veterans. The number of amputees returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is increasing at an alarming rate. These young men and women deserve the greatest possible amount of assistance as they transition into successful members of civilian society. Visit the NEADS Web site for more information and how you can help.
Again, this is just a brief snapshot of the progress we’ve made in the past session. I remain fiercely committed to working hard for you and our communities. In the past decade I have had near perfect attendance; unfortunately a recent medical emergency caused me to miss a few votes. Immediately upon my return to Beacon Hill, I recorded how I would have voted with the Office of the House Clerk.
Like many of you, I am spending some time vacationing with my family — especially my newborn first granddaughter.
Fall is just weeks away. During that time I look forward to campaigning, debating and talking with you about your most important issues and concerns, and how together we can work toward solutions. In the meantime, if you have a problem or issue that needs to be addressed, please do not hesitate to contact my office for assistance.
State Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, represents the 14th Middlesex District. She can be reached at Rep.CoryAtkins@Hou.State.MA.US or 617-722-2013.
GateHouse News Service
Posted Aug 14, 2008 @ 03:29 PM
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