Archive for May, 2010
Dear Constituent,
As a State Representative, one of my longstanding priorities has been reforming our government to make it more transparent and more accountable. I am pleased to report that the House of Representatives passed amendments to the annual state budget that will increase the openness and accessibility of the budget process. Taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent. This represents a monumental change in government. This amendment creates a website that will list all state expenditures and the names of all vendors who receive state funds. This website will be free and accessible by anyone. Citizens will be able to view and compile data on state expenditures from their own computers. Massachusetts will join 32 other states that provide an online database with in-depth detail on government expenditures.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 617-722-2692 or Rep.CoryAtkins@state.ma.us. And if you know anyone who would like to receive my newsletter, please forward it to them and ask them to subscribe on my website.
Sincerely,
Cory Atkins
Citizens United Supreme Court Case
Event at First Parish in Concord
On January 21 the United States Supreme Court handed down a decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission giving corporations the right to spend unlimited funds on political ads. The decision threatens both the bi-partisan, federal McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance law and the laws of 24 states limiting corporate involvement in state and national elections. Many are concerned about the implications of this decision for the role of corporations in the political process. On May 19 at the Democracy in the Balance Part II forum, I spoke about current efforts in the state legislature to respond to the Supreme Court decision. I will send out more information as we solidify our multi-faceted approach. To get involved locally, contact Launa Zimmaro of the League of Women Voters of Concord-Carlisle at 978-287-4270 or lzimmaro@alum.bu.edu.
Municipal Relief Act
On April 26 the House passed a Municipal Relief Act. This bill gives cities and towns additional flexibility in managing their finances. The bill makes it easier for cities and towns to share emergency services, and it allows them to extend pension funding schedules without reducing benefits. Additionally, the bill lets school districts reimburse parents of disabled children who drive their children to private day programs outside the municipality in which they live. To read more about the House legislation, click here.
In the picture (L to R) are Rep. Will Brownsberger of Belmont, Rep. Katherine Clark of Melrose, Speaker Robert DeLeo of Winthrop, myself, and Rep. Peter Koutoujian of Waltham
Harassment Prevention Orders
My proudest achievement this session has been the passage of An Act Relative to Harassment Prevention Orders. Earlier this year both the House and the Senate passed this bill unanimously, and Governor Patrick signed it into law on February 3. The new law affords victims of abuse or harassment the right to petition for a protection order with criminal consequences regardless of the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim. I felt humbled on April 11 when the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center presented me with their Beacon Award “for outstanding leadership in advancing the rights of sexual violence survivors.”
Bullying prevention
Bullying in schools is nothing new, but the manner in which bullying is conducted has changed dramatically in recent years. Children harass each other through facebook, text messages, and other electronic forums. Harassment has a devastating effect on a child’s ability to learn. On April 29 I joined my colleagues in the House and Senate by voting unanimously in favor of a bill to ban bullying in schools and require teachers and principals to report potentially criminal acts of bullying to the police. Governor Patrick signed the bill into law on May 3. Hopefully this law will create a safer environment for all children.
League of Women Voters Day on the Hill
In the picture are myself and Launa Zimmaro of the Concord-Carlisle League of Women Voters.
The Massachusetts League of Women Voters’ Day on the Hill took place on Wednesday, April 28. While the larger group presentation focused on transportation, league members from my district delivered support letters from Concord Academy students regarding H.3515, An Act to Improve the Recycling Rates in the Commonwealth, also known as the Bottle Bill. This bill would expand the bottle deposit to include a wider range of drink containers, including sports drinks, energy drinks, and bottled water. The bottle bill is currently before the Joint Committee on Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy. The lead sponsor of the bill, Rep. Alice Wolf of Cambridge, filed an amendment to the annual budget that would have enacted the revised Bottle Bill, but this amendment failed. As a co-sponsor of the bill, I encourage you to get involved by contacting my office so that I can illustrate the level of support to both the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications Utilities, and Energy and the Speaker of the House.
Gaming in the Commonwealth
On April 14 the House of Representatives passed legislation to expand gambling in Massachusetts by a vote of 120-37. I am pleased to report that two amendments I filed were adopted. The first requires casino security personnel to constantly monitor the parking lots to check for children who may have been left in cars. Security personnel must immediately report abandoned children to the police who are required by law to report to the Department of Social Services. The second amendment relates to gaming facilities’ access to and use of lists of self-excluded persons. People who are concerned about their gambling habits would be able to voluntarily place themselves on a self-exclusion list, and my amendment would prohibit any gaming establishment from marketing in any form to people on the self-excluded list. The Senate has indicated they intend to hold another public hearing before they write their version of the gaming bill. They hope to debate their bill in the upcoming weeks. I urge you to attend the public hearing and voice your concerns. In this newsletter I will notify you when the hearing is scheduled.
In the picture are myself and members of the Concord Water Department.
Concord Water Department wins Water Conservation Award
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded a Water Conservation award to the Concord Water Department. The DEP gives these awards to towns with very well run drinking water systems. Concord is one of four towns statewide to win an award in the Water Conservation category. I attended a ceremony on the Grand Stairs at the State House in Boston on May 4 to recognize Concord and the other award winners.
Raw Milk Regulation Changes
After hearing from residents in my district regarding the legality of raw milk buying clubs, I wrote to the Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources to express my concerns and the concerns of my constituents. On May 7 the department withdrew the language that would have restricted raw milk sales. The department plans to conduct a further review of their policy in the coming months.
Unsung Heroines of Massachusetts
On behalf of our communities, thank you Denise for all your time and energy. In the picture are Denise and myself.
On May 19, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women hosted its 7th Annual Unsung Heroine Celebration to recognize 100 women who make their communities a better place to live and work without fanfare or compensation. Denise Haartz of Concord was nominated for her extraordinary efforts. She is a Director of the Board at the Louisa May Alcott Orchard House and a member of the Household Goods of Massachusetts “Fun” Committee. Denise also serves on the Executive Board of the Emerson Hospital Auxiliary, the Emerson Hospital Health Care Foundation, and the Emerson Hospital Corporation. In addition, she is the president of a private family foundation that helps nonprofits in Concord and Acton.
May 26, 2010
Energy-efficient municipal vehicles and construction codes are essential to building and sustaining connected, vibrant communities, and it is no surprise that two of the towns I represent are at the forefront of the Green Communities program. I commend Acton and Chelmsford and thank Governor Patrick for recognizing these towns as model communities.
By Beth Daley, Globe Staff – bdaley@globe.com
Getting cities and towns to shift toward clean energy was such a cornerstone of the state’s 2008 energy legislation that the law is named the Green Communities Act.
Municipalities that meet five clean energy goals are eligible for millions in local aid under the law. State officials had not expected many communities to qualify right away, because the rules are tough.
But Governor Deval Patrick designated 35 cities and towns yesterday as the Commonwealth’s first official Green Communities, making them eligible for $8.1 million in grants for local renewable power and energy-efficiency projects.
Read More »
Posted in: Articles, Updates on 05/20/2010 | No Comments
By Patrick Ball/Staff Writer
State Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord, left, with Launa Zimmaro of the League of Women Voters of Concord-Carlisle, during the League's recent visit to the State House.
Concord Journal
Posted May 20, 2010 @ 01:26 PM
Last update May 20, 2010 @ 03:13 PM
Concord —
In the local fight against plastic bottles piling up in the Pacific Ocean, Concord’s vote to ban the sale of drinking water in plastic bottles was the shot heard ‘round the world, but it wasn’t fired in a vacuum.
Jean Hill’s petitioner’s article, which seeks to ban an everyday item she calls superfluous and wasteful, made a splash. Others in Concord and Carlisle are making waves by backing an updated Bottle Bill that would add bottled water, juice, teas and sports drinks to the state’s existing redemption program.
“We’ve had a bottle bill since 1983, and everyone acknowledges it’s been the most successful recycling initiative in the commonwealth,” said Launa Zimmaro, a member of the League of Women Voters of Concord and Carlisle. “But since then, the kinds of on-the-go beverages on the market have expanded wildly, and you have all sorts of containers not covered under the bill.”
Zimmaro and the LWVCC are playing a key role in the league’s statewide push for the Legislature to vote on the updated Bottle Bill, which has been stuck in committee for years, before it lets out in July.
Locally, the LWVCC has set up a series of “action alerts” that stress the importance of passing the updated Bottle Bill and explain the issue from environmental and economic perspectives.
“I guess you could call it a blitz education and information campaign,” said Zimmaro, a Carlisle resident. “We’re just trying to make people aware there’s a whole range of new containers out there that aren’t covered, and letting them know why this is important and what we can do.”
From left, Katie Surrey-Bergman of Newton, A.J. Casner of St. Thomas, Johanna Douglas of Belmont, Monica Kim of Billerica, Kate Nussenbaum of Newton, and Erinn Geyer of Concord were among 57 Concord Academy students who wrote letters to state legislators, asking for an updated bottle bill.
Dovetailing with the LWVCC effort, about 60 Concord Academy students recently penned letters urging the passage of the updated Bottle Bill, which LWVCC members delivered, in bottles, to the students’ state representatives and senators.
“This is just so important because it’s such an easy thing to do,” said junior Kate Nussenbaum, co-head of CA’s Environmental Affairs group, which acts as a liaison between students and faculty and the outside world. “Environmental initiatives need to keep up with consumer trends, and the Bottle Bill doesn’t because it doesn’t cover things like water bottles and sports drinks.”
About the Bottle Bill
The Massachusetts Beverage Container Recovery Law, commonly known as the Bottle Bill, was implemented in 1983 and covers beer, malt beverages, carbonated soft drinks and mineral water, as well as sealable bottles, cans, jars and cartons made of class, metal or plastic.
But people drink differently these days. Bottled water sales have exploded, energy drinks entered the market and scores of sports drinks now compete with Gatorade, which got rid of its glass bottles several years ago.
Updated Bottle Bill advocates estimate expanding the state’s beverage container deposit program could collect an additional 1.2 billion containers a year and net $20 million annually in state revenue from unreturned recyclables the state collects and keeps, according to www.bottlebill.org, an online Bottle Bill resource guide.
At CA, the majority of plastic bottles wind up in recycling bins, but Nussenbaum and her classmates in the Green Club and Environmental Affairs witness the potential economic impact firsthand as they maintain the school’s recycling program and sort redeemable bottles from those with no redemption value. The students invest the redemption money in green initiatives on campus.
“We get about $120 a month now, but it would be a lot more if the Bottle Bill was updated,” said Nussenbaum, a day student from Newton. “I don’t think at CA it’s a big difference between redeemables or not when it comes to recycling. For the most part, bottles are recycled, but it is very hard to get people to put their bottles in the right recycling container.”
While proponents of expanding the Bottle Bill argue the move would save energy and oil, reduce landfill use, decrease litter and create jobs in the recycling sector, retailers and beverage industry giants like Pepsi and Coca-Cola contend the 5-cent deposit is an unnecessary tax in challenging economic times.
“That’s a fake objection,” said Zimmaro. “It’s not real and it confuses the issue. This is not a tax; it’s a deposit for the consumer. You return your bottle and get that nickel back.”
On Beacon Hill, the biggest pushback is from the border towns, which worry about local mom-and-pops losing even more business to New Hampshire, said state Rep. Cory Atkins, D-Concord.
“They already feel like they’ve gotten the raw end of the stick because of the sales tax, and those cities, like Lawrence or Haverhill or Lowell, have three votes, not one,” said Atkins, who supports updating the bill. “Even if it does come to a vote, I’m not sure how it will go.”
http://www.wickedlocal.com/concord/topstories/x1070018432/Updated-Bottle-Bill-has-support-in-Concord
By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff | May 16, 2010
QUINCY — With less than two weeks to go before the May 28 deadline for federal assistance, Massachusetts residents hard hit by heavy rains and floods in March are scrambling to apply for grants and loans as they recover from the worst natural disaster in state history.
Visits to the walk-in recovery centers in Boston, Concord, Fall River, Lakeville, North Attleborough, and Quincy have been picking up, according to spokesman for Federal Emergency Management Agency. Hundreds more people are registering every day over the telephone or online at www.disasterassistance.gov, he said.
But residents who want to visit a local center will have to hurry. Centers in North Attleboro, Quincy, and Concord are due to close on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, respectively. Closing dates for other centers, including Hyde Park, have not yet been determined.
To read the entire article, visit: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/05/16/more_applying_for_flood_relief?mode=PF
Posted in: Articles, Updates on 05/12/2010 | No Comments
By Chloe Gotsis/staff writer
Rep. Cory Atkins' Municipal Planning Advisory Meeting in Chelmsford on May 7 at the Police Station featured Roger Hatch, MA Depart. of Education School Finance Programs Administrator
GateHouse News Service
Posted May 12, 2010 @ 09:38 AM
Chelmsford —
Massachusetts education funding expert Roger Hatch traveled to Chelmsford last week to try to dispel some of the myths and questions surrounding Chapter 70, the education funding formula used to distribute aid to municipalities.
Hatch, the administrator of school finance for the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, spent the morning on Friday, May 7, explaining the formula and fielding questions from local officials. State Rep. Cory Atkins organized the event to help Chelmsford leaders to understand one of the state’s most complicated formulas.
Hatch told leaders that, while the formula is hard to understand, municipalities such as Chelmsford are seeing an improvement in the way state education aid is distributed.
Read More »
The number of registered FEMA applicants by community, along with how much grant money individuals in each have received through the Individuals and Household Program for housing and other disaster-related needs.
The Lowell Sun
Updated: 05/11/2010 06:41:29 AM EDT
City Amount Awarded of Applicants
Acton $121,478.86
68 individuals
Carlisle $19,731.30
12 individuals
Chelmsford $140,235.65
82 individuals
Concord $110,254.23
90 individuals
Source: Department of Homeland Security
http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_15060518
Posted in: Resources, Updates on 05/10/2010 | 3 Comments
Raw Milk Rights Rally
After hearing from many residents in her district, Rep. Atkins wrote to Commissioner Soares to express her concerns and the concerns of her constituents.
Supporters of “raw milk” – unpasteurized cow milk that advocates say holds superior nutritional and disease-fighting value – bring a cow to the Boston Common for a “drink in” to protest what they say is an “organized assault” against small farmers and unprocessed food across the country. The rally precedes a 10 a.m. Department of Agriculture hearing on raw milk regulations. After the “drink in,” raw milk farmers, out-of-state advocates and other proponents of raw milk hold a 9:20 a.m. press conference on the State House Steps. According to raw milk proponents, the department issued a “cease and desist order” to four raw milk drivers deliver milk to customers. The FDA considers raw milk a health risk. Supporters of raw milk say there have been no reported illnesses related to raw milk in 10 years in Massachusetts.
(Monday, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m., Boston Common near the Brewer Fountain)
See Rep. Atkins’ letter to Commissioner Soares below:
Read More »
Posted in: Resources, Updates on 05/03/2010 | 1 Comment
The Concord Journal
Posted Apr 30, 2010 @ 11:19 AM
Concord —
A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Concord will open at 9 a.m., Monday, May 3, to provide face-to-face help to Middlesex County residents about any disaster-related need or concern caused by the record-setting rainfall and resulting flooding beginning in mid-March.
The center will be located at the Concord Armory, 91 Everett St., and will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday until further notice.
Read More »
GateHouse News Service
Posted May 03, 2010 @ 09:51 AM
Chelmsford —
In a decisive move to help schools address bullying, State Representative Cory Atkins joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in unanimously approving comprehensive legislation prohibiting bullying and cyber-bullying, directing schools to implement bullying prevention and intervention plans, and requiring school staff to report incidents of bullying.
“Bullying is nothing new in our schools, but what is new is how bullying is being carried out,” said Atkins. “Text messaging, instant messaging, and the Facebook provide bullies with insidious new ways to harass other children in school and after school. This bill protects our children by fostering a safe learning environment for everyone.”
Read More »
RSS Feed
Facebook