On Tuesday, January 31 I joined the Speaker, the House Chairman of the Higher Education Committee and other members of the committee at UMass Lowell to learn about the ways research universities like Lowell are helping drive innovation and economic development.  Watch the YouTube video here – UMass Lowell Visit

02/03/2012

By Renae Lias

More than a dozen legislators — mostly members of the Massachusetts Higher Education Committee — recently saw for themselves how UMass Lowell’s research and development helps foster an innovative, growing economy. House Speaker Robert DeLeo joined a group of legislators that the committee’s House chairman, Rep. Thomas Sannicandro, had gathered for the visit.

After an overview from Chancellor Marty Meehan, legislators heard from business representatives — Triton Systems Chief Technology Officer Ken Mahmud and 10 CEOs of start-up medical device companies operating out of the M2D2 incubator — who said UMass Lowell is helping them to develop new products.

In the basement of Ball Hall, plastics engineering student Greg Pigeon explained why he chose UMass Lowell over WPI’s honors program. He said he could learn exactly what he needed to be successful in plastics manufacturing through his co-op job at U.S. Army Natick Research Labs and through his coursework. Nanomanufacturing Center Director Prof. Joey Mead explained how nanomanufacturing research fits hand-in-glove with that classroom and co-op experience.

In the Engineering Building, Prof. Seongkyu Yoon pointed out that small biotech companies access UMass Lowell’s equipment and expertise as they seek to produce new biopharmaceuticals.

A tour of the Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center, which is nearing its final phase of construction, showcased the place where so much of UMass Lowell’s laboratory and industry collaboration will take place in the near future, especially in nanomedicine, personalized pharmaceuticals and medical device research.

January 24, 2012 617-722-1500

Senate President Announces Changes in Leadership Team; Welcomes Newest Member to the Senate

BOSTON – Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) today added a second woman to the Senate’s top posts after a full Democratic caucus approved a reconfigured Murray leadership team.

Senator Jack Hart (D-Boston) moves up into the role of Assistant Majority Leader. Senator Harriette Chandler (D-Worcester) also moves up, taking the position of Majority Whip. And the newest member of the leadership team, Senator Karen Spilka (D-Ashland), takes over as Assistant Majority Whip.

“All three senators have demonstrated the commitment and ability to lead in this body and deliver on important issues for the Commonwealth,” Murray said. “They each have the respect and support of their colleagues, and I am proud to have them on my leadership team.”

The changes were made possible by the departure last year of the former senator from the Second Suffolk and Middlesex District, Steven Tolman, who served as Assistant Majority Leader under Murray.

“I am honored to be afforded this opportunity by Senate President Murray, a woman and a leader whom I admire greatly,” Hart said. “In this position, I hope to work with the leadership and the members to continue to do good things for the people of the Commonwealth.”

“It is truly an honor to serve as the new Majority Whip of the Senate,” Chandler said. “I am grateful for this opportunity, and I will continue to carry out my duties in the Senate as an advocate for my constituents and the rest of Massachusetts.”

“It is an honor to be appointed by Senate President Murray to serve as Assistant Majority Whip,” Spilka said. “I look forward to taking on this new role in supporting the Senate’s agenda and remain steadfast in my commitment to being a responsible steward of the taxpayers and an advocate for working families across the Commonwealth. I am eager to work with my colleagues on continuing our efforts to bring about necessary reform, promote job growth and economic development, and support the important services and programs our most vulnerable citizens depend on.”

—more—

The Senate President’s entire leadership team is now set as follows:

Senator Fred Berry (D-Peabody) remains as Majority Leader;

Senator Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst) remains as President Pro Tempore;

Senator Hart moves up from Majority Whip to Assistant Majority Leader;

Senator Chandler moves up from Assistant Majority Whip to Majority Whip; and

Senator Spilka moves into the role of Assistant Majority Whip after three years as Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development.

The moves result in several changes in committee chairmanships. With Spilka going into leadership, Senator Gale Candaras (D-Wilbraham) takes over as Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development.

Senator Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) moves from Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Public Service to take the Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue, formerly held by Candaras. And the newly sworn-in Senator William Brownsberger (D-Belmont) becomes the new Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Public Service, formerly held by Clark.

“I welcome Senator Brownsberger,” Murray said. “He brings a commitment to responsible public policy that we all share here in the Senate, and I look forward to working with him.”

Brownsberger won the seat vacated by Tolman in an uncontested general election January 10 and was sworn in today by Governor Deval Patrick during a formal session in the Senate Chamber.

“I am very grateful to the Senate President and her staff, and all of my new colleagues, for all the support and encouragement they have given me,” Browsnberger said.

In two other moves, Senator James Timilty (D-Walpole) joins the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, replacing Spilka; and Senator Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) becomes a member of the Joint Committee on Revenue, also replacing Spilka.

Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Common Cause Massachusetts, Corporate Accountability International, Free Speech for People, Greater Boston Coffee Party, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Nurses Association, Mass VOTE,

Public Citizen

For Immediate Release: Jan. 18, 2012

Contact: Trevor FitzGibbon, 202-506-7162 or 202-406-0646, trevor@fitzgibbonmedia.com

Mark Hays, 508-414-1722, mhays@citizen.org * Pam Wilmot, 617-962-0034, phwilmot@gmail.com *Avi Green, 617-542-8683, agreen@massvote.org

Massachusetts Lawmakers and Activists Call for the End of Corporate Political Spending

On Anniversary of Citizens United Decision, Massachusetts Pushes For a Constitutional Amendment to Overturn It

BOSTON – In the days leading up to the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Massachusetts lawmakers joined state and national organizations and activists today at the state Capitol to support a state legislative resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to overturn the ruling and restore fair elections and constitutional rights to the people.

S. 722, “The People’s Rights Resolution,” introduced by State Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) and State Rep. Cory Atkins (D-Concord), decries the court’s ruling as a “serious and direct threat to our democracy.” If passed, the resolution would have the Massachusetts Legislature call upon the U.S. Congress to “pass and send to the states for ratification a constitutional amendment to restore the First Amendment and fair elections to the people.”

“The Citizens United decision dramatically dilutes the voice of every American who does not control a large corporate treasury,” said Eldridge. “The health of our democracy and the integrity of our political system are at stake, and the only effective, long-term solution is to pass a constitutional amendment that will overturn this misguided, destructive decision.”

The assembled lawmakers and organizations also urged the Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee to advance this resolution by scheduling a hearing next month as well as a vote to bring the resolution to the floor.

“Our democracy is at risk,” said Representative Atkins. “The Citizens United decision opened the floodgates, allowing unlimited corporate money to flow into politics. We must pass a constitutional amendment stating that people, not corporations, have a right to free speech. Only by preserving the voice of individual citizens can we protect our democracy.”

In the wake of the Citizens United decision, campaign spending by outside groups has skyrocketed. In the 2010 election cycle, the first since the Supreme Court decision, outside groups spent nearly $300 million.

“The fundamental question facing the nation today is whether people or corporations shall govern in America,” said John Bonifaz, the co-founder and director of Free Speech For People, a national campaign launched on the day of the Citizens United ruling to press for a 28th Amendment to the Constitution to overturn the ruling and make clear that corporations are not people with constitutional rights. Free Speech For People has targeted Massachusetts as one of the first states to pass a state legislative resolution in support of such a constitutional amendment. “With the passage of this resolution, Massachusetts can help lead the way in restoring American democracy to the people,” Bonifaz said.

Super PACs have emerged as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision, amassing huge amounts of money used for attack ads, such as those aired recently leading up to the Iowa caucuses. Super PACs are expected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in the 2012 elections. All of this corporate money promises to help make this election record-setting.

“Big corporations aren’t run by the 99 percent – or even by the 1 percent. Rather, they are run by a super-wealthy 0.01 percent,” said Avi Green, Executive Director of Mass VOTE. “Politics should be for all of us – not just the super-wealthy and the big corporations they control.”

The press conference is part of a nationwide week of action calling for the Citizens United decision to be overturned. From Massachusetts to California, events are planned to highlight the need for the federal government to take action to protect our democracy from corporate dominance.

“The groundswell of national grassroots activity in support of a constitutional amendment we’re seeing is tremendous,” said Mark Hays, campaign coordinator for Public Citizen’s Democracy Is For People Campaign. “With this sort of momentum, we’re ready to write the next chapter of our campaign to ensure that democracy is for people, not corporations.”

Cities across the nation have voted to rid elections of corporate cash. In Massachusetts, local groups are planning actions across the state around the anniversary – including rallies and educational events on Jan. 20 and 21 – and are advancing local resolutions similar to S. 772 to build support for its passage.

“We need short-term responses to this disastrous decision, such as increased disclosure,” said Pam Wilmot, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “But we can only reverse it and reduce money in politics with a constitutional amendment. Passing S. 772 will put Massachusetts on the forefront of that critical effort, which, as the cradle of liberty, is where we should be.”

To learn more, visit: www.FreeSpeechForPeople.org, www.DemocracyIsForPeople.org and www.United4thePeople.org.

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74th on Boston Business Journal’s Top 100 List

Concord, Mass., Dec. 5, 2011 – A home-town soup-to-nuts natural product store announced it has been recognized as one of the top women-led businesses in the region. The Commonwealth Institute and the Boston Business Journal hosted the organizations’ Top 100 Women-Led Businesses Awards ceremony last week on December 1, 2011, at the Copley Hotel in Boston. This standing-room only event honored the region’s top women-led businesses. Debra’s Natural Gourmet (Debra’s) ranked 74th on the list that ranked businesses by 2010 revenue. There was no ranking for heart and soul.

“It’s a thrill to be included in such company,” said Debra Stark, founder of Debra’s Natural Gourmet, which opened during the recession of 1989. “We love that folks outside our own natural products industry recognize how hard we work.”

Debra’s is no stranger to rave reviews. Yankee Magazine’s readers selected Debra’s take-out kitchen as a “Best of New England — Readers’ Choice” winner for 2010 along with only two other delis, one in ME and one in NY. National television shows like “20/20” have featured Debra’s Natural Gourmet, rated one of the top 100 natural food stores in the country. Inc. Magazine selected Debra’s Natural Gourmet as one of the five home-town powerhouse businesses, and Debra has been the subject of articles in Investor’s Business Daily and Cooking Light Magazine.

Debra is the founder and president of Stark Sisters Inc. (1992), a company which manufactures award-winning, gourmet granolas praised by the likes of Bon Appétit, The Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune. Marian Burros chose Stark Sisters Granola as one of the 10 best food gifts to give at the holidays.

Today there are 48 people who work hard at Debra’s. Among them writers, musicians, a nurse and cancer survivors. Folks interests as varied as organic gardening, sustainable fishing, GMO’s, bee-keeping and holistic education. Debra’s son, Adam Stark, founder of AdamHerbs, loves the business as much as Debra and is the Next-Gen who will carry it on.

Debra was born into a family that embraced organic before natural became a buzz word. Today, when asked about her philosophy of life, Debra says she needs a secretary, live-in masseuse, and a personal trainer. But mostly, like the rest of us, she is trying to find balance and harmony in life. Debra’s Natural Gourmet does the same for its staff and customers.”

To learn more, visit http://www.debrasnaturalgourmet.com/ or call 978-371-7573. CONTACT: Debra Stark or Adam Stark. debra@debrasnaturalgourmet.com; adam@debrasnaturalgourmet.com. Debra Stark

www.debrasnaturalgourmet.com

www.starksisters.com

I spoke at a briefing organized by Free Speech for People (Jeff Clements)and MassVOTE concerning the need for MA-based organizations and their constituencies to join the state and federal campaigns working to pass resolutions at all levels of government. This call for the passage of a constitutional amendment transcends party lines, and Congress needs to hear from as many elected and citizen groups as possible. Our founders wrote “we the people, not we the corporations.” It is up to us now to defend and restore our democracy.

AG Martha Coakley Supports Constitutional Amendment to Reverse Citizens United, corporate “rights”

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Jeff Clements

Attorney General Martha Coakley today became the first sitting Attorney General in the nation to call for a Constitutional Amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC and the Supreme Court’s fabrication of corporate Constitutional rights to unlimited corporate election spending. Here’s her press release from her office, with a link to her letter to Massachusetts legislative leaders considering a resolution calling for the 28th Amendment.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            MEDIA CONTACT:

December 8, 2011                                                                  Melissa Karpinsky/Emalie Gainey                                                                                                           

(617) 727-2543

AG COAKLEY SUPPORTS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO LIMIT UNLIMITED, UNDISCLOSED CORPORATE SPENDING IN ELECTIONS

In Letter to State Judiciary Chairs, Urges Passage Of Resolution Supporting Federal Constitutional Amendment To Reverse Citizens United Decision 

BOSTON – Stating that individual voters are being increasingly disenfranchised by the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars of undisclosed contributions by corporations, Attorney General Martha Coakley today voiced her support for a federal constitutional amendment to make clear that corporate spending is not free speech.

AG Coakley expressed her support in a letter to the Chairpersons of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, Senator Cynthia Creem and Representative Eugene O’Flaherty. In the letter, she supports passage of Senate Bill 772, “Restoring Free Speech,” which is a resolution that calls for a federal Constitutional Amendment to reverse the United States Supreme Court Decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

The federal amendment has been proposed with bipartisan support by Congressman James P. McGovern. The state Resolution was introduced by Senator James Eldridge and Representative Cory Atkins.

“As we have seen, average citizens are feeling increasingly disenfranchised and believe that our current political system favors the wealthy few instead of the public good,” AG Coakley said in her letter. “Individual people’s voices will continue to be steadily drowned out if corporations are allowed to spend billions in unreported and unaccounted funds to influence elections. The passage of the Resolution would send a strong message that it is time to put the electoral process back in the hands of the people, not corporations.”

In January 2010, the United States Supreme court handed down its decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The Supreme Court ruled that restrictions on corporate political campaign advertisements violated the First Amendment’s free speech protections, thereby allowing corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections.

That decision has resulted in a torrent of undisclosed corporate and special interest money into the electoral process through 501(c) non-profit organizations which are not required to disclose their donors. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the amount of money spent by non-party committees during the 2010 Congressional elections was more than $300 million, more than four times the amount spent during the 2006 Congressional elections.  The 2012 election will be the first presidential race since the Citizens United ruling.

A copy of the Attorney General’s letter can be found here.

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November 7, 2011

Rep. Atkins joins the House in Passing Pension Reform

Changes Will Save Money and Help Secure the State’s Financial Future

Representative Cory Atkins joined her colleagues in the House in passing groundbreaking pension reform legislation, which will save Massachusetts an estimated $6.4 billion.

“This is what I mean when I talk about government reform,” said Representative Cory Atkins (D-Concord). “Our pension system is too expensive. At the rate it was going, our grandkids would have been up to their ears in our debt. I am pleased that my colleagues in the House joined me in reforming our state pension system to make it more sustainable. Much remains to be done, but this is a step in the right direction.”

Last month, Standard & Poor’s increased the state’s bond rating from A- to AA+, stating “Standard & Poor’s believes that Massachusetts’ active management of future cost pressures is important.” The passage of the current legislation puts Massachusetts in a position to maintain this new bond rating and strengthen it in the future.

The bill contains the following highlights:

• Minimum retirement age. Sets the minimum age set at 57 for Group 1. By doing so, this keeps the same 10 year retirement window that currently exists in the calculation table.

• 3-5 year pensionable income averaging. Members who enter service after January 1, 2012 will have their pension based on an average of 5 years of regular compensation instead of 3.

• Group Proration. Pro-rates retirement allowance for employees who have served in more than one Group (Group 1, Group 4, etc), by taking into account the number of years of service in each Group. Allows an opt-in for current employees.

• Group-based retirement limitation. Requires that someone serve one year in a group at the end of their career to retire from that group. Only applies to current employees, as anyone entering after pension reform will be subject to the group proration clauses.

• PERAC governance. This includes procurements conflict of interest, addresses financial disclosures, and education for board members.

• “Cool off” period. An individual retiring from a position must wait at least 1 year until they can hold that public elected position again.

• Study of future costs. Will establish commissions to study Other Public Employee Benefits, pension classification and disability retirements.

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October 31, 2011                                          

REP. ATKINS ANNOUNCES PASSAGE OF NON-PROFIT DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

Representative Cory Atkins joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in passing legislation that allows the State Treasurer’s office to offer a tax-deferred retirement savings plan to employees of non-profit organizations.

“There are thousands of people who work for arts organizations, charities, churches, and other small nonprofits,” said Atkins.  “These organizations knit our communities together, and this bill will give their employees retirement options they deserve.”

According to the Boston Foundation, 56 percent of grassroots organizations with budgets smaller than $250,000 don’t offer any sort of retirement plan to their employees; Fourteen percent of our state’s workforce are in the non-profit sector. Pending final passage of this bill, the State Treasury plans to work with the Internal Revenue Service to establish a solid retirement savings program that would be made available to all of the non-profit organizations in our Commonwealth, a welcome change considering that statistic.

The retirement savings plan that the State Treasury is aspiring to create would be similar to a 401(k) or a 403(b). The plan that will be established for non-profit organizations will deduct pre-tax dollars from an employee’s paycheck and invest them in a tax deferred market portfolio. The Treasurer’s Office would administer the participant-funded plan at no cost to taxpayers.

Approved by the House, this bill is now on its way to the Senate and then Governor Deval Patrick for further approval.

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 Boston, MA – October 20, 2011 –The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported today that the September total unemployment rate decreased from 7.4 percent in August to 7.3 percent,  remaining  well below the national rate of 9.1 percent, and the state’s lowest monthly rate since January of 2009.  Preliminary September job estimates show a decrease of 2,300 jobs for a total of 3,231,700 jobs in Massachusetts.

In September, Information; Professional, Scientific, and Business Services; Education and Health Services; and Manufacturing posted over-the-month job gains. The September job loss follows a revised 10,500 job loss in August, previously reported as a loss of 8,900 jobs.

Year-to-date (December 2010 to September 2011), 37,900 jobs have been added in the Bay State with 43,800 private sector jobs added.  Over-the-year (September 2010 to September 2011), jobs are up 48,700, for a growth rate of 1.5 percent.  Private sector jobs are up 53,800, for a growth rate of 2.0 percent with gains in nine of the ten sectors.  Over-the-year, the national rate of job growth is 1.1 percent with private sector job growth up 1.7 percent. 

Employment Overview

Information gained 5,200 (+6.2%) jobs over-the-month as the prior month’s strike ended.  Over-the-year, Information has added 4,600 (+5.5%) jobs.

Professional, Scientific and Business Services gained 1,500 (+0.3%) jobs over-the-month, the sector’s tenth consecutive monthly gain.  Within the sector, Management of Companies and Enterprises gained 1,700 (+3.0%) jobs and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services gained 1,200 (+0.5%) jobs while Administrative and Waste Services lost 1,400 (-0.9%) jobs.  Over-the-year, the sector has added 15,900 (+3.4%) jobs.

Education and Health Services gained 500 (+0.1%) jobs over-the-month as the gain in Educational Services of 3,500 (+2.2%) jobs offset the 3,000 (-0.6%) job loss in Health Care and Social Assistance. Over-the-year this sector has added 13,200 (+2.0%) jobs.

Manufacturing gained 200 (+0.1%) jobs due to gains in Durable Goods offsetting losses in Non-Durable Goods. From September 2010 to September 2011, Manufacturing jobs are up 5,400 (+2.1%) with most of the gains in Durable Goods. 

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 3,500 (-0.6%) jobs over-the-month with losses in all three component industries.  Over-the-year, jobs in Trade, Transportation and Utilities are up 6,000 (+1.1%) with Retail Trade adding 2,900 (+0.9%) jobs and Wholesale Trade gaining 1,900 (+1.5%) jobs.

Leisure and Hospitality lost 2,300 (-0.7%) jobs over-the-month due to losses in Accommodation and Food Services.   Over-the-year, the sector has added 4,000 (+1.3%) jobs as the Accommodation and Food Services component added 6,300 (+2.4%) jobs.  

Other Services lost 2,000 (-1.6%) jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, jobs are up 2,000 (+1.7%).

Construction lost 1,700 (-1.6%) jobs following a small loss in August.  Over-the-year, this sector has added 700 (+0.7%) jobs with gains in Construction of Buildings and Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction.

Financial Activities jobs were down 800 (-0.4%) over-the-month with losses in both components.  Over-the-year, jobs are up 2,100 (+1.0%) with a 1,200 (+0.7%) job gain in Finance and Insurance and a 900 (+2.3%) job gain in Real Estate, Rental and Leasing.

Mining and Logging lost 100 jobs (-9.1%) both over-the-month and over-the-year.

Government added 700 (+0.2%) jobs. State Government gained 1,300 jobs (+1.1%) due to seasonal job increases in Educational Services. Federal Government added 100 (+0.2%) jobs while Local Government lost 700 (-0.3%). Over-the-year, Government jobs were down 5,100 (1.2%) jobs with losses in all three components

Labor Force Overview

The September estimates show 3,224,100 Massachusetts residents were employed and 255,100 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,479,200. The labor force increased by 9,300 from 3,469,900 in August, as 12,100 more residents were employed and 2,800 fewer residents were unemployed over-the-month. Since October 2009, there are 55,700 more residents employed and 49,300 fewer residents unemployed as the labor force increased by 6,400. Totals for September may not add exactly due to rounding.

The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households, while the job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers.  As a result, the two statistics for September exhibit different trends.

NOTES:

Beginning with the March 2011 estimates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has assumed responsibility for the production of the CES State and sub-state jobs estimates.  BLS has also implemented methodological changes which may increase the month to month variability of the estimates. (See Procedures Changes for producing (CES) estimates.)

Local area unemployment statistics for September 2011 will be released on Tuesday, October 25, 2011. The October 2011 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, November 17, 2011. (See the Revised Media Advisory annual schedule for complete listing of release dates.)

Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi

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