There has been a lot of discussion on BMG and elsewhere about some of the issues of the past few weeks and rightfully so. As a Commonwealth, everyone is feeling the impact of the national economic downturn, and we are all anxious about the future. Many are looking to the federal and state government to “pick up their game” and provide whatever help they can.
Governor Patrick understands that. It is why he worked so hard with the Obama administration on the federal stimulus legislation, and why he has launched the Massachusetts Recovery Plan to create jobs and secure our common economic future. It’s also why he has put forward a comprehensive transportation reform proposal, and ethics and pension reform initiatives, despite some of the political consequences.
But I can also assure you, having worked closely with him for now almost four years, that he does understand the importance of the issues of the past few weeks. One of the things that I think makes Governor Patrick different from others is that he does pay very close attention to what people are saying, thinks about it, and uses it to help shape his thinking and his actions.
We don’t always get everything right, and when we don’t, we try to own up to it, and to learn from it. Hopefully, you will agree as we move forward over the coming weeks.
At the same time, it is very encouraging to see the benefits of the Governor’s focus on long-term solutions paying off for the people of the Commonwealth. Here are just 5 examples of this from the past few days:
1. Governor Patrick delivered a significant victory in controlling health care costs recently, by holding the line on government spending on health care without reducing benefits or increasing costs for members.
2. Today’s Boston Globe article highlights Geico’s entrance into the MA auto insurance market, bringing more choice and lower premiums for consumers. This is the eighth new insurer to enter the market since the inception of managed competition, and is a strong endorsement of Governor Patrick’s bold move in this direction last year.
3. Read State Representatives John Keenan’s and Brian Wallace’s editorial in the Boston Herald today describing the economic benefits to the Commonwealth of the film tax credit initiative passed by the Governor and the Legislature last year. According to the Reps, the tax credit could bring in more than 5,000 new jobs with annual salaries between $40,000 and $70,000.
4. This past week, Governor Patrick’s efforts to include education funding in the federal stimulus legislation paid off for Massachusetts. The Governor announced $168 in recovery funds to be used to bring all communities not already there up to foundation level budgets. Yesterday, the Governor announced an an additional $280 million for MA school districts from the federal stimulus package to help pay the cost of special education. This is an extremely important commitment in tough budget times, and something the Governor worked closely on with the Obama administration to make happen for our children.
5. Through the collective efforts of the Governor, Senate President and Speaker, we were able to come to consensus on a plan for delivering real reform in our transportation system and a timeline for developing a revenue stream to support our long-term needs in this area. At the same time, we were able to delay hiking the tolls on the Turnpike to give everyone time to deliver a long-term solution. This is a major breakthrough, given the long-standing avoidance of this problem by past administrations and the importance this issue has in securing our common economic future.
In addition, the Governor will continue the commitment he has maintained throughout his first term to talk to voters directly about the issues facing our Commonwealth. As many of you know, Governor Patrick has done many town hall meetings, local meetings in living rooms and coffee shops, and get-togethers with local activists and officials over the past two years. This Thursday, he will hold a live town meeting at the JFK Library which will be broadcast on NECN to discuss current economic issues in Massachusetts.
Dear Doug:
Is this really Doug that wrote this blog entry? If so, good luck with the damage control. You will need it. Your boss has aliented those that could have helped him if he had not acted as if no one else’s opinion mattered. Your boss has made your job harder than it ever had to be.
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p>I happen to be a local official that is disgusted by the manner in which this Governor has treated people like myself. He leaves you with the impression that your opinion does not matter, particularly if you disagree with him. He is the “smartest kid in the room,” or so he thinks. Too smart, too busy, too thin skinned, and arrogant. That’s for starters. By the way, he has surrounded himself with people that have taken note of his arrogance and become impossible to work with.
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p>It’s time for this Governor to do a few town hall meetings where local officials can express their opinions without being treated like second class citizens. It’s time for this Governor to listen and stop talking. The time is now.
Yes, it is me who writes these blog posts. I really don’t think of this as damage control – more like a dialogue about the important issues facing all of us. The feedback I get on this site – both positive and negative – is extremely valuable.
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p>I am curious about your concerns around local issues. Governor Patrick has done more for cities and towns, starting with the filing of the Municipal Partnership Act, than any recent governor. He meets regularly with local elected officials, and has done many local meetings and Town Halls where anyone is welcome to offer comments, suggestions or criticisms. During our Town Hall meetings last summer, the Governor often stayed well after the concusion of the formal program to answer any and all questions from those who showed up. But if you have a specific concern, you can reach me directly in the Governor’s office at (617) 725-1100.
Tough question were on the menu. Both he and his fellow cabinet members politely declined our invite. Since he failed to offer an alternative time to meet it is my assumption that tough questions with unhappy local officials are not on the gentleman’s agenda. If you can guarantee his attendance in my community with local officials within the next few months I will call. If not then I move on. That, my friend, is an easy question.
Call me in the Governor’s office on Monday, and our team will set up a time in the next few months to come to your community and meet with residents and local officials.
Does it include the Governor?
Make the call on Monday. When you do, make sure they know you’re the one that talked with Doug on BMG. Then report back and tell us what happens.
You do realize that your tough talk from a position of anonymity lacks courage and credibility?
If I cannot sign my name, then whatever was said is not worth saying at all.
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p>How can Doug Rubin or Governor Patrick meet with A. Nony Mous?
I have an open question that I asked Mr. Rubin. Will the Governor be part of “our team?” If the answer is yes, then I will call Mr. Rubin on Monday. If no, then we move on. The referenced invite has included members of his cabinet and my name has been on those documents. I frankly care little what my “progressive” friends think on this blog. This is a unique opportunity to speak with Mr. Rubin and I have. Since he opened the discussion, let Mr. Rubin decide if my request is appropriate which as I said means a sit down meeting with Governor Patrick.
Are you for real, Mr. Anonymous?
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p>Grow a spine and print your name. Mr. Rubin has a right to know who you are right here and now.
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p>Your behavior here is nothing short of cowardly.
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p>Isn’t that a quality we just love in our “public officials.”
Make the call on Monday; tell them Doug on BMG sent you; and get back to us.
“If the Governor does not personally see me in person in my presence I will take it as a sign that he doesn’t listen to me.”
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p>I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Patrick came and saw you personally, but I’m dismayed that a self described public official feels the need to be personally kowtowed to. The Executive has a whole staff. If staff sans Governor decided to see me personally, I’d call that a victory if it lead anywhere. If he came to see me personally and then had no follow through, that’d be a defeat.
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p>”Government-by-squeaky-wheel” is no way to run a Commonwealth. (and is the main reason that unseen infrastructure has rotted in this state)
“dismayed that a self described public official feels the need to be personally kowtowed to”
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p>This describes half of Lowell’s local politicians…
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p>Oops, did I say that out loud???
Ya know—like the people who actually bust their hump for 65K a year—NOT JUST COLLECT A BIG FAT PAYCHECK!
to defuse the criticism relative to the Marian Walsh mess, ethics mess, transportation mess, pension mess, etc.
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p>That is in fact what Mr. Rubin was attempting to do. Defuse the critcism amongst the “progressive” following.
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p>MCRD is absolutely correct. Screw the kids and their education, but take care of a worthless hack like Marian Walsh. It is a fact that in a nationwide (or statewide) search for a proper person to fill that position she would not even have gotten an interview. That assumes for a minute or two that a vacated position for 12 years needs filling. That is the definition of a hack. That is disgusting and that is why Mr. Rubin started his outreach to the progresive troops. You are pawns in a filthy game and you do not even know yoy are being played.
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p>By the way, what does it say about Marian Walsh that she even took the damn job? I believe she is a Harvard Divinity School grad. Her parents should ask for their money back.
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p>Ugh!!!
Same sex couples owe her a great debt for standing up for equality in a district where it would have been much easier for her to oppose it.
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p>Whatever you think of the Governor’s appointment, the attack on the appointee isn’t fair.
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p>Ya know what? If what you claim is true, then your behavior on this blog juvenile and embarrassing.
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p>Wherever you live I can only hope the citizens have a viable alternative to voting you back into office.
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p>Grow up.
and the rest of the crap that the omnicient and omnipotent shovel at us out of the trough every week to placate the agitated masses.
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p>Just like Washington—it is all nonsense. None of these people has a clue what they are doing and they add insult to injury. The house of cards rather than simply falling needs to be deconstructed. Political hacks, and their cronies, family members etal need to be fired as a starter. Then start cutting feel good programs. Hey—when times are tough—everyone is going to have to take a bullet. Grin and bear it.
his diplomatic skills, it’s unfortunate that you don’t share them.
You people make me laugh—you really do. You are the first people who would buy proerty in the Florida Everglades, demonstrated easily by your rabid support for this empty suit—and the other empty suit in Washington. Good luck folks—we are on a sinking ship.
but I think we’re doing OK. I don’t pretend to know politics as theater or the strategies within, but here’s what I like and don’t like:
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p> * Don’t like: this silliness with the Aloisi pair. I don’t know fault, cause, fairness, or the rest of it… I just know that it’s been a distraction and that’s not helpful.
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p> * Do like: the gas tax increase, and the way it’s broken down. We’ve got to fund public transit. Got to got to got to. This is a step in the right direction, and I solute Gov Patrick for having the chutzpah to go for it.
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p> * Don’t like: VMT. It’s terrible — the cost is invasion of privacy, complexity, and a loss of the clear financial incentive for high MPG vehicles, the benefit is that it saves the lege on the pain of raising gas taxes 20 years from now when the fleet MPG is finally substantially higher than in 2008 (which is the same as 1978 I’d add).
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p> * Do like: expanded bottle deposit. I leaned on Mr. Patrick before he was Gov. Patrick every time I saw him about this, totaling about 5 encounters on the campaign trail. He always responded that it was off the table claiming to not have evidence that it was effective. This was nonsense of course, he was an exec at Coca-Cola and knew damn well that there is incredibly strong positive correlation between strength in bottle bill and recycling rates. Well, hats off to him for changing his position in the name of revenue, litter prevention, cost savings for towns, and the like.
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p> * Don’t like: casinos. Seriously, it’s nonsense. It’s bad development, it’s bad social policy, and it sucks money out of the Commonwealth while driving up the need for social services and infrastructure. If anything, MA should be scaling back it’s gambling, beginning with the reduction/elimination of Keno.
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p> * Do like: green energy. Please Gov Patrick, keep pushing on it. Cape Wind. Even better RPS and net metering. A feebate system for mpg (or CO_2) on new cars. A local options gas tax (say, 3 cents: 1 for town, 1 for state, 1 for MBTA). Infrastructure improvements for Amtrak, MBTA, bicycles, and sidewalks. Stretch building code. More resources for the Green Communities Act, CPA, and for municipal buildings to be LEED certified (not: certifiable). More help for DEP PAYT programs. More green cleaning. More farmers markets. I know he’s done lots of work on many of these, but more more more. Frame it in the context of cost savings and local aid. MA’s per capita energy consumption rank is 48th. Let’s be 50th.
very cool!
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p>(Though you got your six long before it.)
I’m on stomv’s bandwagon.
Except I wish you would consider that a casino/resort would also bring something positive to the table. I understand the concerns about gambling addiction, I know it is a real issue and that the people afflicted may be put at risk. But by being so against everything casino in such a narrow and focused way is not going to solve the problem of gambling addiction. There are casinos on every cruise ship
on the sea, but I never hear any outrage about that. I think the bigger problem with gambling addiction is the businesses where people can hide and gamble, such as the KENO parlors, as you said, where people sit around for hours and play KENO, where that is the only reason you would go to such a place. As would be slot parlors. But did you ever think that maybe if a gambling addicted person went to a casino resort and saw other people gambling recreationally, and had other distractions such as a restaurant or a nightclub, it may drive them to use their money at those locations instead of in the casino area. (or at least the desire to, which would make them question what the heck are they doing in the casino) It might give them that one opportunity to finally admit they want more than just to drop money into a machine. I’m not asking for Las Vegas. But I guess what I am hoping for is something like a built on land cruise ship (sort of), where there are many things to do, great shows to watch, where a variety of interests can be met, but the casino would not be the main focal point.
I know that I am facing zero support here for this. That doesn’t make it easy for me to speak out in support of it.
But I have an opposing point of view and I’m hoping it can be met with an open mind and some consideration for what the resort aspect of it could bring to our area.
In any case, I’m not interested in making this whole post about a casino. My biggest priority is getting Amtrak rail service to Palmer. That alone would bring life and jobs back to this area, and would be a huge boost to this area.
It would bring small businesses back, and give people an incentive to buy homes here. And when I needed someting exciting to do, at least with East West rail service, I could jump on the train and spend the evening in Boston, where there are also great restaurants, nightclubs, history, and a wealth of great things to do.
…smoke and mirrors. You take revenue from other taxable venues like entertainment, eating out, shopping, and put it into casinos for, IF you are lucky, maybe a small net revenue gain – or maybe a loss…you destroy local economies as eateries and other businesses die, and you then have to pick up the tab for increased addictions, family issues, court systems and police.
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p>The numbers do NOT add up. Sorry, I have not seen one realistic proposal on casinos that takes ALL of the above into consideration when they project their happy happy numbers on revenue for the state.
Being 19 when I was in Germany, the bottle deposit there (Pfand) was something I quickly became accustomed to. In Germany, the Pfand on a bottle was 50 cents each. I tell you: I never, ever, ever saw a bottle on the ground or side of the road. Once.
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p>What was more interesting was a party I went to at an Engineering School over there. I paid a 5 Euro Pfand on my cup when I got a zombie. Pass in the cup when you get another, and you just pay for the drink. At the end of the night, pass in the cup, get your 5 Euros back. When I was leaving the rather large party at the end of the night, was there a mess of cups like at an American party? Not a chance.
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p>I think there’s a lot of lessons to be learned there.
as most of the time stomv has already said what i’m thinking, better than i could have
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen FIFTEEN people weigh in on ratings for a single comment, let alone all giving 6s. I don’t agree with absolutely everything, but this was well written and offered a concise list of ideas and balanced praise with alternatives, plus I wouldn’t want to ruin the streak:)
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p>2. Unfortunately, the hot button items, which are easy to put into “bites” (sound or otherwise) and easy to understand, will continue to drive the discussion, whether or not they are truly significant in the larger scheme of things. Be aware!
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p>3. An impression I have is that the Governor is taking a shotgun approach to finding revenue to fill the void left by the economic downturn, and that conveys a tax-happy personna to the citizens already hurt by the economic downturn. Narrow the focus!
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p>4. The Transportation Reform is long overdue, but there are too many starts and stops to getting there. You should realize that even the suspension of the toll increases is considered a negative by many people, as the delay is not consistent with the cry for urgent action just a few weeks ago. Make it clear how the reform is built into the revenue requests, and stop relating our costs to cups of coffee!
I appreciate your comments. In answer to point #3, Governor Patrick made comments relative to the income and sales tax on Friday which may address your concerns. As to point #4, I agree, it has taken us a while to get to this point. The issues are complex, and the challenges after years of neglect are large. In particular, unwinding the financing challenges, bond covenants, and long-neglected maintenance needs has taken some time. But we now have an agreement between the Governor, Senate President, and Speaker for real reform and a long-term solution. Stay engaged – we are going to need everyone’s help to make this happen.
The three most significant revenue/cost savings/reforms were:
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p>1. The establishment of a Commission to revue which “crimes” should not longer have incarceration as their result. An example would be shoplifting, arguably if it “cost more” to shoplift [a significant fine, which gets larger for each offense] the economic motive for shoplifting would be deterred. As long as incarceration is a possible result, however, the accused shoplifter is entitled to counsel, and incarceration costs 43k a year per inmate. The Commission set up to investigate and report, in order to drive down the costs of incarceration, prosecution, indigent defense, and child welfare [from absent parents] was never appointed and remains in limbo.
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p>2. The review as to whether the state employees who were supposed to investigate whether or not accused persons are indigent, and review indigency after six months never happened. Therefore, it may be that a person with resouces who lies that they are indigent does not pay what they should, while a marginal working poor person who is honest does pay. The system may be limping along in a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” mode due to a failure to staff adequately, and a failure to use technology to check at the RMV [someone with a mercedes is probably not indigent] or with DOR.
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p>3. A second Commission was authorized to look at the fee structure to determine if there were user fees that could fund some or all of the judicial branch functions including indigent defense. This commission was also never appointed.
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p>These remedies and Commissions were enacted in 2005 – but never staffed. All three are useful, commonsense reforms that deserve to go forward.
As you know, Doug, the governor won the support of many people — including me — because we believed in his underlying principle that we all are part of ONE community, that we have to stick together, and that what happens to our neighbors happens to us. This is a fundamental principle of progressive politics. I worked hard for him because of my belief that he would apply this principle to everything he did. Yet his support for predatory gambling — either in the form of slot machines or casinos — has undermined many people’s faith in him. When he said “it isn’t the solution to everything and it isn’t the fall of civilization” I felt a very deep sadness. The governor would never propose selling more cigarettes or promoting an increase in alcholo consumption as a way to raise public revenue. He would see this as both a public health issue and a philosophical question. So why did he open the barn door and let everyone rush in on predatory gambling? Now the greed and denial is overwhelming people’s rational capacity.
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p>He could put a stop to it. He can still pull back. It doesn’t matter that the Speaker and perhaps the Senate president and the unions (disgracefully, the teacher’s union) and the Globe (being pushed by their pro-casino publisher) and other parties are all for it. The governor is his own man, a man of conviction. In fact, I would say that if he wanted to recapture the moral and political and economic high ground, not only from Tim Cahill, but from all the other “something for nothing” folks who are promoting the gambling Ponzi scheme in Massachusetts, he should consider taking a stand against it NATIONALLY.
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p>He should say, “I have thought long and hard about this, and I have now realized that this whole trend has gone too far. It is bad for our kids and for our seniors and for people who can’t afford to be duped. It will lead to more forms of corruption. It is not good for the state, the region, or the country in the long run. I want us all to step back from the brink. That’s why I am announcing that I will veto any bill that tries to raise public revenue from addictive slot machines. I will block any Indian casino that takes advantage of reservation shopping to bring this into the state. And — more importantly — I will call together the governors of all the Northeastern states and see if we can slow and reverse this race to the bottom. We will even begin to review, as our situation improves, whether we now rely too much on the lottery for state funding. We will begin the process of rebuilding our community as adults and as citizens, not as people who play each other for suckers.”
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p>That would be the Deval Patrick that I know, that I respect, that I want to support as my governor. The whole “resort casino” idea made no sense. If slots are addictive, as they are, then why is it okay to say “well, we protect our citizens in Massachusetts by bringing in people from other states to a resort casino to spend their money?” Those other people are also AMERICANS.
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p>Please think about it, Doug. And talk to the governor. And he should do the right — not the expedient — thing. That’s what we still want and need from this good and decent man.
Warp speed ahead. The Gov’s work on health care premiums has been especially great. Get that gas tax/trans reform passed and all will be fine at the Corner Office for a long time to come, probably even beyond the Gov’s next election.
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p>(One caveat: I’m not sure you want to plug the film tax credit as a major victory on BMG. Studies at the time showed we were spending a lot more than we’d be gaining in terms of state revenue. If there’s new numbers, I’d love to see them, but I have my doubts.)
Overall, I think the Patrick administration has been doing a good job. I’ve been annoyed and frustrated at times (for example, with Patrick’s obsession with large-scale casino gambling, which really doesn’t seem to be worth the effort and the amount of political distraction), but on balance I’m happy to have such an active, engaged administration that’s trying a lot of things and really working to make things happen.
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p>The new focus on transportation is especially refreshing, after the neglect it has sufferred for so long, particularly the T. One of my greatest frustrations about Massachusetts has been the concurrent deterioration of MBTA service at the same time prices have steadily increased, turning it effectively into a luxury that I can’t afford to use during times when I’m unemployed or working low-pay jobs (such as political campaigns). Waiting seemingly forever for the Green Line extension, and having basically given up on the E line ever returning, is also dispiriting. I remember the 80s, when Governor Dukakis road the T to work, and service kept getting better, and the red line was extended to Alewife and route 2 widened and the parking garage built. We seemed to have some vision on transportation back then. We need that again for our future.
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p>Why are there no user fees to use our roads and sidewalks, but prohibitive user fees to ride the bus and subway? Why does our tax & fee structure embody the assumption that it’s better for us to have people use roads & sidewalks but not buses and subways? It makes no sense. Even if we hiked the gas tax twice as much as Patrick has proposed, and gas prices were back at their year-ago heights, a round trip from Central Square to Davis Square would still cost more than ten times as much by T than by car. Let alone wanting to stop at Harvard on the way, or something.
Thanks for your post – you raise a number of very good issues. The MBTA has has taken a back seat recently in the transportation debate because of the serious problems at the Turnpike Authority, but it also needs reform and new revenue, and its problems are no less serious. The Governor’s plan includes 6-cents of the proposed gas tax increase to avoid a fare increase in the fall, maintain current services and start to address the Big Dig debt at the MBTA. He has also included aggressive reforms in the legislation, including eliminating the “23 and out” provision for MBTA employees and merging T employees into the state health care system.
You know JQ if you had any real courage you would use your real name and not hide behind your double talk that you may have or would have or might have supported Governor Patrick when he ran for Governor and we won. No I think you were either with Kerri or Christy or even Tom R and your angry because you lost and your voice is not as load as you want it to be. Hey man that’s life but if you tell us who you are and where you live I will be happy to send you some cheese to go with the Whine.
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p>Deval has made what I would say and have posted as miss steps but that is my opinion and hey guess what I am not the governor he is. On the other hand his accomplishments under a collapsed economy and 16 years of Republican non leadership and neglect I think he has jumped in with both hands and both feet maybe he will get us through with out any more scares maybe not time will tell but to date he has stuck by us a lot longer then any of the Republicans before him and under far worse conditions. Admit it JQ you don’t like him you never did your over come by him and that makes you made you posts prove it. I on the other hand supported him and I continue to support him as I continue to question him and his mistakes in my opinion.
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p>We are here on BMG to discuss and advance Progressive agendas and to inform and enlighten Doug has done that I appreciate his efforts and openness. So put a sock in it JQ and move the discussion forward. You carping offers nothing here to the discussion!
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p>As Usual just my Opinion
..and would do it again.
I have no confidence that this Governor will not penalize my community for speaking up. Does that make you feel better? That shows you how little respect this local official has for the gang that surrounds the Govenor and the Governor himself. Did I mention thin skin!
JQ you offer no respect, you earn no respect, why then do you expect respect. Your community must be suffering under your leadership when you have respect for nothing!
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p>As Usual just my Opinion
I think he is looking for input into what is going on
in the state. It appears you are pretty darn mad. So
go ahead and speak out, but when someone tells me “Shut up and Listen” it doesn’t start the conversation off on the most positive note.
surely has made this elected official angry. Without this public forum, Mr. Rubin never would have fielded a call, nor would he have offered a meeting with the Governor and his “team.” This post by Mr. Rubin is all about damage control. Ignoring people and treating folks like crap is exactly how we got here and is why we are in a place where damage control is necessary. Why were previous less public requests ingored? The answer is simple. The Governor knew the questions would be difficult and it was easier to ignore the questions than face an entire community that has grown sick of being treated like crap.
You sound like a two year old throwing a tantrum because your community has not gotten what it wants. I suppose it is the pressure your feeling as a result of this economy may I point out one constructive point actually two one is the governor to my knowledge is not growing it in his yard the Pie is smaller so your community gets a slightly small piece and your dealing with just your community and you can’t keep your self civil how do you think the governor feels dealing with 351 city and towns, the house, the senate and dear I say you! If you miss behave enough some how you will attract the attention you feel you deserve. Hey if I were the Governor I would take the same approach I did with my three children ignore you and then give you a time out till you could speak with out spitting on your self.
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p>As Usual just my Opinion
So maybe, Mr. Adams, you should give it a rest for a little while.
Yours is so thin you can’t even use your real name, while you purport to be a public official.
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p>I mean, that is just staggeringly pathetic, cowardly, and shameless. Frankly, you deserve mockery and ridicule, not a good faith response from the Governor’s Chief of Staff.
Table thumps of approval. Really, Mr. Adams, you’re just a laughingstock at this point. Thanks for the comic relief.
for which I can only say that Mr. Rubin is a better person than I would be in that situation…
…but you had tough questions ready for his town hall appearance? Why would you be afraid of retribution if you were to speak openly here, yet you’re not afraid to speak up in your town hall setting?
If your community has been as abused as you say, you should be able to say your name and your complaints proudly all the way to the ballot box,… or is the Governor polling better than you in your community?
Why don’t you stop patting each other on the back for great ideas and get back to terra firma. Massachusetts is broken because the Rico Statute is not applicable in MGL.
Masachusetts is now run by an ongoing criminal conspiracy AKA the Great and General Court aided and abbetted by the Executive branch.
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p>The endless hiring of hacks. Massport, MWRA, MBTA, MTA all run by and teeming with hacks who couldn’t find their own backside with both hands. Ever take a look at the line items wfor the “authorities” and the Atty Gen office for “consultants”. Wanna know why—because no one at these agencies knows squat about anything except pissing away tax dollars and what positive action that does take place is done by “consultants. This state is BROKEN. Spending good money after bad is not the answer. If the governor has to stop 80% of the “programs in the state and lay off 30% of the workforce so be it. The MBTA need to be shut down and dissolved. It is broken beyond all repair and then it has to be recreated—perhaps by a private NONUNION company. Drastic times call for drastic measures. You think it is bad now—-wait a year when unemployment is at 15%.
You can call me Mr. Quinn. You know you like JQ stand their hiding in the shadows spouting about all that is wrong in the world with no helpful suggestion just hey blow up this blow up that. Well the fear of the last 8 years has taught the majority that blowing everything up is not a solution hard work and heavy lifting does accomplish the task and it is even more obvious that as a result of you and others running around blowing everything up including our revenue streams have left us with a very large trash heap to clean up and put back together. You were not satisfied with our state, you were not satisfied with Iraq, you were not satisfied with Washington DC, you just had to blow up the world economy. I hope that AIG bonus lasts you a lifetime because it may be the last dime you suck out of this country. You and those who run around saying government is all evil and government is the problem have been proven WRONG go pick up today’s Paper anyone of them and read it. We have to put another 2 Trillion dollars into the system you blew up and your whining about the fact that Deval Patrick is not moving fast enough just blow it up. Forget it no one is listening.
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p>As Usual just my Opinion
Well you have a great deal of respect for her when you cannot even use her name but a male stereotype instead. Maybe this shows everyone more about your true colors then anything. No respect for your own supported leadership. You heap disgrace on the Presidents name you hide behind JQ why would anyone bother to listen further.
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p>As Usual Just my Opinion
But I stand by my position.
You have time and energy to blog, but you or someone else in the governor’s office cannot take the time to respond to an email that was sent to you last Sunday. I have had it with the lot of Democrats. First there was the BS with DiMasi that went on and on and on. Then he left and DeLeo came in, and the house still cannot get itself in order and do some work to stave off this economic fiasco. All the while leaders of the executive office cut the heart out of the services to the mentally ill and goodness knows who else, and who cares. And then in a move that is only slightly less infuriating than AIG bonuses, the governor appoints Mariam Walsh to this job that has not been filled in a zillion years with a $175,000 salary and necessitating an expensive special election. The governor may be listening, but to whom is he listening. Get real. The economy is a mess, state services are being subjected to back door privatizations. Who is minding the store that is the Commonwealth? Then the governor says he is tired of how petty all of this is. Cadillacs and curtains may have been petty, but this appointment is an outrage. if he cannot see the difference we are all in very big trouble. Lack of responsiveness was the hallmark of the Romney administration. I expect better from this administration.
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p>I will be standing on the side lines come the next election. I would like to see some big changes in attitude and some more control exercised over the executive offices. Does the governor have any idea what is going on? If he does, than shame on him for cutting the hell out of the Department of Mental Health.
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p>Socialworker(Rhonda J. Bourne, LICSW)
For example, I sent the Governor, the CJAM, et. al [70 legislators!] an Open Letter with supporting documentation in November of 2008 when the AOTC/CJAM eliminated all Guardian Ad Litems for Education. I received no response from the Governor – though one staffer called in November and promised a response, none at all has been received. I only heard back from two of those 70 legislators.
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p>And this unkind cut is doing harm to many children. Here is a case story, with names with held, from my practice.
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p>I was appointed to represent a child who was removed from his mother due to an investigative GAL reporting eneuris, encopresis and extreme and extraordinary sexual acting out; the GAL felt the child was being sexually abused in the home. Interestingly – none of the reported behaviors have occurred since removal from that home, and my child client tells me that he is fine where he is and does not ask to return home.
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p>I fought to have the child in a 24 hour care residential facility, just as I would have done had I been appointed for Haleigh Poutre. When the extreme behaviors and/or alleged actions disappear in a residential facility, the child is safer than in that home.
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p>I determined in meeting with the child’s school that they felt he was a non reader and could recognize only 14 of 26 letters. I sought to have the same judge appoint a Guardian Ad Litem for Education. His father is illiterate, and his mother has three children under the age of five, one a newborn, each with a different father as well as the horrific things the GAL felt were done to this child in that home.
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p>The Judge said that she could no longer appoint GALs for Education and no longer had any funds for any GALs.
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p>The problem I brought to the attention of the Governor, and the AOTC/CJAM is real, and the most vulnerable are being hurt.
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p>The silence remains. No response from the Governor. No response from the CJAM, Robert Mulligan.
With regard to local issues, I would like to share concerns for South Central/Western MA, including the Palmer-Monson area. In summary, WE NEED GROWTH! Small businesses are closing, and the area is declining. Many people turn to Northern CT for jobs. The idea of a resort casino in the area absolutely excites me, but there are valuable arguments against it. My view of the casino is less about the gambling aspect of it, more about the resort aspect of it. I would not spend more than $20 on gambling, but I would dine in the restaurants, peruse the shops, attend an event, or visit the nightclubs. It would be a worthwhile project even without the casino aspect, it is a great location, right off the MA Pike exit and would benefit our area tremendously. However, I am totally against slot parlors, where the only interest is gambling. That would be huge mistake.
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p>Also, reopening the Palmer Union Station to Amtrak service would open the doors to growth in our area. I have provided some information about this proposal here… Expanding rail service to expand economic growth
My support for rail service has nothing to do with my support for the resort +/- casino. The rail service by itself would be a huge boost to the area.
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p>Then there is what I think “southshorepragmatist” explains well here … it is about trust
Taxpayer dollars should be handled with the utmost of integrity. You absolutely have to make a statement to make it clear that you are willing cut unnecessary spending. Not only should you do it, but you should do it loudly. You’re going to be hard pressed to get support for tax increases when so many people have made cuts to their own household budgets in very difficult ways.
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p>That’s it for now. Thanks so much! Your visit is very appreciated.
Don’t let me steal any Secretaries thunder but why in this tough economy with a focus on alternative energy have we yet to see a comprehensive green building policy for all State and Municipal building. Here in Woburn we did a Green High School with some help from the state but we are getting in line for more building and with the local administration the Building Code is sufficient. Doug, if the governor is serious and I believe he is why not requirement legislation? It can be done onetime and with in a budget. Woburn High School came in on time and with in budget and that budget was set by the then SBA under the Dept of Education and The mayor of Woburn before we decided to go green. The added cost was less then 2% of the budget and the savings have already returned more then that amount to the community. I know Ian Bowles has championed these causes in the past and is still a voice but why not make it a requirement? It seems like a piece of low hanging fruit to make meaning full change.
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p>I think it makes sense both environmentally and fiscally and I can show you that this is fact. I have 363,000 sq feet of proof here in Woburn
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p>Thanks Doug no rush in a response.
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p>As Usaul just my Opinion
Hello all,
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p>I am writing regarding the clearcutting and aggressive logging that has been recently occurring on Massachusetts public lands due to taxpayer subsidized policies and proposals enacted and promoted by Governor Patrick’s office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
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p>This heavy logging seriously threatens the health, integrity and peaceful existence of Massachusetts forests. All the benefits provided by these forests including wilderness protection, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, clean water, clean air, tourism, carbon sequestration and scenic beauty are now under serious threat.
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p>I realize it is hard to imagine, since this type of logging has never occurred here before but there has been a huge ideological shift started under Romney, and accelerated under Governor Patrick, that would change from protecting these lands to commercially exploiting them.
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p>While historically these public lands have been held in trust for their ecosystem values, new plans put out last November call for logging increases on public lands between 400% and 700% over 1980-2006 historical levels using mostly heavy clearcutting type logging methods. Much of this shift to heavy logging is in large part due to state promoted huge biomass energy projects.
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p>These power plants are not “clean” or “green” but are taking “clean” energy public subsidies and would vacuum up our forests, further degrade air quality, add 11% to Massachusetts power plant CO2 emissions and yet only provide 1% more power tahn we have today. Simple, achievable conservation and efficiency measures could reduce electrical use 33%.
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p>To see for yourself what has been going on around the state on your public lands, see:
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p>http://www.maforests.org/
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p>Then you can watch the Channel 5 report on the subject at:
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p>http://www.thebostonchannel.co…
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p>Next, I highly recommend you read our report to educate yourself on the issue. DCR is misleading citizens about its objectives, motivations and practices by using standard timber industry propaganda that people in the northeast are not accustomed to and thus easily fooled. The report is at:
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p>http://www.maforests.org/Repor…
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p>I realize this is a shocker, but the issue is real, and I believe seriously threatens the Massachusetts environment and quality of life. We can stop this overt commercial exploitation of our public lands, but people are going to have to speak up in defense of these precious lands that only make up 10% of our state. Please pass the info on to as many people as possible and share your opinion with the Governor, because he is the one with the power re-protect our lands as they have been in the past by forward thinking previous administrations.
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p>The governor has not been listening, just hearing and ignoring. Every effort to engage this administration on this issue has led to a wall of silence.
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p>Chris Matera, P.E.
Massachusetts Forest Watch
Northampton, MA
christoforest@maforests.org
413-341-3878
A Response to your Post from the Secretary’s Office:
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p>On forestry, our administration has responded to and fulfilled all of Mr. Matera’s many requests for information on state forest management and has worked hard to maintain a dialogue with all those who have an interest in the stewardship of our forests. We have heard and understand that some, including the author of this post, are opposed to virtually any and all cutting of trees on state-owned lands. However, the agencies responsible for managing our forests do not agree with that unidimensional approach to forest management – and have a broad mandate to manage state forests sustainably. It is important to note that Massachusetts is the only state in the country whose state-owned forest lands are all “green certified” by the Forest Stewardship Council, an international nonprofit promoting sustainable forestry, and audited on an annual basis. There is cutting on a tiny percentage of state lands every year, not for the purpose of biomass energy, but for public safety, forest health, and habitat purposes. (What Mr. Matera refers to as “clear cutting” refers to clearings of a few acres at a time, primarily to create young-forest habitat conducive to the flourishing of a number of wildlife species.) Though proud of its current forest management practices, the Department of Conservation is currently engaging environmental and other stakeholders in a “forest visioning” process to keep its forestry practices at the highest levels of sustainability. Far from a “wall of silence,” there is a great deal of dialogue on forest management now taking place, and Mr. Matera is welcome to participate
No what Mr. Matera refers to are clearcuts, many over 25 acres, (50 acres in October Mtn State forest), and logging practices that cause PERMANENT IRREVERABLE damage to the ecology of the forest, and are NOT sustainable. In fact, the new “save americas forests” act, supported by over 600 scientists in a letter to congress, and cosponsored by over 100 in congress, specifically forbids the even aged management practices in wide use in our state. These huge cuts do very little to assist wildlife, in fact damage many rarer forms, and cause damage to our public lands. The timber industry produced pseudo science puts forth claims of forest health, but stops short of examining what happens to the rest of the forest, and the ecological effects. The “stakeholders” in this “forest vision” process include the timber industry. Its a legitimate industry, but the forest doesnt belong to them, it belongs to the true stakeholders, the citizens. The “save” act promotes careful, sustainable management that requires a harvest to be evaluated tree by tree, not just roping off an area and telling them to have at it. It also removes the timber industry special interest element from forest management by requiring qualified conservation biologists be involved in planning timber harvesting. This in reality produces less timber for harvesting, but increases the quality of the trees, and “forest health”, without ruining the land. Right now, the system is ripe with conflicts of interest and false timber industry claims, as is clear by that response. Look at the save act at http://www.saveamericasforests… Note that Barack Obama is one of the supporters of this act, as well as famed ecologist E.O.Wilson of Harvard. Time to look at modern science, not outdated timber industry claims of “forest health”, while they ruin our public lands.
Wrong and misleading Doug, on so many levels, but this is par for an administration that uses Orwellian doublespeak to sell environmental destruction as “green”. It is sadly very similar to the Bush “Clear Skies” or “Healthy Forests” initiatives which would pollute the skies and clearcut the forests. I see you have been well trained in the forestry propaganda party line.
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p>Clearcutting for “forest health and habitat purposes” is 95% BS and is straight out of the timber industry playbook and should not be propagated by our government who is supposed to serve the citizens, not mislead them into giving up their public treasure to private industry. Those clearcuts are not “a few acres at a time”, they are up to 50 acres, which equals about 50 football fields. In any case, a bunch of smaller clearcuts fragments and degrades the forest. There is rarely a valid ecological excuse for clearcutting.
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p>The DCR and Bureau of Forestry, (which are subordinate to Governor Patricks office of Energy and Environmental affairs) have consistently put up roadblocks to getting even the most basic public information about our public forests, and have disseminated patently false information. Only when I filed complaints with the Secretary of State did DCR or BOF finally respond. Now, we have asked for a list of what timber cutting contracts are going forward as promised by the commissioner in the last Stewardship council meeting, and again, nothing.
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p>No one said cut no trees in Massachusetts, that is more deceptive framing from the administration. We have raised the following points:
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p>1. State public forests represent only 10% of the land area, and 16% of the forests in Massachusetts and are our best chance for preserving wildness and perpetually functioning ecosystems in such a densely populated state.
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p>2. The timber program costs more than it makes, taxpayers are paying to cut their own forests.
<
p>3. Employment in the timber industry is less than 1%, even in the most timber extractive regions and the logs are mostly sent to Quebec and Northern New England
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p>4. Tourist and recreation industries depend heavily on attractive and peaceful public forests and are ten times more important economically than the timber industry
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p>5. Public sentiment readings indicate that the public would overwhelmingly vote for no commercial timber harvesting on public lands.
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p>6. Massachusetts has the chance to be a progressive leader in forest protection.
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p>7. It is critical to avoid valid claims of hypocrisy when admonishing poor third world countries to set aside their forests in reserves.
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p>8. Private lands (about 80% of Massachusetts forests) can provide wood products while minimizing ecological damage by using mostly selective and un-even aged management.
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p>9. Our atmosphere is already overloaded with CO2 and literally threatens life on this planet. Allowing our public forests to continue growing and soaking up CO2 is one of the best things we can do to show we really care about the future for our children.
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p>Considering the above facts, Doug, give us one good reason we should be forcing taxpayers to subsidize private companies coming on to our public lands to commercially cut our trees at sweetheart costs and then send the logs to Canada????
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p>FSC “Green Certification” should be more aptly called FSC “Green Washification”. Lucky for the other states who were smart enough not to put this commercial logging program onto their public lands which are more appropriate for protecting forests in their natural state for recreation, tourism, clean air and water, solitude, and wildlife habitat for species that need large undisturbed forest tracts, especially in a State like ours that does not have any National forests. All of the photos at the following website are FSC “green washified logging: http://www.maforests.org/ Also, a letter by 23 National Environmental groups has said FSC is inappropriate for public lands held for ecosystem values.
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p>The “Forest Vision” process is another greenwashing sham, DCR chooses the committee members and DCR decides on the outcomes. More fox and the hen-house. Also, it is not dialogue with the citizens, it is a cynical effort to diffuse appropriate public anger and propagandize to them.
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p>EOEEA is flat out wrong about the Biomass, and they know it. According to a UMASS report (see: http://www.mass.gov/Eoeea/docs… pg 25) for the Department of Energy Resources and DCR, the state is targeting 280,000 dry tons of wood to come off state public forests. This is more than 10 times higher than historical removal volumes which averaged about 26,000 tons. According to this same report, 45 dry tons come from clearcutting per acre, and between 9 and 25 dry tons from partial cutting. What that means is that to get the 280,000 dry tons for biomass, 6,259 acres would have to be clearcut, or between 11,200 and 31,100 acres would have to be partially cut every year. To put that in perspective, the 1980-2006 average historical harvest on all public lands was 1,250 acres, mostly selectively logged.
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p>Doug, the Patrick Administration is not being straight with people about the forestry or the biomess. The current plans call for a radical shift in how our public forests are managed, from managing for the ecosystem values to now full scaled commercial exploitation. Only 20% of our public lands are in reserves and the other 80% are open to proposed logging levels between 400% and 700% higher than historical levels, mostly with clearcutting and its variants. Anyone with interest can see the full report that draws from DCR’s own plans at:
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p>http://www.maforests.org/Repor…
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p>This is not a PR problem, or a communication problem, it is a policy problem. If the Governor insists on pushing through an agenda that aggressively commercially exploits our scarce public lands, citizens will wake up and revolt, and no amount of PR will cover it up. This is just another case of the Governor kicking those who supported him and it could likely grow into a much bigger, embarrassing issue if he doesn’t take swift and strong action to protect our precious public lands instead of commercially exploiting them.
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p>Chris Matera, P.E.
Doug- your comment shows you have no clue about the issues. It is true that Chris Matera would like to stop all logging on state land- and he has good arguments for that. However, many others do not want to stop all logging on state land- they only want it done right. But as always, when anyone challenges the QUALITY of the work, they are accused of being tree huggers who want to stop all logging. You should try to grow out of that simplistic comeback. It’s lame. It’s reactionary.
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p>Your claim that you are managing the land sustainable is false. I shall enclose a link to a video of my self standing in the middle of an 18 acre clearcut is Savoy which looks as if a tornado went through. Do you think that’s sustainable forestry? I saw a real tornado wreck many forests in south Berkshire County back in ’95- they looked a lot like this.
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p>The fact that only a percentage of land is cut each year is a really shallow comment- since the years go by rather fast, especially when you get into middle age- you see those years moving at the speed of light. Year after year after year- pretty soon you have tens of thousand of acres cut. The new push for biomass cuttings on state land will dramatically increase the cutting way beyond what it is now.
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p>Why on Earth are you claiming that the clearcuts are only a few acres- some are as large as 50 acres. Are you really paying attention? Since the governor has a house in the Berkshires and that’s where much of the really horrific clearcuts are occurring, some of us would like to show him around. We saw the picture in the papers recently of him holding a cute little bear- how about getting a picture of him in the middle of one of these clearcuts?
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p>When you say the cuts are for habitat work- you are showing just how naive you are- you have swallowed the party line hook line and sinker. You say they are proud of their work? I think Commissioner Sullivan isn’t so proud- now that he’s learning of what’s really going on out there. Ask him if he’s proud of the way the BOF tried to slam Robinson State Park with lie after lie after lie- he knows all about it. Would you like a long essay about the truth of what almost happened at Robinson? If you reply in the negative, that will show you have no interest in the truth.
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p>Regarding that vision process- it’s a fraud.
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p>Joe Zorzin
practicing real forestry for 36 years
me standing in the clearcut
http://vimeo.com/2090043
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p>
For the record,
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p>Based on the reasons I put forth earlier, I personally don’t see any good reason for commercially logging these public lands and see many good reasons not to. I believe if Massachusetts is to put into action all its lip service about being environmentally conscious, than to set aside these lands that only comprise 10% of our densely populated state, that is not a radical position, but actually quite logical and prudent.
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p>Currently Massachusetts has only about 2% of it’s land area in permanently protected reserves. How can we go around lecturing poor third world countries to set aside wide swaths of their forests when we consider it radical to set aside 10% of ours?
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p>In the end it is not what I think that matters, it is what the public wants. According to the states FSC management assessment peer review comments available on page 151 http://www.scscertified.com/PD…
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p>”If there were a statewide ballot referendum tomorrow, asking if timber cutting should be allowed on State forests, the “no” votes would win handily”
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p>In any case, I am sure citizens don’t want their public lands treated like industrial timber lands as the state proposes and has started implementing. What makes this administration think the public wants such a radical increase in logging?
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p>In the end, public forests belong to the public, not the agencies, and it is for them to decide whether they want to subsidize private industry cutting down their forests and shipping them to Canada to make telephone poles and phone books, or if they want their public forests protected for recreation, clean air and water, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, tourism, scenic beauty, etc. and their taxpayer dollars spent on more valuable causes.
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p>thanks
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p>Chris
Well I can speak for the dozens of citizens now involved in exposing this escapade out here. We voted for Deval based on his promise to look out for the environment. The Romney administration started this timber push on our lands, and Deval’s folks promised to fix it. The transition team told the Governor this issue was high on the list. Instead, it looks like they are listening to the timber industry propoganda that tries to depict this mess as “forest health”, and “creates new growth”, etc. Well the best scientists in the country disagree with the methods being pushed in that manner in the state. If this administration doesnt fix it, they arent going to get much support next time out west here. Green Certification is a scam that increases timber value, but does little to protect public lands. One of the founders left in disgust, and one of the recent presidents quit under fire after being confronted with messes all over the globe they sancationed. They even certified forest work that literally extincted a rare species. Want to see how good it is? http://www.fsc-watch.org is a site started by one of the founders of it that quit in disgust over what is going on. Massachusetts is already recognized as one of the messes on that site. Now we are famous nation wide for destroying our scenic public lands. The worst part is over 2 million tax dollars were spent certifying state lands so the timber industry can sell our harvested wood for more. The taxpayers are subsidizing cutting our own forests, as someone else mentioned.
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p>Ray
MSEE
These things you point to mean nothing. At any point in time any politician can point to a laundtry list of recent accomplishments. Most would have occured with or without him.
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p>Obviously you are losing your base. With no plan and no show of leadership you will lose most of what you have left.
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p>And you know what that means, don’t you?
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p>Charley Baker or Tim Cahill in ’10.
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p>ARHGGGG
WTF
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p>Thanks Doug, thank a lot. (read with sarcasm)
Would you really vote for HMO Baker or “warehouselike structures” Cahill at this point? Honestly?
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p>Or would you just skip the vote and head down to the local for a pint. I’ll join you there after I cast my ballot.
Doug- The commonwealth’s definition of foundation level spending on education is a joke. It gives millions to wealthy suburban districts that skirt the rules for funding while screwing poor districts that try to follow the law.
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p>$30 dollars (yes, THIRTY… not a typo) for Adams.
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p>$0 dollars for North Adams
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p>And yet both districts are closing their middle schools and shunting the kids off, either to high school or back to elementary schools, simply to be able to keep the heat on next winter.
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p>Foundation Spending?!?!? Naw….. We don’t need no stinkin’ buildings to teach our kids…. [/sarcasm]
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p>The plan needs MAJOR work. Hopefully the legislature will do the due diligence the Executive Branch failed to do.
Doug:
Now do you understand why people are pissed off. $30 for Adams and $1 million for Wellesley? All you progressives step up to the plate and explain that inequity. Maybe the Governor should go to Adams and deliver the check. Have him bring his “team.”
I think this is a result of the formula that is set by the legislature for things like Chapter 70 and local aid. The formula for many communities has been a sticking point for more then a decade for those who find themselves on the losing end. Trust me JQ even here in Eastern Massachusetts, their are communities fit to be tied by the aid formulas. This is not the Governor’s doing and I would suggest that if he jumped into this discussion with the legislature trying to take away their power of who are the winners and who are the losers you and several others on BMG trolls would be erecting new tombstones for his term limit.
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p>Call your Legislator if he can’t get it done then run for the job yourself and see if you have any better luck! Some how I think you will get the same.
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p>By the way this does not make it right but blame those who are responsible!
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p>As Usual just my Opinion
and the Governor has done nothing about it. He is the Governor and he has done shit to fix this problem. How about those people in Adams. What will they do with $30?
Why do you give Deval a pass on chapter 70?
I would suggest you look at legislative history on this matter before Senate President Tom Birmingham rewrote the bill which was a huge fight the formula was far worse many of western Massachusetts towns saw 0 $ every formula no matter which you point to has some people on one side or the other I wish I could say it was easy to balance but JQ the formula is set by the LEGISLATURE not the GOVERNOR did you get that he does not set the formula which is why when he cut under chapter 9C this year some city and towns saw little cut and others got whacked because he had to cut each by the same amount % wise. So JQ I will agree that the formula needs to be tweaked again time has changed and so have the needs but you need to do it through your State Rep and State Senator You can even write the bill and ask them to submit it you have that right in Massachusetts over 9000 bills are submitted a year. If you do submit a bill plan on lobbying heavily for it since this is the only way to get a positive vote out of the Legislator. JQ this is the form of government we have here in Massachusetts the Governor is not King he must work with in the law. I am sure from the conversations I have had at events with our Governor he would many times like to take out the magic wand and wave it over a problem and make it go away. God knows he has tried that and many other means of making it happen try the Municipal partnership act JQ did you lobby for it did you call did you write a letter so that your community could of had more funds in it’s budget already. Deval did not kill that your Rep did as did mine I did not like it and now we have a new Rep.
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p>Your barking and I do mean barking up the wrong tree on state aid the governor sets the amount over all the formula decides your piece of the pie. No ice-cream included not allowed.
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p>You know if your going to flip out here please know what your flipping over your energy and rage if focused may help us win a few more of these battles instead of wasting time blaming a man for not being a god.
Were I to run for the job, I would lose. The way the legislative districts are gerrymandered, no one from my mostly-Republican town can compete against candidates from the larger, mostly-Democratic town that shares our district. One effect of this is that my representative has no apparent interest in seeing that our town gets any CH.70 money.
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p>Why does it make sense to let the legislature jigger districts? It should be a trivial matter to come up with a population-based formula that produces the most compact districts.
All of Doug’s “points” are well taken – but miss the point – the general public hears none of this unless the administration stops making irresponsible and oblivious moves likes appointing Marian Walsh to a job that was unfilled for 12 years, takes state troopers to Jamaica with him, does not call his fellow democrats in the House into his office and tell them they cannot continue business as usual, tells his Sec. of Transportation to shut up and do his job and stops making what sound like condescending comments about his critics and the average citizen. That average citizen is not going to tolerate this much longer and we are going to be looking at a renaissance of the republicans who should be dead and buried at this point. Stop acting like there isn’t anywhere for democrats to go – because if you do we will have to deal with the prospect of Tim Cahill challenging for the nomination – he of the $3M renovation of Lottery Headquarters – and the republicans will be thrilled. There is no reason why you can’t do these things and still accomplish the substantive goals on your agenda. Wake up.
Two years of not listening and one post fixes everything? Crap on me if you must, but I believe this group is capable of retaliation, thus I refuse to use my name and potentially hurt my community. We are a lower middle class community in need of help and we have been continually ignored by Deval et al. Instead of dumping on me, ask Mr. Rubin why all of a sudden his “team” is willing to visit with a group of unhappy local officials when they have been invited (in writing) time and time again. Perhaps it is because this forum is so public and perhaps it is because the Governor’s rating are in the toilet.
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p>Mr. Rubin:
Look thru the ingored invitations and ask the cabinet members who has asked for meetings with the Governor on multiple occasions and been ignored and you will have your answer. Or is the list too long?
For God’s sakes man, we can’t keep changing your digital diapers every minute. Please do your homework and figure our what you are talking about before you keep publicly embarrassing yourself.
<
p>… there are, attached to each post, little blue letters that spell “Doug Rubin”. If you click on them you’ll find that Doug Rubin first posted here in March of 2008 and that he’s replied to comments over sixty (60) times…
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p>
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p>coward
these last of days.
The Obama Deception
http://video.google.com/videop…
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p>I also love the reverse speech ones too!
Are you still trying to pawn that piece of propaganda off as something substantive? LOL your just another of the gutless wonders who loves to throw rocks well you had your shot with the Bushy’s and your boy was a disgrace step aside and let the Democrats show you how to lead. President has more class in his little finger then all of you put together.
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p>As Usual just my Opinion
While the content of this post is comforting, it is once again the tone that strikes me as way out of touch with the electorate. While Deval has some accomplishments to which he can point with justification, this post has the tone of one that had been composed two years ago.
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p>Does the governor’s office realize how angry people are? How much they want to step away from the cool tone of policy prescriptions and soothing check-off lists, and indulge in a thorough, almost atavistic scrubbing of government? The conviction that a cycle of hacks goes through our state government, exchanging money back and forth until it drains away in their private bank accounts — no matter who is put in charge? If it’s going to be the same, Democrat or Republican, let’s at least put in people who are entertaining and want to knock heads.
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p>Perhaps you anticipate the rise of policymakers who articulate this anger, and give it a policy direction. Perhaps you hope to outlast them with a cool, technocratic approach. You know that stuff far better than I. But few things give succor to popular frustration with government more than the conviction that the people’s priorities is unmatched by those of its government.
You may email me at jqadams1970@yahoo.com
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p>I will communicate back with you and set up the referenced meeting. If you would prefer, leave your email and I will be in touch.
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p>I look forward to meeting the Governor.
Kindly let the geniuses on this blog know that I have corresponded.
in an undisclosed location.
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p>You can appreciate, can’t you, how ridiculous you have looked throughout this thread? I hope you get your meeting and that it’s productive, and that you summon the courage to reveal your secret identity one of these days.
I can just imagine Baker furiously tapping out these miserable little missives. Actually, I can’t, but it’s still funny.
Maybe if you were less snarky you may have gotten less negative feed back JQ but I guess that’s just not your way of getting things done. Glad to see you and Doug got together on a plan to move your agenda ahead. You know if you walk into a meeting with the governor with the same chip on your shoulder you have here you likely not to accomplish a thing. I am certain that is not what your community wants so may I suggest you get a couple of friends to tie you up and stuff you in a closet when the Governor stops by and let other s do the talking.
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p>You may find that progress is easier to come by when you use a carrot and not a nasty stick.
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p>As Usual Just my Opinion
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p>Good Luck JQ! Deval is really a great guy!
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p>
Yes, of course you have my word that your community will not be hurt. We do not do things that way. Let me do some work on Monday, and I will get back to you with some options for a meeting. Thanks,
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p>Doug
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p>—–Original Message—–
From: Alan P [mailto:jqadams1970@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sat 3/21/2009 6:51 PM
To: Rubin, Doug (GOV)
Subject: Re: Meeting
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p>Will the meeting include the Governor and can Dr. Reville attend? Do I have your word that my community will not be hurt because I have spoken up. I am not a fan of the Governor given the freefall our schools have been in these past few years and given his unwillingness to meet in the past. This attempt at dialog has occurred many times with no luck as has an attempt to meet with Reville. Excuse me for having my concerns.
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p>______________________________
This conduct is unseemly.
Consider my plight. For 6 years I have served on a school board in a working class community in Central Mass. The past few years have been a disaster. Layoffs, program cuts, etc. For the past few years written invitations and verbal requests have been made for meetings in the community and the attendance of the Governor has been requested. The answer ALWAYS was a polite no. Today Mr. Rubin made himself available to all of us. I threw a bomb that pissed all of you off. Too bad! I have Mr. Rubin’s email address and he has promised me a meeting (I think). Too bad that’s what it takes. Too bad it was public. What if the original letter was responded to with a polite not this month, but sometime soon. That never happened. It was always NO. If you sense that I view this Governor as a elitist, you are correct. Now he may have a chance to prove me wrong. Nice talking to all you progressives, whatever that means.
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p>BTW, I recognize how difficult Deval’s job is. Our meeting requests came well before the economic freefall of the past year. There just was never any excuse to the way we were treated.
Anytime I can help make your “progressive” website a little more interesting just reach out and ask.
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p>:) (Cute!)
Glad to be of service.
You can’t even clearly articulate what it is you want.
Just to fill everyone in on how this has worked out: JQAdams, as you all know, claims to be an local official in a Central MA town. He claims in the past to have requested a meeting with the Governor and been refused. He asked Doug Rubin on this thread to set something up with the Governor, and Doug agreed to try to do so.
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p>Doug has informed us that, after all of that, JQAdams has backed out and does not want to pursue the meeting after all, despite Doug’s unequivocal assurances that JQ’s “community will not be hurt” as a result of his speaking up. You can draw your own conclusions from that.
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p>The editors now must insist that JQAdams identify himself and his position to us (off-line, if he would prefer – he knows how to reach us). His behavior is odd enough to make us wonder whether he really is a “local official,” and of course misrepresenting oneself is a violation of the Rules. We look forward to hearing from him.
May I suggest you consider expanding the tax credit benefiting the movie industry to include … all industry?
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p>It amazes me that the demonstrable success in luring businesses previously absent in MA, like Hollywood, through tax credits is NEVER applied to business in general. Why is this?
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p>Corporate tax revenues are a small portion of the state’s overall tax receipts you think there could be a reduction of those rates to get businesses to come to or expand in Massachusetts.
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p>We have much going for us but our inhospitable business climate deters business expansion here. Why can’t we shoot for #1, or at least the top 10, in job creation?
Thank you, Mr. Rubin, for giving us the perspective of the Corner Office. I’m sorry that you have to put up with certain commenters, but you represent both yourself and the Governor well when you respond with class to concerns that have been raised.
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p>My own concern regarding this and a few other recent threads is that some people seem obsessed with what “looks bad” without necessarily showing that it really is bad. That to me is very frustrating. People assume the worst motives even for someone many of us helped to elect, namely Governor Patrick. At the national level, President Obama has received similar treatment leading one to wonder with friends like these… It would be nice if we could give the people we have entrusted with leadership the benefit of the doubt, not to always agree with them certainly, but at least to listen.
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p>I’ve found myself to be downrating comments more these days. Two things almost guaranteed to earn low ratings from me are cynicism and disrespect, especially when directed at an elected official or representative thereof who posts here. To me these qualities detract from the discussion. On the other hand constructive suggestions or criticism may earn a high rating from me even if I don’t completely agree with substance (usually 6 if I also agree on the merits and 5 if it’s well-written/well-argued but I don’t completely agree).
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p>The implied question in the title of this comment is whether anybody else believes were sacraficing substance to style. Keep in mind to, that anything internal to the General Court really can’t be blamed on the Governor.
Thanks for the kind words – I very much appreciate it. As someone who works for the Governor, I expect people to hold us accountable, and to let us know when they disagree with a policy or action we have taken. That is a healthy part of the process, and the right of every person in our democracy. The comments on this site – both positive and negative – are helpful.
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p>However, I am curious to hear what others have to say about your post. Looking forward to the comments. Thanks.
I am not going to jump up and down, call names, and snark like JQ Adams did, but I do think the impact of the cuts on the Judiciary’s budget, and their decision to eliminate GAL funding is a very bad development for vulnerable kids – if legislation were introduced concerning this, would the administration take a good look at supporting this – or a separate line item for GAL funding?
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p>Also, Chapter 54 of the Acts of 2005 was passed before Gov. Patrick was elected, but authorized two commissions which could be “low hanging fruit” that could be harvested for real reform – here is a link to it, complete as passed: http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws…
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p>If you only respond to the bomb throwers, then there will be more verbal bombs thrown.
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p>As you know, I wrote a letter to Gov. Patrick, enclosed copies of the source documents in November of 2008. I am still waiting for an answer.
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p>I am also willing to believe that no one knew about the two Commissions authorized by Chapter 54 of the Acts of 2005 – and how these Commissions would respectively save money, expedite reform, and identify revenue. I would love a confirmation that you have read this.
I will get on this on Monday and make sure someone gets back to you with more information and an answer. Thanks.
And I am still grieving having to shut down 11 Guardian Ad Litem cases where I was the only support in different ways, such as:
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p>1. Finding out why a teen was not going to school, and over seeing elimination of severe bullying.
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p>2. The independent oversight that ensured clear information to the judge over seeing a case.
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p>3. The person who met with a 15 year old, then with the same kid at 16, and 17, and was getting her to school. I felt awful when I got a letter today. After I lost my authority to act because the CJAM eliminated ED GALs in CHINS custody cases, the young lady has missed 22 days of school. DCF no longer has to allow me access, at all.
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p>And I could go on. Yes. CJAM Robert Mulligan saved a million or two from “his” line item, 0330-90300 – but the rationale of “no one can make me” or “no statute requires this” so I will save money is cold as Hell.
why there is so much anger on a “friendly” forum rather than just discounting those who are ticked off.
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p>I would suggest that Gov. Patrick should take a lesson from Doug and his ability to remain even-handed. It is extremely disheartening to watch the executive branch accuse those whom they have policy differences with of being trivial. And in the case of my two recent pet issues with the current administration, the treatment of Northwestern Massachusetts in both the gas-tax, and stimulus educational “foundation” funding, I have got to say that the word “clueless” is far too kind.
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p>Government by spreadsheet is a recipe for more dissent.
I appreciate the Governor’s accomplishments in trying to make the system work with the economy that we have. He has moved the discussion from how to dismantle government to how to use it to solve problems, within the given economic framework. That’s significant and a welcome change.
As is his focus on the environmental issues, and the fact that he is willing to support labor way more than previous administrations.
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p> Two concerns:
1) Sometimes he does not seem to realize how things appear to the average voter. That many people really do believe there is a lot of corruption in our state, whether true or not. And when they see one instance of it they want to hold public revenue hostage to it; even if that revenue would do more for them than the elimination of the publicized example ever would.
It’s not an easy problem to solve, especially if you want to get things done in the legislature, but he has got to find a way at least to show recognition of it.
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p>2) The Governor is stuck having to balance his budget during a recession and therefore has had to make some painful cuts. We shouldn’t be in that situation but we are. This is not the Governor’s fault.
But there are forces fighting to make the economic system more progressive so we can avoid dilemmas like this in the future. It would be nice to hear the Governor lead that charge a little more.
Your guy has a tin ear, is better than we rabble, is a nice guy but has no clue, is Mike Dukakis redux.
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p>Don’t you think your time would be better spent screwing up the rest of the Boston skyline. The MBTA is hard at work doing this and I think they could use your help, after all those hideous billboards will raise 1 million per year.
a tin ear? Yours sounds just like the AM dial you are tuned to.
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p>Can’t you conservatives ever say anything that’s not nasty?
Because I say that Deval has a tin ear, thinks he is better than we are I am labeled conservative?
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p>I don’t know you and you don’t know me. Just because I do not drink the koolaid being distributed by BMG does not make me a talk radio junkie. I would much rather listen to my Grateful Dead discs, The Yonder Mountain String Band or maybe Old Crow Medicine Show or maybe just tune in to NPR.
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p>Idiots like Gerry Callahan anger me as much as some of the idiots posting here. Do yourself a favor and refrain from reading my posts. You are a
What billboards?
If you take rte93 south into boston and get off at the Leveritt circle off ramp heading for Storrow Drive you can not miss the new construction. Reminds me of Rte 1 in the 60’s
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p>EAT AT JOES anyone
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p>they really are over the top but hey I suppose we can’t complain to much after all it is not new taxes on us.
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p>As Usual Just my Opinion
I live in the city, so almost never do that. Any other locations? Are they really MBTA built billboards? Last time I checked (admittedly a long time ago) they were all owned by Clear Channel.
I think THESE are the billboards he’s referring to.
I don’t regret my vote, and if given the choice between him and Healy, I’d vote for him again, but I expected so much more than what we are getting. So far, the best he has done is help to put the same sex marriage fight to bed, other than that, I see nothing.
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p>When he was elected one of my fears was that in short order, this one perty rule would lead to corruption and an even higher level of insiderism and cronyism than we already had. Sadly, that fear is proving to be warranted. I’m just sick and tired of reading eeryday about some new 6 figure appointment for someone who isn’t doing shit but part time committee hearings while the people out there are at their wits end.
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p>I’ll tell you this: if Patrick doesn’t get that, and get out of whatever bubble he has constructed for himself, he and the Dems are going to reap a whirlwind of pain in 2010. The situation is becoming ripe for a GOP resurgence, or in my mind the more likely challenge from an independant for the Govs office. And frankly, I’d be very willing to listen to what they have to say at this point because Beacon Hill is smelling really ripe right now.
“When he was elected one of my fears was that in short order, this one perty rule would lead to corruption and an even higher level of insiderism and cronyism than we already had. Sadly, that fear is proving to be warranted.”
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p>Wow, you do realize that, actually, the rules that are making headlines as being abused were in place long before Patrick was elected, right? That he’s attempting, with various and sundry proposals, to fix these loopholes and abuses? And that as Governor, he is only one branch of government, and can’t be a dictator, but has to get these proposals through (the often hackery-loving) legislature?
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p>As someone who has attended numerous town hall meetings in the years since he got elected, the last thing I would say is that Patrick is in a total bubble. Is there one? Of course. There always is…it’s the nature of being a high-level elected official. But to say he’s getting no feedback from the electorate is totally wrong. He still “gets it.” However, reality is reality, and you can’t just say, stop the reality, I want to get off.
I am a long-time supporter of Governor Patrick, and as an educator and policy wonk I can tell you that it is possible to be thrilled with the governor and disappointed at the same time.
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p>From a school committee perspective, the Romney days were the worst of the sixteen years of Republican control over the state’s education bureaucracy. We had a state Board of Education that was openly hostile to local governance and accountability, and a governor who was intent on privatizing our schools. There was absolutely no dialogue between elected school committee members, the state department of education, or the governor.
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p>Things are considerably better with Governor Patrick, but there comes a time when you need to look past the bad old days to take an objective measure of where we are. In MCAS terms, we are at Needs Improvement, considerably better than the failing scores of the past. We can celebrate the progress from the early part of the term, but it seems that we are now stagnant and in danger of drifting backward.
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p>Case in point. Deval Patrick hit a home run with his first appointment to the State Board of Educaiton – Ruth Kaplan. She was a member of the Brookline School Committee, and has lots of respect in the trenches. She has had to balance budgets on a local level, and has answered to voters in a demanding community. However, the sweeping cleansing required in Malden turned into light housekeeping with the rest of the reforms. The governor submitted a reorganization plan for the education infrastructure that didn’t remove a toxic component of the law (MGL C:15 S:1E) that has been consistently at the top of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees advocacy agenda.
Governor Patrick has had a business-centric approach to K-12 education. The governor’s appointees, and inner counsel, is dominated by business leaders and not educators. School committee members are showing increased frustration on their email lists and in the press. The Board of Education was unrepresented in the charter school hearing in Gloucester, and key leaders (Reville, Mohler-Faria) either voted absentee by proxy or refused to even comment to the community on why they chose to impose the school on city taxpayers. Reville and Mohler-Faria have been particularly deaf to local leaders, and do a poor job of representing the governor.
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p>The governor has backtracked on his promise to fix the charter funding before approving new charter schools. Many school districts have not been brought back to their Fiscal 2003 (pre-Romney) state aid levels, and school committee members are very cranky due to the many consecutive years of juggling higher accountability standards and diminishing resources.
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p>In short, the governor has made some significant progress, but has failed to do his homework with the local leaders who are vital to the governor’s political future. “JQAdams” may have stated things in dramatic terms, but his words are not to be ignored. That sentiment is brewing among frustrated local leaders, and significant action on the part of the governor and his senior staff are urgently required before the damage is beyond repair.
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p>
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p>I agree. This restriction is nothing but insulting anti-educator bashing designed to consign teaching to the quasi-professional status to which it has historically been relegated.
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p>Does it make sense for a board of policy and oversight in any profession to shut out the best-practice professionals who comprise the actual profession?
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p>Let’s have cashiers sit on the governing body for the American College of Thoracic Surgeons and allow them to make policy decisions about how lung and heart surgeries are performed. Let’s let high school teachers decide best practice policy about coronary artery bypass grafting protocol, too, while we’re at it. But above all, do NOT let a thoracic surgeon sit on that board, no way, no how. Do NOT let someone who actually is a professional in the actual profession have a place at the table.
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p>Nothing but pure and utter bullshit and an insult to professional educators everywhere.
Any sense that Mr. Rubin understands what we just said?
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p>Live by the sword… Costs per member are up from $349.26 to $394.27 from 2007 to now. The Governor is boasting of a success because the cost per person went down by an average of $1.51 from last year to now, in a year fractured by deflation in all sectors. Sure, I’ll give him that success, if he shoulders the responsibility for the 13% increase to date.
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p>
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p>Bravo.
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p>
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p>And elsewhere ESLR, Evergreen Solar has gone from $20 to penny-stock status as it’s costs mount in the Government subsidized Deven relocation. How’s movies biz like solar biz? Movies promise new jobs and may deliver, may not. Solar promised new jobs and did not. Government’s no better at picking stock than you and me. Why movies, why solar. Claim credit for movies, bear responsibility for ESLR.
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p>
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p>First, the Patrick administration did this? You’re claiming credit for cashing a Federal cheque?! And second, how about actually addressing these foundation budgets that have grown at an unsustainable rate. They’ve grown at a rate that exceeds gdp. How on earth can the state expect to keep pace with that required spending? And what to do when the Federal gold egg goose goes goodbye. Claim credit for Federal cash spent on foundation level budget then bear responsiblity that those same budgets are out of control.
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p>
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p>Wait. Did I doze off? There’s a consensus plan? As I read it, there was a plan to wait and rely on some reserves, while trying to arrive at a plan. A plan to wait and plan is a plan? Success dithering. uh…bravo.
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p>And just today, we read of intentions to release Pension reform. The trouble is — and you know this — reform now is directed at, to quote the governor, the “trivial” stuff: the small stuff that catches the emotion, while letting the big systemic stuff slide.
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p>The problem is that the largest pension funds in the state are terribly underfunded. Not merely underfunded, but horribly, horrendously, obnoxiously underfunded.
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p>Officials will tell us that we’re on target to have the fund fully funded in a decade or so, but whoever says that is basing his statement on early 2008 numbers. When the green eyeshades finally calculate the 12/08 funding or the 6/09 funding the underfunding in these plans will be epic.
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p>Reform now, without addressing the underfunding is window dressing.
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p>The big problem is the systemic problem of underfunding. We’re paying more than we can afford. That’s the problem best addressed by a one-termer (Mr. Patrick?). Frankly and idealistically, shouldn’t all politicians govern as if they were not running for re-election?
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p>Confront the unions for concessions, shift new hires to a defined contribution plan, increase the term for vesting, move from ‘high 3’ or ‘high 5’ to a pension payout that is based on ‘average of last 10’. The problem is big, the solution must be broad.
I want to be sure you are aware of the concerns of South Central/Western MA, including Palmer 01069 and Monson 01057 as well as the surrounding towns. The area is declining and people are turning to Northern Connecticut for jobs. The proposal to resume rail service to the Palmer Union Station is a worthwhile use of taxpayer dollars. The infrastructure is there, the train station is renovated and ready for service. It is a “shovel ready” project and will open a flood of opportunities for growth. It may also compel people to look for work in Eastern or Western MA, instead of turning to CT. There is already sufficient parking for 500 vehicles, both for daily and overnight use.
Senator Stephen Brewer is in support of this project, and can be contacted for more information. I will not be calling you names for the sake of this either. But this is a project worth fighting for. It is a low cost, high value project. Thank you.
I will take note, and make sure we look into this. My gut is that our team is already up to speed on this project and evaluating it in the context of job creation, long-term value and regional equity, but I will check with them to make sure. Thanks again!
Expanding rail service across the state will have huge benefits in so many ways. It will give a much needed boost to the entire South Central/Western MA region.
I will refrain from future posts and as of today my material can be found at RMG. I am actaully a pissed off So NH resident so there. Are you now happy.
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p>
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p>Well, well, well. Turns out our indignant concerned local official has, um, misrepresented himself, shall we say.
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p>This has been truly an enlightening experience, providing first-hand insight into the conservative element posting here. Thanks, if nothing else, for the entertainment.
I want you to have represented yourself as who you were from the beginning. To have done otherwise reflects on your character, and honestly, I think you should be outright banned for it, though this is not my blog.
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p>I also think you owe everyone, especially Doug Rubin, a very contrite apology. And I recommend you not darken BMG’s doors again.
sorry bmg
How dare you, really! Why on earth would you tell us your material can found on RMG. ZERO credibility on ZERO credibility. Your visit did not solve a single problem, it was not informative, and it was a waste of valuable time.
OK, I took some deep breaths, screamed into a pillow for a few seconds, and I am now OK.
He’s a republican tool well does that beat all here I thought he was just a grumpy old man. Well you never know who lurks in the shadows of BMG. David, Bob and Charlie how about a post or a toomstone on the cover page with old JQ’s name on it “Republican hack rest in peace”
I can work the campaign from my So NH home.
New Hampshire soon to be as blue as Massachusetts. Where will you move then when NH Property tax eats your massachusetts retirement and you have no Republicans left in the state? OOPS! head south young man head south! Brasil has a nice summer JQ
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p>As Usual just my Opinion
Or his comments should somehow have an auto flag put on it saying, “This commenter is a known liar”
I hate rt 3 and I hate paying income taxes to MA when I live in NH. Sorry for all the fuss.
that should do it. enjoy.
If NH is so great, find yourself a job up there. I too have to use Rte.3 every day, and it’s no fun dealing with the traffic flooding it from the north. How about you work to dislodge those NIMBY jerks in Nashua who blocked the extension of the Lowell commuter rail? Then we could both work in Boston without using Rte.3.
Doug, if you are still listening…
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p>I wanted to make a suggestion on pension reform. It seems to me that the Commonwealth, like most private employers, ought to be moving away from defined benefit plans towards defined contribution plans. This may be a non-starter politically, given the strength of the public employees’ unions. But the benefits to the taxpayer seem clear to me.
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p>1. It shifts the investment risk from employer to employee–a step that most private employers have already taken. Retirees who want to transfer this risk to someone else can always buy an annuity, but I don’t see why public employees should be better situated than the rest of the working public on this front.
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p>2. It forces the government and the public sector unions to be honest about compensation costs. It’s easy and (apparently!) painless to promise increased future benefits during contract negotiations, but it seems to me to be foolhardy to rely on the actuarial fiction of the 8% annual return, and it’s also tempting in difficult budget years to use various means of underfunding the plan to reduce current expenses, which of course only makes the problem worse down the road.
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p>What is the Governor’s view on this aspect of pension reform? Is a move to defined contribution plans on the table, or not?
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p>Thank you!
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p>TedF
A group of us who are stretched across the landscape from Williamstown to Boston would love to meet with the Governor to discuss the biomass and forestry situations.
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p>We are facing a situation where many new large-scale biomass incinerators are being proposed, chemically contaminated fuel is being subsidized, state lands are being targeted for extraction of biomass fuel including whole trees, and Massachusetts is poised to become a major importer of construction and demolition debris and possibly other contaminated waste for the purposes of incineration as “clean energy.”
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p>I am working with wonderful people throughout Massachusetts who are very knowledgeable, experienced, passionate, and dedicated to these issues. The Green Communities-mandated and Governor-appointed committee studying whether electricity ratepayers should subsidize the burning (and possibly the importing )of construction and demolition debris must settle this issue by July 1. Doug, can I please have that meeting which you had so graciously offered the gentleman from New Hampshire?
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p>Best – Jana Chicoine
Spokesperson, Concerned Citizens of Russell
These are important issues and we want to make sure that all views are representated in the discussion around them. Please call Vicki in my office at (617) 725-1100. She will loop the team from Environmental Affairs into this process and make sure we reach out to you to get your input. We can also work on finding a time that the Governor will be out in your area. Thanks.
That’s the way to get it done: your calm, poise and equanimity came through very well. Well done Jane.
Dear Mr. Rubin:
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p>Thank you for your reply. I just want to be clear that we are in constant communication with EOEEA, DOER, DCR and other relevant individuals and agencies. We are also asking for a personal meeting with Governor Patrick as soon as possible. A Boston meeting will be fine.
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p>From your response, I am not sure if you are offering me that meeting or if you are offering to send me off to talk to a wall. I assure you that we deserve a meeting. We have all worked very hard on these issues for a long time now, and the decisions that are being made on the RPS and APS, including harvesting biomass fuel from whole trees on state lands and subsidizing the burning of chemically contaminated fuels, will affect all citizens of the Commonwealth for many years to come. We want to be sure that the Governor himself has access to all of the relevant information so that his policies will reflect the best interests of the public. The only way for us to ensure that Governor Patrick knows what is really going on is to meet with him personally and make our case. So, I ask you once again, can I please have the meeting that you offered the gentleman from New Hampshire?
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p>Yours truly,
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p>Jana Chicoine