Brewer Reports to the People - June 2009
June 2009
Brewer Reports to the People
Issue VI
Hello,
With summer right around the corner, schools and colleges throughout the Commonwealth are celebrating the end of another school year. Each year I am honored to join the communities in my district in celebrating the teachers, administrators, school committee members and more who are retiring from their positions after many years dedicated to serving our youth. As this academic year comes to a close, I would like to wish all the graduates and retirees the best of luck as they continue on to new and exciting adventures.
Sincerely,
REMEMBERING OUR TROOPS
As spring turns to summer, many Americans take advantage of Memorial Day by spending time with their friends and family. However, as Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes proclaimed in 1884, it is important to note that Memorial Day annually marks and solemnly reaffirms a national act of enthusiasm and faith for our brave heroes. Since the Civil War, Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, has been a day to honor the many men and women who have proudly served our country and sacrificed their lives for our freedom. The concept originated in the minds of General John Alexander Logan and General John Murray, who dedicated this day to decorate the graves of fallen Civil War soldiers. After World War I, it encompassed every American who made the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts fought by American troops. As our nation’s first president, who was a soldier before taking the oath of office, once said “The willingness with which our younger people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.” It is with this sentiment that the United States military is comprised of an all volunteer force that continues to enlist in the armed forces and proudly serves our country, knowing the dangers that lie ahead, but nevertheless fulfilling their patriotic duties. It is with this same sentiment that we as civilians must honor and respect the lives that have been lost protecting us, and we must also protect those who have safely returned to us.
More than one million Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the ideals of this great Nation. By welcoming them home and offering our support and understanding, we are all patriots. We must not let them come home to underfunded services, negative feelings and a lack of opportunities. Our soldiers have left their friends, family and the security of American life so that we do not have to. It is our responsibility to make sure that they come home to a life that welcomes them back and thanks them for their service. As another Veteran and the thirty fifth President of the United States, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, stated: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
In my position as the Vice-Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, I am well aware of the financial constraints of today’s economy and in an ideal world, the federal government would take care of all of the Veterans, but they do not. The Veterans Administration’s budget is under-funded. Long after their home coming, many Veterans suffer terrible physical and mental trauma that only professional care can help mitigate.
Throughout our history, servicemen and women who have bravely served our country have suffered from the mental and emotional consequences caused by war when they returned to their daily lives. It is our patriotic duty to welcome our soldier’s home by providing them with the highest quality of benefits that they need and deserve, including mental health services. As a society, we must treat mental scars with the same intensity that we treat the physical scars. These men and women left their families, left their schools and jobs, left the homes they grew up in, missed the holidays and birthdays of their children and loved ones, and they were not there when loved ones graduated from college, got married, or when a grandparent passed away. They were overseas, defending our freedoms so that we will never have to miss these events in our own lives. They continually make sacrifices for us and it is our duty to return the favor.
The brave men and women of our military have embodied the history and core values of our nation since the fight for independence began. Each person who died during those conflicts was a loved one cherished by family and friends. Each death was a loss to a community and the nation. Each life contributed something of beauty and truth to the world that could be embodied by no other. We must remember that these warriors have pledged their loyalty and sense of duty to the ideals that this nation was founded upon and display selfless service and personal courage in the face of adversity. Memorial Day, though perhaps a day that stokes afresh the pain of loss, is an important day to remember the significant details about those we have loved who have died in the defense of our union. It is their sacrifice that makes our nation great, and it is their willingness to sacrifice that elevates the dignity of all humanity. They remain in our memory, and we remain forever in their debt.
BUDGET BRIEFING
During the Senate’s debate on the FY10 Budget, I joined my 28 other colleagues in voting to increase the sales tax by 1.25% and to eliminate the sales tax exemption on alcohol. I also voted against increasing the income tax and against increasing the gas tax. Even at 6.25%, 30 other states in our nation have a higher aggregate state sales tax than Massachusetts, primarily due to our system of built-in exemptions for necessities such as food, clothing, prescription drugs, utilities, and gasoline. I ran for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1988 and for the Senate in 1996 so that I could help improve the lives of my fellow citizens, not to tax them. Unfortunately, as an elected representative, there are times in history when increasing taxes – no matter how unpopular and unpleasant it may be – is the responsible action for Legislators to take.Of the estimated $713 million in new revenues, the first $275 million was dedicated to our transportation infrastructure needs, which has been neglected for far too long resulting in a $20 billion backlog of maintenance projects throughout the Commonwealth. While the Governor has reiterated that toll hikes along the Massachusetts Turnpike are imminent, Senate President Murray released a statement on Wednesday, May 27, 2009, underscoring the importance of and the Senate’s commitment to the transportation reform legislation. You may click here to view the statement. With the remaining new revenues, we were able to restore partial funding to a number of programs, including:
$36 million to increase funding for the Special Education Circuit Breaker, which provides reimbursements to school districts for extraordinary costs associated with special education. The final Senate appropriation of $141,113,160 provides a 42% reimbursement rate, which represents a decrease of $43,775,568 from the House appropriation and a decrease of $74,368,523 from FY09 post-9C cuts.
$25 million to increase funding for the Community Day and Work program for developmentally disabled individuals. The final Senate appropriation of $116,988,888 is $5,680,823 less than the House budget and $12,020,569 less than the FY09 post-9C appropriation. As both the House and Senate recommendations are less than the FY09 funding level, between 400 and 800 disabled persons will lose services in FY10.
$10 million to increase funding for the Prescription Advantage program, which provides affordable prescriptions for eligible senior citizens in Massachusetts. The final Senate appropriation of $40,000,000 represents a decrease of $5 million from the House appropriation and a decrease of $10,330,434 from FY09 post-9C cuts. The Senate funding level represents a 25% decrease from FY09 and will affect 44,000 individuals.
$3.55 million to fund the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program (MEFAP) at $12 million, matching the House appropriation and level funding the account in FY10. In the first six months of FY09, the demand for assistance has risen by 11% as the worsening economy has led more people to seek assistance from food pantries.
New revenues cannot solve the entirety of our budget crisis. Therefore, it is essential that the state implement savings and cut programs that the state can no longer afford. The final Senate budget eliminates 50 accounts. In addition, the Senate adopted an amendment offered by Senator Richard Moore, of which I was a cosponsor, to establish a special commission to identify duplicity of functions within state government and make recommendations to consolidate these areas. Furthermore, the Senate budget would increase state employee contribution rates for health benefits to a 25/75 ratio from the present structure of 15/85 for employees hired before July 1, 2003 and 20/80 for employees hired on or after July 1, 2003. In comparison, the House budget would increase health insurance premiums to a 20/80 ratio for all employees hired before July 1, 2009 and would require all new employees hired on or after July 1, 2009 to pay 25% of their premiums. The House plan costs the Commonwealth $86,711,903 more than the Senate’s proposal.
I was one of nine Senators to vote in favor of an amendment offered by Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei to place a hiring and wage freeze on all state positions in FY10. Furthermore, I was one of seventeen Senators to vote in favor of eliminating the Suffolk County-only state holidays, Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day. Finally, I was one of eleven Senators to vote in favor of repealing the so-called Pacheco Law, which limits the state’s ability to privatize services. These three amendments failed on roll call votes in the Senate.
It is my hope that in better times, we will be able to continue our past efforts to reduce the burden on taxpayers. Since 1990, the Legislature has approved over 40 tax cuts, you may view here. As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and a member of the FY10 Budget Conference Committee, I will continue to advocate on behalf of the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin district while working with my colleagues to produce a fiscally responsible budget.
PENSION REFORM BILL ADVANCES
During formal session on June 11, 2009 the Senate passed the pension reform legislation that provides reforms for a more equitable and responsible public pension system and I am thrilled that we have taken the next step to eliminate loopholes in our current law books regarding retirement compensation. I firmly believe that this landmark piece of legislation will not only save taxpayer’s money, but it will also help to restore the public trust in state oversight of public retirement systems but we still have more work to do.
Senate Bill 2079, “An Act Providing Responsible Reforms in the Pension System” is the final version of this type of legislation that was worked out by the Senate and House conferees. The conference committee bill:
1. Removes the “one day, one year” provision that allows elected officials to claim an entire year of credible service for working one day in a calendar year.
2. Removes a provision that allows elected officials to claim a “termination allowance” based on the failure to be nominated or re-elected.
3. Reforms the current accidental disability retirement benefit so that it is tied to the 12-month average of compensation received prior to the date of injury.
4. Redefines “regular compensation” to specifically exclude certain monetary benefits like housing, lodging, travel, automobile usage or annuities for the purposes of a pension benefit calculation.
5. Strikes current provisions that allow certain officials to establish pension credit for service in positions that have no compensation. Officials and employees currently serving in a position earning $5,000 or less in compensation will be ineligible for credible service after their current term expires, or by July 1, 2012, whichever occurs first.
6. Reforms dual-service pensions so that an individual cannot combine the compensation from two positions to artificially increase one’s pension. An individual who is a member of two or more systems will receive benefits as if retiring separately from each system, unless they are vested in both systems before January 1, 2010.
7. Extends the “vesting” requirement of elected officials from 6 years to 10 years.
8. Eliminates a loophole that allows individuals receiving pension benefits to return to work and receive a full salary in addition to pension benefits if the individuals are classified as “consultant” or “independent contractor.”
9. Allows for other reforms to increase efficiency in the retirement system, such as the direct deposit of retirement benefits.
10. Applies to current and future employees and elected officials.
In addition to these reforms, the legislation also requires a currently established Blue Ribbon Commission to review broader issues with the pension system and make comprehensive reform recommendations to the Legislature by September 1, 2009.
S.2079 will now go to the Governor’s desk for his approbation.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE RELOCATES
The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) has moved its Greenfield office. The new office will be located at 143 Munson Street, Unit 3, Greenfield, MA 01301. The office phone number will remain 413-772-3400 (no phone numbers will be changed). The Department of Children and Families (DCF) will also be located in this building. DTA understands transportation concerns relative to the new location and has addressed this issue in the lease. The landlord will work with the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) to increase frequency of service to the facility during hours of operation. Until this is completed, the landlord, in conjunction with DTA, will provide a specified number of taxi vouchers until DTA states in writing that they are satisfied with the level of service provided by the FRTA. DTA has assured me that while transportation remains a large problem in accessing DTA benefits, they will continue to work towards a resolution to this problem.
GRANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
I am pleased to announce the following grant awards from the month of May. Please visit www.stevebrewer.org to access the complete press releases.
Charlton - received a $5,600 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Renewable Energy Trust to offer assistance for a Municipal Site Survey on proposed sites on Fay Mountain and the Charlton Landfill
Charlton - received a $3,528,000 loan from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2009 Intended Use Plan for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan program to be used for its waste water treatment facility.
Spencer - received a $6,613,000 from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2009 Intended Use Plan for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to be used for water system improvements
Orange - received a $350,000 loan from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2009 Intended Use Plan for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to be used for a comprehensive waste water management plan
Palmer - received a $6,883,000 loan from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2009 Intended Use Plan for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to be used for a sewer separation project
Rutland - received a $350,000 loan from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2009 Intended Use Plan for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to be used for a comprehensive wastewater management plan
Sturbridge - received a $18,913,000 loan from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2009 Intended Use Plan for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to be used for its waste water treatment facility
Winchendon - received a $2,311,000 loan from the Department of Environmental Protection’s 2009 Intended Use Plan for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to be used for water distribution and storage tank improvements
Posted: Fri, Jun 12, 2009
Updated Mon, Jul 20, 2009