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Jan 19, 2013 •
Just enough for you to know from the venerable Mass Budget and Policy Center: An (actually easy to read) analysis of the Governor’s proposals: Watch here for a detailed report when the Governor files his budget on January 23. In recent days, the Governor has introduced three major policy initiatives. 1) Increased funding for...
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Jan 4, 2013 •
According to the Globe The state government plans to eliminate a controversial emergency shelter program that places about 1,700 homeless families in motels and hotels paid by taxpayers, but housing advocates are worried officials will not be able to come up with better alternatives. The money quote came from Chris Norris, executive director of the...
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Nov 30, 2012 •
Vote 17 Lowell — still working at setting an example for the rest of the country. We were very happy to be featured in the The New York Times Upfront magazine for students all across the country to read about our efforts to lower the voting age in Lowell! from the Free Library In 2009, city...
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Nov 28, 2012 •
A Call to Action from our friends at Rosie’s place – Let’s take it to the streets! On Wednesday, December 12, at 12:00 noon we will gather at the (closed) gate of the Massachusetts State House, right across from the famous Robert Gould Shaw Monument, and march around the block to the DHCD office, 100...
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Nov 25, 2012 •
News : Nearly six years after a bipartisan commission sounded the alarm about a transportation system in a crisis so severe that it carried a shortfall of nearly $1 billion a year, Governor Deval Patrick will ask lawmakers to solve the problem with a plan that includes higher taxes. Comment: Are we serious about fulling funding...
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Nov 20, 2012 •
You remember Tommy Finneran? He was forever complaining about the “aadvo-cats two step” that started off by lobbying to create new public programs that helped our poor elderly and disabled “clients” get health care, affordable safe housing, job training and placement, nutritious food and warm clothing for their families, and then — and THEN — taking...
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Oct 17, 2012 •
All parents can agree that they want their children to attend quality schools. But while there is strong sentiment by some for neighborhood schools, many neighborhoods do not have access to quality schools. Parents and community leaders have asked for Boston education officials to focus on improving quality. Will Boston finally respond to parents’ demands...
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Oct 15, 2012 •
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has adopted “emergency” regulations barring most homeless families with children from emergency shelter unless they first sleep in a place “not meant for human habitation.” Families are being left with no safe place to stay as a result of this restrictive policy. AcrossMassachusetts, families are sleeping in...
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Sep 10, 2012 •
Here they are, led at this event by the remarkable Cheryl Crawford of Mass Vote Back in June , they sent this memo ““Stop the Packing and Cracking in Boston” From: The Redistricting Coalition of Color: Chinese Progressive Association, MassVOTE, NAACP, Oiste? and Project Hip-‐Hop Chairmen and Members of the Redistricting Committee: There is no ...
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Sep 1, 2012 •
In an excerpt from her excellent op-ed in the Sept 1 Globe Renee Loth reported If public employment had held steady during the recovery period, according to some estimates, today’s unemployment rate would be 7.8 percent instead of the current 8.3. Why is a tennis pro at a private club any more useful to the...
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Sep 1, 2012 •
These great kids not only made it to an 8:30 am Leadership Program at Catholic Charities St Peter’s Teen Center in Dorchester every morning, but they stayed the whole 6 weeks and paid attention! They were representing other Counselors in Training and Peer Leaders from the St Peter’s Teen Center who had participated in two...
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Jul 22, 2012 •
Adrian Walker in the Globe: Saturday July 21 “Bob DeLeo has served in the Legislature for a long time, and he isn’t easily impressed by a group of lobbyists. But the House speaker grows rapturous when he talks about a group of teenagers from Lowell who have stalked him and his House members all summer,...