Tuesday, May 9, 2000

Constitutional Convention May - or May Not - Take Up School Voucher Issue

The House and Senate will meet at 2 p.m. Wednesday and may begin considering
proposed constitutional amendments that deal with legislative redistricting, voting rights of prisoners, literacy and residency requirements for voting, highway fund expenditures and use of the term "governor" by acting governors. It may also deal with the controversial issue of school vouchers, which the House has placed on its calendar for the Constitutional Convention. The Senate controls the calendar for a
Constitutional Convention, and usually agrees with the calendar of the House.

Backers of H 4978, the choice in education bill, were denied an injunction by a U.S. District Court judge last week, which would have forced lawmakers to take up the issue.

TODAY'S SIGNATURE DEADLINE NOT FOR EVERYBODY...
While today is the deadline for MOST candidates for the US House of Representatives and Senate, Constitution Party Senatorial candidate Phil Lawler reminded the Beacon Hill Beat yesterday that that deadline does not apply to "third party" candidates. He writes, "Since technically I am classified as an "unenrolled" candidate, I have until August to collect my 10,000 signatures." Another third party candidate still collecting signatures until August is ------Phil Hyde, of the Timesizing.com Party. Both claim to be over the 10,000 signature requirement with plenty of time left. Libertarian Carla Howell seems to be having no problem making her 10,000 either. Republican Jack E. Robinson was last reported at about 500 signatures. 

'FILTHY FIVE' ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON REDUCING POLLUTION...Governor Paul Cellucci will appear with owners of power plants today to announce an  agreement between state regulators and the owners of the state's "Filthy Five" power plants that aims to reduce air pollution.  The five plants, in Somerset, Salem, Holyoke, Charlestown and Sandwich, don't meet the clean air standards met by most other power plants due to obsolete technology. Most new plants use natural gas, instead of the coal and oil used by the five targeted facilities. Environmental activists who've been targeting the plants hope the regulations will be enforceable.  The rules could have an impact on electricity prices because pollution control equipment is expensive.

Monday, May 8, 2000

Cellucci Predicts Approval of Tax Rollback

Launching the drive for the final signatures to put a $1.2 billion tax rollback on the ballot, Governor Paul Cellucci said last week that voters in Massachusetts will overwhelmingly approve his top policy priority Nov. 8. The initiative would roll the state income tax back to 5 percent - from the current 5.95 percent. The other side - educators, environmentalists, unions - argued a tax cut will do more harm than good, forcing damaging cuts in essential programs.  The Cellucci event came on Tax Freedom Day, the moment when an average American family has earned enough to pay its taxes for one year.  The Legislature's Taxation Committee rejected the initiative petition, which now moves forward in the signature-gathering process.

FINAL CANDIDATE DEADLINES ARE THIS WEEK... Last week, candidates for seats in the state Legislature and on the Governor's Council had to file their nomination signatures and this Tuesday is the deadline for those running
for the US Senate and US House to file theirs with local voter registrars. The 10 incumbent Democrats in the state's US House delegation must have 2,000 certified signatures to qualify for the ballot and US Senate hopefuls need 10,000. Candidates must actually collect far more than the required number of names since so many signatures are disqualified by the local officials who check them against official voter rolls.  It was unclear as last week ended whether GOP senatorial hopeful Jack E. Robinson, whose potential challenge to long-time Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has already attracted its share of negative headlines, will get the 10,000 certified signatures he needs.

HEARINGS BEGIN ON TESTING OF MATH TEACHERS... Governor Cellucci's controversial plan to test math teachers in failing districts is put to the public opinion test over the next two weeks as the Department of Education
conducts a series of statewide hearings.  In his State of the State address, the governor directed the Board of Education to start administering competency tests to math teachers in districts where more than 30 percent of students failed the math portion of the MCAS test. The directive came on the heels of last year's MCAS results, which showed about 40 percent of last year's eighth graders - the first class that will have to pass the tests to graduate in 2003 - failing the math portion of the
test. In poor urban districts, failure rates are catastrophically high. The proposed regulations require teachers who take the math competency test to then tailor their professional development plans to address weaknesses identified by the test.

JUDICIAL PROMOTIONS COME BEFORE COUNCIL... Members of the Governor's Council this week contemplate promotions for two appointees of former Gov. Michael S. Dukakis.   The first is Joseph W. Jennings III of Lynnfield, now senior judge on the quasi-judicial Industrial Accident Board.  He has been nominated by Gov. Cellucci as an associate justice on the District Court. He will be interviewed at 11:15 a.m.  Next is Charlestown District Court Judge Peter Agnes of Wayland, the governor's choice for the Superior Court seat once held by retired Judge John J. O'Brien.  Following this Wednesday's interviews, pending for a confirmation vote is Westborough District Court Judge John S. McCann, Gov. Cellucci's choice to fill another opening on the Superior Court.  His nomination was unopposed during his interview last week.

Friday, May 5, 2000

Study Shows Mass. Residents Favor School Choice

On the eve of the annual convention of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), the Pioneer Institute released a study indicating that Massachusetts citizens like the idea of school choice. According to the report, "Fifty-eight percent of Massachusetts residents support an amendment to the state constitution that would make it possible for families to receive publicly funded vouchers to help pay for their children's education at the school of their choice.

The study was conducted for Pioneer Institute by the Opinion Dynamics Corporation of Cambridge. The poll also found for the first time majority support for vouchers among respondents who identified themselves as liberals and those with teachers in their immediate families. "These results indicate that support for increased parental choice in education is strong across almost every demographic category," said Opinion Dynamics President John Gorman.

The MTA opposes the use of vouchers. Pioneer Institute is a public policy research organization that studies Massachusetts public policy issues. Most of its research is in the area of K-12 education.

SENATE PANEL RECOMMENDS PRIMARY ENFORCEMENT ON SEAT BELTS... A special committee of the State Senate has announced that it wants the state seat belt law tightened. The 1994 law calls for enforcement of seat belt requirements only if a motorist is stopped for another offense. If enacted, the committee's recommendation is that drivers should be able to be stopped for not wearing seat belts. Senator James P. Jajuga (D-Methuen), Senate Chair of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Safety, announced the recommendations of the Senate Special Committee on Primary Enforcement of the Safety Belt Law, which he chairs. He was joined at a State House press conference Thursday by his fellow committee members: Senate Minority Leader Brian P. Lees (R- East Longmeadow) and Senators Robert A. Bernstein (D-Worcester) and Richard T. Moore (D- Uxbridge). The Special Committee unanimously recommended that the Senate support Senate Bill No. 1116 to implement "primary enforcement" of the current law.

CELLUCCI URGES END TO LATEST LEGISLATIVE BOTTLENECK... Governor Paul Cellucci urged lawmakers to end their stalemate over legislation allowing municipalities to raise more money locally for open space acquisition.  The
Community Preservation Act has cleared the House and Senate in differing
forms.  "The conferees need to resolve this matter and do so quickly," said
Cellucci.  "Four months is plenty of time to get the job done . . . "

VIRUS CAUTION SHUTS DOWN STATE HOUSE COMPUTERS... As computers users around the world fended of the "Love Bug" computer virus, the state blocked the use of all Email in the state house as a precaution on Thursday morning. At days end there had been no reports of infection at the State House.

Thursday, May 4, 2000

House Approves Bill On Interagency Information Sharing

By a 129-19 vote, the on Wednesday gave initial approval to a controversial bill that is designed to reduce youth violence and steer troubled teens into services.  Bill supporters say law enforcement, human service and school officials need more authority to collaborate and share information about minors.  Skeptics say the bill unfairly shuts parents out of talks about their children. An amendment aimed at expanding parental notification rights went down on a 45-104 roll call vote.

VERMONT LAW BRINGS NEW BANK TO STATE... The Vermont law which gives gay and lesbian couple virtually the same rights as married couples actually brought a new bank to the state yesterday. G & L Internet Bank of
Pensacola, Fla., an Internet bank targeting gay and lesbian customers, agreed to open its first offline facility in the state. "It's not so much a business decision as it is a human decision," said Kay Griffith, president and chief executive officer of the 7-month-old bank. "While we feel good about our growth in New England, we felt as the nation's only gay and lesbian chartered bank that we needed to support Vermont, which made an incredibly courageous political decision."

NH LAWMAKERS MULL DOMESTIC UNION BILL... According to Conservative News Service, New Hampshire legislators are considering introducing a bill similar to the one which was recently enacted in Vermont. Democratic State
Senator Burt Cohen told CNSNEWS.com on Friday that it is possible a civil
union bill could be introduced into the legislature next year, "depending on who wins" in the state's general election this fall. "I hear wind of it," Cohen said. "Some people are encouraged by what happened in Vermont." Cohen said, while the measure will likely provide legal benefits to same-sex couples, he added, "I don't think anyone is proposing gay marriages." Any such legislation would likely have
a harder time in New Hampshire than in Vermont, since the House is solidly
Republican, despite a Democratic Senate and Governor.

MASSPIRG AGAINST MBTA RATE HIKE... Rob Sargent, Legislative Director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MassPIRG) announced on Wednesday that his group is against any rate hikes on the MBTA at this time. "Consideration of fare increases at this point is premature. Before any increase is considered, there should be a full investigation of the money that has been funneled into the Big Dig at the expense of MBTA and public transit by Mr. Kerasiotes and his cronies. The Big Dig boondoggle should not be paid for by folks who have chosen transit as a transportation option." Sargent also said that improved service must come before any fare hikes. The MBTA is under pressure to be self-sustaining for this first time in its history.

COUNCIL CONFIRMS THREE CELLUCCI APPOINTEES... The Governor's Council voted 8-0 on Wednesday to elevate Dorchester District Court Judge Joseph Walker to the Superior Court and Cohasset lawyer Thomas Barrett to the Attleboro District Court.  By the same vote, R. Andrew Burbine of Abington was confirmed as Plymouth County register of probate although he has to  stand for election this fall.  Councilors also interviewed another potential Superior Court justice - Westborough District Court Judge John S. McCann.

Wednesday, May 3, 2000

Info Sharing Bill Could Compromise Confidentiality

In what proponents call the latest effort to reduce juvenile crime and violence, the House today will debate legislation giving human services workers, district attorneys and school administrators the authority to share information they collect about minors. State confidentiality laws prohibit officials from sharing information like family backgrounds, criminal histories and school records with other departments or agencies. The bill approved by the House Ways and Means Committee Tuesday establishes a voluntary information-sharing network between district attorneys, police, education and state human and social service workers.

Supporting the measure at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon were
state Department of Social Services Commissioner Jeffrey Locke, DAs Martha Coakley, Ralph Martin and Kevin Burke, state Health and Human Services Secretary William O'Leary, a host of House members and Senate Human Services Committee chairwoman Therese Murray (D-Plymouth).

TAX CUT INITIATIVES CUT... As expected, the Taxation Committee nixed a trio of tax cut initiative petitions. Committee co-chairman Sen. Marian Walsh
says, "Taxation is a very careful discipline. The more we reduce our revenues, the more we handicap our ability to be responsible." Income tax cut activist Barbara Anderson says she's not surprised, and vows to start today to collect the extra 9,517 signatures required to place the issue before voters in November. The other two tax petitions rejected today grant tax breaks for tolls and auto excise, and for charitable giving.

DESPITE APRIL DIP, STATE REVENUES STILL UP... Revenue Commissioner Frederick A. Laskey Tuesday announced that revenue collections for April 2000 totaled $1.28 billion, a decrease of $40 million or 3.0 percent from
last April. Year-to-date revenue collections totaled $12.28 billion, up $713.5 million or 6.2 percent above last year. Collections for FY2000 remain within the revenue estimate range, which is based on the Administration & Finance revised
annual estimate of $15.458 billion. "Overall, total tax collections were lower than projected due to taxpayers making lower than expected payments with their individual income tax returns and we were able to deliver higher refunds than we anticipated. However, withholding, the primary engine of tax revenue growth, continued to be very strong in April, as were corporate collections," Laskey said. "It is likely that taxpayers this year had more income withheld from their paychecks or made higher estimated payments than in previous years."

Tuesday, May 2, 2000

CLT Enumerates House Violations

Noting that the deadline is upon the House for dealing with ballot initiatives, Citizens for Limited Taxation on Monday called for Representatives to deal swiftly with the income tax rollback initiative. The deadline for action is tonight at end of session. In a letter to all members of the House, CLT, while noting the shortness of time, assured legislators that it could still be done. The letter states, "After all, the 1994 legislative pay raise was accomplished in one day (December 2nd), and that day also included the public hearing, which has already been held on the income tax rollback initiative."

The letter also listed areas in which the House violated its own rules during the recent budget marathon week: "It is one thing to violate House rules, as we understand they were violated:
 

We hope you do not also plan to violate the Massachusetts Constitution."

The entire text of the letter can be found at  www.CLTG.org.
 

MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS PROTEST....  Beating bongo drums and declaring Governor Cellucci a "warthog," mental health workers demanded at a Monday rally that senators add extra $9 million for salary increases during upcoming budget debate. Advocates also want reversal of state policy that delivers mental health services through for-profit managed care organization. Keynote speaker at the rally was Max Kennedy, nephew and Campaign Chair of Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy. 

YOU NEW NUMBER MAY BE IN... The Department of Telecommunications & Energy (DTE) announced yesterday the four new area codes for Eastern and Central Massachusetts, which will be effective beginning on May 1, 2001. These new numbers will be overlaid on top of the existing four area codes. Individuals and businesses will not need to change area codes, according to the DTE.

- The new number in the 617 area will be 857.

- The new number in the 508 area will be 774.

- The new number in the 781 area will be 339.

- The new number in the 978 area will be 351.

Monday, May 1, 2000

Tax Watchdog Group Threatens Suit Over License Fees

Citizens for Limited Taxation  has pledged to take the state back to court if lifetime driver's license fees are eliminated in favor of returning to the five-year, $33.75 fee, as is due to occur today. Citing precedent that says fees may only be used to pay for the cost of a designated service, CLT says raising RMV fees is "clearly illegal when the publicly stated purpose for the additional revenue is to bail out Big Dig cost overruns.  No one attended an A&F hearing on the fee hikes last Tuesday.  CLT submitted written testimony.

TEACHERS RETIREMENT BILL GETS SENATE APPROVAL.... The teacher retirement bill (H5116) passed the Senate last Thursday, by a 37-0 vote.  It is identical to the bill that the House approved. The bill needs just routine enactment approvals in both the House and Senate before it goes to the Governor. It is anticipated that these votes could come as early as this week.

D-DAY IS HERE FOR BALLOT INITIATIVES... Tuesday is the deadline for House and Senate passage of any initiative petition if the sponsors are to avoid
having to collect another 9,517 signatures and mount a campaign to win the popular vote at the polls in November.  Sponsors of eight proposals have already gathered in excess of the 57,100 certified signatures needed by last December.  The only one that appears headed for passage on Beacon Hill would restrict the use of pesticides in areas frequented by children. The House and Senate have already agreed on its provisions. But there is no such agreement on more complex measures guaranteeing access to quality health care and open Internet access via cable, creating a drug treatment trust fund, and banning commercial dog racing. On Wednesday, Secretary of State William Galvin's office will make available to petition sponsors the forms upon which they must collect the additional signatures. Three
initiatives aimed at lowering taxes, including a Governor Cellucci-sponsored
rollback of personal income taxes, are expected to meet a negative fate. All three still sit in the Taxation Committee.

SCHOOL CHOICE SURVEY RELEASED THIS WEEK... The Pioneer Institute this week releases results of a poll on attitudes toward school choice, conducted by Opinion Dynamics.  The poll is a follow-up to a 1996 survey on the same topic. Last week, Pioneer released portions of the survey that related to
charter schools.  This week, the institute will also release copies of the questions that were asked.

HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS TO GET FREE TUITION... In a bid to fortify a struggling industry, state officials announced last week that full-time
human services workers will be able to attend state and community colleges,
and public universities, tuition free. The program, worked out administratively while legislation calling for it is pending, will start in September.

Thursday, April 27, 2000

Finneran Announces Study Committee on Budget Process

Despite a lengthy and contentious debate on last week's budget process on Wednesday, some progress was made. House Speaker Thomas Finneran
(D-Mattapan) announced the creation of a committee to review the budget
process. The committee will be made up of: Representatives Walter DeFilippi, Nancy Flavin, Frank Hynes, Bradley Jones, John Quinn, Michael Ruane, William Straus, Joseph Wagner, and Patricia Walrath, along with Steven James (House Clerk) Robert MacQueen (Former House Clerk and Chairman) and Louis Rizoli (House Counsel). 

Finneran said, "In the designation of Mr. Robert MacQueen as Chairman of this committee, I have been guided by the members' desire to have someone of unquestionable experience, integrity and judgment as chair of this committee. Mr. MacQueen clearly meets those extraordinarily high standards of probity and experience and he enjoys the complete measure of the members' confidence."

ACTIVISTS OPPOSE BALLOT INITIATIVE P... Ballot question activists on Wednesday claimed reforming the state's drug laws to encourage and finance treatment is a matter of "fairness" and civil liberty, but prosecutors and police argued the proposal would gut their ability to fight crime. The object of the debate was an initiative petition (H 4976) on its way to the November ballot that would change the drug-related forfeiture and sentencing laws. Last fall, supporters collected 110,000 signatures. Lawmakers have until May 3 to act, after which activists must gather another 9,517 signatures to place the question before voters statewide.

District attorneys and police officials turned out at the hearing to oppose the measure.  Middlesex DA Martha Coakley said the initiative is "not what it purports to be."  By redirecting drug-related assets from law enforcement equipment and programs, Coakley said the petition would "severely eviscerate" government's ability to execute the "war on drugs." Public Safety Committee Co-chairman Sen. James Jajuga (D-Methuen) - a 21-year State Police trooper who spent 19 years in the drug unit - "adamantly opposed" the petition.  He said investigators need money to
arrange drug buys and rent undercover cars."

The bill is also opposed by a group called Concerned Citizens for Drug Prevention, who call the bill "The Trojan Horse of the legalizers/drug pushers" and a "get-out-of-jail-free card." 

JUDICIAL CANDIDATES HAVE AN EASY TIME WITH COUNCIL... The Governor's Council interviewed three Cellucci-nominated judicial candidates on
Wednesday. One of them, Dorchester District Court Judge Joseph M. Walker,
III, is in line for a promotion to the Superior Court.  During the past five years he served on District Court benches in Roxbury, Cambridge, Somerville, Newton, and in East and South Boston, Walker said it's "time to move on."

 Another Cellucci nominee, Thomas Barrett of Cohasset up for an Attleboro District Court judgeship, arrived for his confirmation interview with his wife and their six young children, who indirectly played a role in today's hearing.  Each one of Barrett's character witnesses painted him as an honest, family man with working class roots.

Also appearing before the council was attorney R. Andrew Burbine of Abington.  Burbine, who practices law in Holbrook, has been tapped by the governor to be Plymouth County register of probate in place of Register John Daly who retired last month.  Since the position is an elected one, Burbine will also have to run for the post this November.

All three are expected to be approved by the councl

STOP AND SAY HELLO IF YOU'RE AT THE MASSHOPE CONVENTION.... MassNews will have a booth at the MassHOPE Convention at the Worcester Centrum Centre on Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29. Make sure to say hello if you are going to be at this home school convention. We will also present a workshop on "Christians and the Media" on Friday at 1:45 p.m.

Wednesday, April 26, 2000

Quincy Legislators File Bill on Disposition of Fetal Remains

Sen. Michael Morrisey and Rep. Stephen Tobin, both Democrats of Quincy,
this week filed a bill which gives parents rights to make decisions as to the disposition of the fetal remains after a miscarriage. The bill is intended to deal with abuses which have taken place in several hospitals in the Bay State. Jean Morrisey, of Lexington, one of the backers of the proposed amendment, said "These kinds of abuses of women and families can no longer be tolerated in this state, the new proposed amendment to c. 111, s. 202 is the positive solution." A very similar bill was filed on the same date (April 25) in 1978 by former Senate President William Bulger and then State Senator Chester Atkins. The bill has not yet been assigned a number.

Sen. Morrisey's phone number is 617-722-1494. Rep. Tobin can be reached at
617-722-2900. Jean and Mike Morrisey are at 781-674-0071.

REILLY BLAMES CAPITALISM FOR HEALTH CARE "CRISIS"... Attorney General Thomas Reilly on Tuesday proposed new hospital and HMO regulations aimed at preserving the health care of Bay State residents, even as HMO executives said a plan to expand coverage to all residents could destroy their
industry, which is routinely acclaimed as the nation's best. At a special "Health Care in Crisis" forum this morning, Massachusetts health care executives said a ballot initiative bolstering patients' rights and mandating universal health care coverage would bring "utter chaos." They said modest reforms being considered on Beacon Hill would accomplish many of the same goals as the initiative petition without wrecking the state's health insurance and delivery system. Grass roots organizers are pushing the petition because they feel lawmakers have been unresponsive to the
health care needs of all state citizens.

Reilly told the Suffolk University forum that the competitive market is starting to show it's unreliable in keeping people healthy. Reilly has also recently been under fire for his regulatory treatment of gun dealers who say he is unfair to their industry by issuing ambiguous and impossible to meet guidelines.

BOARD OF HIGHER ED TACKLES IT SHORTAGE... Noting the nationwide and statewide shortage of well-trained Information Technology professionals, the state Board of Higher Education has taken steps to remedy the
situation. The Board has recruited cutting-edge leaders from academe, industry
and government to develop world-class information technology (IT) programs
at the state's 29 public higher education campuses for the new millennium. Board of Higher Education Chairman Stephen Tocco established the Information Technology Task Force in response to the well documented need for qualified IT workers in the Commonwealth. "It is imperative that public higher education take an aggressive position on improving academic programs that will provide the skilled personnel for a technologically proficient workforce in Massachusetts," he said.

MASS UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN AGAIN... All of Massachusetts' 21 Labor Market Areas (LMAs) recorded significantly lower seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates for March 2000 than the previous month and one year ago. Boston, the largest labor area, recorded the lowest unemployment rate, at 2.3 percent. Fourteen of the LMAs posted jobless rates below four percent and six had rates that were three percent or below. In addition to Boston, the major labor areas
with the lowest rates were Lowell (2.7 percent), Worcester (2.8 percent), and Brockton (3.1 percent). Three smaller labor market areas, Greenfield (2.8 percent), Nantucket (2.8 percent) and Great Barrington (3.0 percent) had rates three percent or below for the month.

Tuesday, April 25, 2000

Finneran Says All-Night budget Sessions May Be A Thing of the Past

In the wake of considerable controversy over the conduct of the annual budget marathon in the House last week, House Speaker Thomas Finneran (D-Mattapan) has indicated that he will give House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran today expressed his concern over news reports of inappropriate behavior during the recently concluded House budget deliberations. In a press release from his office on Monday, Finneran indicated that he "would give full consideration to the elimination of all night sessions during budget debate week and that he would ask the members of the committee to offer a recommendation on that idea as well as other proposed improvements."

 While appointing a committee to look into allegations of inappropriate, and possibly illegal behavior during the session which lasted from Thursday morning into Friday morning, Finneran still praised his troops. He said, "The overwhelming majority of the members meet and surpass that high standard of conduct and I am concerned that their good names and impressive performance may have been tarnished by recent news stories."

REPUBLICANS CHALLENGE ETHICS CHAIR ON 'PHANTOM VOTES'... The Massachusetts GOP Monday called on House Ethics Committee Chair Colleen Garry (D-Dracut) to earn her chairmanship pay by starting an investigation into the House "phantom" voting scandal immediately. Violations of the House Code of Ethics and Rules fall under Representative Garry's Ethics Committee. The major allegations involve three votes cast on behalf of Rep. Kevin Murphy (D-Lowell) at 7:30 a.m., 9:04 a.m. and 9:42 a.m. on Friday, April 14. Murphy admits to having left the State House by 6 a.m. to go on a family
vacation. Copies of those roll calls were faxed to Garry's office on Monday.

"Now that Ethics Committee Chair Garry has the proof, she should conduct an investigation immediately," said GOP Executive Director John Brockelman.
"She should schedule a hearing and start calling court officers and legislators in to testify today."

GUN OWNERS RALLY, CELLUCCI STANDS BY REILLY... Hundreds of gun owners rallied at the State House Monday.  They want the state Legislature to pass corrective changes to the 1998 gun control law, which they say restricts the rights of law-abiding gun owners and is a big step in the direction of prohibiting guns.  AG Thomas Reilly, who is in the process of implementing gun control regulations, is the number one target for the opposition. They say the new regulations make it nearly impossible for people to buy guns here because most guns do not meet the new standards.  Gun owners also oppose discretionary
licensing powers granted to police chiefs under the '98 law. GOAL director
Michael Yacino and activist Roy Innis met with Governor Paul Cellucci. After the meeting, Yacino said Cellucci remains committed to AG Reilly's gun regulations and feels gun manufacturers have "let everyone down" by failing to make guns that meet the law's safety standards.

TAX REVENUE ESTIMATES WERE LOW... The Office of Administration and Finance yesterday issued a letter indicating that tax revenues at this point in the
year are ahead of the optimistic report made some months ago. The letter, addressed to the House and Senate as well as appropriate executive departments, says, in part, "After a review of year-to-date receipts it would appear that the January estimate of fiscal 2000 tax revenue of $15.288 billion is low. At this time, we are recommending an increase of 1.1%, or $170 million over the prior estimate. The total estimated tax receipts for fiscal 2000 are now estimated at $15.458 billion."

Monday, April 24, 2000

Board of Ed to Vote on Sexual Orientation in Schools

The State Board of Education meets tomorrow in Pittsfield. One of the items on the agenda is a set of amendments to the regulations of "equal Educational Opportunity." According to a memo from Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll, the amendments will add the words "sexual orientation" to current regulations on access to equal educational opportunities, thus bringing the regulations into conformity with other state regulations and statutes.

Some pro-family activists fear that the closing of this loophole is intended "to make it impossible for schools to avoid having 'gay straight alliance' clubs, and in addition to require positive teaching of homosexuality throughout the state school system." Some of these activists also feel that the Board of Education changed its meeting place - they usually meet in Malden, to avoid protest. One pro-family advocate wrote in an Email that, "The State Board of Ed changed their meeting from Malden to Pittsfield. This was done suddenly, a week or so ago. We strongly believe
it's because they do not want parents to come to that meeting, and we had made it known to them that we intend to come."

The Board of Education meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. to Noon at the Crosby Elementary School, 517 West Street, Pittsfield. The proposed amendments can be found on the DOE's website at the following website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/proposed/p603cmr26.html.

GUN OWNERS RALLY AGAINST GUN CONTROL... Hundreds of  gun owners are expected to converge upon the State House today for a rally against the
state's 1998 gun control law and Attorney General Thomas Reilly's consumer
protection gun regulations.  Last year, thousands of angry gun owners rallied on Boston Common and at the State House to demand the repeal of the law, which they said is unfair and unconstitutional.  They also claim that the Attorney General's regulations are ambiguous and are a restraint on free trade. Gun owners plan to march around the State House, then listen to a speaking program starting at 10:30
a.m. on the front step.  The rally is being sponsored by the Gun Owners Action League.  GOAL is sponsoring a similar rally Saturday at 10 a.m. in Governor Paul Cellucci's hometown of Hudson because the group wants to "bring the inequities of the new gun law to his personal attention."

POLL FINDS VOTERS SYMPATHETIC TO TAX ROLLBACK... The University of Massachusetts has released the findings of a poll on the ballot initiatives currently headed for the polls this fall. According to the Boston Globe,
the poll indicated that 72 percent of voters favored Govermpr Cellucci's proposal to roll the 5.85 percent income tax back to 5 percent. Only 22 percent were opposed to the concept.

Only 52 percent were in favor of the proposal to allow state income tax deductions for road tolls and auto excise taxes. Voters indicated that they do not favor a ban on dog racing (41 percent favor a ban, with 49 opposed) and they strongly favored a ballot initiative which would establish a drug treatment fund with money forfeited by drug dealers. That idea found favor with 74 percent of those polled.

SUPREME COURT HEARS PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION CASE... In a case closely watched by pro-life activists in Massachusetts, the Supreme Court tomorrow will hear Carhart v. Stenberg. Nebraska abortion provider Leroy Carhart has challenged a law passed in 1997, by the state of Nebraska which made partial birth abortion illegal in that state. This case will effect the laws in 30 states that have passed a partial birth ban.

Friday, April 21, 2000

Finneran Defends House Behavior

The State House was pretty quiet on Thursday, with the school vacation and the post House budget week doldrums in effect. The only real action was the local TV crews scurrying around trying to talk to legislators about the booze parties which are alleged to have taken place during the Thursday-into-Friday budget session. The quiet was broken at 2 p.m. when House Speaker Thomas Finneran (D-Mattapan) called the press together to defend the House and the budget process.

Although there was obviously some drinking going on - one House staffer told Massachusetts News, "a lot of the Reps went to the wine and stein thing in the Great Hall"  - Finneran said that he never smelled a whiff of alcohol.

One Representative who was in the chamber most of the night - and who does not drink - reported to Massachusetts News that there was an exhibit in the Great Hall which included wine and beer and some Reps seem to have made a visit to the exhibit. The exhibitors had  cleared out by about 10 p.m., however. The veteran legislator, who has been through several budget weeks, said, "I noticed nothing out of the ordinary." He referred to the allegations as "one big fabrication."

Republicans Opposed All Night Session... Barbara Anderson of Citizens for Limited Taxation routinely sheds light on chaos at the state house. This budget partying fiasco is no exception. In a press release issued on Thursday, she made sure that people understand who is responsible for the all night session - and the attendant spending spree. Explaining that any activity after 10 p.m. must be voted upon, she wrote: "All Republicans except Carol Cleven (Chelmsford) and Shaun Kelly (Dalton) voted to end the session at 10 PM. All Democrats except Chris Hodgins (Lee), Frank Hynes (Marshfield), Louis Kafka (Sharon), Kay Khan (Newton) and George Rogers (New Bedford) voted to stay in session. So, 25 Republicans and five Democrats are innocent of the havoc that followed during the all-night session. Two Republicans and the rest of the Democrats should be held responsible for their decision to pass a $22 billion budget in a state of general
unconsciousness."

COMMONWEALTH STILL A LEADER IN CENSUS RESPONSE... Secretary of the Commonwealth William Francis Galvin announced Thursday that Massachusetts led the nation in the best improvement in mailed-back Federal Census 2000 forms over the 1990 count, with a overall return of 67 percent, or 3 percent better than a decade ago. Only Rhode Island shares that level of improvement as the Census closed out the mail-in portion of the national count, though Rhode Island's overall response rate was only 65 percent.

Massachusetts was tied with Connecticut for first place in the Northeast with its 67 percent level of response. That was 13th in the nation, six points behind the national leader, Iowa.

Thursday, April 20, 2000

More Anti-Tax Cut Blasts Leveled at Cellucci and Swift

A coalition of anti-tax rollback groups called on Governor Paul Cellucci and Lt. Governor Jane Swift on Tuesday to withdraw their proposed income tax rate cut and relief plan for turnpike tolls from the November 2000 ballot. James St. George, executive director of the Tax Equity Alliance for Massachusetts, a liberal group which generally defends new taxes and higher taxes, called the ballot initiatives sponsored by the governor "two unaffordable, unfair, and irresponsible tax cuts."

St. George, speaking for the coalition, which calls itself "The Campaign for Massachusetts' Future," charged that "Massachusetts needs to invest in education, health care, and our infrastructure if we are to be competitive in the 21st century." St George continued, "We cannot make those investments while financing the Big Dig and paying for this risky tax cut. It's time Gov. Cellucci leveled with the people of Massachusetts; this isn't Wonderland, and we can't have everything."

Cellucci's budget proposal was smaller than that which was released by the House after its week of budget debates.

CELLUCCI REVEALS NEW JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS... Although the Governor's Council had a light schedule today, next week they'll go back to the job of interviewing judicial candidates. Gov. Cellucci Wednesday made three new judicial nominations.  He wants to elevate to the Superior Court Westborough District Court Judge John S. McCann and Charlestown District
Court Judge Peter Agnes. Senior Judge Joseph Jennings of the Department of Industrial Accidents was tapped for a seat on the District Court (circuit).

Cellucci also sent members of the Governor's Council the name of R. Andrew
Burnine of Abington to fill the vacancy as register of probate in Plymouth County following the Mar. 31 resignation of Register John J. Daly.

REPORT CLAIMS TOXIC MATERIAL USE IS DOWN... State environmental officials say cutting-edge Toxic Use Reduction Act (TURA) laws are continuing to reduce reliance on hazardous material. According to a new report, from 1990-1998, manufacturers decreased their chemical use by 277 million pounds (33 percent), waste generation by 48 percent, and toxic spills and transfers by 83 percent.  The numbers have been adjusted to reflect a 40 percent production increase, as well as plant closings and new facilities. The TURA law is up for renewal this year. Opponents claim that their numbers don't match those of the state and that the extra paperwork - over and above that of federal regulations - poses a hardship to many companies.

Wednesday, April 19, 2000

CLT Accuses House Leadership of Sabotaging Tax Rollback

Citizens for Limited Taxation, the conservative watchdog group, on Tuesday accused legislators of intentionally spending money in order to be able to claim poverty in November. In a press release, CLT complained "The  Massachusetts House is throwing money away in order to get rid of excess income tax revenue only to later argue that 'the commonwealth can't afford' the income tax rollback in November." CLT also took a swipe at its rival organization, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, stating that even the MTF is pleading with the House to not
increase the budget. Yet, the CLT release continues, "MTF (Massachusetts
Totally-Clueless Foundation) leads the opposition to the income tax rollback, the one chance we have to slow down the overspending. Michael Widmer, get a clue: if the politicians have it, they will spend it." Voters may have the opportunity to vote on a rollback of the state income tax to 5 percent in November. That effort is being spearheaded by CLT's Barbara Anderson along with Governor Paul Cellucci.
 

GUN OWNERS PLAN SUIT TO REIGN IN REILLY... Gun dealers and the Gun Owners Action League (GOAL) announced on Tuesday that they plan to sue the AG on behalf of the more than 700 licensed gun dealers. The dealers want
compensation for sales lost after they pulled almost all firearms from their shelves over uncertainty about which ones are illegal. Gun makers last December challenged Reilly's regulatory authority, but lost in court. Now, dealers are planning to argue the new rules amount to an unconstitutional taking of private property because virtually every gun is prohibited from being sold in this state. Reilly's office is advising dealers to ask manufacturers if guns meet the standards. He has no plans
to provide a central list of approved weapons. GOAL Executive Director Mike Yacino continues to argue that gun safety education is worth more than legislation which throttles a legitimate industry and tries to make guns invisible. He asked in a press release issued on Tuesday, "Are we doing our children any favors by trying to make guns immune to their ignorance, instead of remedying their ignorance? We make believe that if we just avoid teaching children anything about guns, and pretend that they will never encounter any, they will somehow be safe. Ignorance never promotes safety, and a 'just say no' educational policy never works. It didn't work for sex or drugs, and -- no matter how many gadgets you try to tack onto an adult product in a doomed attempt to make it child-proof -- it won't work for guns."

STUDENT GROUP URGES BOYCOTT OF SEVEN COMPANIES... At a rally held at the State House Tuesday, students from several area universities urged an employment and investor boycott of several companies it accuses of environmental indifference. The coalition of graduating seniors, called Ecopledge,  pledged not to work for the companies, which include:

* BP Amoco - which is being asked to stop efforts to explore and drill for oil along the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

* Citigroup- which the groups wants to withdraw its financing of the Three Gorges dam project in China.

*Coca-Cola  is being asked to use 25% recycled plastic in its bottles.

*Disney - Disney is being asked to stop selling toys containing PVC plastic.

* PriceWaterhouseCoopers is being asked to withdraw its membership in the National Mining Association.

* Nestle which Ecopledge is being asked to stop using genetically engineered
ingredients in food sold in the United States.

* GE - which is being asked to support strong energy efficiency standards for clothes washers.

Tuesday, April 18, 2000

Controversial Ballot Initiative Comes Before Health Care Committee

Evidently it will not be smooth sailing today for lobbyists on behalf of "Initiative P," a ballot question which comes before the Health Care Committee at its 11 a.m. hearing. Billed as a "patients' bill of rights" by proponents, the initiative is seen as more sinister by its opponents. According to the Concerned Citizens for Drug Prevention, parts of Initiative P are nothing more than a "get-out-of-jail-free card," which would "reduce dramatically the power and ability to protect citizens from
drug-related crimes." At issue are provisions of the initiative which would allow reduction or removal of criminal charges in some drug-related cases, as well as making it more difficult for law enforcement agencies to confiscate property under forfeiture laws. Proponents of the measure argue that they are simply "expanding the scope of the Commonwealth's drug treatment program." Representatives of Concerned Citizens for Drug Prevention plan to be present and visible at the hearing this morning.

REPORT ON OLDER WORKERS DUE... A blue-ribbon commission that has spent the past three years examining issues affecting older workers, presents its
report Wednesday to Governor Cellucci. Its 12 members were appointed in 1997 by then Lt. Gov. Paul Cellucci.  With continued record-low unemployment and forecasts of even greater labor scarcities, the commission is expected to focus on the value of hiring and training older people.  Former US Labor Secretary John Dunlop chairs the panel, with appointees from industry, labor, education and public interest groups.  It will warn the governor that unless more is done to support workers over age 45, the state is destined to lose more jobs to other states over the next five years.  The report was written by professors Peter Doeringer of Boston University, David Terkla of the University of Massachusetts, and Andrew Sum of Northeastern University.

While most of the attention was focused on the House last week, during its
annual budget dance, the Senate was also in session. One its more significant actions was the passage of a tax exemption Holocaust reparations. Senators passed a bill to exempt from state taxes reparation payment some Massachusetts Jews are due to receive.  The payments make up for the theft of assets by the Nazis, that often wound up in Swiss banks. The bill has already cleared the House.

Monday April 17, 2000

Finneran Foils Attempt to Bootleg Buffer Zone into Budget Debate

As one House staffer remarked last week when asked what was new in his office, it was "all budget, all the time," in the House last week. The house handled more that 1400 amendments to the budget and worked through the night on Thursday to adopt a budget. The baton is now passed to the Senate.  If it had been up to Rep. Paul Demakis (D-Back Bay), however, the agenda would have contained more than just budget items.

Demakis, sponsor of the bill which would create a 25-foot "no speech" buffer zone around abortion clinics, tried to attach that bill as an amendment to the budget on Thursday. House Speaker Thomas Finneran (D-Mattapan) refused to allow it, stating that there were many other morality-related issues that might be brought up by conservatives in the House and they would never get the budget done if that were allowed.  The Senate passed the bill as it had in the past. Finneran has not allowed it to come for a vote.

As a vote was about to be taken on the whole budget, early Friday morning, Demakis made a speech regarding his ploy. He said, "This is a deeply held issue for me.  I have visited the reproductive health care facility where, five months after my visit, John Salvi committed one of his two murders. While I have never felt this bill would prevent another John Salvi, I do believe it will prevent other conduct - people being harassed with in-your-face behavior and young women being chased."

Finneran told the House, "Rep. Demakis has asked me to consider some kind
of scheduling of it, and I will do that."

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AMENDMENT PASSES... Sitting in the gallery of the House last week, one observer was heard to exclaim, "they're rejecting everything." It may have seemed that way. The budget was only slightly increased from that which was submitted by the Governor. The Senate version may be another matter. One of the items which did pass, and was little noted, however, was amendment 972. This amendment will require the Department of Education to study implications of increasing compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18. The House, however, rejected amendment 495 requiring school uniforms. Both were offered by Rep. Francis Marini (R-Hanson). 

PROFIT MOTIVE DECRIED AS CAUSE OF DECLINING HEALTH CARE... Tuesday brings debate over the cost and quality of health care to the State House.  A coalition of doctors, union members and health care advocates are pushing a broad ballot question that, among other things, calls for universal health
care, a ban on non-profit hospital conversions, and a patients’ bill of rights. Advocates fear declining health care quality in a profit-driven system. They say the state hasn't done a good enough job in reducing the number of uninsured. The ballot question is encompassed in legislation as H 4977. Its hearing before the Health Care Committee is Tuesday.(Tuesday, 11 am, Gardner Auditorium).

ECOPLEDGE... College students hoping to draw attention to their pledge to
avoid working for and patronizing what they see as environmentally unfriendly corporations rally at the State House Tuesday.  Members of ecopledge.com try to use their brain power as a bargaining chip to force environmental change. Members already claim credit for Ford Motor Company's withdrawal from the Global Climate Coalition.

Friday, April 14, 2000

Massachusetts Rated Toughest on Gun Control

A liberal organization on Thursday released a report stating that Massachusetts has the toughest gun laws in the nation. The report, from the Funders' Collaborative on Gun Violence Prevention and the Open Society Institute's Center on Crime, Communities & Culture, is being referred to by liberal lawmakers as "the first national report card and survey of gun laws in all 50 states." Scored against a hypothetical model gun law, Massachusetts rated a score of 76%, followed by Hawaii (71 %), California (53%), Connecticut (50%), Maryland (43%), New Jersey (35%) and Illinois (35%). The nearby states of Maine and Vermont were among the states with the weakest gun laws in the nation, according to the report. Maine ranked last out of all 50 states with a score of -10%. Vermont scored a -5%. New Hampshire scored a 0. These low scores indicate a willingness to allow citizens to own and carry firearms.

RETIREMENT BILL PASSES HOUSE... As expected, the teachers' retirement bill was adopted by the House late Wednesday night. The vote was unanimous. The bill now moves on to the Senate where it has been promised swift action. A similar bill passed both houses last year, but was vetoed by Governor Paul Cellucci. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, of course, hailed the
passage of the bill as a positive statement on behalf of the commonwealth. A message on the union's website on Thursday singled out several legislators for their work on behalf of the union. The statement says, "The bill's passage is the result of the tireless work by the House Speaker, his staff, House Majority Leader Bill Nagle (D-Northampton), Reps John Slattery (D-Peabody), Tom McGee (D-Lynn), Dan Bosley (D-N. Adams), Rachel Kaprelian (D-Watertown), Lida Harkins (D-Needham) and Paul Casey (D-Winchester)." No
mention was made of any of the Republicans who serve on the education
committee or those who voted in favor of the bill.

HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS BLANKET STATE HOUSE... Human service employees from all parts of the state held a rally and spread throughout the state house to lobby legislators on Thursday. Many of them had their clients in tow as they urged lawmakers to vote for new programs and higher pay. One legislative aide told Massachusetts News, "It would almost be funny, if it wasn't so sad what happens to these people every year. They come around to the offices and everybody is very positive, telling them 'we're with you all the way.' And they mean it. Then the human service workers get basically nothing. It happens the same way every year."

Thursday, April 13, 2000

House Rejects Amendment Regarding Stray Marks on Petitions

As budget debate continues in the House, legislators on Wednesday rejected, by a vote of 46-109, an amendment which would have loosened language regarding stray marks and coffee stains on nomination papers and ballot initiative petitions. The issue arose when the Supreme Judicial Court ruled last year that such marks could invalidate a petition.  Secretary of State William Galvin announced that he would enforce the ruling strictly.

During debate, Rep. Antonio Cabral (D-New Bedford) several times called the question a "non-issue," because professional signature gatherers have called into question the integrity of the system.

House Minority Leader Francis Marini (R-Hanson), sponsor of the amendment contended that the matter is very much an issue for several reasons. He argued, "This is the fundamental doorway to our democracy, whether it's our nomination papers, or the papers our citizens sign because we have the right of initiative petition in Massachusetts.  I agree with the chairman we need to have some integrity, but the court decision doesn't give integrity to the process.  It picks technical nits. Let me also make this editorial comment  - the courts interpret the law. We make it. The courts do what we tell them to do. We need not go to the courts. The courts ought to come to us.  We do not want a process where dozens of our
citizens' signatures are invalid because somebody put a coffee cup down on a set of papers.  It's not what we intended.  It's not what our constitution envisions.  It's too technical. It's wrong.  It ought to be changed." The debate and the vote followed party lines.

CENSUS MAIL-IN PERIOD OVER, MASS NEAR TOP IN RESPONSE... Wednesday was the final day for the Census Bureau to accept forms from citizens. Now the door-to-door census takers take over. U.S. Secretary of Commerce William M. Daley and Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt announced Wednesday that 61 percent of American households have returned their census forms. The 61 percent mail response rate meets the Census Bureau's projection used for budget and management purposes in planning census field operations and requesting funding from the U.S. Congress. Currently, 7 percent of the nation's jurisdictions have met or exceeded their target response rate. Among them are Boston; Santa Ana, Calif.; Anaheim, Calif.; Compton, Calif.; Modesto, Calif.; Plymouth, Mass.; Panama City, Fla.; and St. Cloud, Minn.

Not everybody is as happy as Secretary Daley, however. Some national groups have urged boycotts of the census or completion of only the basic questions. According to Carla Howell, Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, the census form is simply not constitutional. She told Massachusetts News on Wednesday that, "The Constitution authorizes the federal government to ask only one question for the Census: How many people live here? The Census was put in place to determine Congressional districts. That's all. Big Government asks 52 nosy questions that people don't want to answer. And then spends more money advertising and sending government bureaucrats to our homes to try and get private, personal information from us. This is just one more Big Government program." (P)

CENSUS PAYOFF RANKLES ANOTHER SENATE HOPEFUL... When Massachusetts News asked Constitution Party Senate candidate Phil Lawler what he thought about
the subsidies Secretary of State Galvin has offered to minority communities to collect census forms, he was so enthralled with the question he made it his thought for the day on his web site. In part, here's what he has to say on the subject. "Last Friday, the Mass News internet site (www.massnews.com) revealed that Secretary of State Bill Galvin has passed out $137,500 in government grants to various minority groups, to underwrite their efforts to convince people that they should fill out and return their Census forms. This story is outrageous on several grounds:  First, the rationale for these government handouts is transparently partisan. Minority groups are generally aligned with the Democratic Party; now a Democratic Secretary of State is doing his best to ensure that these groups will get extra attention in the Census count- and thus extra representation in the Massachusetts Congressional delegation.
 Second, the law requires all US citizens to complete and return a Census form. So the Massachusetts government is now handing out subsidies to people who obey the law! Do you suppose there might be another subsidy coming for drivers who travel below the speed limit- if they're Democrats?

Lawler's web site can be found at www.lawler2000.org.

NO MORE FREE SEX CHANGES... On Wednesday the House approved, by a vote of 147-7, a plan to limit medical operations - particularly sex changes - available to state prisoners. The Beacon Hill Beat will stay on top of this bill.

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL APPROVES JUDGESHIP... At their regular Wednesday meeting, Governor's councilors voted unanimously to confirm Angela Ordonez of Boston as associate justice of the Nantucket Probate Court. Governor Cellucci also sent to the council the name of Thomas S. Barrett of Cohasset for a seat on the Attleboro District Court.

Wednesday, April 12, 2000

Gun Safe Tax Credit Passes House Muster

The budget process continued in the House on Tuesday, with Representatives offering another series of amendments to the budget. By a vote of 142 to 15
the House adopted an amendment providing a 25% tax credit on the purchase
of gun safes used for licensed gun owners. "We ought to do everything within our power to encourage the safe and responsible storage of guns," said Assistant Minority Leader Ron Gauch. "If it saves one life, it's worth the minor cost to the Commonwealth."

MTA SAYS IT HAS AGREEMENT ON TEACHER RETIREMENT... In a press release issued on April 11, the Massachusetts Teachers Association announced that "MTA/MFT and Speaker Finneran have reached an agreement on the provisions of the teacher retirement improvement bill." 
 

MASS ACLU PUBLISHES LISTS OF "RIGHTS" FOR MCAS PROTESTERS... MCAS testing begins today in the schools of the Commonwealth. To mark the occasion, the Massachusetts chapter of the ACLU issued a press release claiming that the tests are discriminatory, especially to minorities. The release also gives parents a primer on how to protest the tests. Among the advice given is, "Parents have the right to speak out publicly, to distribute leaflets, hold rallies, to lobby legislators, and engage in other such traditional exercises of free speech rights.  In general, we have the right to engage in  these activities in "traditional forums for expression," like public sidewalks,
public parks, and other traditional gathering areas for expression. Meeting space in public buildings (including schools) that is made available for community use must be made available to groups wishing to discuss the MCAS." Didn't the state legislature recently pass a law banning some protesters from sidewalks?

The ACLUM also expressed the view that neither parents nor children should
be punished in any way for skipping school on the days of the tests.
 
 

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