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Thursday, October 9, 2014

MA Election - Nov 4th - Ballot Question #4 - Earned Sick Time for Employees

Four ballot questions will be presented all voters in the Commonwealth of MA voters in the election Nov 4, 2014. Franklin voters will have two additional questions.

This is the fourth in a series of posts to help spread the word on the topic of each the ballot questions

By now you should have received from the Secretary of the Commonwealth the familiar red flyer with the "Information for Voters". This text comes from the Secretary's website and is the same as in the red flyer.

MA Information for Voters - Nov 4, 2014
MA Information for Voters - Nov 4, 2014

QUESTION 4: Law Proposed by Initiative Petition

Earned Sick Time for Employees

Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives on or before May 6, 2014?

SUMMARY

This proposed law would entitle employees in Massachusetts to earn and use sick time according to certain conditions.
Employees who work for employers having eleven or more employees could earn and use up to 40 hours of paid sick time per calendar year, while employees working for smaller employers could earn and use up to 40 hours of unpaid sick time per calendar year.
An employee could use earned sick time if required to miss work in order (1) to care for a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition affecting the employee or the employee’s child, spouse, parent, or parent of a spouse; (2) to attend routine medical appointments of the employee or the employee’s child, spouse, parent, or parent of a spouse; or (3) to address the effects of domestic violence on the employee or the employee’s dependent child.  Employees would earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, and would begin accruing those hours on the date of hire or on July 1, 2015, whichever is later. Employees could begin to use earned sick time on the 90th day after hire.
The proposed law would cover both private and public employers, except that employees of a particular city or town would be covered only if, as required by the state constitution, the proposed law were made applicable by local or state legislative vote or by appropriation of sufficient funds to pay for the benefit. Earned paid sick time would be compensated at the same hourly rate paid to the employee when the sick time is used.
Employees could carry over up to 40 hours of unused sick time to the next calendar year, but could not use more than 40 hours in a calendar year. Employers would not have to pay employees for unused sick time at the end of their employment. If an employee missed work for a reason eligible for earned sick time, but agreed with the employer to work the same number of hours or shifts in the same or next pay period, the employee would not have to use earned sick time for the missed time, and the employer would not have to pay for that missed time.  Employers would be prohibited from requiring such an employee to work additional hours to make up for missed time, or to find a replacement employee.
Employers could require certification of the need for sick time if an employee used sick time for more than 24 consecutively scheduled work hours. Employers could not delay the taking of or payment for earned sick time because they have not received the certification.  Employees would have to make a good faith effort to notify the employer in advance if the need for earned sick time is foreseeable.
Employers would be prohibited from interfering with or retaliating based on an employee’s exercise of earned sick time rights, and from retaliating based on an employee’s support of another employee’s exercise of such rights.
The proposed law would not override employers’ obligations under any contract or benefit plan with more generous provisions than those in the proposed law. Employers that have their own policies providing as much paid time off, usable for the same purposes and under the same conditions, as the proposed law would not be required to provide additional paid sick time.
The Attorney General would enforce the proposed law, using the same enforcement procedures applicable to other state wage laws, and employees could file suits in court to enforce their earned sick time rights. The Attorney General would have to prepare a multilingual notice regarding the right to earned sick time, and employers would be required to post the notice in a conspicuous location and to provide a copy to employees. The state Executive Office of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Attorney General, would develop a multilingual outreach program to inform the public of the availability of earned sick time.
The proposed law would take effect on July 1, 2015, and states that if any of its parts were declared invalid, the other parts would stay in effect.
A YES VOTE would entitle employees in Massachusetts to earn and use sick time according to certain conditions.
A NO VOTE would make no change in the laws regarding earned sick time.

ARGUMENTS
As provided by law, the 150-word arguments are written by proponents and opponents of each question, and reflect their opinions. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts does not endorse these arguments, and does not certify the truth or accuracy of any statement made in these arguments. The names of the individuals and organizations who wrote each argument, and any written comments by others about each argument, are on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
IN FAVOR: A YES vote will allow workers in Massachusetts to earn up to 40 hours of sick time a year to take care of their own health or a family member’s health.
Workers will earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, and can use their sick time only after working for 90 days.
Thousands of hardworking people in Massachusetts are forced to choose between going to work sick or losing a day’s pay – or worse, their jobs. Some are even forced to send a sick child to school to save their income or job.
A YES vote on Question 4 will save jobs and income, allowing workers to spend more in the local economy, benefiting us all.
Businesses providing sick time find that it reduces employee turnover, increases productivity, and helps their bottom line.
Authored by:
Debra Ann Fastino, Co-chair
Raise Up Massachusetts
150 Mt. Vernon Street, 2nd Floor
Dorchester, MA 02125
617-284-1260
http://raiseupma.org
AGAINST: Protect Massachusetts Small Businesses. Vote NO on Question 4.
Question 4 would make Massachusetts the first state to require small and taxpayer funded employers to provide up to a week of mandatory paid sick time and family leave to all employees, including part-timers. The red tape and mandate would be costly to small businesses and taxpayers.  
When an employee at a typical office setting calls in sick, other employees usually step in to cover the workload. However, for customer service focused employers or employers with mandatory staffing levels, this may not be an option. These employers would be required to pay twice, once to the employee on leave and a second time to the employee working the shift. It would essentially double their payroll.
One size does not fit all, and small businesses and their employees depend on flexibility to increase salaries and other benefits, not costly state mandates.
Authored by:
Retailers Association of Massachusetts
18 Tremont Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02108
617-523-1900

FULL TEXT OF QUESTION:
Be it enacted by the People, and by their authority:
SECTION 1. Chapter 149 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 148B the following two sections:-
Section 148C. (a) As used in this section and section 148D, the following words, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, shall have the following meanings:-
“Child”, a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person who has assumed the responsibilities of parenthood.
“Earned paid sick time”, the time off from work that is provided by an employer to an employee as computed under subsection (d) that can be used for the purposes described in subsection (c) and is compensated at the same hourly rate as the employee earns from the employee’s employment at the time the employee uses the paid sick time; provided, however, that this hourly rate shall not be less than the effective minimum wage under section 1 of chapter 151.
“Earned sick time”, the time off from work that is provided by an employer to an employee, whether paid or unpaid, as computed under subsection (d) that can be used for the purposes described in subsection (c).
“Employee”, any person who performs services for an employer for wage, remuneration, or other compensation, except that employees employed by cities and towns shall only be considered Employees for purposes of this law if this law is accepted by vote or by appropriation as provided in Article CXV of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth.
“Employer”, any individual, corporation, partnership or other private or public entity, including any agent thereof, who engages the services of an employee for wages, remuneration or other compensation, except the United States government shall not be considered an Employer and cities and towns shall only be considered Employers for the purposes of this law if this law is accepted by vote or by appropriation as provided in Article CXV of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth.
“Health care provider”, the meaning given this term by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. sections 2601 to 2654, inclusive, as it may be amended and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Parent”, a biological, adoptive, foster or step-parent of an employee or of an employee’s spouse; or other person who assumed the responsibilities of parenthood when the employee or employee’s spouse was a child.
“Spouse”, the meaning given this term by the marriage laws of the commonwealth.
(b) All employees who work in the commonwealth who must be absent from work for the reason set forth in subsection (c) shall be entitled to earn and use not less than the hours of earned sick time provided in subsection (d).
(c) Earned sick time shall be provided by an employer for an employee to:
(1) care for the employee’s child, spouse, parent, or parent of a spouse, who is suffering from a physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition that requires home care, professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventative medical care; or
(2) care for the employee’s own physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition that requires home care, professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventative medical care; or
(3) attend the employee’s routine medical appointment or a routine medical appointment for the employee’s child, spouse, parent, or parent of spouse; or
(4) address the psychological, physical or legal effects of domestic violence as defined in subsection (g 1/2) of section 1 of chapter 151A, except that the definition of employee in subsection (a) will govern for purposes of this section.
(d) (1) An employer shall provide a minimum of one hour of earned sick time for every thirty hours worked by an employee. Employees shall begin accruing earned sick time commencing with the date of hire of the employee or the date this law becomes effective, whichever is later, but employees shall not be entitled to use accrued earned sick time until the 90th calendar day following commencement of their employment. On and after this 90 day period, employees may use earned sick time as it accrues.
(2) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to discourage or prohibit an employer from allowing the accrual of earned sick time at a faster rate, or the use of earned sick time at an earlier date, than this section requires.
(3) Employees who are exempt from overtime requirements under 29 U.S.C. section 213(a)(1) of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act shall be assumed to work 40 hours in each work week for purposes of earned sick time accrual unless their normal work week is less than 40 hours, in which case earned sick time shall accrue based on that normal work week.
(4) All employees employed by an employer of eleven or more employees shall be entitled to earn and use up to 40 hours of earned paid sick time from that employer as provided in subsection (d) in a calendar year. In determining the number of employees who are employed by an employer for compensation, all employees performing work for compensation on a full-time, part-time or temporary basis shall be counted.
(5) Notwithstanding section 17 of chapter 15D, sections 70-75 of chapter 118E, or any other special or general law to the contrary, the PCA Quality Home Care Workforce Council shall be deemed the Employer of all Personal Care Attendants, as defined in section 70 of chapter 118E, for purposes of subsection (d)(4) of this section, the Department of Medical Assistance shall be deemed the Employer of said Personal Care Attendants for all other purposes under this section, and the Department of Early Education and Care shall be deemed the Employer of all Family Child Care Providers, as defined in section 17(a) of chapter 15D, for purposes of this section.
(6) All employees not entitled to earned paid sick time from an employer pursuant to subsection (d)(4)-(5) shall be entitled to earn and use up to 40 hours of earned unpaid sick time from that employer as provided in subsection (d) in a calendar year.
(7) Earned sick time shall be used in the smaller of hourly increments or the smallest increment that the employer’s payroll system uses to account for absences or use of other time. Employees may carry over up to 40 hours of unused earned sick time to the next calendar year, but are not entitled to use more than 40 hours in one calendar year. Employers shall not be required to pay out unused earned sick time upon the separation of the employee from the employer.
(e) If an employee is absent from work for any reason listed in subsection (c) and, by mutual consent of the employer and the employee, the employee works an equivalent number of additional hours or shifts during the same or the next pay period as the hours or shifts not worked due to reasons listed in subsection (c), an employee shall not be required to use accrued earned sick time for the employee’s absence during that time period and the employer shall not be required to pay for the time the employee was so absent. An employer shall not require such employee to work additional hours to make up for the hours during which the employee was so absent or require that the employee search for or find a replacement employee to cover the hours during which the employee is utilizing earned sick time.
(f) Subject to the provisions of subsection (n), an employer may require certification when an earned sick time period covers more than 24 consecutively scheduled work hours. Any reasonable documentation signed by a health care provider indicating the need for earned sick time taken shall be deemed acceptable certification for absences under subsection (c)(1), (2) and (3). Documentation deemed acceptable under subsection (g 1/2) of section 1 of chapter 151A shall be deemed acceptable documentation for absences under subsection (c)(4). An employer may not require that the documentation explain the nature of the illness or the details of the domestic violence. The employer shall not delay the taking of earned sick time or delay pay for the period in which earned sick time was taken for employees entitled to pay under subsection (d), on the basis that the employer has not yet received the certification. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require an employee to provide as certification any information from a health care provider that would be in violation of section 1177 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 1320d-6, or the regulations promulgated under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, 42 U.S.C. 1320d-2 note.
(g) When the use of earned sick time is foreseeable, the employee shall make a good faith effort to provide notice of this need to the employer in advance of the use of the earned sick time.
(h) It shall be unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of, or the attempt to exercise, any right provided under or in connection with this section, including, but not limited to, by using the taking of earned sick time under this section as a negative factor in any employment action such as evaluation, promotion, disciplinary action or termination, or otherwise subjecting an employee to discipline for the use of earned sick time under this section.
(i) It shall be unlawful for any employer to take any adverse action against an employee because the employee opposes practices which the employee believes to be in violation of this section, or because the employee supports the exercise of rights of another employee under this section. Exercising rights under this section shall include but not be limited to filing an action, or instituting or causing to be instituted any proceeding, under or related to this section; providing or intending to provide any information in connection with any inquiry or proceeding relating to any right provided under this section; or testifying or intending to testify in any inquiry or proceeding relating to any right provided under this section.
(j) Nothing in this section shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining earned sick time policies more generous than policies that comply with the requirements of this section and nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish or impair the obligation of an employer to comply with any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or any employment benefit program or plan in effect on the effective date of this section that provides to employees greater earned sick time rights than the rights established under this section.
(k) Employers required to provide earned paid sick time who provide their employees paid time off under a paid time off, vacation or other paid leave policy who make available an amount of paid time off sufficient to meet the accrual requirements of this section that may be used for the same purposes and under the same conditions as earned paid sick time under this section are not required by this section to provide additional earned paid sick time.
(l) The attorney general shall enforce this section, and may obtain injunctive or declaratory relief for this purpose. Violation of this section shall be subject to paragraphs (1), (2), (4), (6) and (7) of subsection (b) of section 27C and to section 150.
(m) The attorney general shall prescribe by regulation the employer’s obligation to make, keep, and preserve records pertaining to this section consistent with the requirements of section 15 of chapter 151.
(n) The attorney general may adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purpose and provisions of this section, including the manner in which an employee who does not have a health care provider shall provide certification, and the manner in which employer size shall be determined for purposes of subsection (d)(4).
(o) Notice of this section shall be prepared by the attorney general, in English and in other languages required under clause (iii) of subsection (d) of section 62A of chapter 151A. Employers shall post this notice in a conspicuous location accessible to employees in every establishment where employees with rights under this section work, and shall provide a copy to their employees. This notice shall include the following information:
(1) information describing the rights to earned sick time under this section;
(2) information about notices, documentation and any other requirements placed on employees in order to exercise their rights to earned sick time;
(3) information that describes the protections that an employee has in exercising rights under this section;
(4) the name, address, phone number, and website of the attorney general’s office where questions about the rights and responsibilities under this section can be answered; and
(5) information about filing an action under this section.
Section 148D. The executive office of health and human services, in consultation with the attorney general, shall develop and implement a multilingual outreach program to inform employees, parents, and persons who are under the care of a health care provider about the availability of earned sick time under this section. This program shall include the distribution of notices and other written materials in English and in other languages to all child care and elder care providers, domestic violence shelters, schools, hospitals, community health centers, and other health care providers.
SECTION 2. Section 150 of chapter 149 is hereby amended by inserting after the word “148B”, the following word:- , 148C.
SECTION 3. If any provision of this act or application thereof to any person or circumstance is judged invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are declared severable.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2015.

If you have not registered to vote, you can still do so up until Wednesday, October 15, 2014.
The Franklin Town Clerk's office hours are
  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8:00am-4:00pm
  • Wednesday 8:00am-6:00pm
  • Friday 8:00am-1:pm

For absentee ballots and additional information on the election visit the Town Clerk's page here http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/index
For additional information from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, visit the Elections page here   http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleidx.htm

Saturday, October 26, 2013

"people need to consider how it is going to be paid"

Representative Jeffrey Roy is putting his experience dealing with unfunded mandates to good use.
Drawing from his experience in local government, Roy has co-sponsored a bill to establish a commission to study unfunded mandates imposed on public schools. 
A section in the 1993 education bill was similar to what Roy and other sponsors want - a commission to review and evaluate all legislative requirements related to education and to make recommendations to eliminate or reduce some of the mandates. 
"No commission was ever formed since 1993," Roy said. "We are not asking you to discontinue this practice, what we are asking you to do is study the practice.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

A list of the unfunded mandates required for schools as of 2009 can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2009/03/state-education-mandates-part-1.html
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2009/03/state-education-mandates-part-2.html
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2009/03/state-education-mandates-part-3.html

The Mass Association of School Committees (MASC) document listing the unfunded mandates is now located here:
http://www.masc.org/advocacy-center/position-papers/131-getting-ready-for-a-difficult-budget-setting-process


Sunday, July 7, 2013

Rep Roy: July newsletter: What's happening in the district



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Unfunded mandate topic reaches Hill

There was a full house on hand at a recent Education Committee hearing on accountability and unfunded mandates. Over 80 Superintendents from across the state appeared to give testimony and provide support for the bills.

Among the bills was one to establish a commission to study regulations and unfunded mandates on schools, which Rep. Roy has co-sponsored. This was always a hot topic for Rep. Roy while a member of Franklin's School Committee and now he has an opportunity to address it on Beacon Hill. To view the complete text of the bill and view its progress, click here.

Briefly the bill charges the task force to (i) identify and review all existing mandates imposed on school districts by state law or regulation, including school and district reporting requirements; (ii) determine the costs of such mandates and reporting requirements to school districts; and (iii) identify opportunities to streamline, consolidate, or eliminate such mandates or reporting requirements that are duplicative or inconsistent with current laws, regulations or practices.

At the hearing, a great deal of information and testimony provided. To view some of the materials, click here

Treasurer tours new FHS

At the invitation of Rep. Roy, State Treasurer Steve Grossman joined us on a tour of the new Franklin High School in June. As the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, he was seeking an in-person view of the state's largest model school.

During the tour, we were joined by members of the Town Council, School Committee, School Building Committee, and school administrators. Treasurer Grossman was very impressed with the quality of the facility and programming that will be offered at the new FHS, and he is looking forward to returning soon.

For pictures from the tour, please click here. To view the Milford Daily News report on the visit, click here. Follow the construction of the new FHS on Facebook by clicking here.

New memorial honors Franklin soldier

There is a wonderful new memorial in Franklin thanks to the artwork of Jesse Greene and the generosity of Jody Cipriano Cabino. Last month, the memorial was unveiled at the YMCA in Franklin and Rep. Roy was honored to participate and present House citations to Jody and Jesse.

The memorial is a place of remembrance and reflection for Shayne Cabino, a Franklin soldier who answered the call of duty and served in harm's way for the sake of this country. It will also serve as a place where Y kids will start their day with the Pledge of Allegiance, to promote both civic awareness and patriotism.  

Pan Mass Challenge

On August 3-4, Rep. Roy will join thousands of cyclists in the Pan Mass Challenge in the fight against cancer. This will be Jeff's 11th ride. The PMC, which began in 1980, is the nation's oldest and most successful bicycling fundraising event and shows what the determination of each individual can do.

The event has been instrumental in helping Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's clinicians and researchers learn more about cancer and its causes, and to develop new, increasingly effective treatments for this deadly disease. Over the past 33 years, PMC cyclists have ridden to raise and contribute $375 million to cancer research.

To learn more about the ride and donate to the cause, click here.

Horace Mann leaders bring ideas to Boston

Last month, we had a great visit with leaders from Horace Mann Middle School in Franklin. They were recognized public service announcement projects they produced, focused on helping others.

They were an impressive group of 8th graders and did some inspiring work which no doubt will continue when they get to high school.

Budget sent to Governor

Rep. Roy joined his colleagues in the Legislature to enact a $34.06 billion state budget for fiscal year 2014 (FY14). The spending plan makes important investments to rebuild the Commonwealth's essential services and programs, including local aid, education, housing, public safety, and health and human services, and supports the ongoing recovery of the local economy. It is now on the Governor'[s desk for his signature.
The budget reflects the priorities of the Commonwealth and the needs of cities, towns and residents, while also maintaining the highest level of fiscal responsibility and accountability, leaving the state's rainy day fund at $1.46 billion. It makes important and thoughtful investments in many of our core services and programs in the Commonwealth, including education, care for the elderly, housing, distressed hospitals and mental health
The budget also includes a renewed focus on governmental oversight and accountability to eliminate fraud and delays and to ensure that those who need the Commonwealth's assistance receive it. 
Locally, the FY14 budget also includes a $20,000 grant for Franklin's sculpture park and $15,000 to help fund the Vietnam Moving Wall in Medway.

You can see more details about the budget by clicking here.

Medway Cheerleading Champs Honored

Medway's two time National Varsity Championship Cheerleaders were honored at the State House. They also took a tour of the building, including a trip to the Governor's office, the House Chamber, and the Senate Chamber.

"It was great to see such an engaged group of students from Medway High School," noted Rep. Roy. "We had some great discussions about what we do in the State House and had a lively conversation on pending legislation. The girls shared their thoughts about a number of bills, including ones on cheerleader safety and the recognition of cheerleading as a sport."

Congratulations to the Medway girls and we wish you luck next year.

New website features and improvements announced

Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) and House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop) announced  updates to the public website that will allow users to personalize their experience when navigating bills, committees, hearing information and connecting with legislators.

Through "MyLegislature," users can create a user-id and password to access their secure MyLegislature account. Users can identify specific bills, hearings, committees and legislators that they are interested in following and their personalized homepage will display each selection. Any hearings scheduled for their selected committees will automatically be included in their MyLegislature hearing list. In addition, users can further personalize MyLegislature by identifying any accessibility needs.
The updated website also includes an easy-to-use format to connect with legislators. The public website can be found at www.malegislature.gov.

July office hours

Rep. Roy announced that constituent office hours for the month of July will be held on the following days:

Franklin – Saturday, July 20th, 10:00-11:00AM,
Franklin Public Library – 18 Main Street Franklin, MA

Medway – Saturday, July 27th, 10:00-11:00AM,
Gaetano's Bakery – 74 Main Street Medway, MA

All office hours are open to anyone with questions or concerns that they wish to bring to his attention.  Walk-ins are welcome and no appointments are necessary. 
He also invites all constituents to call him at his State House office at (617) 722-2400, stop by Room 134 in the State House, or email him by clicking here.

Copyright © 2013 State Rep Jeff Roy, All rights reserved.
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Saturday, June 29, 2013

"reduce the mountainous regulatory obligations"

It's about time! The Milford Daily News reports on a new proposal to address the unfunded mandates that school districts are forced to implement. The focus of the article is on Framingham and doesn't reference Franklin. However, this has long been a complaint of the School Committee and district officials here so I am sure that Franklin will be following this closely.
"We need relief," said Framingham School Committee Chairwoman Beverly Hugo, who wrote the original draft and testified at Thursday's public hearing. "Some of these (mandates) are redundant or duplicative." 
While some of the requirements - which in recent years have been introduced to address bullying, teacher evaluations, and school nutrition, among other issues - may be necessary to some degree, she added, "there's no analysis that shows whether these reports (submitted by schools) improve student achievement or services to children in the classroom." 
What is known, Hugo said, is the cost to districts to fill out thousands of pages of paperwork that are required by the mandates. Framingham, for instance, had to hire several vice principals in recent years to keep up with the greater workloads created by the state's new teacher evaluation system.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x853679261/Bill-takes-aim-at-unfunded-mandates-for-school-districts#ixzz2XbFTz67L



Related posts:

Earlier this month "Area school officials are concerned the mandates, including a new teacher evaluation system, additional training to educate English Language Learners (ELL) and new fingerprinting requirements, are too much, too soon."
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/06/in-news-unfunded-mandates-structurally.html
Reporting on truancy was touted in 2012
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/08/another-unfunded-mandate.html

A listing of state unfunded mandates posted in 2010
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/05/state-education-mandates-collection.html

Reporting on bullying was added in 2009
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2009/11/another-unfunded-mandate-coming-down.html


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

10th Norfolk candidates state positions

I was unable to get a good internet connection to report live from Medway High School but took my notes by hand and have transcribed them to share here.


10th Norfolk District candidate debate

Republican candidate - Richard Eustis
Democratic candidate - Jeff Roy


Co-hosted by the Republican and Democratic Town Committees of Medway at the Medway High School

The format was for both candidates to have an opening and closing statement and in between state their positions on a set of five topics; (1) Education, (2) Economic Development, (3) Local funding, (4) Tax policy and (5) the Role of government.

There are distinct differences between the two candidates as shown in their statements on each topic.

Opening Statements
Roy - provided an overview on his public service record and how he will represent everyone in the District.

Eustis - opened with a challenge to Mr Roy’s statement that MA is doing it right and went on to list the litany of corruption associated with Beacon Hill and the Democratic Party. Referenced the Forbes study that listed MA as 47th among the states as a place to do business.

1 - Education
Eustis - cares about schools, understands the need for investment in the community, recognizes that stronger schools will make the community more attractive for businesses. Doesn’t support instate tuition for illegal immigrants because the state can’t afford it. Thinks the college tuition is too high and that with 50% of the recent graduates still looking for work says that is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Roy - every child deserves a good education, invited Mr Eustis to tour the Franklin schools with him to see how well they are doing spending less in all 11 categories tracked by the state and yet a high performing district. The good schools are why businesses come here. Tri-county and Norfolk provide area students alternatives. He does not favor the Governor’s proposal on instate tuition. Thinks that we should focus on the local issues.

2 - Economic Development
Roy - wants to help businesses get back to work, with good schools businesses want to locate here. he goes on to reference three companies in Franklin two of whom relocated there and the reasons were good work force, good school system and quality of life in the community. Referenced a study by Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) http://www.aimnet.org/ that touts the progress MA has made during this recent economy has been the envy of other states and regions. Can we do better? Yes. His strategic plan on economic development covers five points: 1 - money to consumers by reducing the sales tax to 5%, 2 - helping small businesses, 3 - help public higher education, 4 - reduce the cost of doing business here, and 5 - partner with the leaders in Franklin and Medway.

Eustis - I will continue to bash Beacon Hill because their performance is unacceptable. According to the Forbes report MA is 47th among the states as a place to do business. That tax rates and regulations have scared away ⅓ of the businesses who were based here in MA. RI and NH in particular have lured companies with tax breaks and incentives. MA is not competitive. As an example,the data security protection regulation implemented goes further than the FDC requires, why is that necessary? Need to follow the examples set by our neighboring states, need to enforce immigration laws.

3 - Local Funding
Eustis - wants every dollar that goes to Beacon Hill to come back, local government should make the choice, makes local government accountable, the the towns are running on increasingly tight budgets yet there is waste, fraud and abuse with the money that leaves here. Referenced EBT card abuses, the creation of 2,000 jobs in state government where the salaries exceed $100,000, the scandal in the probation department. He closed by reiterating that he would fight for every dollar to come back.

Roy - I am a fan of Massachusetts. In a rebuttal of the Forbes study referenced, many of the same CEO’s in the survey actually live in the places that are lower ranked, CA, NY and MA. Why is that? They’ll live in the lower ranked state but not do business there? Agrees, that local aid is important. Education, parks and green spaces, senior centers, all of these things are paid for with public funds, we are not funding Republican or Democratic facilities. Stated he is opposed to illegal activities, violators need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Attempted to link the Beacon Hill challenges to an attack on former Rep Vallee and asked Mr Eustis why if he was so interested in the party abuses didn’t he do something about it? Closed with he has the experience to get local aid for Medway and to spend it appropriately in the priority areas.

4 - Tax Policy
Roy - opens with ‘nobody likes to pay taxes’, taxes fund our government operations and our budgets should reflect our values. He reiterated his desire to roll back the sales tax to 5%. Wants to collect taxes on internet based sales. MA is losing $335 million in this arena. Not collecting this tax, creates a competitive disadvantage for those brick and mortar stores. He wants to ensure no unfunded mandates come from new legislation. He wants to look at tax haven abuses. MA is doing well as it has gone three years with no new taxes or fees. He would like to see an analysis on tax credits to see that they actually return what they are supposed to.

Eustis - Opens by objecting to Mr ROy’s linking of Vallee to Beacon Hill. you know I like Rep Vallee, “don’t do that Jeff.” He then questions state government, if the CEO’s don’t rate MA higher, how are we better off? We are taxed at the highest rate in the nation. We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. Stated Mr Roy opposes the tax free weekend and can’t understand why. All you need to do is drive down an exit or two to the Wrentham Outlets to see how much of an effect it has. Reiterates the need for MA to be competitive in the region, wants to explore a tax exemption for seniors, of the 21 communities who have declared their tax rates, all 21 have increased them. People need tax relief not an increase in taxes.

5 - Role of Government
Eustis - He stated that there are two roles for government, the first is to provide the common services (public safety, education, and the safety net for those in need). If there was a second point I missed it. He did reference MA as having create the first constitution and how the US Constitution defines government. That ‘what we think (as candidates) doesn’t really matter’. His shortest statement as he surprised Mr Roy by ending without using all of his allotted time.

Roy - government is the name we give to that which we do together. Government doesn’t do everything, it does provide an opportunity. He told a story of meeting a mother of an FHS student who as a sophomore was struggling with school until he took advantage of the new Arts Academy program at FHS. Now as a junior he is excited about school and looking at where to go to college. We need to create these educational opportunities. Help those in their later years. Need to do the common things, build roads and bridges, greenspace, without being dependent for everything at Beacon Hill.

Closing Statements
Roy - gives series of thanks to those who organized this, those present, has respect for Mr Eustis, is overwhelmed by the support and endorsements he has received. Refers folks to read the letters available on his website. “Can we do better? Of course we can” We are modeling how to do it better. I will help spread the word. I will combine my experience and energy to make MA a good place to work and live. The question this election is who has the most commitment? who has the most relevant experience? who is the best qualified to represent Franklin and Medway? I have all three of these and I look for your vote on Nov 6th.

Eustis - gives series of thanks to those who organized this, those present. Reiterates that this election is about a choice. If you think MA is going in the right direction, then he is not your candidate. He didn’t talk about his local service but did serve in the Navy for four years. He did serve in other ways, his work as an attorney, never turned someone away for inability to pay, always provided service at a reduced rate and gets great satisfaction from doing so. In reference to Mr Roy’s endorsements, his mother had said; “Show me your friends and I will show you who you are.” Closed with a story of helping a lady shopping with her daughter at Market Basket, lady was challenged by shopping and trying to make ends meet with little money.We need to do better, we deserve more from our state government.

The next debate will be held on Tuesday, Oct 23 at the Horace Mann Middle School on Oak St in Franklin, MA. It will begin at 7:00 PM.


Monday, August 20, 2012

Questions for the 10th Norfolk Democratic Debate

Questions for the second round debate between the Democratic Candidates for the 10th Norfolk District. Jeff Roy and Peter Padula will face off in Medway on Tuesday at Medway High School at 7:30PM



Preparation/Campaign

What have you done or are planning to do to prepare for serving Medway in in the Legislature?

Based upon the flyer on the door, it seems like you are both walking the neighborhoods. What is one thing that going door to door does for your campaign?

How much will websites and other social media tools help your campaign?


Priorities/Issues

Two part Q: What do you see as Medway’s key issue at the State level and how do you plan to address it?

Do you  have any relationships with folks in or around the State House or in the Legislature that you can leverage when you are in office to help serve Medway? Please elaborate.

Medway and Franklin like most other MA communities are faced with Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) requirements that are underfunded. What is your position on what the Legislature can do to help?

What do you think about casinos as a source of state revenue?

There has been talk of the Legislature revising the Chap 70 funding formula. Franklin is a significant beneficiary of these funds. What would be your position on a revision of the formula?

What is your position on the State budget priorities? Should MA government focus on infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc.) or education, or??

What is your position on taxes overall? How should the business of providing government services be funded?

What is your position on usage fees? Are there cases where it makes sense to use them in lieu of a more broadly based tax?

What is your position on the governance of utilities, their service rates and performance?

The Medway library, like the Franklin Library, faces an annual budget issue. The MA Library Board of Governors is the body that provides oversight to the library systems. What is your position on what the Legislature should or should not do to help?



Franklin resident submitted questions

If elected what changes would you propose to help commuters from Medway/Franklin afford to get into Boston for work?

What are your thoughts about the MA higher education costs. Is there anything you would propose to help more students afford MA State higher education?

Local officials often complain to voters that costly state mandates tie their hands and prevent them from making common-sense fiscal policies for the town. What will you do as state rep to remove burdensome state mandates and un-tie local officials' hands?

What will be your priorities if you are selected to serve in the state legislature?

How can we make health care in Massachusetts more affordable for the commonwealth, cities, towns, businesses and individuals?

How do you feel about what Gov Patrick has done so far about containing health care costs?

My question to all is This... I think all of you are educated well, are lawyers and have held local seats on a board but what Political experience so you have that I may not know about that you feel makes you qualified to be successful at this job?

What distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Specifically, how have you served the towns of Franklin and/or Medway?  (Public service, elected office?)

What makes you the best person to go to Beacon Hill to fight for funding for our district?

What would you do to get Massachusetts off dependence on oil?



If you would like to add a question you can send me an email or use the question form here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/08/do-you-have-question-to-ask-candidates.html