MassBudget: Summary of the Governor's vetoes to the FY 2019 budget

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. July 27, 2018 Summary of the Governor's vetoes to the FY 2019 budget Yesterday the Governor signed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 state budget, setting spending levels (subject to override) for education, local aid, transportation, environmental protection, supports for lower-income working families, access to health care, and everything else we do through government. The Governor approved approximately 99.9 percent of the Legislature's budget proposals, making $48.9 million in vetoes. The Governor also proposed amendments to 12 of the 110 outside sections in the budget. Outside sections are legislation included in the budget. Often they amend laws that relate to expenditures in the budget. When the Governor proposes an amendment to an outside section the provision is returned to the Legislature. The provision then does not become law unless it is re-enacted by the Legislature (with or without amendment) and not vetoed by the Governor, or a veto is overridden. The paragraphs below describe many of the Governor's vetoes and proposed amendments. The charts at the end of this email provide a complete summary of the vetoes and total spending levels by category after accounting for vetoes. For a full description of the budget line items that had been resolved by the Conference Committee, see our recent Budget Monitor. EDUCATION The Governor vetoed $200,000 from Assessment Consortium, a program that supports the development of alternative assessments of student educational performance, including measures beyond standardized tests. ENVIRONMENT and RECREATION In parks and recreation, the Governor vetoed $4.2 million of funding to various Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) programs. Of this, $3.9 million was for the new DCR Special Projects account, which the Legislature's budget created. This includes funding for parks and recreation project around the state. HEALTH CARE The Governor vetoed $11.8 million of a $14.8 million earmark intended for supplemental payments to increase the rates paid to specific hospitals to support their increased costs for specialized pediatric care. The Governor leaves $3.0 million earmarked for any pediatric specialty unit. The Governor also eliminates $1.0 million for the development of a regional hospital system Western Massachusetts and $4.0 million to increase rates for adult day health and adult foster care programs. The Governor also proposes changing an extension of a manufacturer's drug rebate program from two years as in the Legislature's budget to one year, and proposes language that the Health Policy Commission analyze its effectiveness. HUMAN SERVICES In transitional assistance, the Governor proposed an amendment to provisions the Legislature included in the budget to remove a restriction that bars families from receiving Department of Transitional (DTA) benefits for a child conceived while the family was receiving public assistance. In his amendment, the Governor proposes language to count adult social security income when determining eligibility and benefit levels for Transitional Aid for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC). This new criterion could result in benefit cuts for almost 7,000 children. INFRASTRUCURE, HOUSING and ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Governor vetoed $10.0 million from economic development accounts. Of this, he vetoed $2.1 million from the Legislature's Massachusetts Cultural Council proposal and $6.9 million from local economic development programs. The Governor also vetoed $50,000 in funding to reinstate the Massachusetts Office of Employee Involvement and Ownership. In housing, the Governor vetoed $110,000 in proposed funding for the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Administration account. He also struck line item language that would have required DHCD to staff and maintain 10 offices around the state to accept in-person applications for the Emergency Assistance shelter Program. Instead of the pilot program proposed by the Legislature to experiment with reducing traffic congestion by providing toll discounts to drivers traveling at off-peak hours, the Governor proposes a study of ways to reduce traffic congestion. The Governor proposed an amendment to the requirement for a new Massachusetts Department of Transportation study of how the MBTA currently sets commuter rail fares to inform future fare-setting policy so that the study of using variable pricing based on time of day also examine how options would affect fare revenue. The Governor would also delay release of the report a year to make use of newly available data. The Governor vetoed $817,000 in funding for the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund (MTTF) by eliminating virtually all spending targeted to specific local transportation projects. LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY The Governor vetoed $7.5 million from the Legislature's FY 2019 for law and public safety accounts. Of this amount, the Governor vetoed $2.5 million from the Legislature's Community Based Re-entry Programs proposal, aimed at reducing recidivism. Another $3.1 million of the Governor's vetoes were from local public safety agencies. LOCAL AID The Governor vetoed $1.3 million from the Municipal Regionalization and Efficiencies Incentive Reserve by eliminating funding for targeted local projects. REVENUE The Governor proposed an amendment to the Legislature's structure for a process to examine, evaluate, and report on the administration, effectiveness, and fiscal impact of tax expenditures. The Legislature had located this function in the Department of Revenue and the Governor's proposed amendment would instead create a new standing commission for this purpose. The Governor proposes transferring up to $10 million in consolidated net surplus, if such a surplus exists at the end of the budget year, to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Investment Fund. This is in addition to the similar $10 million transfer of consolidated net surplus to the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund proposed by the Legislature. For a full description of the budget line items that had been resolved by the Conference Committee, see our recent Budget Monitor.  The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, 15 Court Square, Suite 700, Boston, MA 02108 Sent by nberger@massbudget.org in collaboration with Try it free today

Norfolk County Registry of Deeds: Register O'Donnell Promotes Registry's Social Media

	Norfolk County Registry of Deeds
	Register O'Donnell Promotes Registry's Social Media Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell today reiterated the importance he places on the Registry's use of social media platforms to communicate directly with the citizens of Norfolk County. O'Donnell noted, "A core mission here at the Registry of Deeds is to make important information readily available on a 24/7 basis. After all, just because our doors close at the end of the business day doesn't mean the Registry has to stop working for you. For example, our website www.norfolkdeeds.org lets people review scanned images of over 6 million land documents dating back to 1793, as well as to learn about our latest consumer protection programs. I also want people to note that Registry information is available not just from using their workstations or laptops, but also from their smartphones or tablets." The Register also noted that you can print out an application of the popular Homestead Act. A Homestead provides a homeowner with limited protection against the forced sale of their primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000. Norfolk County residents can also sign-up on-line for its free Consumer Notification Service. This program will alert a person anytime a land document has been recorded against their name in Norfolk County. Additionally, there is valuable county real estate information that can be researched and tracked based on the monthly and quarterly real estate statistical reports, such as the number of residential and commercial properties sold and average prices of property sold, and much, much more. Besides the Registry website, other forms of social media utilized by the Registry of Deeds include Facebook, facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds, Twitter, twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds, and Instagram. "The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds," noted O'Donnell, "has utilized Facebook and Twitter extensively to provide information to the public. We are also utilizing Instagram which will capture the demographics of younger property owners and real estate professionals. We are optimistic that homeowners, and in particular first-time home buyers, will use these social media platforms. They can learn more about home ownership and other consumer initiatives like protecting themselves against Deed Scam rip-offs, along with other outreach services, including learning about Registry office hours in their community." The Registry has also filmed multiple public service announcements (PSA's) which are available on the Registry's website and YouTube. These PSA's have touched on a variety of issues such as assistance for residents who have received a Notice to Foreclose Mortgage from a lender. Videos highlighting the Registry's various philanthropic initiatives, such as its Annual Holiday Food Drive and its Suits for Success program, which helps people who are attempting to re-enter the workforce, can also be viewed. Concluding, Register O'Donnell stated, "My office recognizes the value of using social media platforms to forward important information to Norfolk County residents. If you have questions related to real property, I urge you to take a look at our social media offerings." To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds. The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street, Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry's website at www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org. Register William P. O'Donnell Norfolk County Registry of Deeds email: registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org phone: 781-234-3336 web: http://www.norfolkdeeds.org

Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, 649 High Street, Dedham,, MA 02026-1831 Sent by registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org in collaboration with Try it free today Register O'Donnell Announces 36,000th Book Printed at Registry

“They’re just looking for you to react to the email"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Local residents are experiencing an old email scam with a new twist: Sextortion scammers appear to be hacking into breached databases and using old passwords for leverage over their victims. 

Scammers claim to have videos of their intended victims on their laptops while they watch pornography on the internet. They threaten that if a certain amount of money isn’t paid, they will send those videos to everyone in their target’s address book. The password trick is just an additional ploy. 

Kevin Morton, owner of Franklin computer repair shop Nerds-To-Go, was working on a sextortion case when contacted on Thursday afternoon. He said scammers are usually all bark and no bite, but he has seen a higher volume of these calls for help coming from the Milford and MetroWest areas in the past few weeks.

“To fix it, just simply delete the email and change the password,” Morton said. “It’s not really necessary to get a new email address.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180729/sextortion-scam-hits-franklin-over-past-week

Regular readers will recognize that I share info from the FTC on scam alerts that they post. Being vigilant these days is required. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Several of these alerts can be found in the archives
http://www.franklinmatters.org/search?q=FTC%2C+alert

21 riders from Franklin in the PMC

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"On Aug. 4-5, 21 riders from Franklin will cycle up to 192 miles in the Pan-Mass Challenge with the goal of raising $52 million for critical cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 

Franklin residents participating are Jeffrey Alers, Justin Andrews, Robert Balducci, Jack Basile, Ted Basile, Mark Berthiaume, Gary Borchard, Tim Brightman, Allen Caswell, Steven Cohn, Kevin Collins, Lisa Cronin, William Cupelo, Brett Edmunds, Kenneth Fausnacht, Mark Greco, Colleen Healey, Rachel Kirchner, Gerard Koelsch, Jeff Lannon, Lauren Lannon, Scott Larosa, Joseph Lazarek, John Manning, Mark McAuliffe, Joannie McLean, Dylan Metcalf, Paul Metcalf, Martin Middelmann, Lee Mulligan, Steve Nelson, Jeff Nutting, Michele Pearl, John Peters, Jeffrey Roy, Joanne Schaefer, Ray Scharlacken, Gary Schneider, Jeanne Scoba, Karen Shaw, Hunter Smith, Chris Sullivan, Richard Walsh and Heidi Winiker."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://franklin.wickedlocal.com/news/20180727/strongfranklin-residents-to-participate-in-pan-mass-challengestrong

PMC.org/

Related post on the PMC riding through Franklin
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/07/panmass-challenge-rides-through.html

the riders arrive at Remington-Jefferson in Aug 2013

Franklin Almanac - Episode 3 (video) - from the archives

Re-posting the Franklin Almanac - Episode 3 (video) from the archives in early 2017.


Franklin Almanac, the compendium of life in Franklin. If you missed the broadcast via cable, you can catch up to Episode 3 via the YouTube link. Polikseni Manxhari hosts segments on

• Horace Mann Educational Associates (HMEA)
• Franklin AAA office offers RMV services to members
• the Franklin Chapter of Neighbor Brigade
• Franklin's new WFPR 102.9 FM

Find out more about each of the organizations featured in this episode

• Horace Mann Educational Associates (HMEA)  https://hmea.org/
• Franklin AAA office offers RMV services to members   https://www.southernnewengland.aaa.com/branches/franklin-branch-office
• the Franklin Chapter of Neighbor Brigade  https://app.betterimpact.com/PublicOrganization/d344e590-7541-488a-8594-34b5f451db96/1
• Franklin's new WFPR 102.9 FM  http://www.franklin.tv/

Polikseni Manxhari hosts Franklin Almanac Episode 3

SOAR rocks BBC Franklin - Aug 2

Join SOAR for food, beverage and great classic rock music as they return to the British Beer Company for a rockin' good time!

SOAR rocks BBC Franklin - Aug 2

Follow the event on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/events/432628133872484/

Episode 2 of the Franklin Almanac (YouTube) from the archives

A re-post of Episode 2 of the Franklin Almanac from the archives in 2017.


Polikseni Manxhari covers four stories in the new episode of Franklin Almanac now available from Franklin TV. Broadcast on Franklin cable channel at noon and 7:00 PM. You can also view the show via YouTube.

• Make Change for Change
• The 40% Club at Franklin High School
• Milford new radio station MyFM 101.3
• The story behind the new video for Jamie Barrett's song "The City called the Town of Franklin" produced by Chris Flynn

Jaime Barrett

MassCEC's HeatSmart Mass Program Overview - via webinar Aug 1

Access webinar recording and slides

HeatSmart Mass Technology and Program Overview Webinar MassCEC is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, August 1st 3:30 - 5:00 PM, to provide an overview of the HeatSmart-eligible heating technologies and the HeatSmart Mass program, as well as to answer questions about the recent HeatSmart RFP. HeatSmart Mass is a community-based outreach and education program that encourages the adoption of clean heating and cooling technologies, including air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps, modern wood heat, and solar hot water. Webinar Details: When: August 1, 2018, 3:30 - 5:00 PM Presenters: Josh Kessler, Lisa Dobbs, and Jonah Ury from MassCEC All inquiries related to HeatSmart Mass should be submitted by email to HeatSmartMass@masscec.com. Best, The HeatSmart Mass Team  Click here to register for the webinar https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4302753329880930050?mc_cid=648460a536&mc_eid=952cc7b7a1 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center   Grow the state's clean energy industry while helping to meet the Commonwealth's clean energy and climate goals. Copyright © 2018 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 63 Franklin Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02110 Phone: 617-315-9300 Fax: 617-315-9356

"So we have the remembering self and the experiencing self, and they're really quite distinct"

"Using examples from vacations to colonoscopies, Nobel laureate and founder of behavioral economics Daniel Kahneman reveals how our "experiencing selves" and our "remembering selves" perceive happiness differently. This new insight has profound implications for economics, public policy -- and our own self-awareness."

https://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_kahneman_the_riddle_of_experience_vs_memory

Upcoming Events in Franklin, MA: FRI 7/27/18 - THU 8/2/18

FRIDAY 7/27/18

9:30am   Family Yoga @ Franklin Public Library

10am-12pm   Knitting Group @ Franklin Public Library
11:30am   Lunch Special and Comedy Film @ Franklin Senior Center

12-6pm   Farmers Market @ Town Common

12:30pm   Farmer’s Market Rocks (decorate kindness rocks) @ Town Common

8pm   Black Box Jazz: Kenny Hadley Big Band @ The Black Box

SATURDAY 7/28/18

10am-1pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open

10:30am   Animal World Experience @ Franklin Public Library

2pm   Chess Group @ Franklin Public Library

SUNDAY 7/29/18

8am   FREE Yoga at the Beach @ Chilson Beach, Beaver Pond  

1-4pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open

7pm   OCC Concert (note the venue): The Brothers Four @ Orpheum Theatre, Foxborough

MONDAY 7/30/18

7:45am   Franklin Police Association 3rd Annual Golf Tournament @ Franklin Country Club

10:30am   Move Along @ Franklin Public Library

1pm   Garden Storytime @ Franklin Public Library

3pm   Memory Cafe @ Franklin Senior Center

TUESDAY 7/31/18

All Day   Drop In Craft @ Franklin Public Library

1pm   Harry Potter Party @ Franklin Public Library

WEDNESDAY 8/1/18

All Day   Minuteman Network Library Crawl/Scavenger Hunt @ Franklin Public Library (and participating libraries)

1pm   Book Tasting Event @ Franklin Public Library

6pm   Concert on the Common: DJ Mike Rutkowski @ Franklin Town Common
6pm Movie Night @ Franklin Public Library

6:30pm   Friends of the Library Meeting @ Franklin Public Library

THURSDAY 8/2/18

9:30am   Baby Tummy Time @ Franklin Public Library

10:30am   Pre-K Story and Craft @ Franklin Public Library

5-8pm   Franklin Historical Museum Open

7pm   Healing Hearts Community Support Group @ Franklin YMCA

For the Town of Franklin Public Calendar click HERE.

For all other events and Franklin happenings click HERE.

*To submit an event for the Community Calendar, please use this FORM

MBTA: Notice: T-Alerts Account Transition

Dear T-Alerts Subscriber,

We recently rebuilt our T-Alerts system from the ground up to make it easier to sign up for alerts relevant to your trips.

And, after a testing phase, we're ready to roll it out to everyone. As part of this process, we need to turn off the old T-Alerts system at the end of August—which means you'll stop receiving any alerts you signed up for with this system.

To continue receiving service alerts, you will need to sign up for T-Alerts Beta.

Learn more about T-Alerts Beta  https://mbta.com/about-t-alerts-beta

Sign up for T-Alerts Beta   https://beta.alerts.mbta.com/?utm_source=govdelivery&utm_campaign=email

If you've already signed up for T-Alerts Beta, that's great!  You don't need to do anything else right now.

Note: Signing up for a T-Alerts Beta will not automatically delete your previous T-Alerts account. To prevent duplicate alert notices, you may want to delete your account now.

Sent by the MBTA.

---

MBTA: Notice: T-Alerts Account Transition

Episode 1 of the Franklin Almanac (YouTube) from the archives

A re-post of the first episode of the Franklin Almanac originally posted Jan 23, 2017. Polikseni has moved on to a regular weekend position with a TV station in Vermont.

If you missed the first episode of the newly developed Franklin TV program, Franklin Almanac, you can now view it via YouTube.

Franklin Almanac Episode One with Host Polikseni Manxhari: https://t.co/8a33t01W9Z via @YouTube

— Polikseni Manxhari (@realpolikseni) January 22, 2017

At about 14:00 minutes, I sit with Polikseni to tell her the Franklin Matters story.

http://franklin.tv/

Why you should be news literate!

"Today, information moves around us in many forms, every hour of every day. Even if we do not seek out news on our own, we often receive it anyway, instantly, on our phones. 

So how can we manage this mountain of information so that fake news does not mislead us? 

We believe this requires news literacy. News literacy is the ability to use critical thinking skills to judge news reports. Are they credible? Can you rely on the reports to be true?"

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/news-litaracy-introduction-news-through-time/4387984.html

Several Franklin Youth Baseball teams play for Hockomock championship games

Franklin Youth Baseball Organization posted to Facebook:

Hockomock championship games were rescheduled for Friday night! Go watch these Franklin teams battle it out for the Hock title! Best of luck boys! 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

13u American at Fletcher 5:30 pm
13u National at Franklin High 5:30 pm
12u National at Easton 5:30 pm
11u National at Easton 5:30 pm
10u National at Easton 5:30 pm

*Easton games are played at Militia Park

https://www.facebook.com/franklinyouthbaseballorganization/posts/2259381560758495

Several Franklin Youth Baseball teams play for Hockomock championship games

Encore Music Academy’s “EnHarmonix” Recording Ensemble to Perform the National Anthem at the Pawtucket Red Sox

Local music school, Encore Music Academy and Recording Studios, will be heading to Rhode Island with their very own recording ensemble, the Encore EnHarmonix, to perform the national anthem this Saturday, July 28th, at McCoy Stadium for the 6:15 Pawtucket Red Sox baseball game!

Encore EnHarmonix

The local Franklin group, comprised of students ages 8 to 18, will be performing as part of a fundraiser for the Encore Music Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that raises money for scholarships and subsidies for students and programs of music everywhere.

50% of all ticket sales will go directly toward EMEF’s mission, if you simply sign onto www.ticketreturn.com with the username EMEF and password "pawsox", to purchase your tickets!

Saturday’s game will include fireworks, and with your purchase of each $10 ticket, you will also receive a $2 concessions voucher when you use the link and login information above. Grab your tickets today to support a good cause, and have a great summer evening out for the whole family!

To learn more about Encore Music Education Foundation, Inc., please visit: www.wesupportmusic.org

Encore Music Education Foundation, Inc