Franklin Matters

Thursday, January 19, 2012

MassBudget's FY13 Budget Preview

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Budget Preview, FY 2013

Looking ahead to the fiscal challenges the Commonwealth faces in FY 2013, our Preview shows that the budget deficit will be well over $1 billion. That shortfall can be traced to three things:

Tax Revenues have fallen sharply. Not just because of the Great Recession--which has reduced revenues since 2008--but also because of tax cuts and other declines in tax receipts over the last twenty years which are costing the state over $3 billion in annual revenue.
The cost of government programs has grown. Overall inflation and health care cost growth both increase government spending. As does the current economic downturn--because more people rely on our social safety net.
We have to address a $550 million deficit carried over from FY 2012. A series of temporary measures helped to fill the gap in this year's budget. As we move into FY13, that gap will return.

Our Preview evaluates each of these factors in greater detail. And it paints a very stark picture of the difficult choices ahead.

Read The FY13 Budget Preview

MassBudget provides independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies--with particular attention to the effects on low- and moderate-income people.

Forward email

This email was sent to shersteve@gmail.com by nberger@massbudget.org |

Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

STOP SOPA

To support the STOP SOPA Blackout being conducted today, this will be the only post created here:

I have included the link to wikipedia but they are one of the sites reported to be going offline so you may not view this link today.

If you like what I do here, sharing information about what matters in Franklin, MA - then please find out more about SOPA and PIPA.

What would happen if this site got shut down?

Google has a page with information and petition to sign here
https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the video.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Wadsworth Diary - Jan 17, 1892

Very pleasant & cold morn, but warmer day. Done the chores. Baked beans, cooked rice, cranberry sauce & c. E. Simonds.

In the 1850s, on a busy working farm in the southern part of Franklin, a man named George Wadsworth started writing in a journal about everyday events. When he filled that journal, he bought another, and filled that up too. Two dozen journals, and 27 years later, he had written about almost everything that can happen in a small New England town. His words were lost to history until 1986, when town resident Gail Lembo came across some of the journals at a yard sale.

From the Franklin Historical Museum website
http://www.franklinhistoricalmuseum.com/p/wadsworth-diaries_30.html

Would you like to dream?

Spend a few minutes (about 20 actually) to view this video and see the story of three young women and their exploration of science played out.

In 2011, three young women swept the top prizes of the first Google Science Fair. At TEDxWomen Lauren Hodge, Shree Bose and Naomi Shah described their extraordinary projects-- and their route to a passion for science.

They all were driven by passion and determination. They all succeeded despite lots of rejections.

Creation of a Citizen Committee

On the Town Council agenda for Weds Jan 18, 2012 is this RESOLUTION 12-04:

WHEREAS, the Town Council continues to explore ways of making improvements to our community; and

WHEREAS, the Town Council would like participation by the citizens to provide valuable input.

Now therefore, be it resolved by the Franklin Town Council that a Citizen Committee is established. Said committee shall consist of 5 to 9 members to be appointed by the Town Council. Said committee shall make recommendations to the Town council on how to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Franklin in areas including but not limited to enhancing citizen participation, aesthetics of the community, and business development, and other recommendations that the Council deems appropriate. Said committee shall make its recommendations by December, 2012. This Resolution shall become effective according to the rules and regulations of the Town of Franklin Home Rule Charter.

Would you be interested?

Sounds like it would be a short-term commitment (complete the work by Dec 2012).

"I just don’t see that as a reality"

... Carriera wonders how she will get to work if potential cuts that would eliminate commuter rail service on weekends and after 10 p.m. during the week come to fruition.

“I can’t imagine not having this,” the 26-year-old Franklin resident said yesterday as she waited for a train at the Dean College station. “I don’t know what I would do.”

Needing to close a $161 million gap in next year’s budget, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority released two scenarios that would see fares rise by 35 to 43 percent and include service cuts on rail lines, buses and ferries.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x873521975/MBTA-considering-fare-hikes-service-cuts#ixzz1ji8n5P9n

The MBTA has published their full listing of public meetings on the proposed fare increase. The MDN article doesn't include that link but it is available here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/01/mbta-fares-service-public-meetings-set.html

“I’d like to raise awareness"

“It’s very scary, very alarming to people,” Dr. Sara Gray said, Pursuit’s veterinarian at Franklin Veterinary Clinic. About a dozen animals at the clinic are medicated for seizures, she added. “I think it’s just the scariness of watching their animals go through seizures like that.”

Both Gray and McLean have seen dog owners decide to euthanize their epileptic dogs, before getting the combination of diet and medication right.

“It’s a very overwhelming disease,” McLean said. She gestured toward her computer, where she found a support network online of other dog owners dealing with the same issue. “Honestly, every week someone is putting their dog to sleep.”