What is in the Legislature's Budget Proposal

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. The Legislature's Budget Proposal Last week, the House and Senate approved a budget for FY 2013. Though the Governor may still veto parts of the proposal, this budget includes most of the provisions that will make up the final budget. There will be no revenue from new taxes in the FY 2013 budget. Instead, as MassBudget's Budget Monitor shows, Massachusetts will fill its roughly $1.3 billion budget gap through a combination of temporary revenue, cuts, and savings. This includes: $615 million in temporary revenue, $350 million of which comes from the "rainy day" fund Significant cuts and savings in Health Care, Homelessness Prevention, Early Education, and elsewhere Our Budget Monitor shows how the Legislature's budget would affect each major area of state government, from health care and education to public safety and the environment--including information on tax revenues. Read The Legislature's Budget for FY 2013 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 people, 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

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Blood donations desperately needed

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Blood donations desperately needed

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by Jessica Trufant/Daily News staff on 7/4/12

The American Red Cross has launched an emergency call for blood donations, as blood supplies are dangerously low. At the national level, the organization in June received 50,000 fewer donations than expected, and there is half the amount of blood available now than there was this time last year.

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We, the people

On this 4th of July, let's take a moment to reflect on the words that formed our government.



You may recall that the US Constitution begins

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/constitution/

What does the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts say? In the third paragraph, you'll recognize the key phrase but pay attention to the first two paragraphs!

The end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of government, is to secure the existence of the body politic, to protect it, and to furnish the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquility their natural rights, and the blessings of life: and whenever these great objects are not obtained, the people have a right to alter the government, and to take measures necessary for their safety, prosperity and happiness. 

The body politic is formed by a voluntary association of individuals: it is a social compact, by which the whole people covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people, that all shall be governed by certain laws for the common good. It is the duty of the people, therefore, in framing a constitution of government, to provide for an equitable mode of making laws, as well as for an impartial interpretation, and a faithful execution of them; that every man may, at all times, find his security in them. 

We, therefore, the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the goodness of the great Legislator of the universe, in affording us, in the course of His providence, an opportunity, deliberately and peaceably, without fraud, violence or surprise, of entering into an original, explicit, and solemn compact with each other; and of forming a new constitution of civil government, for ourselves and posterity; and devoutly imploring His direction in so interesting a design, do agree upon, ordain and establish the following Declaration of Rights, and Frame of Government, as the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/Constitution

And of course, the Franklin Charter, by which we are empowered to govern ourselves begins:

We, the people of the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts, in order to form a more perfect community, reaffirm the customary and traditional liberties of the people with respect to the conduct of our local government and take fullest advantage of the Home Rule Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth, do ordain and adopt this Home Rule Charter for our Town.

http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_TownCharter/towncharter.pdf


Parts of this was originally posted to Franklin Matters Weekly
http://franklinmattersweekly.blogspot.com/2012/05/week-ending-may-20-2012.html

and Steve's 2 Cents
http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2012/05/we-people.html

Milford-area towns get road and bridge repair funds

Among the communities listed is Franklin which is scheduled to receive $921,628.

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Milford-area towns get road and bridge repair funds

via The Milford Daily News News RSS by GateHouse Media, Inc. on 7/3/12

Some local infrastructure will soon get a facelift after Gov. Deval Patrick today announced that more than $28 million will be available for local road and bridge projects in Worcester County. The Chapter 90 funds – which are part of a $200 million transportation bond bill passed last week by the Legislature – are allocated to cities and towns using a formula based on community road miles, population and employment.

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"Real time traffic data"

If you are traveling up to NH along i93 or to the Cape, there is additional information now becoming available on current traffic conditions for those areas:

MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey today unveiled new message boards offering real time traffic information along the Interstate 93 corridor from Canton to the New Hampshire border. 

At the same time, MassDOT is also helping Cape Cod travelers by rolling out new traffic resources, including new online cameras showing road conditions on Route 6 Westbound and using message boards to share with drivers the extent of the heavy traffic leaving the Cape on Sundays.

Read more about the real-time traffic updates here
http://transportation.blog.state.ma.us/blog/2012/07/july-4-holiday-traffic.html

TED: The 100,000-student classroom

From TED Talks:

In the fall of 2011 Peter Norvig taught a class with Sebastian Thrun on artificial intelligence at Stanford attended by 175 students in situ -- and over 100,000 via an interactive webcast. He shares what he learned about teaching to a global classroom. 

Peter Norvig is a leading American computer scientist, expert on artificial intelligence and the Director of Research at Google Inc.

In the News: neighbors, finish, holiday

Neighbors to the rescue in Franklin

by Matt Tota/Daily News correspondent

Franklin family team takes on Finish at the 50

by Kathleen Sullivan/Special to the Daily News

Area towns to hold holiday bashes

by Matt Tota/Daily News staff

TED: Nikola Tesla

From TED Talks:

Combining projection mapping and a pop-up book, Marco Tempest tells the visually arresting story of Nikola Tesla -- called “the greatest geek who ever lived” -- from his triumphant invention of alternating current to his penniless last days. 

A magician and illusionist for the 21st century, Marco Tempest blends cutting-edge technology with the flair and showmanship of Houdini

Boston and the tall ships for the 4th of July

Boating Local takes a tour of Boston Harbor on Friday as some of the tall ships come in.

If you're heading into Boston, this will give you a taste of what you can see.

If you haven't planned to go, this may be enough enticement to consider it!



Franklin's 4th of July schedule is here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/06/franklin-ma-4th-of-july-schedule.html

Mass transit and parking restrictions to consider if you do venture into Boston
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/06/going-to-boston-parking-mbta-schedules.html



Tip of the hat to the Universal Hub for the link to the video
http://www.universalhub.com/2012/hello-sailors

In the News: children, Emery, OPBA, firefighters, bullying

Children have their day of celebration in Franklin

by Matt Tota/Daily News staff

Emerys’ love has lasted a lifetime in Franklin

by Matt Tota/Daily News staff

Most towns poorly prepared to pay for retirement benefits

by David Riley and Michael Morton and Laura Krantz, Daily News staff

How many fires do firefighters really fight?

by Jessica Trufant/Daily News staff

No age limit on bullying

by Laura Krantz/Daily News staff

"teacher performance and evaluations"

“Today, Massachusetts made state history when the governor signed into law legislation to put teacher effectiveness first,” Stand for Children Executive Director Jason Williams said in a statement. “This legislation, which ensures that performance comes before seniority in teacher staffing decisions, is a win for teachers, parents, children, and all of Massachusetts.” 

The bill passed the Senate last week and the House this week without recorded votes.
According to the new law, its purpose is to assure effective implementation of education evaluation systems adopted by the Board of Education, provide training for teachers and administrators in evaluation and training, and ensure that “indicators of job performance as evidenced by evaluation and other factors are the primary factors in school staff decisions.” 

The law also calls for a data collection system to assess the effectiveness of the evaluation system.

Read more: http://www.patriotledger.com/topstories/x1446667155/Governor-Patrick-signs-law-giving-teacher-reviews-more-weight#ixzz1zH6zLhIb

In the News: MBTA, MSBA

As part of the conference negotiations to bring together the state budget agreement, these pieces were approved.

MBTA bailout, road and bridge money approved

by Michael Norton

With the high school project going to bid, it probably is too early to qualify for this listing.

Four school districts receive early construction reimbursements

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Boston Globe shows a Franklin page

Yes, there is a "Your Town" Franklin page! A recent conversation with Globe Regional Editor David K Dahl, revealed the news and he followed up with a link.

You can view the new page here: http://yourtown.boston.com/franklin

It will aggregate information as published by the Globe and other identified sources (yes, this site is one of them!).

"bring back some life to the downtown area"

The Milford Daily News reported on the public hearing held Thursday evening writing in part:

Final designs will be revealed in January, with construction slated to begin in the summer. With work on the new high school also planned for 2013, the town will be facing two huge construction projects in the same year. 

Construction on the downtown project will mark the start of phase two of the more than $7 million effort. The work is the culmination of almost 10 years of planning, including numerous public hearings and constant dialogue among the town, its engineers and MassDOT. 

Funded through the Public Works Economic Development Program (PWED), the first part of the project, completed last year, entailed improvements around Dean Avenue and cost $1 million. 

Phase two construction, paid for with a $5 million federal grant as well as roughly $1 million in state and local money, consists largely of revamping the roadway and sidewalks and improving lighting (replacing the current cobra-head fixtures with period style lighting).

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x345284912/Latest-designs-for-Franklin-downtown-project-revealed#ixzz1zAsB8WhL

The full set of notes taken live during the meeting can be found here:
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/06/live-reporting-public-hearing-downtown.html

In the News: 4th, tax bills, fireworks

Franklin celebrates July 4 with annual festival

by Heather McCarron/STAFF WRITER

First quarter tax bills mailed to Franklin residents

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin Fire reminds residents that fireworks are illegal

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Franklin July 4 Parade Route

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

The schedule for the 4th of July activities in Franklin can be found here

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/06/franklin-ma-4th-of-july-schedule.html