Hello!

Welcome to the first edition of “Donnelly Digest,” a monthly newsletter I’ve created to keep you informed about current and developing legislation as well as activities in the District that might be of interest to you.  In each newsletter, I will discuss some of the major concerns that I am hearing from constituents and how they are being addressed on Beacon Hill.

I also encourage you to visit my website, where you will be able to find more detailed information about issues and activities, events in the district and at the State House, and a variety of helpful resources that may be of use to you as residents of the Commonwealth.

As your Senator, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions and encourage you to stay in touch with me.  I can be reached via the contact form on my website, by telephone at (617) 722-1432, or by mail at Senator Ken Donnelly, State House, Room 416A, Boston MA, 02133.

Budget and Revenue Forum

Please join me for an upcoming informational forum on June 2 to discuss the Massachusetts State Budget.  You can visit my calendar for more details on this event.

Economic News

It’s not surprising that the current economic downturn is at the forefront of all of our minds, and it is presenting the Commonwealth with unprecedented fiscal challenges. As of this writing, the state is facing a total revenue shortfall for the current fiscal year (2009) of $2.3 billion dollars and we are expecting that revenues in fiscal year 2010 will be between $4 and $4.5 billion less than our original FY09 revenue expectations.  Because revenues have continued to fall in recent months, the House budget that was passed on May 1st is likely out of balance by at least $1 billion, so the Senate budget had even less money to appropriate.  The cuts in services and programs will be across the board and very deep.  Our cities, towns, and schools will be directly affected along with programs that serve our elderly, veterans, children, and the most vulnerable in the Commonwealth.

I receive emails on a daily basis from constituents urging the Senate to restore funding for so many worthy human service programs and to protect the local aid that our cities and towns rely on for education and public safety.  As we wrestle with the enormous task of closing the budget deficit, difficult decisions will have to be made.  I believe that during economic downturns such as this, it is most critical to preserve vital safety net services that help Massachusetts residents navigate these uncertain times.  We also cannot lose sight of how essential local aid is to our cities and towns.  Saving money by laying off teachers and public safety personnel does a disservice to our communities and to our children.  We need to find new ways to fund these important programs and restore funding to our communities, but we cannot ask our hard-working taxpayers to shoulder the entire burden before we make significant reforms.  That is why I strongly agree with the Senate President’s edict of “reform before revenue,” and I am pleased that the Senate has already passed two bills this legislative session that would reform the Commonwealth’s transportation system and pension system.  Moving forward, I will do all that I can to see that cost savings and any additional revenues are achieved in a fair and equitable manner without cutting vital services, and that the sacrifice necessary to weather these turbulent times is shared by us all.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on the budget.  Please send me your ideas on how best to address the budget deficit, your priorities and your concerns.

News You Can Use

In an effort to provide you with the information to help during this time of economic uncertainty we have been researching programs that are available to the public through the stimulus package, government grants, and other funding mechanisms.  I would like to share some of that information with you.

Need help with your mortgage?

A number of constituents have approached me with questions regarding programs or services to help with mortgages.  The “Making Home Affordable” refinance and loan modification programs announced by the Obama Administration in March are two such programs.  To learn more about how they work and eligibility for these programs, we recommend that you visit www.makinghomeaffordable.gov.

If you need help navigating your mortgage options, www.makinghomeaffordable.gov also has a list of HUD-approved housing counselors in Massachusetts who are available to help you navigate your mortgage options free of charge.  Please be aware that companies advertising “mortgage foreclosure rescue” that charge a fee for counseling are part of a scam; the company will charge for a service without providing any help.  The above website has more information on these foreclosure rescue scams.

Have you been laid off and need help with health insurance?

If you have recently lost a job that offered health benefits, you may have received information about continuing your health insurance coverage through the federal law called COBRA.  What you may not know is that there is money from both Massachusetts and the federal stimulus act to help you pay your health insurance premiums if you opt to continue receiving the health insurance offered by your former employer.  This is being offered through the Premium Assistance Program, which can reimburse up to 93% of your COBRA premium when you combine both the state and federal funding.

If you do not have the option of continuing in a health plan offered by your former employer, there is also assistance available through the Division of Unemployment Assistance called the Direct Coverage Plan.  This HMO package includes office visits and screenings, wellness visits for infants and children, hospital care, treatment for mental health and substance abuse, and prescription drug coverage.

If you have questions about eligibility or the application process for these programs, please visit Health Care for All’s website, or the Division of Unemployment Assistance's website, or the U.S. Department of Labor’s website.

Additionally, you may call Health Care for All’s confidential hotline with any question about obtaining health insurance, whether you are employed or unemployed: 1-800-272-4232.

Federal Stimulus Questions and Answers

My office has received a number of inquiries regarding how the federal stimulus package is expected to help Massachusetts and its citizens.  While information regarding the specific allocation of federal funds is still forthcoming, we have put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions on our website that provides the most up to date information we have regarding the basics of the stimulus package.  We will post additional information as it becomes available.

Many of the inquiries we have received center around stimulus money available for education.  Based on estimates released by the U.S. Department of Education, Massachusetts is expected to receive nearly $1.9 billion through the federal stimulus bill (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) over the next two years to support education in the Commonwealth.  From formula-based funding to competitive grants, these funds are intended to spur reform and innovation, as well as to preserve and expand the resources available to our students and teachers. There is more information on my website.

Thank you for reading the first edition of Donnelly Digest!