Hello,

Welcome to the October edition of “The Donnelly Digest.” It has certainly been a very busy first eight months for me in the Massachusetts State Senate. In this newsletter, I will summarize the major accomplishments and challenges of the year so far, as well as look ahead to the issues that will likely dominate the fall season here on Beacon Hill.

I want to take a moment to pay tribute to Senator Kennedy, who tirelessly dedicated nearly 47 years of his life representing the Commonwealth in the United States Senate. His support of working families was unwavering, his understanding of the issues was deep, and his compassion was apparent in every decision he made.

On a personal note, as many of you know, I underwent surgery for prostate cancer in August. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in the United States, affecting one in six men. My surgery was successful and my prognosis is excellent, due in large part to early detection as part of my yearly checkup. If detected early, nearly 100 percent of all cases are cured after five years. I want to thank my constituents for their overwhelming support and well wishes, and I urge all men over 50 to take the time to be screened as part of their yearly checkups.

As always, 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.

In the District

Double Poles

On September 9th, I testified before the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy about a bill I filed, An Act Relative to the Failure to Remove Existing Poles.

This bill addresses the problem of telephone companies’ widespread practice of leaving old, unused telephone poles up after installing a replacement pole. This practice creates a public safety problem as the old poles deteriorate and fall down, and it also creates an eyesore. Telephone and distribution companies are already required by law to remove the old poles within a certain amount of time, but there is no penalty for noncompliance. This bill would add a stiff penalty, payable to the town, for failure to remove the duplicate pole within the specified time frame. I will continue to work on getting this bill passed.

Boston Street Bridge in Woburn

On June 19th, I joined Lt. Governor Tim Murray and State Representative Jim Dwyer in Woburn to tour the site where the new Boston Street Bridge will be built. This bridge will play an important role in stimulating economic development in the area and diverting traffic from busy neighborhoods. Congressman Edward Markey has sought funding from the federal government for the design stage of the project.

Joint Committee on Revenue Listening Tour Stop - Cambridge

On Thursday, November 5th, the Joint Committee on Revenue will be holding an event in Cambridge as part of a six-stop listening tour to encourage public conversation about possible revenue reform measures. The session will begin with a brief snapshot of the Commonwealth's current revenue structure and focus on citizens’ remarks on taxes and/or new ideas about how Massachusetts ought to be raising revenue. This event will be held from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government - JFK Jr. Forum. Please do not hesitate to call our office for more information.

Office Hours

Each month I visit the local Councils on Aging in the district to meet with constituents. No appointment is necessary, and I hope that you will drop by to share with me any thoughts or concerns you might have. To see when I will be visiting your town or city, please click here.

Recap of Legislative Session

While the downturn in the general economy seems to be leveling off, states are still seeing drops in revenues and increases in unemployment. Although Massachusetts has weathered the downturn better than other states, we are not immune to its effects. Revenues continue to fall below FY09 levels and further cuts may be needed this fall. Hopefully, we will remember the experience of having to make such drastic cuts as we craft future economic and revenue policies. To read more detailed information regarding the FY10 budget, please click here.

In addition to the budget, the Legislature passed three major pieces of reform legislation that have all been signed into law by the Governor – (1) pension reform, (2) ethics reform, and (3) transportation reform. I believe that these reforms are important first steps in restoring the public’s trust in state government.

Current and Upcoming Issues

Interim U.S. Senator

On Tuesday, September 22nd, I voted in favor of legislation that successfully authorized the Governor to appoint an interim U.S. Senator to represent Massachusetts until the special election is held on January 19th to fill the seat long held by Senator Kennedy. The Governor has appointed Paul Kirk to fill the seat for the next 4 months. Not only will the interim appointment ensure equal representation for Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate at a critical time, but it will also keep one of the best staffs in Washington and Boston working for our residents.

Education

As Senate Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Education, I am working hard with the Chairs of the Committee, the Governor’s administration, and education stakeholders as major pieces of legislation are considered this fall. On September 17th, the Committee heard two of the Governor’s education bills – the Readiness Schools bill and the Charter School “Smart Cap” bill – which are intended to address the achievement gap and access some of the competitive federal “Race to the Top” funds that could provide hundreds of millions of additional dollars to Massachusetts over the next three years. More information about these bills can be found on the Governor’s website.

The discussions regarding these bills provide us with a real and important opportunity to debate policies that will provide quality education for all the Commonwealth’s children. I hope to receive constructive feedback, especially from teachers, whose involvement is essential to the reform effort. While enacting meaningful reform is never easy, I am hopeful that we can pass effective legislation that will improve and strengthen the Commonwealth’s education system.

Pandemic Response

I have received a number of phone calls and emails from people who are concerned that the Department of Public Health (DPH) will require mandatory vaccination against the H1N1 virus. To be clear, this is NOT the case. There is no authorization for mandatory vaccination. Additionally, there is no legislation that would require vaccination. Senate bill 2028, which has been referenced in the press, does not mandate vaccination of any kind. If you wish to learn more about this legislation, I urge you to read a fact sheet on S. 2028 written by the bill’s sponsor. The bill is now before the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

For the most up-to-date, accurate information regarding H1N1and the Commonwealth’s response, please visit the Department of Public Health’s website.

Upcoming Issues

In addition to the issues described above, the Legislature is expected to begin a second round of pension reform. The Special Commission to Study the Massachusetts Contributory Retirement System, a commission on which I serve, submitted to the Legislature on September 1st a series of pension reform proposals under consideration. The Commission expects to release a final set of proposals once a cost analysis is complete. We expect the Legislature will use these items to develop additional pension reform legislation.

News You Can Use

On September 4th, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development launched an effort to notify residents who have suffered longtime unemployment about state resources and safety nets designed to help them during these difficult economic times.  Despite the Legislature’s success in preventing approximately 85,000 claimants from losing their unemployment benefits last July, it is estimated that 21,000 residents will ultimately exhaust their benefits by Thanksgiving.  The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the Division of Unemployment Assistance are working now to compile information and gather resources for the residents who may be losing benefits in the future.  For more information, click here.