'Hitting the ground running,' Rep. Madaro Files $300,000 in Budget Amendments for East Boston

(East Boston, April 21, 2015)  - State Representative Adrian Madaro filed three crucial budget amendments during his first full week in office. The amendments dedicate nearly $300,000 to East Boston to improve public safety at Constitution Beach, increase resources to address substance abuse in East Boston, and supports Project Bread’s local farming initiative.

The House Budget process is one of the most important opportunities for a State Representative to prioritize funding for his community. Despite being in office for only a week, Representative Madaro capitalized on his years of experience as Chief of Staff to former Representative Carlo Basile to hit the ground running.

“The East Boston Neighborhood Health Center has a 24/7 ER, but has no substance abuse counselors during the nights and weekends” said Representative Madaro.  “The $150k that I included in my budget amendment would enable the Health Center to hire substance abuse counseling during these times when they experience the highest volume of people seeking substance abuse treatment/services.”       

Representative Madaro also proposed $120,000 to support Project Bread and the Massachusetts Farm to School Project, which takes locally grown fruits and vegetables and distributes them to low income families in East Boston and beyond.

Another amendment dedicates $25,000 for State Police to patrol Constitution Beach.

Myers to Launch Campaign for State Rep on Thursday 6/26; Pledges to ‘Put Community First’

(EAST BOSTON June 23, 2014) - Committing to work tirelessly at the State House so that every East Boston resident has the opportunity to work, live, raise a family and be successful, Celeste Ribeiro Myers this week officially launches her campaign for State Representative in Suffolk County’s First District. Myers, a lifelong East Boston resident and former co-chair of No Eastie Casino, a group she founded, says she believes the neighborhood’s best days are ahead of it.

“I love this community, and I am running to make sure it remains a place for young families to settle, a gateway for newcomers to this country, and a thriving district for entrepreneurs that is the envy of other Boston neighborhoods,” she says. “Too often, big business – be it an airport, an oil company, a luxury developer or, yes, a casino – have tried to dictate the direction this neighborhood is going. I believe the people know best how East Boston is to grow and prosper.”

Promising to run an energetic campaign in which she shares with voters her ideas for healthy neighborhood development, more efficient transportation, and an economically thriving, environmentally responsible East Boston, Myers will lay out her more comprehensive platform at a campaign kickoff event Thursday, June 26, from 6-8 p.m., at the Zumix Firehouse, 260 Sumner Street in East Boston.

Myers is known for leading the ballot question campaign group No Eastie Casino, which last year successfully defeated a proposal to site a casino at Suffolk Downs in East Boston. (Her opponent, incumbent Carlo Basile, opposed an area casino as a candidate in 2007 but vigorously supported casino plans in the run-up to the vote.) As Suffolk Downs continued to push a so-called “Revere-only” casino in the days and months following the November vote, Myers regularly appeared before the Massachusetts Gaming Commission as a representative of the more than 4,000 residents who voted “no” and continues to push toward repealing the law.

But long before the casino issue reared its head, Myers was active in the East Boston community. Her father, a former probation officer in Eastie, used to take her to protests against Logan Airport expansion and to volunteer with children at area family shelters. Celeste’s first pivotal opportunity to impact an issue came at the age of 9 when she wrote and delivered remarks to the Boston Public School Committee during a hearing in an effort to save her grade school, the Curtis Guild, from being closed as a result of budget cuts. More evident than her activist streak is her ardent desire to build community – usually in a hands-on capacity. Celeste played an instrumental role in producing community -galvanizing events including the Sacred Heart Festival, the Columbus Day Parade, Eastie Pride Day, the East Boston Community Thanksgiving Dinner, and has served as a team captain for the annual Relay for Life.

“For me, service is key,” she says. “The casino fight showed me how committed my neighbors are to protecting the neighborhood they love. So many of them tell me they’ve felt underrepresented at the state level; I’m ready and willing to step up and serve them, with the people and future of East Boston ever on my mind.”

Source: Myers campaign

House, Senate Pass VALOR Act II: Legislation strengthens 2012 VALOR Act and enhances commitment to Commonwealth’s veterans

Source: Office of State Representative Carlo Basile

(BOSTON) – Representative Basile joined his colleagues in the Legislature to pass the VALOR Act II which builds upon existing legislation to expand opportunities and services for military personnel, veterans and their families.

The legislation provides increased property tax relief and enhances employment, educational and healthcare support services. It creates a home modification program to help injured veterans stay in their homes and function independently, and authorizes the Secretary of Veterans’ Services to establish enhanced training and certification for veterans’ benefits and services officers.

“This legislation sends a message to our veterans that we appreciate their bravery, sacrifice and service,” House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop) said. “Most importantly, it aids those who have supported America during some of the country’s most difficult times by providing resources to help them build a bright future. I’m incredibly proud that Massachusetts leads the nation in aiding veterans and military personnel and I believe this bill furthers that commitment.”

“Massachusetts has long led the nation in recognizing and providing for our veterans, and I am proud that this bill will further these efforts,” Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) said. “By working to expand benefits and services for veterans, we remind our men and women in uniform that their sacrifice does not go unnoticed and that the Legislature will continue to support them both abroad and at home.”

“Thanks to my colleagues in the House, the Senate and on the Committee of Veterans and Federal Affairs, today, with the passage of the VALOR Act II, we as a legislature have done more for our veterans and their families over the past few years than at any other period in last quarter century,”

Representative Carlo Basile, Chairman of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs (D-East Boston) said. “I am very proud of the process we have undergone to craft this bill. This legislation allows us to do our small part in helping those who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our families and our way of life. The VALOR Act II is our way to honor veterans, the bravest men and women of the Commonwealth, and offer them in some small manner, our sign of appreciation.”
 
 “This bill expands on Valor Act I to provide benefits and services to our veterans, service members and their families,” said Senator Michael F. Rush (D-West Roxbury), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs. “This legislature has enacted more meaningful services for our veterans’ community in the past few years than any other legislature in the country.   Our commitment to our veterans and their families has kept Massachusetts at the forefront in providing for those who serve.”
 
“Supporting our military should not end when service members return home from deployment,” said Senator Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre), Chair of Senate Ways and Means. “With a high unemployment rate among veterans, this bill will establish more training programs and career opportunities for those who have already sacrificed so much for our country.”
 
“This bill reaffirms our state’s commitment to all those who have worn the uniform,” said Mike Sweeney, Legislative Chair for the Massachusetts Veterans’ Service Officers Association. “We owe it to veterans and their families to not only maintain but strengthen these critical services at the local level. The VALOR Act II does this by providing enhanced training for our veterans agents and ensuring that every Massachusetts veteran can go into a city hall and find a knowledgeable veterans agent.”
The bill also includes the below provisions:

• Allows students currently enrolled in college, who are called to active duty, to either complete their coursework without penalty following duty, or to withdraw and receive a tuition refund;
• Increases penalties for disturbing military funerals or services;
• Enacts provisions to guard against charity fraud;
• Requires the Division of Professional Licensure to waive the initial application or certification fee for licensure for any veteran;
• Establishes a post-deployment council to make recommendations and study mental health issues to support military members transitioning to civilian life after deployment;
• Requires the Department of Public Health to issue guidance to acute hospitals and ambulance service providers to ensure the identification of veterans in emergency settings.

Rep. Basile reports on the state legislature's accomplishments

Focuses on Fiscal Management and Economic Growth through Investments in Transportation, Education, Reforms to Welfare System 

(BOSTON) – State Representative Carlo P. Basile joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in reviewing recent session accomplishments as the Legislature prepares for the 2014 session. 

As of November 27, 2013, the House passed major legislation pertaining to economic development, transportation, education, welfare, compounding pharmacies, and election laws. 

 "This year, through strategic investments and reforms, we positioned the Commonwealth for even greater growth as we continue to strengthen our economy," House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo said. "I'm proud of the work we’ve done to support our citizens and municipalities, and believe the legislation we’ve passed this session will improve the lives of people across Massachusetts." 

"I am very proud of the work my colleagues and I have accomplished in this session. We have strived to support the people of the Commonwealth and have ensured that Massachusetts will continue to be successful in the years to come." Carlo P. Basile (D – East Boston) House Chairman of the Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs said. 

 "What was passed is a reaffirmation of our commitment to bolstering the economy, improving our education system, and properly serving our veterans." 

 This session the House passed two major finance bills, the FY14 budget and the transportation finance bill, both of which are designed to stimulate economic growth. The FY14 budget, a $34 billion plan, allocates essential funds that advance the growth of the local economy and support the Commonwealth’s essential services and programs, including local aid, education, housing and health and human services. 

 In addition to funding essential services, the budget prioritizes education-related items, including increased Chapter 70 funds. It takes decisive action to bolster funding for the University of Massachusetts, state universities and community colleges, including a $478.9 million allocation for UMass that will prevent tuition and fee increases in the upcoming school year. The House is committed to again working toward this goal in fiscal year 2015.This focus underscores Massachusetts’ ongoing commitment to strengthen our education system as a means to create jobs and provide residents with a competitive edge. 

This year’s budget also provided new funding and resources for various programs enacted through the 2012 economic development legislation, including the Manufacturing Futures Program and the Mass Works Infrastructure Program, to foster job creation for employees of all skill levels across numerous industries. The transportation finance bill, passed in August, is designed to solve long-standing financial problems within the state’s transportation system through continued reforms and a future, stable funding source without placing too great a burden on working families. The bill continues on the promise of the 2009 transportation reform law by enhancing efficiency and accountability, providing revenue to initiate economic growth and supporting necessary infrastructure projects. 

Following the 2012 meningitis outbreak linked to contaminated drugs, Massachusetts became the first state to pass comprehensive legislation relative to compounding pharmacies. In October, the House unanimously voted on a bill that will help the Commonwealth better regulate the industry. This legislation addresses a previous lack of consistent standards, at both a state and federal level, governing the operations of specialty pharmacies engaged in sterile compounding by improving oversight, licensing and quality standards. 

Throughout the year the House renewed its dedication to the Commonwealth’s citizens and municipalities by providing for existing needs while preparing for the future through provisions like increased local aid and welfare reform. The Economic Independence Act enhances the efficacy of the state’s welfare system through new initiatives and reforms, including the Pathways to Self-Sufficiency program which provides numerous resources designed to help recipients achieve financial independence. 

The bill also builds on the House’s unyielding commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Massachusetts’ welfare system through new reform measures, including an expanded scope of prohibited actions to include foreign transmittal agencies, and increased resources for the Department of Transitional Assistance. These measures follow electronic benefit card reforms made in the FY13 budget and two subsequent supplementary budgets, passed in July and October, respectively. 

In the midst of the federal government shutdown the October finance legislation allocated additional and immediate funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, an indication of Massachusetts’ government’s ongoing commitment to working together. Aware of the difficult circumstance some families face, the House passed legislation and enacted numerous provisions to help residents secure safe and stable housing including a $1.4 housing bond bill which modernizes public housing and allows for home modification for elderly or disabled homeowners. 

This fall the House passed two bills related to the military and veterans. Veterans affairs are a major priority for the House and because of this, Massachusetts is consistently ranked among the top state for veterans. The 2013 VALOR Act builds on existing legislation to provide increased property tax relief and enhance employment, educational and healthcare support services. The House also passed a military bond bill which funds projects at military installations around the state. Other session accomplishments include: 

• Approval of election legislation that establishes early voting for presidential elections and provides resources to local officials and residents to make the voting process more efficient. This bill is expected to significantly decrease wait times on Election Day and allow greater access to voting; 
• Increased the maximum penalty for corporate manslaughter from $1,000 to $250,000; 
• Passed legislation to ensure that students with disabilities have Individualized Education Plans (IEP) that includes short-term objectives and benchmarks. The inclusion of short-term goals in a student’s IEP is important in order to measure the impact of special education instruction and services; 
• Expanded efforts to require national background checks through fingerprinting of teachers, daycare providers, and persons living or working on facility premises. The new law, which stemmed from the Federal Bureau of Investigation recommendations, also requires address-based sex offender checks of early education and care facilities; and the 
• Creation of another August sales tax holiday in an effort to boost sales for local businesses.