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August 11, 2005
Dear Friends:
The month of July saw a tremendous amount of activity both here in the State House and throughout our community. With the passage of a number of key pieces of legislation and the completion of the Fiscal Year 2006 budget process, much has been accomplished over the last few weeks.
When the legislature resumes session next month, I am looking forward to continue working with you as this legislative term moves forward. With that in mind, I would once again like to take the opportunity to present you with a number of informative and fun opportunities throughout the city and a bit of additional news from Beacon Hill. In this issue you will find:
• Upcoming Community Events and Opportunities
• Job Postings
• More News From the State House
Please take a moment to review the following information and if you have any questions about any of these events or programs, feel free to call my office at (617) 722-2370 for more details or if I can be of any assistance in the future.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Sánchez
State Representative
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
ROSLINDALE VILLAGE MAIN STREET PRESENTS CORN & TOMATO FESTIVAL
Please join Roslindale Village Main Street for the annual "Corn and Tomato" Festival on Saturday, August 13th. Judge the taste of different types of tomatoes, enjoy fresh cooked corn, home made salsa, tomato salad and more. Purchase raffle tickets for fun prizes.
Residents are also invited to bring a sample from their home gardens. Prizes will be awarded for:
• Largest Vegetable in its Category
• Best Looking Vegetable
• Most Unusual Vegetable
There is also a Farmers Market every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Roslindale Commuter Rail lower parking lot on Belgrade Avenue. Fresh produce, flowers, crafts, jewelry and household items are available.
For more information or if you are interested in becoming a vendor, please call (617) 327-4065
ROSLINDALE VILL MAIN STREET PRESENTS ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER
RVMS is now in the planning stages for its annual Harvest Festival that will be held on Saturday, October 1st from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The event features:
• Live Music on Birch Street
• Craft Show on Birch Street
• Kid's Rides and Activities in Adams Park
If you are interested in participating or volunteering, please call (617) 327-4065 or visit http://www.roslindale.net/ .
ROSLINDALE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES IN ADAMS PARK
Please come to Adams Park at the intersection of Washington Street and Cummins Highway for free concerts this summer, Thursdays from 6 – 8:00 PM. There will be arts & crafts for the kids provided by the Promotions Committee of Roslindale Village Main Street. Concerts are provided by the City of Boston Special Events Department.
Upcoming concerts featuring: 8/18 - Crazy Maggy and 8/25 - Down Dog .
For more information, please visit www.roslindale.net .
1ST ANNUAL ROSLINDALE OPEN STUDIOS THIS OCTOBER
Roslindale Village will be offering a public look into the arts community of Roslindale on October 1st and 2nd. With 54 artists and 23 locations, plus 18 artists displaying their own studios, this event is a great opportunity to view some of the painting, photography, sculpture, digital media, calligraphy, jewelry, and other artistic works being produced in our neighborhoods.
For more information, please contact http://www.roslindaleopenstudios.org/ .
BOSTON 375 ACTIVITIES CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE CITY
This celebration of the City’s 375th birthday continues to run through August and into September. For more information, please call (617) 635-2375. For a full listing of events, please visit the Boston 375 web site at http://www.cityofboston.gov/Boston375/ .
JAMAICA PLAIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND DISCOVER ROXBURY PRESENT A WALKING TOUR OF THE HEATH STREET HOMES
On Saturday, September 24th at 11:00 AM, the Jamaica Plain Historical Society (JPHS) and co-sponsor Discover Roxbury are pleased to present a walking tour of the Heath Streets Housing Development, led by Richard Heath of the JPHS Association.
The twentieth century was an epoch of vast experimentation and change. Nowhere can this be seen more than in the design and construction of low cost housing. The architectural heritage of Jamaica Plain has remarkable examples of housing designed and built to be affordable to working people. One such example is the Heath Street Housing Development, one of the first eight public housing developments planned and built by the Boston Housing Authority between 1939 and 1942.
If you are interested in attending, meet at the front of Jackson Square T Station by 11:00 AM. (Discover Roxbury will leave from the Dillaway Thomas House at 10:30 and take the T from Roxbury Crossing to Jackson Square.)
For more information, please visit the JPHS at http://www.jphs.org/ or Discover Roxbury at http://www.discoverroxbury.org .
NEIGHBORS FOR NEIGHBORS JP SEPTEMBER ORGANIZING MEETING AND SOCIAL: PANEL DISCUSSION WITH REPRESENTATIVES SANCHEZ AND MALIA
Please join Neighbors for Neighbors JP at the Milky Way on Tuesday September 6th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Following the social aspect of the evening, I will be participating in a panel discussion along with Representative Liz Malia, fielding questions from Neighbors for Neighbors founder and organizer Joseph Porchelli ranging from who we are, what we do, and how we can continue collaborating with our community to improve the quality of life for all neighborhood residents.
For more information, please contact Joseph Porchelli at jporcelli@neighborsforneighbors.org or visit www.neighborsforneighbors.org .
COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN PARADE AND ANNUAL PICNIC SEPTEMBER 10TH
Countdown to Kindergarten, Mission Hill Main Streets and Children's Hospital Boston will sponsor a Countdown to Kindergarten parade on Saturday, September 10th at 3:00 PM at One Brigham Circle in Mission Hill. All Boston Public Schools students entering kindergarten, their parents and providers are invited to parade through the Mission Hill district and visit merchants and community organizations to receive free gifts and treats to help prepare them for school. The parade will lead right to Sheehy Park where the Annual Mission Hill Main Streets Community Picnic will be underway.
For additional information please contact Mission Hill Main Streets at (617) 427-7399 or visit http://www.missionhillmainstreets.org/ .
MISSIONAL HILL ANNUAL ROAD RACE TO BENEFIT PUDDINGSTONE PARK – SEPTEMBER 17TH AT 9:30 AM
The annual Mission Hill Road Race will be held on Saturday, September 17th to benefit Puddingstone Park in Mission Hill. This 5k Road Race will begin and end at Puddingstone Park on St. Alphonsus Street and will be followed by a picnic on the park with entertainment and kite flying.
For more information, please call the Mission Hill Road Race Committee at
(617) 566-6565. If you would like to register for the event, please see and complete the attached form.
HAWTHORNE YOUTH AND COMMUNITY CENTER’S THIRD SATURDAY FLEA MARKETS
Sponsored by the Hawthorne Youth and Community Center in cooperation with the Boston Park Partner Program, the 10th Third Saturday Flea Market Season will be held at Roxbury’s Marcella Park on the following dates: August 20th, September 17th, October 15th.
For vendor and rain date information, call (617) 427-0613.
MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM – PART D INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS AVAILABLE
Leslie Ahern, a Family Care Provider with ETHOS, will be giving a series of presentations on changes to the Medicare Prescription Drug Program throughout the month of August.
The Medicare Program under the Medicare Modernization Act will be adding a Part D, which will provide varying levels of drug benefits starting January 2006. These benefits will only be available to Medicare recipients who join the Part D program. Depending on your income level, there may be a monthly premium, which is anticipated to be $35 dollars.
What if you have an insurance plan that includes some prescription benefits? How will you know which plan will be more affordable but also continue to meet your needs? Is there any advantage or disadvantage in joining the program right away or in waiting?
Leslie will be discussing these questions and more on the following days:
August 11th Hassan Apts. 2:30 PM 705 River St. Mattapan
August 22nd Rogerson House 11:00 AM 434 Jamaicaway, JP
August 23rd Woodbourne Apts. 11:00AM 6 Southbourne Rd., JP
August 26th Roche Center 11:30 AM 1716 Centre St., W. Roxbury
For more information or to RSVP, please call (617) 522-6700 x 376.
TOWN OF BROOKLINE TO CELEBRATE 300TH BIRTHDAY
On Sunday, September 18th at Coolidge Corner, the Town of Brookline will celebrate its 300th anniversary by holding a citywide festival from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner will be transformed with an array of art exhibitions, street performers, food vendors and live musical acts on two stages, creating an exciting event for residents of all ages. Harvard Street will be closed to all vehicles from Beacon Street to Fuller Street. Integral parts of the Festival will include:
• Memory Lane, where 300 years of history will come alive with entertaining historical performances and activities, combining fun with education to learn about Brookline’s past
• Fine Arts Avenue, where local artists will be displaying, selling and demonstrating their fine arts talents
• Live Multi-Cultural Entertainment on two stages showcasing talented musicians and dancers with high-energy performances for all ages
• Cuisine Row, where you can tantalize your taste buds with local Brookline award-winning restaurants and food vendors
• Get Involved Lane, where local non-profit organizations and town services will present exciting, interactive activities
• Festival in the Park Boulevard – in celebration of the 300th Anniversary, the annual Festival in the Park event will join in with the town celebration. Come buy unique, original crafts and watch in fascination as crafters demonstrate their skills
• The Healthy Way, where local environmental and health organizations offer innovative interactive booths
• The Punch Bowl Tavern – once a coach stop on the road to Boston, the historically renown Punch Bowl Tavern will return to life as the place to toast the Town
• Diverse the Curse – the Brookline Human Relations Department and the Youth Resources Commission will present Pumpsie Green, the first African-American Red Sox Player. Come be inspired and enlightened by this celebrated athlete
• Neighborhood Merchants – where local businesses will be selling a variety of fun and innovative products
Brookline 300 Anniversary Event – Sun, November 13, 2005 Larz Anderson Park
On November 13, 2005, Brookline will celebrate its Day of Incorporation with a special 300th birthday celebration at Larz Anderson Park. From 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., a host of activities will take place in the park, including:
• Live Entertainment featuring musical performers, puppet shows, comedy troupes, Brookline High School performers – entertainment for the entire family!
• Holiday Art Fair, where local artists will amaze you with an assortment of original art.
· Winter Fare, where you can come and try some of the best local recipes for great Brookline Winter Fare and a 300th birthday cake
· Winter Fun, where local merchants and non-profits will join the winter festivities with fun, interactive booths
· Outdoor Lighting Ceremony & Time Capsule, where you can commemorate residents who built our Town and defended our democracy. Be dazzled by 300 candles as they are launched into the Larz Anderson Lagoon. The Town’s Anniversary Committee will present a commemorative Time Capsule representing 300 years of Brookline.
• The first Fireworks in 60 years in Brookline will light up the evening sky
Much more about the celebrations can be found on the Brookline 300 website at www.brookline300.org .
BOSTON INSPECTIONAL SERVICE DERPARTMENT SUMMER FAST TRACK PROGRAM
ISD’s newly implemented Summer Fast Track Program will help expedite the permit application process for summer projects such as swimming pools, sheds, and open decks (excluding roof decks) in owner occupied dwellings of fewer than four units.
When applying for a “Summer Fast Track” permit homeowners must provide the following:
• A complete application
• Certified plot plan – (plot plan must show location of existing and proposed structure (s)
• Two sets of construction plans
• Photographs of the site and the abutting properties
• Swimming pool affidavit
• Review by Historic District Commission (HDC’s) or Landmarks Commission as needed
Provided all necessary documentation has been submitted and no variances are required, the permit may be issued within 7 business days
Applications requiring approval from the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA) will need the information mentioned above as well as the following:
• Approval from abutters/neighborhood groups
• Preliminary design review by BRA
• Review by Historic Districts Commission
Once all documentation has been submitted a hearing will be scheduled within 30 days of filing
In order to accommodate the permit expediting process ISD will extend its business hours on Thursday evenings. Beginning June 7, 2005 to August 20, 2005 ISD will remain open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00p.m.
ISD INFORMATIONAL SEMINARS AND SERVICES
Do You Need Additional Help Applying For a Permit or Understanding the Housing, Building, and Zoning Process? Call ISD’s Constituent Services Division For Help at (617) 635-5300.
Do You Have Questions Regarding Zoning? Attend ISD’s Zoning Clinic offered at the Plans & Zoning Division, every Tuesday from 8:00 am -12:00 pm at 1010 Mass Avenue, 5th floor
Are you a property owner and would like to know how to avoid pitfalls of rental housing, understand the state sanitary codes, how and why to obtain building permits and much more? Attend a Rental Property Survival Seminar offered on the third Saturday of every month from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Housing Division of ISD located at 1010 Massachusetts Avenue.
For additional information on any of the clinics or seminars call (617) 635-5300.
All Clinics and Seminars are Free and Open to the Public
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT THE NEW ENGLAND BAPTIST HOSPITAL
I am attaching a Word Document outlining a number of opportunities with the New England Baptist Hospital in Mission Hill. If you have any trouble opening this attachment or would prefer it in another format, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (617) 722-2370 or simply reply to this e-mail.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
There are a number of job listings posted on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts home page detailing positions with a number of Departments. For more information, please click here .
MORE NEWS FROM THE STATE HOUSE
HOUSE APPROVES LEGISLATION PROVIDING SALES TAX HOLIDAY
For the second year in a row, the Massachusetts House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation providing a Sales Tax Holiday. The legislation designates August 13th and 14th, 2005 as a sales-tax free holiday, providing an exemption for purchases of $2,500 or less from the Commonwealth’s 5% sales tax. A similar measure implemented last year saved Massachusetts consumers an estimated $10 million while netting retailers $400 million in sales.
Several other states also offer one-day tax breaks, including Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and New York.
For more information on the Massachusetts Sales Tax Holiday, please visit http://www.massdor.com/Forms/SalesTaxHoliday.htm .
FISCAL YEAR 2006 BUDGET
The month of July also saw the final stages of the Fiscal Year 2006 budget debate. Following a number of vetoes by Governor Romney, the House worked to override several of these items. I heard from many of you regarding these important budget items and would one again like to thank you for remaining engaged in this important and extensive discussion.
Among the vetoes that the House was able to override include:
• 1599-6901: The Conference Committee approved a $10 million increase for this item which provides a cost-of-living wage adjustment of 3% for home-delivered meal drivers, nursing home ombudsmen, home case care managers, and protective service workers who provide valuable and essential assistance to our elders. The Governor vetoed this increase which would halve the overall cost-of-living wage adjustment that would otherwise be afforded to these critical care providers. However, the House voted to override this veto.
• 4530-9000: The House voted unanimously 148-0 to overturn the Governor’s veto of increased funding for teen pregnancy prevention in Massachusetts which supports outreach initiatives throughout the Commonwealth.
• 4590-0250: This line item provides critical funding through the Department of Public Health aimed at reducing the high rates of suicide among gay and lesbian youth. The Governor’s veto reduced funding for this initiative by $100,000, but the House was able to override this veto.
• 7010-0005: The Safe Schools Program, administered through the Department of Education, requires public schools to comply with the Board of Education’s recommendations for the support and safety of gay and lesbian high school students and the implementation of violence prevention efforts. The Governor’s veto eliminated the entire $75,000 in program funding as well as the pre-existing mandate holding public schools responsible for the support and safety of gay and lesbian students, though the house voted to override this veto.
• 7004-9024: The Governor’s veto eliminated $2 million in funding for this initiative which is critical in providing support and assistance to low-income families and elderly individuals. Furthermore, the Governor also eliminated language that would have protected tenants by ensuring that they did not spend more than 40% of their income for rent. This veto also was overturned.
• 7004-9316: This program works to prevent homelessness and move people from shelters to housing. In Fiscal Year 2005, the program ran out of money with requests for assistance still pending. The Governor’s veto eliminated $2 million in funding from this program, but was overridden by the House.
• 7100-0350: The Toxic Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell, which conducts research into analyzing new ways of removing harmful chemicals from the places in which we live and work, had its entire funding vetoed by Governor Romney. I am please to report, however, that the House voted overwhelmingly to override this veto and restore funding for the Institute to continue its work.
For a full breakdown of the Fiscal Year 2006 budget process, I encourage you to access the State House web site http://www.mass.gov/legis/. This site provides additional information on the Budget Items and Procedures for the Fiscal Year 2006, including a detailed breakdown of the Governor’s recommendations, both the House and Senate budget debates, recommendations by the committees on Ways and Means, Filed Amendments, final recommendations from both the House and Senate, the Conference Committee Report, and the veto process.
Thank you all again for your hard work and correspondence and I look forward to continue working with you in the future. As always, do not hesitate to contact my office if I can be of any assistance at (617) 722-2370.
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State Representative Jeffrey Sánchez
State House, Room 42
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 722-2370
Rep.JeffreySanchez@hou.state.ma.us
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