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SEAWALLS The recent winter storms once again expose the vulnerability of our seawalls and other shorefront protective structures. Despite my persistent efforts to require state government to create a coherent and constant grant program to repair and reconstruct this coastal infrastructure, officials have turned a deaf ear. The high cost of construction ($2,000-$3,000 a foot) and the lack of a statewide constituency aids in this administrative neglect. Yet, at the same time, I have been able to secure $1.3 million in seawall grants for Scituate and Marshfield in the last two years. Shortly after the March 5th and 6th northeast snowstorms, I met with Environmental Secretary Robert Durand. He promises a new interest and approach, pledging an annual grant program. This is good news but only the start of a long effort which requires both legislative and gubernatorial support and financing authorization. CENSUS RESULTS The 2000 federal census enumerating the population of Massachusetts and its municipalities is now released. The population of our state grew 5.5% to 6.3 million. Marshfield’s population grew by 13% to 24,324 and Scituate grew 6 % to 17,863. This total is in excess of what the federal and state constitution allow for a state representative district and thus redistricting will shrink the size of the district in order to achieve equality of representation with other legislative areas. This will be complicated, as well, by the fact that the increased population results for Marshfield will cause the town to add a new 7th Precinct. THE DEATH PENALTY Earlier this month the House defeated efforts to restore Capital Punishment for first-degree murder convictions by the margin of 94-60. I believe this is the largest rejection of this measure by the House of Representatives since the US Supreme Court allowed reinstatement of the death penalty over 25 years ago. The debate of this issue is always serious, genuine and substantive. Proponents assert that capital punishment is a deterrent which ensures that justice is served and guarantees that these murderers will never kill again. They note that these evil people commit the most heinous of fatal crimes and deserve nothing less than to be killed themselves. Opponents argue that the death penalty does not deter such vicious crimes; that the imperfect criminal justice system has wrongfully convicted and condemned innocent people; that although it may well punish the particularly vicious murderer, it does not serve well the state which seeks to condemn violence and the taking of life. This year’s debate was animated by the reflection of the growing uneasiness in death penalty states of the imperfection in their systems and the release of several prisoners around the country whose DNA examination proved their innocence. The Governor of Illinois, a death penalty advocate, last year, for example, released 13 death row prisoners because of such new evidence. Here in Massachusetts 3 prisoners, serving life sentences, have been released in recent months. CLEAN ELECTIONS Most of my time this past month, and into the foreseeable future, is spent on the front lines of preserving the new Massachusetts Clean Elections Law. Approved overwhelmingly by referendum in the 1998 election, this campaign finance reform measure is due to go into effect this month. The law provides public monies to certified state candidates who voluntarily agree to limit campaign fund raising and spending activities. As one sees on Capitol Hill during debate on Senator McCain and Feingold’s efforts to bring some restraints into campaign fund raising activities, so too on Beacon Hill, incumbents are resistant to let go the insider, easier access to ready campaign dollars. Expecting them to enable and enforce laws which improve prospective opponents is like expecting professional athletes to abide by their contracted salaries. Some then ask why I, as a long term legislator, aggressively oppose my legislative colleagues and work so arduously to implement this law. The answer is not complex but straightforward. I believe this law will help reinvigorate our democracy. Firstly, I promoted and advocated for the law’s substance, beginning in 1997. I believe this law has the potential to reduce the influence of powerful special interests and to encourage more people to enter the political battlefield – even if for no other reason than to promote the discussion and debate of matters important to them. Secondly, the voters of Massachusetts approved this new law by 67% in the 1998 referendum. It seems to me that unless some moral principle or fundamental belief allows otherwise, the obligation of a state legislator is to be bound by such an explicit statement of the electorate. Thus, I am joined by several House Members in seeking to persuade our leadership and colleagues that good government requires embracing this law. We will oppose any efforts to eviscerate or cripple the intent of the law but have been active in authorizing and providing amendments which will strengthen and improve some of the details of the statute, while recognizing that some such amendments concede a more pragmatic and reasonable implementation. My hope is that we can resolve this matter favorably and soon before its focus enervates my determined pursuit of other issues. DIAL 211 I am promoting legislation which will establish a new toll free telephone access line to human services agencies. The dedicated telephone number – “211” – will allow residents of the Commonwealth to dial this number seeking information about “human needs” – from housing and child care to health insurance and domestic violence support. I am the chief House sponsor of this proposal, which would be administered by a public – private Board of Directors, represented by the United Way of Massachusetts, and appointed by the Governor. This social services’ referral hot line would mirror systems already in place in Georgia and Connecticut and in the planning stages in 40 other states. The Department of Telecommunications and Energy has already set aside the “211” number for this purpose. The bill recently had a public hearing before the Committee on Government Regulations and was passed on favorably by that body. MBTA ASSESSMENTS Finally, some good news for Scituate and Marshfield. Because of legislation I sponsored and promoted, which become effective in this fiscal year, the financing of the MBTA has been reorganized and its member communities expanded from 78 to 175, essentially all of Eastern Massachusetts. As a result, our two towns will see significant reductions in their annual required payments to this regional transit agency – phased in over the next 5 years. This year’s assessments for Marshfield and Scituate are reduced by over 14%. Marshfield will save $72,962 and Scituate $54,389 in the fiscal year beginning July 1. Thought for Today: “The public interest depends on private virtue.”
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