Winter Heating Assistance Forum

As everyone knows, this is going to be a very hard winter. Oil prices have driven heating oil prices up as they have gas prices. Even though prices have fallen lately, prices are still almost double last year's price. There is no magic bullet to making this better, but there is a lot of activity on this. Our congressional delegation is making a push to double federal assistance for the Low Income Heating Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This is the major federal program to help with heating in the winter and is the one that people go to the Community Action office to apply for. The Bush administration has not been helpful in increasing this program and some in Congress have tried to halt this increase as leverage for increased drilling rights for big oil in Alaska. I hope that our delegation is successful in getting more money for this program. I have been active in this area in the past. I have testified in Congress on this issue and have lead the Council of State Governments efforts to increase funding. It is very effective. Money is designated for each state and the money flows right through to those in need.

On the state level, we appropriated $10 million in our budget to supplement the federal efforts.

I have heard from a lot of people that are very nervous over their ability to heat their homes this winter. I have also heard from oil dealers who are paying for oil when they take delivery and then can't get paid by customers when they make home deliveries.

As I said, there is no easy answer or magic bullet to cure this problem, but there are a lot of services out there that can help. On September 3rd, I am bringing them together at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in North Adams for a forum to provide information to people concerned about heating this winter. Community Action (BCAC) has committed to the forum as has Citizen's Energy, the Oil Heat Association of Massachusetts, the Federal Department of Energy, the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), our local utilities, and the Center for Ecological Technology (CET) our local energy efficiency experts. We will have the Community Coalition participating and giving us advice on their new program for energy efficiency. We hope to have more people participating and are still awaiting answers from others. We have asked everyone to bring information and brochures detailing their programs.

I am hopeful that we will be able to let everyone know of all the local options for heating assistance and develop an action plan for our area. Aside from getting information to people, I would like to explore a pre-registration system for LIHEAP. I am hoping that we can pool our resources and begin to raise more money to supplement governmental efforts. I am also hoping that we can discuss creation of a local entity patterned after the Citizen's Energy model. I am also hoping that we can duplicate this effort in the Franklin County part of my district.

Below is the press release from my office on this. I hope that the word gets out and that we can get information to as many people as possible.

Bosley Announces Heating Fuel Assistance Forum

Chairman Daniel E. Bosley announced today the news of a forum on home heating assistance to take place Wednesday, September 3, 2008, at MCLA’s Church Street Center in North Adams. The event is scheduled to run from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. and will consist of several speakers from various government organizations and private companies that service the Northern Berkshire region.

“As fuel costs continue to rise and cause deep strain on family budgets across the northeast, this forum will serve to clarify the process for applying for assistance and to delineate the options each and every homeowner can take to reduce energy costs. Deadlines to apply to some programs are as early as the end of September and this event will be a great opportunity to think about winterization and the various application processes, said Bosley.”

The forum will have speakers from the respective fuel providers as well as from non-profit organizations such as the Berkshire Community Action Council, the Center for Ecological Technology, the Citizens Energy Corporation among others.

This event is open to public. If you wish to speak or provide information at a booth please register by Wednesday, August 27, 2008, by contacting Daniel Hunt via phone at (617) 722-2370 or email at Daniel.hunt@state.ma.us

Dairy Bill is law!

The Governor signed the Dairy Stabilization bill last week. It is chapter 310 of the acts of 2008. Here is the press release that we put out last week. Congratulations to all involved and especially to the farm community that worked so hard to make this happen. As Senator Stan Rosenberg pointed out at the time, this was a very speedy conclusion to our work. State government in the past two years; placed money into a supplemental budget, filed legislation to create a task force and had that task force meet in extensive sessions over the winter. We then submitted a report for the task force. That report was written as legislation. Again legislation was filed and passed to give relief to the dairy farm community. A lot of hard work was done and that work needs to continue into the future. However, this was a big step towards stabilization of prices for our local farmers and that means a great deal.

Representative Daniel Bosley (D-North Adams), Representative Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington), and the House of Representatives enacted An Act Relative to the Preservation of Dairy Farms today. This legislation stems from a report to the legislature from the Massachusetts Dairy Farm Revitalization Task Force. The bill is consistent with the report’s recommendations, which called for an income tax credit for farmers, the creation of a Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, and a linked loan program, among other programs.

“This bill is the right first step towards ensuring the economic viability of dairy farmers throughout the Commonwealth. After filing the emergency declaration and allocating $3.6 million in relief to dairy farmers last May, I am pleased that we were able to offer temporary solutions through this bill. With rising gas and feedstock prices, the cost of production is rapidly increasing and the tax credit portion is crucial because it provides relief and stability to dairy farmers and their families when they need it most” said Bosley.

The main part of the bill is a tax credit that is mirrored after similar legislation in South Carolina. The 90% refundable tax credit allows farmers to take a credit when the federal milk marketing order price for the applicable market drops below a trigger price established by the Commissioner of Agricultural Resources. The Department of Agriculture is charged with developing regulations to ensure that the cost of the tax credit to the state ranged from zero when milk prices are sufficient to cover Massachusetts farmers’ production expenses to no more than $4 million.

“This comprehensive bill provides many tools that will help our dairy farmers to be economically viable and competitive in an increasingly complex segment of our state’s agricultural economy. Our dairy farms provide thousands of acres of open space, recreational land, and water recharge areas that contribute to both our quality of life and the protection of natural resources. Additionally, a thriving dairy community is important to Massachusetts as more and more people realize the value of local foods as more being more nutritious, sustainable, and better for our environment and economy” said Kulik.

Other portions of the bill include: allowing the Department of Agricultural Resources to establish a program and regulations to permit the use of discount coupons in the sale of milk, extending from 2 to 10 miles, the span that individuals may drive farm equipment without registration, authorizing farmers who have an APR to qualify for farm viability technical assistance and implementation funding and creating a commission to study and recommend options for updating farming technology to promote energy conservation

Members of the task force from the legislature included Representative Bosley, Representative Kulik, Representative Lewis Evangelidis of Holden, Senator Stanley Rosenberg of Amherst, Senator Stephen Brewer of Barre, and Senator Michael Knapik of Westfield.

Stone Hill Center at the Clark

One of my favorite places on earth is the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Ma. It has a magnificent art collection and is home to the new Stone Hill Center where exhibits of Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargeant are being showcased. The building itself is quite a site, being designed by the Japanese architect Ando. The building also houses the Williamstown Art Conservation Center. In an area like the Berkshires with so many cultural attractions, the Clark stands out as a special place that combines our cultural attractions, our sense of history through the conservation of our past art works, and our recreational and environmental beauty of the Berkshires. This picture was taken August 7, 2008 (yesterday) from the deck of the Stone Hill Center overlooking the hill down towards the main campus. This is a beautiful location that combines outstanding art with the natural beauty of the area.

Mountain Mists

From the town of Florida near the eastern summit of Route 2 on the Mohawk Trail on a cool early summer morning. You are above the mists that fill the valley along the Deerfield River.

End of Year II

Here is my press release on the end of the session accomplishments. Sorry these are so long, but I want to keep people informed.

Bosley Announces End of Session Accomplishments

As the Legislative session drew to an end these past few weeks, Representative Daniel Bosley (D-North Adams) played a key role in passing major legislation through the House of Representatives that impacts both the Commonwealth as a whole and secured critical funding for Berkshire County. Down to the wire, as versions of various bond bills passed between the House and Senate, Bosley kept his district in mind as thousands of earmarks were included in these bills.

One bill that Representative Bosley has been heavily involved with is aimed at expanding broadband service throughout the Commonwealth. Currently there are 63 towns in Massachusetts where there is only partial broadband service, and 32 have no access at all. This digital divide slows and deters economic development, threatens public safety and health, hinders municipal business and restricts creativity in the classroom. The bill created the Broadband Institute and dedicated $40 million for the purposes of increasing high speed internet access to communities across the state. According to Bosley, “this is the culmination of years of work to bring up the telecommunication infrastructure up to speed in my district. Now merchants will have faster access for their electronic transactions and business owners will no longer be at a competitive disadvantage.”

Representative Bosley was also able to obtain $54.5 million for the construction of a new, free-standing Center for Life Science and Innovation building at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. As part of the science and technology upgrades to the college, the existing science rooms need to be retrofitted. The last major upgrade at MCLA was 30 years ago and this funding will go a long way to level the playing field in the Science and Technology field. Bosley said that, “this project will continue the pipeline needed to feed the growing demand in the science and technology sectors. In staying true to the Commonwealth’s renewed commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), the new science center will be able to offer the next level of education for young people in the western part of the state.”

As the House Chair of the Regional Transit Authority Caucus, Bosley was integral in obtaining language to alter the funding mechanism for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) and secured funding for two major projects in the district through the transportation bond bill.

The bill included $9 million for planning, engineering, and construction on a significant portion of Route 116 in the Town of Savoy. This road has not been repaved since 1992. “Following this winter, Route 116 was laden with potholes to the point where it was dangerous to drive on. Year after year, the town has spent tens of thousands of dollars to patch the road. I am pleased that we were able assist the town to secure funding to completely re-engineer and re-construct the road to ensure its safety for the future,” said Bosley. There was also a $750,000 earmark for the City of North Adams to resurface four major roads that lead into the city. As preparations for the Hadley Overpass Bridge are underway, this will ensure the city can offer well-maintained alternate routes when construction begins.

In addition to that, there was language included in the bill that charges the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works and the Secretary of Administration and Finance with exploring the Commonwealth’s participation in the federal Toll Credit program, a program under which states that collect tolls for the maintenance and improvement of the federal highway system are given credit for part of those expenditures. There is a mechanism which appropriates any currently unused federal dollars that the state can access through the toll credit program to be used to fund improved financial practices and accountability at the Regional Transit Authorities.

According to Bosley, “the current reimbursement funding to the RTAs is costing citizens of the Commonwealth millions of dollars in unnecessary interest charges each year. As gas prices increase, the use of public transportation has similarly seen increased ridership. The switch to forward funding will help ensure sustainable funding for RTAs and allow the Commonwealth to become more cost-effective.”

The Small Town Road Assistance Program had some language changes that are pertinent to the district. Of particular note, eligibility for the program was expanded to include communities with 7,000 or less (it is currently set at 3,500 or less). It also repeals the law that requires communities who receive STRAP grants to repay 30% of the grant within 10 years. “These changes in the STRAP program are important to my district because more communities will qualify for the program and they will no longer need to worry about the 30% repayment before applying,” said Bosley.

This past winter, Bosley served as a member of the Massachusetts Dairy Farm Revitalization Task Force. The task force produced a report at its conclusion and its recommendations, which called for an income tax credit for farmers, the creation of a Massachusetts Dairy Promotion Board, and a linked loan program, among other programs, are embodied in An Act Relative to the Preservation of Dairy Farms.

“This bill is the right first step towards ensuring the economic viability of dairy farmers throughout the Commonwealth. After filing the emergency declaration and allocating $3.6 million in relief to dairy farmers last May, I am pleased that we were able to offer longer lasting solutions through this bill. With rising gas and feedstock prices, the cost of production is rapidly increasing and the tax credit portion is crucial because it provides relief and stability to dairy farmers and their families when they need it most,” said Bosley.

The main part of the bill is a tax credit that is mirrored after similar legislation in South Carolina. The 90% refundable tax credit allows farmers to take a credit when the federal milk marketing order price for the applicable market drops below a trigger price established by the Commissioner of Agricultural Resources. The Department of Agriculture is charged with developing regulations to ensure that the cost of the tax credit to the state ranged from zero when milk prices are sufficient to cover Massachusetts farmers’ production expenses to no more than $4 million.

Other portions of the bill include: allowing the Department of Agricultural Resources to establish a program and regulations to permit the use of discount coupons in the sale of milk, extending from 2 to 10 miles, the span that individuals may drive farm equipment without registration, authorizing farmers who have an APR to qualify for farm viability technical assistance and implementation funding and creating a commission to study and recommend options for updating farming technology to promote energy conservation.

In his position as the House Chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, Representative Bosley worked in tandem with House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi (D-Boston) to produce legislation focused on promoting and developing the state’s clean energy sector. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center will promote workforce training in the clean energy sector and provide support to existing clean energy companies in the Commonwealth through the establishment and administration of job growth grants.

The bill establishes two types of job growth grants to be administered by the center: the clean energy seed grant and green jobs initiative grant. The clean energy seed grant will award funding to clean energy researchers and companies, non-profit and community-based organizations that seek to expand their organization and grow jobs. The green jobs grant initiative will award funding to higher education institutions and vocational technical schools to facilitate workforce development efforts.

"This Green Jobs bill will create the workforce and develop the industry needed to service this demand. It's going to put thousands of people to work throughout the entire state and create sustainable economic development in an industry that has great potential for the Commonwealth,” said Bosley.

The bill is revenue neutral. Under the bill, $43 million from the Massachusetts Alternative and Clean Energy Investment Trust Fund and $5 million from the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund will be transferred to the center to administer grants and facilitate economic growth. In the FY ’09 budget, $3.95 million was allocated to fund a clean energy industry study, operations at the center, and three different green job programs that will be administered by the Secretary of Environmental Affairs, including Senator Benjamin B. Downing’s (D-Pittsfield) “pathways out of poverty” workforce development grant to train low and moderate income individuals for jobs in the clean energy sector.

One of Representative Bosley’s bills that passed through the legislature this session was a bill that establishes a Creative Economy Council within the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development. The council will be tasked with formulating statewide strategies to enhance, encourage, and develop the creative economy in the Commonwealth.

“Coupled with the state’s existing creative economy sector, this council will help to create a comprehensive and sustainable infrastructure to cultivate a real strength of the Commonwealth.” Bosley said. “Many local artists, collaboratives, and organizations throughout the state are looking for ways to expand their businesses. By helping them accomplish this goal, we are creating more jobs, diversifying our state’s economy, and bolstering our tourism industry.”

The creative economy has also become a significant outlet for students graduating with art, design, and music degrees from colleges and universities throughout Massachusetts. With a culturally rich district, Bosley appreciates and acknowledges the impact this sector has on the economy.

In the environmental bond bill, Representative Bosley maintained two earmarks that preserve and expand on the pristine landscape of the Berkshires. One of them was $600,000 for the study, preliminary design, site preparation and associated costs of the Greylock Glen Environmental Center in the town of Adams. “I am grateful that we were able to assist the Greylock Glen project with this funding. Recently, the entire project has been moving forward and funds for the study will only serve to expedite this ongoing process.” In addition to that, $3.35 million was earmarked for phase II inspections and emergency repairs to the Notch reservoir and Mount Williams Reservoir Dams in the city of North Adams.

Upon enactment by both branches, these bills will be laid before the Governor to be signed into law.

In addition to this press release, I am very pleased that $50 million was included in the general bond issue for the cultural facilities fund that I created in the 2006 economic stimulus bill to fund the next few years repairs of our facilities around the Commonwealth and $10 million was kept in a fuel assistance fund. More on my plans to help people in the district this winter in an upcoming post.

End of Year Rush

In Massachusetts, our Legislative year ends on July 31, on the second year of our term. That doesn't mean that we stop working. Far from it. There are still informal sessions every few days where noncontroversial matters or home rule petitions are heard and passed. There are projects and hearings and work on committee deliberations and initiatives. There is an opportunity to get back to the district more often and meet with constituents. There is time to tour businesses and meet with groups. I plan on holding an informational hearing on winter fuel prices and what, if any, our options and opportunities are to deal with this crisis. So the time is busy but the schedule is more flexible. That is good because after being in the Legislature for twenty-two years and being a chairman for the last seventeen, my time in Boston as opposed to the district grows each year. It is good to get back more and recharge my batteries, so to speak.

More on the district in a future post, but with two weeks left in the session, I have a full list of things that I need to get done. We are close but need to get the broadband bill, to bring service out to unserved areas in Western Massachusetts, finalized and passed. We need to complete the work on the the dairy stabilization bill that so many rural Legislators worked on. I have passed the Creative Economic Council bill in the House and would like to see action in the Senate. I have a few local bills such as an expansion of the Adams Fire District and completing the land transfer for the North Adams Armory to the City of North Adams. I am still hopeful for some movement on an Optometry bill that I have filed for years.

I have a bill to create a creative index for our schools to spread best practices at challenging our school kids to be more innovative and creative. We are hopeful of finalizing in committee and then passing the Green Jobs bill filed by the Speaker of the House. We have several capital bond issues that have important initiatives or projects for my district. For example, the science building at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams is in the higher ed bond bill. There is money to refinish Rt.116 in the town of Savoy in the transportation bond. As co-chair of the regional transportation caucus, I would like to see forward funding passed for the RTA's. As a member of the IT advisory board, I am interested in the bond to modernize our state IT system. That is a pretty daunting list and I know that there is more
There are other bills that I think are important to finish before the end of the year such as the health care cost containment bill that the Senate President filed. This is a very good bill and contains initiatives on e-health management which is something I have written about for a number of years. And of course, there are a number of budget vetoes that I feel we should override. These are small local earmarks that are important for my district. I think of these as additional local aid that gives a boost to local initiatives that would not be funded if they weren't included as earmarks, yet are so important to our districts.

So we have two weeks in which to accomplish this. I will let you know at the end of the session on our success in getting this list done.

FY 2009 Budget Highlights for the District

The following is an amalgam of the press releases sent out concerning the fiscal year 2009 budget and its impact on the district. This was a pretty good year for Western Mass and I am happy with the various programs that we were able to bring back to our area. I took the lead on some of this, but on the ones where the lead sponsor is named, you can bet they did a lot of heavy lifting on these and deserve the credit. We are fortunate to have a great group of Legislators from Western Massachusetts that work very hard for their constituents and we work well as a group.

With the conclusion of the Conference Committee late Thursday evening, State Representative Daniel E. Bosley (D – North Adams) commented on the FY 2009 spending plan, saying; “This has been a very tough budget process due to a billion dollar deficit from the beginning. Fortunately, through diligence these past few months, we were able to secure funding for many programs in the 1^st Berkshire District and across the Commonwealth that are vital to the prosperity and economic development of the state.”

The City of North Adams received an earmark of $150,000 for the North Adams Armory. This funding will be used to replace the deteriorating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and offers the final touch to the other construction work that has been recently been performed on the building.

Another significant success for the entire Berkshire Delegation was $400,000 for the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition for teen pregnancy prevention programs, of which $250,000 is to be allocated equally to school systems in the cities of North Adams and Pittsfield. “With increasing rates of teen pregnancy across the Commonwealth, it is imperative that the Coalition continue receiving funds to implement and expand their teen pregnancy preventions programs in the Berkshires,” said Bosley.

The Councils on Aging received a $73,000 boost to its overall budget, which is now capped at $8,615,068. As the lead sponsor of this amendment during the initial House budget debate, Representative Bosley was instrumental in securing this funding increase and made a passionate speech on the house floor during the debate. This allotment allows the formula grant to increase from $6.50 per elder to $7 per elder, which is significant considering that it is a tight budget year and the COA has been advocating for this increase for the past two budgets.

In addition to that, Representative Bosley, the House Chair of the Regional Transit Authorities Caucus, alongside the entire western Massachusetts delegation, secured $57,888,391 for RTAs across the Commonwealth, a $2.6 million increase from FY ’08. This funding would ensure that proposed service reductions that threaten to affect consistent transportation and will allow RTAs to provide quality, reliable and cost-effective service for seniors, workers, the disabled and the general public.

In addition to that, $50,000 was earmarked for public safety on the Deerfield and Upper Connecticut River. The main intent of this earmark is to protect property owners along the river in the Town of Charlemont. With two major rafting companies and multiple places to launch a raft or tube, there have been issues of trespassing and property damage to those who reside on the river. These funds will be used in conjunction with the Charlemont Police Department.

Representative Bosley, working with members of the Aviation Caucus, was able to assure that the budget language repealing the aircraft sales tax exemption was not included in the final conference committee budget. Bosley was the original sponsor of the legislation establishing the exemption. The exemption has been a catalyst for economic development throughout the state and is especially important for Harriman And West Airport in North Adams and the related companies and jobs that support it.

Finally, through the efforts of the Berkshire Delegation, the Berkshire Economic Development Corporation received $250,000 to continue leading the Berkshire region in economic development initiatives as a vital tool for small businesses inquiring about expansion, relocation or start-up.

According to Bosley, “considering the projected economic recession looming for the next few years, this was a particularly tight budget year for the Commonwealth. In spite of this, Berkshire County faired well and I am pleased that many programs received level or increased funding.”

In addition to those achievements, Representative Bosley and the other members of the Berkshire delegation – Representative Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox), Representative Denis Guyer (D-Dalton) and Representative Chris Speranzo (D-Pittsfield) - were able to secure funding for the following local and statewide programs that directly affect the Berkshires:

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $42,000 to help fund the Turner House Living Center For Veterans in Williamstown

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $200,000 for the Western MA Enterprise Fund to provide workforce training in Western MA

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $30,101,348 for Adult Basic Education, an increase of $1,000,000 from FY ’08

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $200,000 for the Bay State Games which is crucial funding for the annual events held in Williamstown and North Berkshire County

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $200,000 for the North Quabbin Community Coalition for the support and implementation of four model community coalitions and community capacity building activities, of which the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition is involved.

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $200,000 for the Small Business Association of New England’s layoff aversion program

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $1,260,697 for the Small Business Technical Assistance program, which offers community development organizations grants to provide technical assistance or training programs to businesses with 20 employees or fewer

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $14,465,462 for the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, an increase of $564,462 from FY ’08. In that amount, a total of $350,000 is for the Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative, and of that, $100,000 is allocated for the Berkshire Compact, which assesses and evaluates the higher education resources available to Berkshire County residents

· The Berkshire Delegation was able to secure $9,456,459 for Berkshire Community College, an increase of $295,520 from FY’08

· Rep. Bosley was able to secure $6.5 million for the Cultural Facilities Fund, which provides capital grants and feasibility and technical assistance grants to promote the acquisition, design, repair, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion, or construction of nonprofit cultural facilities in Massachusetts. Since its inception in 2006, many cultural organizations in the Berkshires have been fortunate to receive grants from the program.

· The Berkshire Delegation was able to secure $75,000 for the Berkshire County Housing Authority’s Housing Services and Mediation Program

· Working with the lead sponsor, Represenative Guyer, $61,300,000 was secured for regional school transportation, an increase of $3,000,000 from FY ’08

In addition to those achievements, Representative Bosley worked alongside the entire Franklin County Delegation to secure funding for other important local and statewide programs, including:

· The Franklin County Delegation was able to secure $200,000 for the Western MA Enterprise Fund to provide workforce training in Western MA

· Working with the lead sponsor, Representative Kulik, $200,000 was secured for Buy Local programs across the Commonwealth

· Working with the lead sponsor, Representative Kulik, $50,000 was secured for the Senior Farm Share Program

· The Franklin County Delegation was able to secure $5,500,000 for the Education Pothole account to fill in inadequacies in the budget

The final Conference Committee Report will be sent to the Governor.