Westport
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EverythingWestport.com
Friday,
May 04, 2012
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Westport State Representative
Paul Schmid supports Community Preservation Act.
Massachusetts Senate Passes the
“Valor Act.”
Greater Tiverton Community Chorus presents their Spring 2012 Concerts:
Simple Gifts.
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Westport
State Representative Paul Schmid supports CPA. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday,
May 02, 2012 Westport State Representative Paul Schmid
supports Community Preservation Act in his maiden speech on the floor of the
House during last week's budget debate. "The
Act to Sustain Community Preservation improves on what has been in
place," State Rep Schmid said. "The state match is increased to
50%. It broadens the community option to exempt the first $100,000 of property
value for residential, commercial and industrial property. This new exemption
is especially beneficial to small businesses and, it clarifies the allowable
uses of CPA funds so that cities and towns can rehabilitate existing outdoor
parks, playgrounds and athletic fields," he added. Schmid went on to say that "as a State
Representative for the 8th Bristol District (New Bedford, Fall River,
Freetown and Westport) I had the opportunity to give my maiden speech to the
House of Representatives on the Community Preservation Act (CPA). This was
both a personal pleasure and great legislative opportunity to speak about
such a positive program. Westport has benefited tremendously from this unique
community service program. The modest property tax and matching funds from
the state have provided the town with a resource of money whose expenditure
is directed by the local community. These funds are utilized as seed money,
and assist in attracting matching grants from public and private funding
sources. Because of this program an initial 50 thousand from CPA grew into
1.3 million that funded a project to dredge around our town dock, which helps
support our active fishing industry. CPA funds have also helped preserve
farmland, create athletic fields, renovate town hall and prepare out town for
affordable housing." Schmid further said that "with these
improvements, I believe that the CPA can be an important tool for cities like
Fall River and New Bedford. The past years have been challenging because for
municipalities. State funding, though now stabilized, has been cut
drastically because of the Great Recession. Every extra dollar must be
dedicated to public safety and education. Quality of life investments, which
are the future of our cities, go unfunded." "The surcharge on property tax bills
can be modest and set to protect our elderly and small businesses. Fall River
could adopt the exemption for the first $100,000 of property value for
residential, commercial and industrial properties and set the surcharge at 1.5%.
For the average residential property, the surcharge on each quarter’s tax
bill would be $4.75. None of us like to pay taxes but we do value our
families’ quality of life. This small surcharge on our end would raise $1.1
million each year from the city and state’s match." "It is well known that preserving our
history and improving our public spaces has had a string impact in other
areas of the Commonwealth. The SouthCoast has so
much that needs to be preserved, protected and improved upon that can serve
as an economic catalyst for our future. To me, the CPA is not just about
preserving physical entities or programs, but it is also about preserving and
creating jobs. That is why I am very pleased to inform my constituents in the
8th Bristol District that the CPA amendment passed by a unanimous vote (Roll
Call #225) during this past week’s budget debate in the House of
Representatives. I am proud that I had an opportunity to help develop this
tool that will enable us to plan and build a better future for our
communities and our families," State Rep Schmid concluded. Paul A.
Schmid State Representative 8th Bristol District Note: According to Rep Schmid's
office, the senate gets their chance to debate the entire budget at the end of
May, where they can also add their own amendments. Whether they keep CPA in
it or not is up to debate. Any differences between the two budgets have to be
smoothed out in a conference committee. Then the budget moves on to the
Governor where he can either sign or veto the budget. If vetoed,
the legislature can either accept or reject (2/3 vote in both branches to
override the Governor's veto) the
budget. All this activity has to occur by July 1, 2012. Massachusetts Senate
Passes the “Valor Act.” Improving Benefits and Services for
Veterans, Active Military and Families EverythingWestport.com Friday, May 04,
2012 BOSTON – Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport) announced
Thursday that the Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed “The Valor Act”
– new legislation that will expand benefits and increase access to a range of
services for veterans, active-duty military and their families. “I’m very excited this legislation is
moving forward and has passed in the Senate, said Senator Rodrigues. The
Valor Act is the legislature’s latest effort to support veterans, military
members and their families. The Commonwealth will continue to provide
assistance to our distinguished service members, for protecting our liberties
and freedoms.” The bill works on many fronts to help veterans
and active military members improve business, educational and housing
opportunities. For example, through the formation of public/private
partnerships, it facilitates seed money for the start-up and expansion of
veteran-owned businesses. It also promotes the participation of
disabled-veteran business owners in public construction and design projects. The legislation also removes certain
educational obstacles by requiring the state’s public institutions of higher
learning to adopt new policies and procedures for awarding proper academic
credit for a student’s prior military training, coursework and experience. “I am proud to support this bill and proud
of the bill’s sponsor, Senator (Michael) Rush, who not only serves this
Commonwealth but has put his own life on the line to protect the citizens of
our nation,” Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) said. “Massachusetts does more than any other
state to support its veterans. Even during recent fiscal challenges, we
increased funding for outreach centers, homelessness services and mental
health training to provide for the rising demand of returning veterans. The
Valor Act will continue our strong tradition of supporting veterans and
military families.” The bill also makes it easier for the
children of military personnel to transfer between school districts and
states, joining 42 other states in the Interstate Compact on Educational
Opportunity for Military Children. To help ease the costs of housing,
utilities, medical services and food for Gold Star Families, the bill expands
eligibility for the Massachusetts Military Family Relief Fund. It also
eliminates the $2,500 Property Tax Exemption Cap for Gold Star Spouses. The
bill also helps the courts better recognize veterans issues by making sure
veterans and service members facing criminal complaints have a properly
recorded military history and are considered for diversion and treatment
options if eligible. “This omnibus veterans legislation
encompasses some of the very best ideas presented by my colleagues in the
legislature and the veterans of the Commonwealth to assist veterans and their
families with employment, education and services at a time when we are seeing
an increase of military men and women returning from deployment overseas,”
said Senator Rush, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Veterans and
Federal Affairs. “We want to ensure that Massachusetts remains number one in
the nation in providing for our veterans, men and women in uniform, and their
families. This legislation goes a long way in bringing this goal to
fruition.” The Valor
Act also does the following: ·
Prohibits local hiring
authorities from requesting military medical records that are not requested
by the Human Resources Department; ·
Requires the
Department of Veterans’ Services commissioner to be a veteran; ·
Allows for at least a
90-day license renewal extension for service members returning from active
duty for certain Department of Public Safety licenses, such as engineering
and firefighter licenses; ·
Creates a local option
property tax exemption for veterans who volunteer in their community, with a
maximum credit rate equal to the minimum wage and a total exemption not
exceeding $750; and ·
Directs the Executive
Office of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Executive
Office of Administration and Finance, Department of Veterans’ Services, and
the soldiers’ homes to study the fiscal impact of designating a non-profit
entity as a state soldiers’ home. In past years the legislature has passed
the Welcome Home Bill so that hundreds-of-thousands of Massachusetts veterans
and military families receive better pay, war bonuses, more affordable life
insurance, state college tuition waivers and increased annuity payments. The legislature has also supported the
MERIT Plan, providing new property tax and excise tax exemptions for
active-duty military and veterans and their families, and has passed
additional legislation allowing for increased cash bonuses for those
returning from multiple tours of duty and work preferences for disabled
veterans. The bill will now move on to the House of
Representatives. Greater Tiverton Community Chorus presents their Spring
2012 Concerts: Simple Gifts. EverythingWestport.com Friday, May 04, 2012
“The chorus loves singing this music,” said
Ms. Armstrong. “It has been a joy for According to Melissa Woolverton,
the Chorus’s accompanist, “I agree that this music is fabulous. I hope everyone in the audience enjoys hearing
the music as much as I enjoy playing it.”
Ms. Woolverton, who joined the Greater
Tiverton Community Chorus staff in 2011, is a professional classical pianist
and lyric soprano. An adjunct faculty
member in the music department at Salve Regina University in Newport, RI, she
performs regularly as a professional accompanist throughout New England.
Steve Kirby, Chorus president, describes
the upcoming concerts this way. “Our program
includes arrangements by Aaron Copland and Mack Wilberg
(conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), Shaker tunes, a rousing
presentation of the Gospel song The
Storm is Passing Over, and a medley from Godspell. Everyone in the audience
will find something they like.” Tickets for these concerts are $12.00 at
the door, and children under 16 are admitted free. For more information, call or click 401.253.7987;
email bestar3@cox.net;
or go to www.gtccchorus.org. © 2012 Community Events of Westport. All rights
reserved. EverythingWestport.com |
