Dear Neighbor,
Some recent items in the media help show some of my work.
Shows with the Somerville Media Center: Sunrise, Senior Living, Circus
Somerville High students Marie Lessard-Brandt, Rio Hunter Black and Emily Howley talked on this show about why they're fighting climate change with the Sunrise Movement. Members of Sunrise from Tufts, as well as other environmental organizations have met with me several other times.
Somerville VNA Director Linda Cornell met with me to talk about the VNA's three senior living residences in Somerville, which now included the former residence formerly owned by Little Sisters of the Poor. They offer a range of affordable options: independent living, rest home care, and assisted living. Due to hard work and creativity, no one died of COVID at the VNA's homes!
Finally, Kevin Lowry brought me a video of the 1984 OPENAIR Circus, now available on the Media Center website. Kevin, a former Ringling Brothers clown, helped start the Circus, which continues to offer summer classes despite the loss of our original space and despite the pandemic. Hoping we'll perform in person next year!
Labor Committee: Restaurants, Misclassification, Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund
The Herald wrote about how restaurants are raising wages because of the labor shortage, and mentioned the One Fair Wage bill, which I sponsor with Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier and the One Fair Wage coalition. The bill would entitle servers to the full minimum wage with tips on top.
I co-chair with Rep. Josh Cutler the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Solvency Commission. The Herald covered a meeting where we learned about how many employers misclassify workers as independent contractors, so they don't have to pay into the Trust Fund. I am sponsoring a bill to prevent misclassification. A greater threat is the Uber/Lyft ballot question to permanently deny their workers unemployment and other benefits.
My staff and I have focused on the UI Trust Fund Solvency Commission, where we are trying to find a way to keep the Trust Fund solvent, and avoid borrowing to pay benefits in future downturns. I was surprised to learn recently that, despite the pandemic, the Trust Fund actually has a positive balance, according to the federal government. Everyone else was also surprised when I raised the issue of the Trust Fund's balance during Senate debate. The governor has been asking for $1 billion in federal ARPA funds and up to $7 billion in bonds, which would have to be paid off by a special assessment on employers The Baker administration has not submitted required reports since June, and has not responded to many requests, by our committee, the business community, and the press. You can read about it:
Bruce Mohl at Commonwealth Magazine is following the controversy:
Nov. 10: Unemployment Insurance Deficit May Have Vanished
Nov. 15: Business Leader Confused by UI Revelations
Nov. 16: Baker: $500 million for Trust Fund Not Debatable
Nov. 19: No Answers Yet
Dec. 7: Baker Administration Remains Vague on UI Holdup
MassLive reported that After borrowing money from the federal government, Massachusetts’ unemployment fund now exceeds debt owed to Washington
and more recently: panel in the dark about major unemployment insurance system metric
The Globe said Charlie Baker Leaves Employers in the Dark
The Herald said Massachusetts Still in the Dark
Housing Committee
My recent newsletters have reported on the decline in owner occupancy and increased unaffordability, pointing to the need for Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) legislation. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley co-authored an op ed on TOPA with Chinatown Community Land Trust's Lydia Lowe and City Life/Vida Urbana's Denise Matthews-Turner.
Cambridge activist Lori Lander organizes weekly breakfast Zoom forums about important topics. She invited me to talk about TOPA this week (tomorrow!). You're welcome to join:
Pathways to Preserving Existing Affordable Housing and Ensuring Housing Stability
Wednesday December 8 from 8am to 9am
Sen. Pat Jehlen
Lydia Edwards, Boston City Councilor and candidate for State Senate
Lydia Lowe, Chinatown Community Land Trust
Carl Nagy-Koechlin, Executive Director, Just-A-Start
ZOOM info. Join Zoom Meeting
Fare Free Buses Make Progress
As the Boston City Council approved new Boston Mayor Wu's proposal for $8 million for a 2-year pilot of fare-free buses on three routes, there's more and more interest in bills Rep. Christine Barber and I filed to establish fare-free bus pilot programs in the MBTA and Regional Transit Authorities. Yvonne Abraham's column in the Globe gave us more momentum.
Last week, Lori Lander's breakfast was about fare free buses. You can watch the excellent presentation:
Fare-Free Public Transit: The equity, economic, environmental, and social benefits
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/zN87U4dpKFb04buvrjOYSjasQYHvcQzYHCVqyfpwNK_Hm48yEv0LUOBykxgE7Q7z.VFNJSe6rDDHyIsQk
Passcode: #rK94cf!
A conversation with
Alanna Mallon, Vice-Mayor and City Councilor, City of Cambridge
Daniel Lander, Senior Advisor, Michelle Wu’s Campaign for Mayor of Boston
Phineas Baxandall, Senior Policy Analyst & Advocacy Director, Massachusetts
Budget & Policy Center
Period Poverty Bill
Reps. Christine Barber and Jay Livingstone and I are working with Mass. NOW on a bill to provide free menstrual products in schools, prisons and homeless shelters. It received a favorable report from the Public Health Committee last week! Here's a Globe report about how period products can be significant costs even for college students, with one student saying they cost her $40/month. Another said "just like toilet paper, menstrual care should be available." (And it's so upsetting to know that more than a third of community college students reported food insecurity and 17% experienced homelessness in the past year.)
The photo shows MassBay Community College staff picking up period products to restock bathrooms on their campus.
Child Care as a Campaign Expense bill
The Herald reported on a recent hearing for a bill Reps. Mike Connolly and Joan Meschino and I filed to allow use of campaign funds for child care while the candidate is working on a campaign. I told the committee that our dear friend Beth Grunko volunteered to care for our children while I knocked on doors during my first campaign for school committee. Child care was as much a necessary part of my campaign, perhaps more so, as literature or mailings.
More on Sewage
The Tufts Daily wrote an excellent article about sewage, and interviewed Nathan Sanders, who worked with Rep. Denise Provost and me in developing the original sewage discharge notification bill. ICYMI, here's my recent newsletter on sewage and floods.
All best wishes in the holiday season. Stay safe and stay in touch,