2003 Mitt Romney Press Releases, all on one page

• 2003 January-June Mitt Romney press releases
• 2003 July-December Mitt Romney press releases

2004 Mitt Romney Press Releases, all on one page

2004 January to June, 2004 July to December All on one page (easy for printing)

2005 Mitt Romney Press Releases, all on one page

2005 January to June, 2005 July to December

2005 Mitt Romney Press Releases, all on one page

2006 January to June, 2006 July to December

 

Want to be a Mitt Romney expert?

 

Print all his press releases from this page, and read them all.

 

I can't think of a better way to get to know Romney. Otherwise you will have to clock on each date and read them one at a time. Aghh! Too much work!

 

I would print double sided (to save paper) and don't print the table of contents. To do this just select the part you want to print, click print, and then select print selection.

 

January 2, 2003

GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SWORN IN

Romney, Healey Celebrate Inaugural Events; Emphasize Themes of inclusion and Public Service

 

Optimistic for the future, but calling for "immediate and hard action" to address the state's fiscal crisis, Governor Mitt Romney today delivered his Inaugural Address before a joint session of the Massachusetts State Legislature, saying the "source of our greatness is our people."

 

Romney reinforced his pledge not to raise taxes, saying it hurts people "when we tax away their ability to invest in themselves and to make their own life choices." To pull the state out of it perpetual budget problems, Mitt Romney said, "the only permanent solution is to change state government."

 

He promised to lead a fundamental reform of state government in order to revive the Commonwealth's economy, saying we are facing a "financial emergency."

 

Romney said, "Let's be honest about our financial crisis. It has taken way too long to recognize the need for change. A windfall in tax revenues from the Internet boom and the market's irrational exuberance masked the truth. State government spent the windfall and borrowed even more. We've even used up virtually all our cash, borrowed all our cash, borrowed all the banks will lend us and we are still spending more than we are earning. We are facing a financial emergency." Source 01-02-2003 Press Release

 

"There is no easy way out of this mess. There's no time to wait for the fruits of careful streamlining and restructuring. We must take immediate, hard action," Mitt Romney said.

 

Prior to the speech and following the oath of office, Mitt Romney signed the Register of Governors with a pen used by his father, three-term Michigan Governor George Romney, during a bill signing. The pen is the property of the Michigan State Archives and is on loan for today's ceremony.

 

Emphasizing the inaugural theme of inclusion and public service, Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey were greeted upon their arrival at the State House by a "Citizens Welcome" of Girl Scouts, City Year Corps members and Beverly High School Band students. In Nurses Hall, they autographed inaugural post cards for school children, then saluted veterans in the Hall of Flags and shook hands with members of the public at the foot of the Grand Staircase.

 

Faces of citizens were on display throughout the inaugural events, photographed by high school students across Massachusetts. Mitt Romney and Healey started the day by serving breakfast to homeless veterans in Boston and later participating in a basketball game with middle and high school students at the Colonel Daniel Marr Boys and Girls Club in Dorchester.

 

In a departure from the past, Mitt Romney and Healey held the traditional prayer service the previous evening at the New Covenant Christian Church in the predominantly minority neighborhood of Mattapan.

 

Tomorrow, they extend the festivities to western Massachusetts by visiting a Springfield elementary school.

 

In his 20-minute inaugural speech, Mitt Romney vowed to invest in the citizens of the Commonwealth by providing an excellent education, a strong economy, affordable housing andhealth care, and defending civil rights.

 

"I believe that the source our greatness is our people. Their education, skills, inventiveness, determination and faith make us a very distinct people on the face of this planet," Mitt Romney said before a packed crowd in the House Chamber of the State House after taking the oath of office.

 

He added, "In this new century, perhaps as much as any other time in our history, the qualities of our free people emerge as our greatest strength. And because I believe this is so, I believe that we best strengthen our state and our nation by investing in our people and in protecting their freedoms."

 

Governor Mitt Romney outlined specific guiding principles he will utilize to change the state's bureaucratic ways and revive the Commonwealth's economy. In the next several months, Mitt Romney pledged:

 

Honest and timely reports to the Legislature and the people of Massachusetts to keep them apprised and up-to-date on the state's fiscal situation;

 

To face the fiscal crisis head-on, he will make the difficult, immediate decisions necessary to get our state out of the current financial crisis. These decisions may include downsizing or eliminating many non essential government programs to manage the massive budget deficit; and

 

A comprehensive proposal to restructure state government in a way that will result in a greater level of responsiveness to our citizens, faster decision making, a lighter more agile bureaucracy and an openness to change. Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, who was also sworn in before the Legislature in the House Chamber, joined Mitt Romney in pledging to revitalize the Commonwealth, calling on the people of the state to join them.

 

"Each of you, as citizens, will have a critical role to play in the revitalization of our state. Our communities and our neighborhoods must become active again, working in partnership with government to maintain critical services for those most in need - children, the poor, the sick, the elderly and the disabled," Healey said.

 

She added, "We need more than just responsive officials. We need citizens who will once again stand ready to contribute their time and effort for the good of our society. This was once the strength of our Commonwealth and it can be so again."

 

Romney also honored the spirit of public service during his speech by recognizing two state employees who have gone beyond the call of duty - Matthew Chao and State Police Trooper Michael Michno.

 

Chao, from Newton, is employed by the Department of Corrections, overseeing inmates who produce Braille books and texts for blind students. Chao, who was born blind, has worked for state government for a decade and is an inspiration to all who work with him.

 

Trooper Michno, of Somerset, has served in the Massachusetts State Police for nearly 10 years. He has dedicated his time - both on and off duty -- to helping prevent the loss of life of children in car accidents by assisting parents install car seats properly.

 

More than 7,300 people participated in the inaugural events, which were capped off with an inaugural gala held at the World Trade Center in Boston featuring entertainment by the Boston Pops.

 

 

January 9, 2003

 

ROMNEY NAMES PROFESSIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

Issues new Executive Order designed to curb nepotism

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced the appointment of Ruth N. Bramson as Director of Human Resources. Mitt Romney also issued an Executive Order putting in place so-called "sunshine provisions" requiring new employees to identify family members working in state government.

 

Bramson, of Dover, was most recently Senior Vice President for Human Resources at Shaw's Supermarkets, Inc. At Shaw's, a $4.5 billion, 187-store supermarket chain, Bramson was responsible for servicing the human resources needs for 35,000 employees.

 

Romney said Bramson will work with Cabinet officials to recruit and hire their staffs and advise the Governor on professionalizing the human resources function throughout state government.

 

The move follows the abolition of the position of Chief Secretary. Previously, the chief secretary was the individual in charge of placing political supporters in jobs throughout state government.

 

"Ruth Bramson is a proven professional with a strong set of organizational skills," said Romney. "Many people from all walks of life have expressed an interest in joining our administration. I look to Ruth to help us put together the best team of people to address the challenges ahead."

 

The "sunshine provisions" in Romney's Executive Order require individuals applying for positions within the Executive Branch to disclose in writing the names of all immediate family members as well as people related to immediate family members by marriage who serve as employees or elected officials of the Commonwealth. The information will be available to the public upon request.

 

"People with political connections should not be barred from state employment, but the public needs to be reassured that state employment needs are being filled on the basis of experience and capability. These new sunshine provisions are designed to open up the process," said Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey.

 

Bramson said she was "tremendously honored to be part of the exciting changes taking place in state government under Governor Romney."

 

In 1998, Bramson founded the non-profit organization, Suited for Success, with the mission of helping economically disadvantaged women move from welfare to lives of self-sufficiency for themselves and their children. More than 100 women have benefited from the program since its creation. Bramson continues to serve as Chairman of the Board and President.

 

Bramson holds a bachelor's degree from Columbia University and a master's degree in Organizational Development and Training from Boston University.

 

January 10, 2003

 

ROMNEY SEEKS EXPANDED AUTHORITY TO BALANCE BUDGET

Calls for shared sacrifice in order to avoid disproportionate cuts to poor and needy

 

Saying the choice is between disproportionate cuts to programs serving the most needy citizens of Massachusetts or shared reductions in spending, Governor Mitt Romney today filed legislation to broaden his authority to bring the state budget into balance in the current fiscal 2003 year.

 

"A true partnership means sharing in good times and bad. In good times, the Commonwealth shared its prosperity with cities and towns," said Mitt Romney in an address to the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

 

"Now that the state has hit hard times, we need cities and towns to join us in tightening their belts," Mitt Romney said.

 

Romney said he anticipates a significant shortfall for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2003, which was not foreseen a few short months ago. Most of the focus had been on a looming budget gap in the 2004 fiscal year.

 

"Our problem is simple: spending is high and cash is low. When we began our transition two months ago, every indication was that the current budget was balanced. That is not the case, and immediate, hard action is required to achieve fiscal balance," said Romney.

 

The proposed legislation would permit the Governor to review local aid and higher education accounts in addressing deficiencies in revenue for the current fiscal year. Those accounts are currently beyond the reach of Romney's so-called "9C authority" to reduce spending.

 

According to Romney, his current "9C authority" would force disproportionate cuts on the elderly, poor and disabled.

 

"If we are forced to balance this budget on the backs of our seniors and the poor, we will expose the core services of government to disproportionate cuts," said Romney. "That is not fair. The best solution is to spread the burden."

 

Romney tasked Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey with the job of acting as liaison to cities and towns during the fiscal emergency. She will work with mayors and local officials to devise a package of changes designed to give them the flexibility to manage their local budgets.

 

Healey will collect information in direct meetings with mayors and electronically via the Internet.

 

"Over the next few weeks, I will be traveling the state meeting with mayors and local officials to solicit their advice on how we can make the coming months less challenging for local communities," Healey said.

 

"We view this moment of economic crisis as an opportunity to remove some of the financial and bureaucratic burdens the state has saddled local government with over the years," she added.

 

Healey said she has already heard from local officials seeking relief with transportation issues, purchasing requirements, unfunded mandates and onerous construction regulations.

 

Due to balance of power issues, Romney's proposed legislation does not affect the Judiciary or the Legislature, although each will be asked to make voluntary reductions in their own spending.

 

"I do not believe the best way to find solutions to our fiscal problems is to sit on Beacon Hill and simply issue directives and orders to our cities and towns. Instead, I believe we must come together to find the least painful path through this crisis," said Romney.

 

"We must have the cities and towns at the table as we craft our answer to the budgetary challenges that confront us so that the solutions we propose do not unfairly target health and human service programs," he said.

 

 

January 11, 2003

 

LOCAL OFFICIALS JOIN ROMNEY, HEALEY TO PLEDGE COOPERATION

Support principle of shared sacrifice to avoid disproportionate cuts to poor and needy

 

 

Mayors, selectmen and other municipal officials today joined Governor Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey to pledge their cooperation in addressing the state’s financial crisis.

 

While he does not look forward to a reduction in local aid, Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella said he and other local officials support the principle of shared sacrifice that Mitt Romney outlined the previous day to a meeting of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

 

“These are not easy times, and it requires all of us to make sacrifices – at every level of government,” said Mazzarella.

 

Newburyport Mayor Alan Lavender said he looks forward to working with the lieutenant governor on a package of changes that will make it easier for cities and towns to manage their own budgets during this period of financial emergency.

 

“If we step up as community and government leaders to help the Commonwealth through this crisis, then we need the tools to do our job,” said Lavender. “Artificial limitations and mandates that prevent us from getting full value for every dollar should be removed.”

 

Romney called for fast action on his legislation to expand his powers to reduce spending, warning that a delay will necessitate deeper cuts later.

 

The proposed legislation would permit the Governor to review local aid and higher education accounts in addressing deficiencies in revenue for the current fiscal year. Those accounts are currently beyond the reach of Romney’s so-called “9C authority” to reduce spending.

 

According to Romney, his current “9C authority” would force disproportionate cuts on the elderly, poor and disabled, which comprise the bulk of the areas of the budget subject to unilateral spending cuts.

 

Depending on how revenues come in for the remainder of the fiscal 2003 year, Mitt Romney estimated the budget gap at $450 million to $600 million.

 

“For those of us in elective office, we are sometimes required to put the good of the whole above the good of any individual city, town or special interest group,” said Romney.

 

“By sharing in the burden, our local leaders are demonstrating they support the principle of fairness and that they recognize a true partnership means sharing in good times and bad,” said Romney.

 

Fitchburg Mayor Dan Mylott said: “Local aid is one of the largest areas of the budget. While these dollars are critical to providing local services, I think it’s fair for the Governor to review them as he looks to bring the state budget into balance.”

 

Added Chicopee Mayor Richard Kos: “The state is our partner, so the financial problems facing the state are essentially our problems, too. We all need to be part of the solution.”

 

January 13, 2003

 

ROMNEY FILLS OUT CABINET BY NAMING TWO NEW MEMBERS

 

Governor Mitt Romney today filled out his Cabinet by appointing Barbara Berke as Director of Economic Development and Jane Edmonds as Director of Labor and Workforce Development.

 

Both Berke and Edmonds will work with Bob Pozen, Chief of Commerce and Labor, to spur economic development and improve the economic well-being of the citizens of Massachusetts.

 

"With these two new outstanding appointments, Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey and I have the team we want in place," Mitt Romney said. "Both Barbara and Jane have impressive credentials that will jumpstart our economy, help attract employers and jobs to our state and ensure our workforce is top-notch."

 

In taking the economic development post, Berke left her job as Vice President of The Boston Consulting Group, a strategic management- consulting firm. In her two decades at BCG, she developed innovative business strategies across numerous industry sectors and practice areas.

 

At BCG, Berke was also involved in community service, taking a leadership role in Massachusetts re-development programs. Among other projects, Berke assisted Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority in the development of the Backstreets Program.

 

Romney said that Berke will help form regional boards that will be tasked with developing a jobs blueprint for their area. The blueprint will help pinpoint areas of competitive advantage and set the agenda for the Governor's economic development initiatives.

 

Berke, of Brookline, holds a MBA from Harvard and a bachelor's degree from Brown University.

 

Edmonds is the former Chairman of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the state's civil rights enforcement agency. She also served as the City of Boston's Director of Intergovernmental Relations under Mayor Kevin White. Edmonds is a trustee at Roxbury Community College.

 

She currently runs her own management development and human resource training and consulting firm, Jane C. Edmonds & Associates. The company offers services to organizations helping them to recruit, retain and fully utilize diverse human resources in line with their business objectives.

 

Edmonds, of Sharon, received her law degree from Boston College and her bachelor's degree from Harvard University.

 

 

January 14, 2003

ON TRANSPORTATION, Mitt Romney PLEDGES TO "FIX IT FIRST"

Targets transportation dollars to repairing the state's crumbling roads and bridges

 

Governor Mitt Romney today unveiled a new "Fix It First" policy to focus state dollars on repairing the state's crumbling roads and bridges. Saying there will be "no monuments to egos," Mitt Romney also ended the practice of putting the names of the Governor and other state officials on highway signs.

 

"Massachusetts can no longer afford to allow our existing system to crumble under the weight of overuse and official neglect," said Romney. "We need to redirect the state's resources to reflect a priority on repairing what we already have."

 

Under the new policy, first priority will be given to sharply reducing the backlog of deteriorating roads and bridges. Massachusetts has nearly 5,000 bridges, with 12 percent rated as "structurally deficient." The bridges are owned by cities and towns, the Massachusetts Highway Department, the Metropolitan District Commission and the Massachusetts Bay Transporation Authority.

 

Romney directed his Chief of Commonwealth Development, Doug Foy, to work with Transportation Secretary Dan Grabauskas to produce a plan for repairing or reconstructing the state's failing bridges, with a budget and schedule for completing the job, by July 1, 2003.

 

The plan will also include a management program to improve pavement management so that maintenance and minor repairs are scheduled in a way to avoid bigger reconstruction jobs in the future. Mitt Romney also called for the following traffic-busting initiatives:

 

Improving signage so drivers know where they are and where they are going;

Scheduling construction on key roads during off-peak hours whenever possible;

Enhancing incident response systems; and

Implementing multi-modal strategies to reduce traffic congestion.

In a break from past custom, Mitt Romney said he will direct the Transportation Department to end the practice of having the names of the Governor and other state officials on highway signs.

 

"Every time there is a change in administration, we spent thousands of dollars to alter the welcome signs along our state borders," said Romney. "While it may not be much in the context of the overall budget, it certainly represents money that is better spent in other ways."

 

According to Foy, "In reinvesting in our existing roads and bridges, we are also reinvesting in our cities and towns where we want economic growth."

 

"Massachusetts has one of the oldest road and bridge systems in the country and we pledge that it will be kept in the best condition possible," said Grabauskas. "Governor Mitt Romney believes that taxpayers have a right to expect that every dollar of their investment be used in a thoughtful, efficient, and effective manner."

 

Romney explained that "Fix It First" does not mean taking everything other than repairs off the drawing board.

 

"Our highest priority should be on caring for existing assets before we take on other things. Highway expansion will be based primarily on how it affects growth patterns and on solid numbers, not politics," Mitt Romney said.

 

January 16, 2003

 

ROMNEY APPOINTS NEW PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSIONER

 

Governor Mitt Romney today appointed Christine C. Ferguson as Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

 

"In this era of fiscal belt-tightening, we need to ensure that Massachusetts continues to lead the nation on public health issues - from AIDS prevention to bioterrorism preparedness," said Mitt Romney . "I am confident that Christy is the right person to help lead this effort."

 

A nationally recognized expert in health care financing, organization and delivery on both the state and federal level, Ferguson served as Director of the Rhode Island Department of Human Services for seven years. She also served as Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff for the late Senator John Chafee from 1981 to 1994. Most recently Ferguson was a candidate for Congress in Rhode Island District 1.

 

As Director of the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, Ferguson spearheaded the state's health care reform effort, restructuring Rhode Island's faltering Medicaid managed care program, RIte Care, making it a national model. Under her leadership, Rhode Island led the nation in providing health care to children and families.

 

As a top aide to the late Senator Chafee, Ferguson was responsible for the Senator's legislative and policy agenda, and was the principal architect of the Republican alternative to the Clinton Health Care reform Plan.

 

"I'm excited to be part of Governor Romney's effort to reform government. This is a wonderful challenge, a great Administration and a fantastic opportunity," added Ferguson.

 

Ferguson serves on the Executive Board of the National Academy of State Health Policy. She was the youngest person ever to be named one of the "100 Most Influential Attorneys" by the U.S. National Law Journal and was heralded as a "Profile in Courage" by author David Broder in his book, "The System." She was also the recipient of the Community Service Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers and the Silver Rattle Award from Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies.

 

Thomas J. Anton, Director of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions at Brown University, added, "She has led the way toward breaking down organizational and programmatic barriers ... and she has shown by example that collaborative action is not only possible but effective."

 

Ferguson received her law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University and her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan. She is a Rhode Island native.

 

January 17, 2003

 

ROMNEY SIGNS BILL GIVING HIM BROADER BUDGETARY POWERS

Demonstrates commitment to preserving vital services by protecting homeless

 

A week after filing legislation to expand his budgetary powers, Governor Mitt Romney today signed the bill giving him broader authority to reduce spending in the middle of the current 2003 fiscal year.

 

Meanwhile, to demonstrate his commitment to protecting essential services, Mitt Romney announced that he was softening regulations proposed by the Swift administration to tighten eligibility for the Emergency Assistance Program, which provides shelter to the homeless.

 

The legislation signed by Mitt Romney – his first as Governor - permits him to review local aid and higher education accounts in addressing deficiencies in revenue for the current fiscal year. Those accounts are currently beyond the reach of Romney’s so-called “9C authority” to reduce spending.

 

The new law sunsets on July 1, 2003, the beginning of the next fiscal year, and contains an emergency preamble that allows it to take effect immediately.

 

The legislation authorizes reductions to local aid accounts, which include Lottery distributions, additional assistance and Chapter 70 school assistance, but it mandates that total local aid reductions equal no greater than one-third of the entire 9C reduction made by the Governor.

 

The bill also states that no reductions shall be made to Chapter 70 monies that bring a community below its “foundation budget” for school spending.

 

On the cost-cutting changes proposed for the Emergency Assistance Program, Mitt Romney said: “We’re not going to abandon the homeless. While some of the proposed new regulations make sense and represent sound policy, others were too severe and will not go into effect.”

 

To save $3.5 million, the Department of Transitional Assistance in November proposed regulatory changes that would have denied shelter to 218 homeless families. The new course of action will impact 168 fewer families than the original plan proposed in November.

 

While he is sacrificing $2 million in savings by blocking some of the proposed changes, Mitt Romney said programs that provide shelter to the homeless “should not be gutted,” calling them “essential services.”

 

Romney modified the regulations to protect domestic violence victims, and those that would have required family members to separate to become eligible. He also eliminated a so-called “one strike and you’re out” policy that would have terminated eligibility after a single act of non-compliance.

 

Other changes will go into effect, including those requiring families to resolve outstanding warrants before becoming eligible; which deem families that refuse shelter placement to be ineligible for assistance; and which include Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in eligibility criteria.

 

The new regulations will take effect February 3.

 

January 22, 2003

ROMNEY TIES JOB GROWTH TO CLEANER ENVIRONMENT

Plans to create jobs and a cleaner environment with Renewable Energy Trust Fund

 

LOWELL - Governor Mitt Romney today announced a plan to redirect the focus of the state's Renewable Energy Trust Fund to support economic development as well as the creation of alternative sources of energy that will have a positive environmental benefit.

 

“The Trust Fund has been growing for years, and I believe now is the time to refocus its assets in such a manner that it can become a major economic springboard for the Commonwealth by focusing on job creation in the renewable energy sector,” said Romney.

 

The Trust was created through the electric restructuring law in 1998 and is funded through a monthly surcharge on electric utility bills. The funds are administered by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

 

Romney announced the formation of a new $15 million Green Energy Fund to provide equity capital, loans and management assistance to Massachusetts-based renewable energy businesses. A professional manager will be recruited to manage the fund. The Governor also touted $9 million in new financings to five companies in the forefront of renewable energy development.

 

The package includes a $1.5 million loan for a pilot production line at Konarka, a Lowell company that served as the setting for today's news conference. Konarka has been developing cutting-edge solar technology developed at the University of Massachusetts.

 

Romney said Lowell is a good example of a city that would benefit from renewable energy development, noting it has won national acclaim as a model for older cities looking to stage a rebirth by relying on newer industries.

 

Several other companies were awarded funds from the Trust, including Nuvera, a Cambridge fuel cell company, which received a $1.5 million grant and loan; Ameresco, the operator of a landfill gas facility in Chicopee, which signed a $2 million clean energy agreement; Acumentrics, a Westwood fuel cell company, which received a $1.5 million loan; and a Massachusetts renewable energy company whose name cannot be disclosed at this time due to SEC regulations, will receive $2.5 million in funding for a major expansion.

 

“Clean energy is a technology driven industry well suited to the state's strengths,” said Doug Foy, Romney's Chief of Commonwealth Development. “We have all the ingredients to be a leader in the sector - world-class universities, high-tech companies and a highly educated workforce.”

 

Bob Pozen, Romney's Chief of Commerce and Labor, said states such as New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are in direct competition with Massachusetts for economic expansions by fast-growing renewable energy companies.

 

“By making targeted investments, we can support job growth, develop a cluster of renewable energy companies and have a positive effect on the environment at the same time,” said Pozen.

 

Mitchell Adams, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, said a growing renewable energy industry will help reduce America's reliance on foreign sources of oil.

 

“These investments make sense from an economic and environmental perspective, and have the added benefit of reducing our dependence on foreign energy supplies,” said Adams.

 

 

January 24, 2003

ROMNEY LAUDS BUSH FOR ADDITIONAL LIHEAP FUNDING

Urges Congress to quickly pass increased LIHEAP funding

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced that Massachusetts will receive an additional $12.3 million to help low-income people pay their home heating oil bills this winter thanks to President Bush's decision to release $200 million in emergency funds nationwide to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

 

Romney lauded the President, saying, “We are grateful President Bush recognizes the need to release these emergency funds now. Given the severity of the weather this winter, along with increasing energy prices, this is certainly good news for the people of Massachusetts and the nation.”

 

The Governor noted that the emergency funds, along with an expected $70 million in regular LIHEAP funding, will allow Massachusetts to serve the needs of more than 130,000 low-income people statewide this winter. The President has reserved another $100 million in contingency funds for future national energy emergencies.

 

Each year, LIHEAP assists more than 4.6 million low-income Americans in paying their heating bills.

 

Although Congress has yet to determine this year's final LIHEAP appropriation, it is expected that a total of nearly $2 billion will be made available to states, including $300 million added by the U.S. Senate just this week. A final conference with the House of Representatives is expected to take place within the next week, with final passage of the bill anticipated by early February.

 

“I urge all members of Congress to support the highest possible funding for LIHEAP,” said Romney. “We need to get the funds to those who need help the most to stay safe and warm this winter.”

 

January 27, 2003

COMMUNITIES FIRST: Mitt Romney EMPOWERS CITIES AND TOWNS

New program gives cities and towns unprecedented flexibility in road projects

 

Additional Contacts: WEST CONCORD – Governor Mitt Romney today unveiled a new initiative to give communities more flexibility and input in designing local road and bridge projects, helping preserve the character of cities and towns and cutting through bureaucratic red tape imposed by the state.

 

Romney said the new policy, Communities First, is one in a series of ideas the Administration will propose to give communities more control over their own finances.

 

He said, “My Administration is committed to providing local communities with the tools they need to manage their own budgets by removing bureaucratic red tape and costly state mandates whenever possible.”

 

Romney added, “Local residents are most familiar with the unique qualities that make their communities special. We will make every effort to empower them in the decisions that directly impact their everyday lives.”

 

Romney said the new policy will both modify state highway design guidelines and require collaboration with local leaders in the design process. At Romney’s direction, the state will:

 

 

 

Review and revise the Massachusetts Highway Department’s Design Manual to incorporate the principles of Communities First by October 1, 2003. An Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from municipalities and regional planning councils will be formed to assist in this process.

 

 

Appoint an Ombudsman in the Executive Office of Transportation and Construction to serve as a liaison to community concerns. The Ombudsman will help expedite the waiver process and ensure flexibility in the application review.

Provide increased accommodation and consideration for design changes that provide for bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

Romney’s Chief of Commonwealth Development, Doug Foy, highlighted Main Street in West Concord as a prime example of the need for Communities First. He noted that local officials had been planning a reconstruction project since 1997, but have not been able to proceed because of a disagreement with the state over road width and the possible elimination of trees along the corridor.

 

Foy said, “Times have changed. The Mitt Romney administration wants the taxpayers to take ownership of their cities and towns and be part of the decision making process.”

 

In the past, the Massachusetts Highway Department has based its design criteria on rigid guidelines. If a community identified a design change that was counter to the guidelines, a waiver application had to be filed. The Highway Department reviewed the waivers and made a determination based on a number of elements, such as safety precautions and cost implications. Sometimes a waiver that was initially rejected was approved on its second or third submission, raising complaints about a lack of consistency, cooperation or a set of clearly defined review standards.

 

“Governor Mitt Romney envisions a government with as few bureaucratic impediments as possible and this is a giant step in that direction,” said Transportation Secretary Daniel Grabauskas. “When it comes to the Massachusetts Highway Department, the people of Massachusetts are in the drivers’ seat.”

 

The Communities First initiative builds on the Fix It First policy unveiled by Mitt Romney earlier this month. Fix It First targets the state’s resources to repairing existing roads and bridges before undertaking new highway projects.

 

January 28, 2003

WITH budget CRISIS LOOMING, Mitt Romney MOVES TO CUT PRESS OPERATION

Number of press secretaries is downsized, saving $1.2 million annually

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced a major reduction in the number of press secretaries in state government, saying he wants a more streamlined communications structure that saves money.

 

There are approximately 60 press secretaries in the Executive Branch of state government. Termination notices have gone out to 21 of these individuals, which will save an estimated $1.2 million annually. Another 11 positions will be eliminated or left vacant, with affected employees moved to non-press roles.

 

“The current communications structure in government makes no sense. It grew over time without any planning or thought. It’s an extremely wasteful system,” said Romney. “By streamlining our communications function, we can do a better job with less people for the taxpayers of Massachusetts.”

 

The current plan calls for installing a press secretary at the top of each Cabinet silo to handle press calls within that particular Cabinet grouping, except at Administration & Finance, Labor and Economic Development, which will be handled by the Governor’s Press Office.

 

With few exceptions, press spokespeople at the sub-Cabinet level will be eliminated.

 

This means that within the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, for instance, the EOEA press secretary will answer inquiries regarding environmental issues whether they come into the Executive Office or one of the subordinate agencies, i.e., the Metropolitan District Commission, Department of Environmental Management or the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

 

Cabinet press secretaries will coordinate on policy matters and issues of urgent concern with the Governor’s Press Office.

 

“This reorganization is long overdue. Our view is we can substantially reduce the number of press secretaries and still provide a more effective and accountable communications program,” said Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney’s Communications Director.

 

Among the agencies that will be allowed to keep their press spokespeople are: The Department of Public Health, Registry of Motor Vehicles, Department of Revenue, Department of Correction, Division of Insurance, Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Social Services, Department of Education and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

 

“It makes sense for agencies that have a built-in public information mission, or receive a high volume of media calls, to have their own press operation. Other agencies, such as the State Racing Commission, have a harder-to-justify need,” said Fehrnstrom.

 

Press positions eliminated in following agencies:

Executive Office of Administration and Finance

Department of Health Care and Finance Policy

Office for Child Care Services

Office for Refugees and Immigrants

Division of Capital Asset Management

Group Insurance Commission

Massachusetts Highway Department (2)

Board of Higher Education

Board of Registration in Medicine

State Racing Commission

Professional Licensure Division

Division of Telecommunications and Energy

Division of Energy Resources

Division of Banks

Office of business Development

Department of Environmental Management

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife (2)

Metropolitan District Commission

Department of Food and Agriculture

Department of Fire Services

Parole Board

Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau

Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

Commission for the Blind

Department of Youth Services

Division of Medical Assistance

Department of mental health

Department of Mental Retardation

Department of Transitional Assistance

Department of Economic Development

 

January 29, 2003

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES INCREASE IN FUEL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced that his Administration will use the $12.3 million in newly released emergency fuel assistance funds from the Bush Administration to increase the benefit level of low-income families who heat their homes with oil, propane or kerosene.

 

Romney said for many Massachusetts residents who participate in the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program this additional relief means that they may now be eligible for as much as $130 more to help fill their fuel tanks this winter.

 

“While the law protects gas and electric heat customers with financial hardships from service shut-off during the heating season, oil, propane and kerosene users have no such protection,” said Romney. “These badly needed emergency funds will directly assist low-income families, the elderly and disabled to cope with this very cold winter and increased home heating costs.”

 

The Governor noted last week that the emergency funds, along with an expected $70 million in regular LIHEAP funding, will allow Massachusetts to serve the needs of more than 130,000 low-income people statewide this winter. President Bush has reserved another $100 million in contingency funds for future national energy emergencies.

 

Each year, LIHEAP assists more than 4.6 million low-income Americans in paying their heating bills. LIHEAP is administered in Massachusetts by the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and provides assistance to families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $36,200 for a family of four.

 

Although Congress has yet to determine this year's final LIHEAP appropriation, it is expected that a total of nearly $2 billion will be made available to states, including $300 million added by the U.S. Senate just this week. A final conference with the House of Representatives is expected to take place within the next week, with final passage of the bill anticipated by early February.

 

The state has a toll-free HEATLINE at 1-800-632-8175, and information is available online at www.massfuelassist.com.

 

 

January 30, 2003

ROMNEY ADMINISTRATION REACHES OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Municipal relief package gives cities and towns more flexibility

 

The Mitt Romney administration today filed a municipal relief package that takes aim at burdensome state regulations and mandates that make it difficult for mayors and selectmen to manage their local budgets.

 

The package, dubbed H.E.L.P. (Help Ease Local Pressure), was put together by Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey to help offset reductions in state aid to cities and towns. She spent the last two weeks soliciting input from more than 300 local officials representing over 80 cities and towns.

 

Healey urged the Legislature “to act quickly to ensure that municipalities can take advantage of these reforms as soon as possible.”

 

The package will save cities and towns an estimated $50-$75 million annually.

 

Healey said many cities and towns were facing severe financial challenges even before the current fiscal crisis, citing increasing health care insurance costs for employees and retirees, lack of flexibility to move funds within their own accounts and restrictive public construction requirements.

 

Among the proposed reforms:

 

Eliminate Civil Service for municipalities, excluding police officers and firefighters;

Reduce municipalities maximum health care coverage contribution to 75 percent, in line with the Governor's proposal to require state employees to pay 25 percent of their health coverage premium;

Allow cities and towns flexibility to move funds within accounts in the last two months of the fiscal year;

Re-issue an early retirement option of municipalities, allowing for a reduction in payroll costs without the need for layoffs;

Exempt construction projects costing less than $100,000 and communities of less than 5,000 people from the prevailing wage law;

Introduce design-build contracting and eliminate the filed sub-bid law, which will drastically reduce the costs and length of local projects;

Revise the Uniform Procurement Act by raising the limit at which municipalities must solicit bids from three or more vendors from $25,000 to $100,000; and

Allow cities and towns to post public notices electronically instead of the current requirement that public meetings be advertised in the newspaper. Healey noted that local option taxes are not part of the package, and Governor Mitt Romney has threatened to veto any local option tax bill sent to him if it is not tied to a local referendum.

The legislative package comes on the heels of two new initiatives that provide local relief on the transportation front - “Communities First,” which allows for more local input in road design of road projects, and “Fix It First,” which focuses state dollars on repairing local roads and bridges.

 

Said Healey: “This package is by no means exhaustive, nor does it conclude our actions on behalf of local government or my outreach to individual communities. Rather, our administration views this package as a first step in what will be an ongoing dialogue between local government and the administration.”

 

Meanwhile, the administration also detailed spending reductions that bring the state budget into balance for the current 2003 fiscal year.

 

In addition to releasing a detailed list of the $343 million in emergency “9C” reductions announced last night by Governor Romney, Administration and Finance Secretary Eric Kriss also announced a package of legislative changes being filed that will achieve a savings of $143 million.

 

Kriss acknowledged the reductions are difficult and require some sacrifice, but he said they “do not cut into the muscle and bone of government.” He said most services “receive no cut at all.”

 

Said Kriss: “There is no reduction for homeless shelters, for Chapter 70 state aid to local schools, in welfare and veterans benefits, or for emergency aid to the elderly, disabled and children. There is no DSS or DYS cut impacting at-risk populations. No direct care workers are eliminated. There is no layoff of public safety personnel.”

 

The solutions laid out by the administration directly resolve three-quarters of this year's fiscal problem, or $488 million of the total potential $650 million shortfall in the $23 billion state budget.

 

The remaining potential shortfall, which is due to the highly uncertain nature of capital gain tax assumptions made by the prior administration, will be covered by the use of reserves, according to Kriss.

 

January 31, 2003

 

ROMNEY UNVEILS NO-DOWNPAYMENT LOAN OPTION

Users of public transportation benefit from ‘Take the PVTA Home’ Program

 

WEST SPRINGFIELD - Highlighting his goal of better coordination between the state's housing, transportation and environmental agencies, Governor Mitt Romney today launched a new no-downpayment home mortgage loan program to make it easier for Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) riders to realize the American Dream of homeownership.

 

“Homeownership is the true American Dream,” Mitt Romney said. “All individuals and families have the right to expect a reasonable standard of living. With programs such as Take the PVTA Home they will meet their personal goals on many levels.”

 

The Take the PVTA Home program, administered by MassHousing, is designed to encourage people to buy homes near mass transit and leave their cars at home. It builds on a program that was launched last year with 20 eastern Massachusetts banks and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The Boston-area program has already provided more than $4 million to help regular “T” riders purchase homes.

 

“When we learned of the transit-oriented mortgage idea, we thought immediately that it could work in the Pioneer Valley,” said United Cooperative Bank President Richard Collins, who hosted Mitt Romney for the announcement. “Given the need many families have for affordable housing, and the sheer number of passengers served by the PVTA, there was no question this was something we wanted to do.”

 

United Cooperative Bank is currently offering the “Take the PVTA Home” mortgage with a 30-year fixed interest rate of 5.75 percent.

 

Banks like United Cooperative are willing to make the no-downpayment loans because MassHousing insures them. As an added incentive, lenders receive enhanced Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit for the loans for partnering with MassHousing.

 

In order to apply for loans under the new program, potential homebuyers will have to demonstrate that they are:

 

Frequent users of the PVTA, either by showing 10 months of passes, a mass transit auto insurance discount, or verification from their employer that they get a transit pass at work.

 

Once they have established that they are regular PVTA riders, buyers will undergo a traditional mortgage application process. Borrower's household incomes cannot exceed 135 percent of area median income, which in Springfield is $68,445, and they must have good credit. Also, housing expenses cannot account for more than 38 percent of a borrower's gross monthly income.

 

That percentage is more generous than most lenders will allow, according to MassHousing Executive Director Tom Gleason, “When we designed the program, we took into account that people who take mass transit have fewer car-related expenses, and have more money to spend on a mortgage.”

 

Officials from the PVTA, the state's second-largest regional transit authority serving 24 communities, are enthusiastic about the program.

 

“We encourage the use of public transportation because it is affordable and accessible and benefits public safety, the environment and our neighborhoods,” said PVTA Executive Director Gary A. Shepard

 

While United Cooperative Bank is currently the only Springfield area lender making the loans, others could eventually sign on, according to MassHousing. Several other states have experimented with similar “location efficient” mortgage programs, but Massachusetts is the first state to offer the no-downpayment option.

 

Borrowers looking for more information can contact United Cooperative Bank via phone 413-787-1247 and Internet www.bankatunited.com or MassHousing at 1-877-309-HOME or www.masshousing.com.

 

February 3, 2003

 

ROMNEY PUTS FOCUS ON ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION

Welcomes Bowstreet to Mass. following cross-border move from New Hampshire

 

Governor Mitt Romney today welcomed Bowstreet to Massachusetts and invited other companies thinking of relocating to consider the benefits of doing business in the Bay State.

 

Bowstreet, a software company previously based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is moving to a new headquarters in Tewksbury - and taking their seventy employees with them.

 

Romney said the relocation “will help stimulate the economy and bring jobs to Massachusetts.” Next week, he promised to unveil the membership of regional economic boards that will assist the administration in bringing even more growth and new jobs to all regions of the state.

 

Bowstreet CEO Michael George cited the pool of hi-tech talent, Boston's standing as a premier academic center and the state's transportation infrastructure as critical to the decision to move here.

 

He also referred to Romney's election as “icing on the cake,” saying, “Governor Romney's leadership in creating an environment conducive to business and job growth sends a strong signal that the welcome mat is out.”

 

Robert Pozen, Romney's chief of commerce and labor, said Bowstreet is “the perfect example” of the type of business the administration “is actively reaching out to and encouraging to relocate or expand in Massachusetts.”

 

According to Pozen, “The state's natural advantages, including ample real estate options adjacent to thriving residential communities, access to highways and airports, and cultural diversity are just some of the pieces that make Massachusetts an attractive place to do business.”

 

Bowstreet, founded in 1998 in Portsmouth, is a privately held software company that has pioneered adaptive web-based applications used by dozens of leading companies, including Dupont, General Motors and State Street Bank.

 

Romney said he looks forward to meeting with his regional economic boards in March to focus on identifying other out-of-state businesses that may be amenable to relocation here.

 

“I want an economic development plan tailored to each region of the state, and I want each of those plans to concentrate on bringing more jobs to Massachusetts,” said Romney.

 

February 4, 2003

 

ROMNEY NIXES STATE PRINTING CONTRACT FOR BUDGET

Putting budget online saves $50,000; hint of changes to come

 

In a move that will save $50,000 in printing costs, Governor Mitt Romney today announced that the budget proposal he files later this month will for the first time be available online to all members of the public.

 

Typically, the state prints thousands of copies of the telephone book-sized budget and hands them out free to lobbyists and other special interests. By going online, the public will be able to make use of a search function that helps them easily understand the many changes Mitt Romney will propose.

 

“Our budget will completely rethink the way government does business, starting with how we make the document itself available,” said Romney.

 

“It’s time the State House came into the 21st century. This is the new face of government. We believe the Internet holds tremendous opportunity for making government smarter and more efficient,” Mitt Romney said.

 

Romney said he believes that using the Internet will allow people across the state more access to, and more knowledge of, their government and how it works.

 

“It will also give me the ability to communicate more directly with the people of Massachusetts so they can hear from me about exactly what we are trying to accomplish on their behalf,” said Romney.

 

Romney’s budget will be available on February 26 at mass.gov/eoaf.

 

February 4, 2003

DISPELLING THE MYTHS

Commonly asked questions on the budget

 

1. Is it true that Governor Mitt Romney is cutting school breakfast for impoverished children?

 

No. Massachusetts has a universal school breakfast program in low-income school districts, which is open to all children regardless of need so that lower-income children do not feel stigmatized by taking part in a subsidized program. The reduction in the program does not affect the neediest children. However, children from families who do not meet federal eligibility guidelines will have to eat breakfast at home.

 

2. Why are school nurses being laid off?

 

A reduction in the Smoking Prevention and Cessation program eliminates grants to over 150 communities to supplement school health programs. Some districts used the monies to increase their school nursing staffs. This was an enhancement of the basic program requiring a school nurse for every school district. In a time of financial emergency, preventative programs like these have been de-emphasized. Chapter 70, the funding source that provides $3.3 billion in direct aid to local schools, was not cut, and that should allow schools to maintain the necessary level of school health services.

 

3. Why is Governor Mitt Romney curbing growth in the Prescription Advantage program? Isn't that a core service?

 

Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that provides a universal senior prescription insurance program. It was an expansion program added during the go-go days of the 90s, when the state was projecting huge surpluses. New enrollments have been suspended. The state is seeking a Medicaid waiver to pay a portion of the program's cost. If the waiver is not forthcoming, the program will have to be scaled back to only the neediest seniors.

 

4. Have housing programs been gutted by Governor Romney's spending cuts?

 

No public housing units will be vacated and no units currently under renovation will be delayed. No rental assistance or homelessness programs have been cut. A lot of attention has been focused on $7.5 million that Governor Mitt Romney has proposed transferring out of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to help balance the budget. Of the $7.5 million cut, $5 million will be completely covered through capital funds. The remaining $2.5 million has yet to be awarded, so obviously no one is directly affected.

 

5. Is it true that the mentally ill will no longer receive MassHealth coverage for psychiatric services?

 

No. While psychiatric day treatment coverage has been eliminated, MassHealth clients will continue to receive coverage for medically necessary outpatient mental health services. These services include individual, group and family therapy, medication evaluation and management, psychiatric emergency services and inpatient psychiatric services. In addition, the Department of mental health is reviewing the list of people who had received psychiatric day treatment services to determine how many are DMH clients and whether they are eligible for DMH-funded day rehabilitation and support programs.

 

6. Do the reductions to the Employment Services Program mean that welfare recipients are no longer receiving career assistance?

 

No. The Department of Transitional Assistance will continue to offer services to people moving from welfare to work through its on-site career centers. Over the last five years, while the welfare caseload has declined nearly 30 percent, funding for the Employment Services program has grown by nearly 20 percent. In the context of all the services the state provides to welfare recipients, including cash benefits, housing, food stamps, health care and child care, this seemed the least harmful program to reduce.

 

February 5, 2003

 

ROMNEY TO STREAMLINE LEGAL FUNCTION IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Proposes to create a public interest law firm

 

Governor Mitt Romney today previewed his Fiscal Year 2004 budget by describing his plan to concentrate the lawyers in state government into a single law office, a sweeping reform that would change the way legal work is conducted in the Executive Branch.

 

Currently, there are 800 lawyers in the Executive Branch of government, excluding the attorney general, district attorneys and other branches not under the Governor's control.

 

A similar consolidation is already in effect in Pennsylvania, where a Governor's Office of General Counsel was created to perform all legal services for executive agencies. Despite its larger population, geography and budget, the Pennsylvania model uses 500 lawyers.

 

“Eight hundred lawyers are far too many to be operating in one branch of state government. By streamlining and bringing our legal force under a single umbrella, we will be providing a more efficient service while saving taxpayers money,” Mitt Romney said.

 

The proposed plan would significantly reduce the number of lawyers and centralize them in a new Office of Solicitor General. The office, which already exists under the Massachusetts Constitution, has the potential to save between $15 million and $30 million annually.

 

Romney noted that Executive Branch lawyers are not organized sensibly. He said various pods of lawyers are interspersed throughout state agencies without any coordination or central management. Under current law, lawyers are forbidden from assisting other lawyers doing related work in other agencies.

 

Romney noted that there are also vast misallocations of legal resources under the current system. For instance, there are over 60 lawyers in environmental agencies, but only five lawyers statewide in K-12 education agencies.

 

Despite the large number of in-house lawyers, Massachusetts still spends more than $15 million annually on private sector outside lawyers with no central review or control of outside counsel fees.

 

“Under this new system, Massachusetts will be positioned to have its own public interest law firm offering taxpayers the best product at the best possible price,” said Romney.

 

In addition to the lawyer consolidation, Mitt Romney said he is also looking to restructure the current administrative hearing process conducted by various agencies into a centralized administrative court.

 

“We estimate a yearly savings of more than $2 million will be achieved with a consolidated administrative court structure that will end up improving the delivery of services while significantly decreasing delay and expense,” said Romney.

 

Ken Felter, partner at New England's largest law firm, Goodwin Procter, LLP, praised Romney's move.

 

“Successful large law firms have learned from experience that the best way to deliver the highest quality legal services to clients in the most efficient and cost-effective way is to centralize decision-making, make all their lawyers accountable and responsible for their work product and eliminate unnecessary multiplication of effort and functions,” said Felter.

 

“The time has definitely come for these initiatives in Massachusetts state government,” Felter added.

 

This is not the first time that the number of lawyers in government has vexed the state's chief executive. In the 1890's, then-Massachusetts Governor Frederic Greenhalge bemoaned the fact that Massachusetts spent nearly $50,000 on lawyers under the Governor's control. Today, Massachusetts spends more than $50 million.

 

After calling for reforms, Greenhalge eventually died in office from the strain of the job.

 

Romney said the administration would be working to advance reforms in a broad range of areas with the filing of the budget for Fiscal Year 2004, which begins July 1.

 

“This package of legal reforms is only a small sliver of the kind of changes we will be proposing to apply across the board in our budget,” said Romney.

 

February 6, 2003

ROMNEY, HEALEY ENFORCE POWER PLANT REGULATIONS

DEP denies PG&E request for two-year delay

 

SALEM - Pledging to make clean air and public health a priority, Governor Mitt Romney today announced that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has rejected a request by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to delay tough new regulations aimed at cleaning up one of the state's oldest and dirtiest power plants.

 

Romney said that he and Doug Foy, Chief of Commonwealth Development, personally informed PG&E executives earlier this week of the DEP decision to deny their request for a two-year extension on the clean up of the Salem Harbor plant, encouraging them instead to convert the Salem Harbor power plant to cleaner energy.

 

“If the choice is between dirty power plants or protecting the health of the people of Massachusetts, there is no choice in my mind,” said Romney. “I will always come down on the side of public health.” Mitt Romney noted that strict regulations at the so-called “Filthy Five” power plants were first outlined in 2001 to bring the facilities in line with emission standards for newer plants. The standards, designed to fight air pollution and reduce pollutants that contribute to acid rain, haze and global climate changed, called for significant reductions in nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and mercury at the six plants.

 

After the regulations were promulgated, PG&E submitted a plan to clean up the Salem Harbor plant by October 2004, which was approved by the DEP. PG&E subsequently filed a new proposal, requesting a two-year compliance extension. After collecting public comment on the PG&E plan, DEP rejected it.

 

Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, a North Shore resident, agreed with the decision, saying, “PG&E submitted a plan in January of last year aimed at meeting new lower emissions levels by October 2004. The citizens of Massachusetts expect them to honor that plan.”

 

Romney said that the Salem Harbor plant is responsible for 53 premature deaths, 570 emergency room visits and 14,400 asthma attacks each year. He also pointed out that coal and oil fired plants contribute significantly more air pollution than their gas fired counterparts, exacerbating acid rain and global warming.

 

In order to protect the public health, Mitt Romney said he will “enforce without compromise” the regulations.

 

“These regulations will help clean the air for Massachusetts' citizens, improving their health and creating a better living situation,” said Doug Foy, Chief of Commonwealth Development.

 

In addition to the Salem Harbor plant, the “Filthy Five” regulations apply to the following plants: Mystic Station in Everett; Montaup Station in Somerset; Brayton Point in Somerset; Mount Tom Station in Holyoke; and Canal Electric in Sandwich.

 

February 11, 2003

 

ROMNEY OVERHAULS JUDICIAL NOMINATING PROCESS

Establishes New Merit-Based System of Appointing Judges

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced a non-partisan and merit-based process for nominating judges in Massachusetts, safeguarding the system from favoritism and politics and ensuring the highest caliber individuals are selected to sit on the bench.

 

Romney also named the members of the streamlined 21-member Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) that will identify and review all prospective judges.

 

“The Massachusetts Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to judges as 'free, impartial and independent as the lot of humanity will admit.' Those words were penned by John Adams, and they are the basis not only for our state courts, but for the federal judiciary as prescribed by the U.S. Constitution,” said Romney.

 

He added, “It is time to renew our commitment to those words. Massachusetts was a trailblazer for judicial integrity in John Adams' day and it can be a trailblazer for the same integrity in our day as well.”

 

Romney, who issued an Executive Order to outline the new process, established a first in the nation blind review of judicial applicants, screening all candidates exclusively on the basis of their professional qualifications without any consideration of their names to ensure applicants are judged on merit only.

 

For the first time in Massachusetts, judges will be required to meet certain minimum requirements, including having at least 10 years of legal experience to qualify for a position on the Trial Court and 15 years for an Appeals Court position.

 

“It is my aim today with this Executive Order to shine a spotlight on the way judges are appointed to the bench,” said Romney. “The citizens of Massachusetts deserve to have a squeaky clean process that has no room for politics and favors.”

 

Romney's Executive Order draws on “best practices” from states around the country to create a comprehensive document that can serve as a national model for merit-selection of judges. Highlights include:

 

• Code of Conduct for Applicants: Prohibits applicants from making political contributions to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor while going through the review process. Also, to maintain the dignity of judicial office and the functions of the JNC, applicants are forbidden from “campaigning” for a judgeship via telephone or e-mail.

 

• Code of Conduct for Nominees: Creates a total ban on political contributions and activity for those awaiting confirmation. Limits appearances in the court where the nomination is pending.

 

• JNC Member Qualifications: Disqualifies from the JNC registered lobbyists as well as individuals who are related to current elected officials or who have past or current business relations with elected officials. In addition, JNC members and members of their families will not be considered for judgeships for a period of three years after leaving the commission.

 

• Notice of Vacancies and Rolling Admission: All judicial vacancies that will occur in the administration will be posted on the Internet with no deadlines for application, creating a rolling admissions process. Nominations will be made in anticipation of constitutionally required vacancies such as when a judge turns 70. This new process will rid the sometimes months and years of delay in the nomination of replacement judges that the courts face currently.

 

In addition to outlining the new standards, Mitt Romney also announced 18 members of the 21-member commission, which will hold their first meeting next month. He noted the members represent all regions of the Commonwealth and reflect the diversity of the state.

 

Ralph Martin, Chairman of the newly formed JNC and former Suffolk County District Attorney, lauded Mitt Romney for selecting a JNC membership that is “representative of the diversity of the Commonwealth as well as the many different constituencies that work in and rely on the courts.”

 

Martin added, “I believe that Governor Romney's Executive Order will promote a judicial selection process that is both thorough and fair as it should be. The members of the JNC hope that our recommendations to Governor Mitt Romney will enhance the already fine quality of the Massachusetts judiciary.”

 

The Executive Order also reestablishes the process of seeking input from the state and regional bar associations, which was limited under the last two governors. The bar committees will review the names of the final prospective nominees to determine whether the applicants are highly qualified, qualified or not qualified before the Governor makes a decision on any nomination.

 

February 13, 2003

ROMNEY TARGETS JOB GROWTH THROUGH REGIONAL COUNCILS

Business, community and education leaders work together to bolster economic activity

 

WORCESTER – Setting his sights on economic revival, Governor Mitt Romney today announced an innovative plan to spur job growth in every region of the Commonwealth by tapping the expertise of area business, community and education leaders through Regional Competitiveness Councils.

 

“In the past, state government has had a poorly coordinated approach to identifying our strengths and weaknesses, and as a result, our public policy has been clumsy in terms of maximizing our overall growth potential,” said Romney.

 

He added, “These Regional Competitiveness Councils will provide us with the information we need to boost regional growth and bring more jobs to the state.”

 

Romney, in naming the members of the regional councils, charged them with conducting an in-depth analysis of their region’s economic climate; assessing local abilities to attract new companies; identifying which companies and jobs are currently at risk; and devising a strategy to turn a region’s resources – human capital, infrastructure and financial investments – into the greatest economic opportunity.

 

Romney noted that he would use the blueprints the councils develop to market the unique regions of Massachusetts, growing economic development.

 

“These targeted plans will allow me, other public officials and private industry leaders to aggressively and effectively pursue specific business opportunities for the state,” said Romney.

 

Romney set up six competitiveness councils representing the following regions of the state: Berkshires, Cape and Islands, Central, Northeast, Pioneer Valley and the Southeast. Due to the size and diversity of the Greater Boston area, Mitt Romney said it will be approached on a cluster-by-cluster basis by working through existing organizations, such as the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.

 

Each of the six councils is comprised of about 25 members from fields ranging from financial services and health care to manufacturing and tourism. In addition, all elected officials have been named as ex-officio members.

 

The chairs of each of the Regional Competitiveness Councils are:

 

 

Each council is expected to convene its first meeting by mid-March.

 

“I look forward to working with the chairs and members as we lay the groundwork for a vigorous recovery that promises to sustain us far into the future,” said Romney.

 

Romney noted that the key difference between already established organizations and the regional competitiveness councils is the inclusion of higher education leaders.

 

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of education in protecting the Commonwealth’s ability to excel in the global economy,” said Romney. “State education leaders will be working to ensure that education reforms are properly coordinated with the strategies developed by the councils.”

 

REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS COUNCILS

Berkshire Regional Competitiveness Council

 

Chair: Matt Harris, Chief Executive Officer, Village Ventures

 

Jeffrey Cook, Partner, Cain, Hibbard, Myers, & Cook

Mary Grant, President, Mass. College of Liberal Arts

Bill Hines, President & Chief Executive Officer, Interprint

Nathaniel Karns, Executive Director, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

Vicky Singer, Director, Berkshire Enterprises

Brad Svrluga, Partner, Berkshire Capital Investors

Joe Thompson, Director, Mass MoCA

Bill Wilson, President, Berkshire Visitor’s Bureau

 

Cape and Islands Regional Competitiveness Council

 

Chair: Kathleen Schatzberg, President, Cape Cod Community College

 

Steve Abbot, President & Chief Executive Officer, Cape Cod Healthcare

John Burns, Economic Development Program Director, Lower Cape Cod Community Development Corporation

Ken Cirillo, Vice President & General Manager, C-Map/USA

Eugene Curry, Esq., Eckert, Seamans, Cherin, and Mellott

Steve Lawson, President & Chief executive Officer, Cape Cod Bank and Trust Thomas Novitsky, President, Associates of Cape Cod

Bob Rogers, Retired, Chairman Emeritus, The Kaufman Foundation

Gay Wells, Economic Development Officer, Cape Cod Commission

 

Central Regional Competitiveness Council

 

Chair: Eric Schultz, President & Chief Executive Officer, Fallon Community Health

 

Daniel Asquino, President, Mount Wachusett Community College Mahmud Awan, President, Techman International

David Begelfer, Chief Executive Officer, I-495 Initiative

Bruce Bennett, Publisher, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Dennis Bunell, President, Smurfit-Munksjo Paper

Rosemary Chandler, Executive Director, North Central Regional Employment Board

David Forsberg, President, Worcester business Development Corporation Kathleen Marcum, President, Millbury National Bank

David McKeehan, President, North Central Chamber of Commerce

Roberta Schaeffer, Executive Director, Worcester Regional Research Bureau

Stephen Stockman, Vice President, St. Gobain Abrasives

 

Northeast Regional Competitiveness Council

 

Chair: Steven Kaufman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Avici System

 

Deborah Belanger, President, Greater Merrimack Valley Visitor’s Bureau

Joe Bevilacqua, President, Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce

Gaylord Burke, Executive Director, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

Orit Goldstein, President, Ozzy Property Management

Bob Halpin, President, Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council, Inc.

David Hartleb, President, Northern Essex Community College

Elkin Montoya, Assistant Treasurer, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union

David Outhouse, President, First and Ocean Bank

William Piercey, President, Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce

Miriam Regan, Director, First Community Bank

 

Pioneer Valley Regional Competitiveness Council

 

Chair: Kerry Kuhlman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Western MassElectric

 

David Bartley, President, Holyoke Community College

Alan Blair, President & Chief Executive Officer, WestMass Development

Tim Brennan, Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission

Michael Daly, President, Baystate Health Systems

John Doleva, President & Chief Executive Officer, Basketball Hall of Fame

Tony Dophin, President, Springboard

Ann Hamilton, Franklin Chamber of Commerce

Thomas Hazen, President, Hazen Paper

Jim Heyes, Project Director, New England Forestry Foundation

John Lombardi, Chancellor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Jeff Morse, President, Oxford Foods

Lorna Peterson, Executive Director, Five Colleges

Peter Picknelly, Chairman, Picknelly Companies

Steve Richten, President & Scientific Director, MicoTest Labs

Stephen Roberts, President, F.L. Roberts & Co.

David Starr, President, Springfield Union-News

Fred Woodward, President, Westfield State College

Mary Kay Wydra, President, Greater Springfield Convention Center and Visitor’s Bureau

 

Southeast Regional Competitiveness Council

 

Chair: Peter Neville, President, Concord Foods

 

Patrick Apel, Executive Director, Plymouth County Visitors’ Bureau

Leonard Cariaty, Executive Director, New Bedford Regional Employment Board

Bonnie Coughlin, Public Affairs Coordinator, Verizon

Tom Davis, Director, Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Michael Faulkner, Regional Manager, Pomerantz Staffing Group

James Karam, President, First Bristol Corporation

Jean MacCormack, Chancellor, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

Dick Shafer, Executive Director, Taunton Development Corporation

Charles Wall, President, Massasoit Community College

 

*Partial list of members

 

 

 

February 14, 2003

 

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES COMMISSION TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS

Tasked with coordinating state services to homeless

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced the creation of a new interagency commission that will focus on preventing the spread of homelessness in the Commonwealth and identify immediate steps and long-term solutions to providing decent, safe and affordable housing to the homeless.

 

“State government’s current system of coordinating homeless services is best described as a patchwork approach to the problem,” said Romney.

 

He added, “The responsibility for administering the systems and programs that address homeless families and individuals is scattered throughout state government. There is an insufficient level of coordination resulting in a rising number of homeless people slipping through the cracks. We can do better.”

 

Romney noted that more than a dozen different agencies throughout state government are currently responsible for the systems and programs addressing the needs of the homeless families and individuals. The newly established Commission for Homeless Services Coordination will advise Mitt Romney on ways to enhance coordination, improve the current delivery system and prevent the spread of homelessness in Massachusetts.

Chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Ron Preston, the Commission will regularly report to Mitt Romney on its progress and on the effectiveness on the measures it has implemented. It will also report on current data on the level of unmet needs, recommendations for changes in annual appropriations and for legislation that may be necessary to assure future progress.

 

In addition, the Commission will work in conjunction with an advisory board, led by Reebok CEO Paul Fireman, which will create public/private partnerships that will provide affordable housing alternatives.

 

The Commission’s first report to the Governor is due within 90 days of its first meeting next month.

 

The combination of rising housing costs and a stalled economy has led to more people turning to the streets with no place else to go. While there are no precise figures available to measure the number of homeless in Massachusetts, the demand for beds in the state’s homeless shelters has now exceeded the supply of those beds for 52 consecutive months. On any given night in the last calendar year, an average of 117 people sought overnight shelter accommodations for every 100 slots available.

 

“Figures like these highlight the serious need for improved statewide coordination and better allocation of our resources. It’s not simply a matter of spending money – it’s a matter of spending it smartly,” said Romney.

 

“To the maximum extent possible, public agencies and departments have to work together more closely to better assist homeless individuals and families as they try to transition out of shelters and into permanent housing.”

 

Last month, Mitt Romney filed a $2 million supplemental appropriation to close the deficit in the Emergency Assistance Shelter program for homeless families. In addition, no homeless benefits were reduced as a result of the recent emergency 9C cuts Mitt Romney made to close the $650 million budget gap for Fiscal Year 2003.

 

Governor’s Homeless Commission Members

 

Chairman Ronald Preston, Health and Human Services Secretary

Eric Kriss, Administration and Finance Secretary

Peter Nessen, Education Secretary-designee

Jennifer Davis Carey, Elder Affairs Secretary

John Wagner, Transitional Assistance Commissioner

Michael Maloney, Corrections Commissioner

Jane Gumble, Housing and Community Development Director

Dave Driscoll, Education Commissioner

Harry Spence, Social Services Commissioner

Christine Ferguson, Public Health Commissioner

Gerry Morrissey, Mental Retardation Commissioner

Ken Duckworth, mental health Commissioner

Tom Kelley, Veterans’ Services Commissioner

Elmer Bartels, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission Commissioner

Ardith Wieworka, Child Care Services Commissioner

 

February 18, 2003

ROMNEY CONVENES AFFORDABLE HOUSING TASK FORCE

Panel to assess the impact of Chapter 40B on cities and towns

 

With nearly 70 different legislative changes already proposed this year to the Commonwealth's affordable housing law, Governor Mitt Romney today named a 24-member task force to assess the effectiveness of the law and recommend improvements that will spur the creation of more housing.

 

“In order to maintain long-term economic growth and prosperity, we must attract and retain talented people to live and work in Massachusetts,” said Romney. “To do that, we must not only work harder, but we need to work smarter, to increase the state's housing supply and have it affordable to those across a broad range of incomes.”

 

Chapter 40B, as the affordable housing law is better known, was first put in place in 1969 to encourage cities and towns to build more affordable housing. Under the law, if a community has less than 10 percent of its permanent housing stock affordable to low- and moderate-income families, certain local zoning regulations can be overridden if 25 percent of a proposed development includes affordable units. Currently, only 31 of the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns meet the 10 percent threshold.

Romney said while the 33-year-old Chapter 40B law has created more than 30,000 affordable homes in the Bay State, it needs a comprehensive review, noting that Massachusetts still has some of the highest cost housing of any state in the nation.

 

The task force, chaired by Housing and Community Development Director Jane Gumble, will be comprised of legislators and state housing and municipal officials as well as other stakeholders, including those representing development and environmental concerns.

 

Romney charged the panel with reviewing the effectiveness of Chapter 40B in increasing the state's housing supply for people who earn 80 percent or less of the area median income. He also asked them to identify the impact of 40B projects on the state's cities and towns, determining the public benefits of those developments. In addition, the task force will develop improvements to the law itself.

 

Other issues under consideration by the task force may include a fresh examination of the criteria for site approval for 40B developments as well as local and state handling of the approval, review and permitting process. Rewards for communities that increase their housing supply may also be considered.

 

Over the last year-and-a-half, the state Department of Housing and Community Development has made 15 significant regulatory changes to Chapter 40B to address legitimate concerns raised by communities while still maintaining the statute's essential commitment to increase the supply of affordable housing across the Commonwealth.

 

Guidelines for the most recent regulatory change were announced today, which creates state oversight for projects funded by non-governmental programs such as the Federal Home Loan Bank's (FHLB) New England Fund (NEF) program.

 

The new guidelines will address past criticism from communities by creating a predictable and state controlled process for use of those funds in conjunction with comprehensive permit projects. In doing so, it will trigger the reopening of the New England Fund (NEF) program, which is a significant financial resource for housing development. Last summer, the FHLB voluntarily suspended operation of the NEF while details of DHCD's new regulations were formulated.

 

See attached list of Task Force Members

 

CHAPTER 40B TASK FORCE MEMBERS

 

Jane Wallis Gumble, Chair, Director, Department of Housing and Community Development

 

Tom Gleason, Executive Director, MassHousing

 

Clark Ziegler, Executive Director, Massachusetts Housing Partnership

 

Senator Harriette Chandler, Chair, Senate HUD Committee

 

Senator Bruce Tarr, HUD Committee

 

Senator Susan Tucker, HUD Committee

 

Senator Diane Wilkerson

 

Representative Michael Coppola

 

Representative Robert Fennell, Vice-Chair, HUD Committee

 

Representative Kevin Honan Chair, HUD Committee

 

Representative Harriet Stanley

 

Mayor Sharon Pollard, City of Methuen

 

Mike Jaillet, Chair, MMA Housing subcommittee, Westwood Town Manager

 

Al Lima, Planning Director, City of Marlborough

 

Mark Bobrowski, municipal consultant, Professor, Suffolk Law School

 

Kathleen O'Donnell, Attorney, Kopelman & Paige

 

Howard Cohen, Board Member, CHAPA

 

Bill McLaughlin, President, Rental Housing Association

 

Jeff Rhuda, Homebuilders Association of Massachusetts

 

Steve Dubuque, President, Massachusetts Non-Profit Housing Association

 

Gwen Pelletier, Board Member, Massachusetts Association of CDC's

 

Bennet Heart, Attorney, Conservation Law Foundation

 

Marc Draisen, Executive Director Metropolitan Area Planning Council

 

Jack Clarke, Director of Advocacy, Massachusetts Audubon Society

 

 

February 19, 2003

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES NEW UNIFIED PARKS SYSTEM FOR MASSACHUSETTS

 

Promising better services for less money, Governor Mitt Romney today unveiled a new Division of Conservation and Recreation to oversee the management of all state-owned parks, skating rinks, swimming pools and other recreation facilities.

 

“We should not accept the status quo,” Mitt Romney said. “Every park in Massachusetts should be world-class and the way to achieve this is to create a unified, world-class management system.”

 

Under Romney's plan, the new Division of Conservation and Recreation will merge the functions of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) with the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), eliminating duplication between the two agencies and allowing them to maximize expertise and equipment. The Division of Conservation and Recreation will remain a part of the Department of Environmental Affairs overseen by Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder.

 

The merger is one example of the fundamental restructuring Mitt Romney will introduce as part of his Fiscal Year 2004 budget proposal. The MDC, long criticized as a patronage haven, was targeted for elimination by Mitt Romney shortly after he took office.

 

“It is time to quit tinkering around the edges with an organization that over the years has proven immune to serious reform,” Mitt Romney said. “Massachusetts taxpayers and the people who use our state recreational facilities deserve better. Under my plan, they will finally get the accountability and cost-efficiency we should all expect from those entrusted with the management of our public funds.”

 

Within the Division of Conservation and Recreation, a Metro Parks Bureau will address the needs specific to urban parks and recreation centers, maintaining the visions of Frederick Law Olmsted and Charles Elliot in a comprehensive way. The Metro Parks Bureau will also retain custody and control over the parkways system, with road maintenance being handled, in accordance with preservation guidelines, by a Parkways Bureau within the Division of Public Works at the Transportation Department.

 

Over the past few decades, numerous studies have exposed the management problems and inconsistencies within Massachusetts' state parks system. In addition to the blueprint laid out by those studies, Environmental Affairs plans to convene an Implementation Advisory Group that includes local officials and community representatives to assist in the design and implementation of the details for these new Bureaus.

 

On a broader level, some of the key objectives for the Mitt Romney administration include plans to institutionalize community involvement, volunteer support, and public-private partnerships within the new parks system as well as create transparency and accountability in the management systems.

 

“Collaboration is the cornerstone of this administration,” said Doug Foy, Chief of Commonwealth Development. “Our ability to reach out to constituencies within and outside of the state house will enable us to create the most successful public parks and recreation system in the country.”

 

The new Division will fall under the new Executive Office for Commonwealth Development, which also consists of the state's Housing and Transportation agencies.

 

February 20, 2003

ROMNEY LOOKS TO STREAMLINE COURTS AS budget ROLLOUT CONTINUES

Proposal would cut patronage, waste in court system

 

Governor Mitt Romney today previewed another portion of his Fiscal Year 2004 budget by outlining a plan to squeeze savings from the state's courts, putting an end to the patronage, duplication and waste that has crippled the state's judicial system.

 

“Massachusetts is saddled with an 19th century court system in a 21st century economy,” Mitt Romney said. “These common sense improvements in the courts will save taxpayers millions of dollars without affecting the ability of the courts to administer justice.”

 

Romney zeroed in on one example of waste: The Boston Municipal Court. He said although the Boston Municipal Court has 11 judges, one courthouse and jurisdiction of only one city, its administrative costs rival those of the entire state District Court with 170 judges and 60 courthouses.

 

Folding the Boston Municipal Court into the District Court system, as Mitt Romney proposes, will save an estimated $4 million.

 

Overall, according to Romney, court costs since 1996 have grown by an average of 7 percent a year despite a decrease in case volume of 1 percent.

 

“The waste in our court system is not hard to find. It's eye-popping, and practically leaps off the page. Even without a budget crisis, I would be proposing these sensible reforms. The budget crisis make them even more imperative,” said Romney.

 

Romney also said he will consolidate the state's most underutilized courthouses. Under his budget plan, eight courthouses are slated for consolidation with adjacent districts. They are Ipswich, Charlestown, Natick, Orange, Clinton, Ware, Uxbridge and Winchendon, each open and staffed five days a week even though their caseload can only keep a judge busy between one to three days a week.

 

Savings from courthouse consolidation are estimated at $3.5 million.

 

Romney also proposed transferring the Community Corrections program, which oversees low-level offenders, from the Probation Department to the Department of Correction, eliminating duplication in services provided by two different branches of government for a savings of $2 million.

 

Romney also took aim at patronage in the courts, but said he will protect frontline clerical staff in favor of getting rid of assistant clerks and registers - particularly in those courts where they exceed the number of judges. This reduction in personnel is expected to save $12 million.

 

The budget transfers authority back to the courts so that they can allocate their funds as they see fit by reducing the number of judicial line items from 161 to 14, ending the oft-criticized practice of micro-managing court budgets by the Governor and the Legislature.

 

“As the individuals who battle to administer justice every day, the judiciary - not the Legislature or the Governor - should determine how best to spend their money. It's not only good management; it preserves the constitutional independence of our third branch,” said Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey.

 

Healey said the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court deserves to choose her own management team, allowing her to decide how to get the job done with the resources available. The chief justice of administrative management and all the trial court chief justices should serve at her pleasure, Healey said.

 

“A basic principle of good management is to give the leader of an organization the ability to choose their own management team and hold them accountable. The Governor, the Senate President and the House Speaker have this authority, and so too should the leader of our courts,” Healey said.

 

The Mitt Romney budget plan makes the court system pay for their inability to collect fees by connecting court managers to the consequences of their decisions. Last year, the court system failed to collect over $40 million in court assessments, costs and fees - monies that would have gone to the state Treasury.

 

Under the new system proposed by Romney, the court system will be allowed to keep probation service fees, bar examination fees and a user fee for Trial Court law libraries. If these monies are collected as required by statute, the Trial Court operations will be fully funded. If these monies are not collected, the Trial Court will need to reduce its budget.

 

February 21, 2003

ROMNEY FIGHTS FOR PRESCRIPTION drug COVERAGE FOR SENIORS

Calls on HHS, Elder Affairs Secretaries to Develop Alternative Plan for Seniors

 

Governor Mitt Romney today said he will create a discount program to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs for all Massachusetts seniors, tasking Health and Human Services Secretary Ron Preston and Elder Affairs Secretary Jennifer Carey with developing a plan by the end of March.

 

“Seniors in Massachusetts and across the nation are facing skyrocketing prescription drug costs,” Mitt Romney said. “I have instructed my health care team to develop a discount program to ease the burden on all of our senior citizens.”

 

Romney noted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has before it a waiver request that would reimburse the state half its costs for the Prescription Advantage program, the only program of its kind in the nation. Without the federal support, the state will be forced to shut down the program on June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

 

Romney noted that less than 10 percent of all the state’s senior population is currently enrolled in the Prescription Advantage program, and that is why he is proposing a new discount plan that benefits all seniors.

 

“Massachusetts is one of the most generous states in the nation. But we will only be as generous as we can afford to be,” Mitt Romney said. “Prescription Advantage now costs roughly $100 million a year to administer and our budget is strained to the breaking point. If Washington doesn’t pass the waiver we are requesting, fiscal reality will require us to end the program.”

 

Massachusetts is the only state in the nation to have a universal drug program, which was added in April 2001 during a time when the state’s coffers were flush with cash. If the waiver is approved, the federal government will reimburse the Bay State 50 cents on the dollar for people in the program who are at or below 188 percent of the poverty level. This cash infusion will result in $40-$50 million flowing from Washington to the Prescription Advantage and protect benefits for seniors.

 

Even with the shut down of the Prescription Advantage program, low-income seniors on MassHealth will continue to receive prescription drug benefits at no cost to them.

 

February 21, 2003

ROMNEY FIGHTS FOR PRESCRIPTION drug COVERAGE FOR SENIORS

Calls on HHS, Elder Affairs Secretaries to Develop Alternative Plan for Seniors

 

Governor Mitt Romney today said he will create a discount program to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs for all Massachusetts seniors, tasking Health and Human Services Secretary Ron Preston and Elder Affairs Secretary Jennifer Carey with developing a plan by the end of March.

 

“Seniors in Massachusetts and across the nation are facing skyrocketing prescription drug costs,” Mitt Romney said. “I have instructed my health care team to develop a discount program to ease the burden on all of our senior citizens.”

 

Romney noted the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has before it a waiver request that would reimburse the state half its costs for the Prescription Advantage program, the only program of its kind in the nation. Without the federal support, the state will be forced to shut down the program on June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

 

Romney noted that less than 10 percent of all the state’s senior population is currently enrolled in the Prescription Advantage program, and that is why he is proposing a new discount plan that benefits all seniors.

 

“Massachusetts is one of the most generous states in the nation. But we will only be as generous as we can afford to be,” Mitt Romney said. “Prescription Advantage now costs roughly $100 million a year to administer and our budget is strained to the breaking point. If Washington doesn’t pass the waiver we are requesting, fiscal reality will require us to end the program.”

 

Massachusetts is the only state in the nation to have a universal drug program, which was added in April 2001 during a time when the state’s coffers were flush with cash. If the waiver is approved, the federal government will reimburse the Bay State 50 cents on the dollar for people in the program who are at or below 188 percent of the poverty level. This cash infusion will result in $40-$50 million flowing from Washington to the Prescription Advantage and protect benefits for seniors.

 

Even with the shut down of the Prescription Advantage program, low-income seniors on MassHealth will continue to receive prescription drug benefits at no cost to them.

 

February 24, 24, 2003

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES HHS REORGANIZATION AS PART OF BUDGET

Plan closes more than 30 under-utilized local offices, achieves $90 million in savings

 

Governor Mitt Romney today unveiled a long overdue restructuring of the Commonwealth’s 16 Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, replacing the current confusing maze of bureaucracy with a user-friendly system that is more responsive to the people it serves.

 

In the plan, Mitt Romney calls for the outright elimination of two agencies: the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy and the Division of Medical Assistance, whose functions will be transferred to other departments.

He also proposes closing 30 local offices across the state in the next six months and possibly even more in the future, depending on need. Currently, there are over 150 regional and area offices. At the Department of Transitional Assistance alone, there are 800 vacant workspaces in their local offices.

 

Back-office functions like human resources, accounting, legal and technical support – now spread across the entire bureaucracy – will be consolidated to function for the entire secretariat as opposed to individual agencies. This move will rid the agencies of duplicative overhead.

 

The reorganization plan will save nearly $60 million. Savings will increase each year as more efficiencies are realized. Reducing through sale the large inventory of HHS-owned facilities and land will achieve at least another $30 million in one-time revenue for Fiscal Year 2004.

 

“Throughout this process, we have been guided by a desire to simplify our health and human services agencies to better serve recipients. Rather than requiring families to navigate the current red tape jungle, we are consolidating functions to better help those who cannot help themselves,” Mitt Romney said. Families requiring HHS services now face a confusing alphabet soup of state agencies to access the help they need.

 

Under Romney’s proposal, individuals will enter the HHS system through one portal – the local office of the primary agency providing services to them. From there, a lead caseworker will determine if the family has needs for services provided by other agencies and will help the family navigate those services.

 

For example, if a mother visits the Department of Transitional Assistance to apply for food stamps, her lead caseworker may determine that she also needs childcare and services provided by the Department of mental health. From that moment on, the DTA caseworker will coordinate the delivery of all the family’s services, serving as the single point of contact. The mother will not need to travel to multiple offices and deal with layers upon layers of bureaucracy to get the help she needs. The saved time will allow families to focus on their lives and caseworkers to better help their clients.

 

Currently HHS agencies’ computer systems are incompatible and caseworkers are often unaware of a family’s involvement with other HHS agencies, leaving it up to families often the most unable to traverse a nightmarish bureaucratic maze of agencies to get the services they so desperately need.

 

HHS will also move into the model of other successful customer service organizations by offering a “virtual local office” with a toll-free number and enhanced Web site available for clients to get the answers and information they need about their services right away.

 

Romney said the HHS agencies would be divided into four different groups – Children, Youth and Families; Disabilities and Community Services; Health; and Elder Affairs – based on their common functions. Mitt Romney said, “We want to make sure that any person or family in need of an HHS service will be able to get that service easily. Under my plan, the bureaucracy will be simpler to navigate while saving significant time for state employees and significant money for taxpayers.”

 

In Children, Youth and Families will be the Department of Social Services, the Office of Child Care Services, the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Youth Services and the Office for Refugees and Immigrants.

 

Under Disabilities and Community Services will be the Department of Mental Retardation, the long-term care unit of the Division of Medical Assistance, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, the Commission for the Blind, the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the Chelsea and Holyoke Soldiers’ Homes.

 

Health will include the Department of Public Health, the acute care unit of the Division of Medical Assistance, and the Department of mental health. Community-based care for seniors and veterans’ services will fall under Elder Affairs.

 

Each group will be headed up by an Assistant Secretary who will double as a Commissioner, with the exception of Elder Affairs, which will remain a Cabinet-level Secretary. In closing at least 30 of the 150 local offices in each of the state’s six regions, Mitt Romney is bringing a level of scrutiny not previously applied. Currently there is no rhyme or reason guiding where HHS agencies are located. No clear boundaries exist to divide the regions, resulting in some clients needing to travel to a different region to visit a department office administering their service.

 

“The different HHS agencies have scores of offices literally scattered across the Commonwealth,” Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey said.

 

“Not only is this a waste of money and a duplication of services, it is a major inconvenience for those families who rely on services from more than one agency and are forced to go from place to place. We’re going to combine offices to make life easier for the people we serve,” Healey said

 

 

February 26, 2003

ROMNEY UNVEILS $22.858 BILLION FISCAL YEAR 2004 SPENDING PLAN

Closes budget gap without new taxes, but with reforms, efficiencies, reductions

 

Saying Massachusetts is at a “crossroads” and must choose between yearly tax increases or reform, Governor Mitt Romney today unveiled a $22.858 billion spending plan for Fiscal Year 2004 that proposes the most sweeping changes to state government in a generation.

 

On a comparable basis, Romney’s budget represents a slight increase - one-half of one percent - over projected spending this year.

 

To save $50,000 in printing costs, the Governor’s budget will be available only on-line at www.mass.gov/eoaf . For the first time, new interactive features and search functions will allow the public to easily access the document, opening up state government to the taxpayers.

 

Romney’s spending blueprint replaces the traditional line item budgeting with 72 new master accounts. Currently, hundreds upon hundreds of micro accounts severely restrict the Executive Branch’s ability to manage state finances.

 

Romney said his budget proposal closes the $3 billion budget gap without raising taxes, saving more than $2 billion alone through reform and restructuring, closing tax loopholes and getting rid of waste, inefficiency and bloated bureaucracy.

 

Over the past several weeks, Mitt Romney has previewed major aspects of his budget by detailing plans to consolidate legal and press functions and to reform the courts, the parks system, transportation agencies and the confusing health and human service bureaucracy.

 

“Massachusetts is at a crossroads,” Mitt Romney said. “We can take the easy way out and keep raising taxes year after year to cover our growing structural budget gap. Or we can take responsibility, roll up our sleeves and get to work on the serious reforms our state needs to restore fiscal balance and economic prosperity over the long term.”

 

He added, “My administration has chosen the latter, and it has done so by submitting the most significant restructuring of state government in half a century.”

 

Romney’s plan calls for an overhaul of the Commonwealth’s public higher education system – the one major area of reorganization that has not been previously disclosed. The current hodge-podge of 29 public campuses has no rational basis and is based more on politics than sound planning.

 

Under the proposal, the existing college campuses will be consolidated into seven geographic regions – Berkshire, Pioneer Valley, Central, MetroWest, Boston, Northeast and Southeast – allowing schools to share resources, eliminating duplication of overhead and ensuring a system responsive to the distinct regions of the Commonwealth.

 

“By grouping our college campuses by region and providing for shared services between them, Massachusetts can save millions of dollars and provide a better education to our students,” Mitt Romney said.

 

Each campus will be overseen by an individual Board of Trustees, as is the case now. An all-volunteer Regional Council will help coordinate education policy in each region. The chair of each council will be a voting member of a new, expanded Board of Higher Education.

 

As part of the plan, six campuses in neighboring locations with low enrollments and high overhead will be consolidated into three larger, stronger institutions. The following schools will be merged: Berkshire Community College and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Greenfield and Holyoke Community Colleges; and Mount Wachusett Community College and Fitchburg State College.

 

Under Romney’s plan, campuses will retain 100 percent of their tuition and fees instead of sending the monies into the General Fund.

 

Schools will likely increase their tuition rates to a level competitive with public colleges in other New England and mid-Atlantic states. Currently, public college tuition in Massachusetts is below the average. To ensure tuition remains affordable to state residents, 46 percent of any tuition increase will be set aside as additional financial aid for Massachusetts residents in need.

 

The new regional approach to higher education will eliminate the President’s Office at the University of Massachusetts for a $14 million savings. The reorganization abolishes the need for this office, which allocates funds to the university campuses and conducts fundraising. Under the reorganization, both of these responsibilities will be handled elsewhere.

 

The UMass campuses in Lowell, Boston and Dartmouth will be led by their current chancellors and become part of the new regional system.

 

Three schools that cater to a unique niche – University of Massachusetts Medical School, Massachusetts College of Art and Massachusetts Maritime Academy – will each become private over the next four years. State officials will lease each of these three schools their property for $1 a year and continue to allocate state assistance to them over the next four years. Over the four-year period, each school will be permitted to raise their tuition and fees to market rate, as state assistance is reduced.

 

All three schools will continue to receive dedicated financial aid for Massachusetts’ residents in need.

 

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst will be spun off in a similar way to become a premier research university, but will not be privatized. It will always receive a base state appropriation. Currently, it does not receive enough funding to thrive.

 

But by making it independent and allowing the school to increase tuition in line with flagship public universities in neighboring states, UMass-Amherst will be able to more successfully recruit out-of-state students and compete for top research faculty and grants.

 

The entire education system – from kindergarten through college graduation – will be overseen by the newly created Executive Office of Education, led by Peter Nessen. Secretary Nessen will allocate all state appropriations to the schools based on a performance and enrollment formula.

 

The higher education plan represents $150 million in savings, according to Romney’s budget.

 

In addition to Romney’s focus on higher education, he also preserved the Commonwealth’s commitment to elementary and secondary schools by increasing direct education aid – known as Chapter 70 – from $3.26 billion to $3.33 billion, a boost of more than $70 million over last fiscal year.

 

The Chapter 70 distribution formula is updated with new school enrollment statistics, the first change in a decade.

 

“The total education of our children is the measure of a generation’s success or failure,” said Romney. “We need to make sure our education system takes our kids from kindergarten all the way to being qualified for a good paying job.”

 

Total local aid will decrease by $232 million, from $5.30 billion to $5.07 billion, a 5 percent reduction.

 

Romney noted that no community will lose more than 2 ¾ percent of their total municipal budget and that most will see budget increases year to year because of robust property tax growth.

 

The budget also introduces a new formula for distributing non-school aid to cities and towns, correcting previous inequities and allocating monies based on fairness to ensure all schools have the funds they need to educate students.

 

The category of local aid known as Additional Assistance is abolished. Because Additional Assistance is a remnant from an outdated 1980’s aid program, the amount that cities and towns receive are not tied to any current measure of need, but is based more on politics. A mitigation fund is created to help communities make this transition.

 

However, two new categories of local aid are established.

 

Romney introduces a new local aid account to give cities and towns an incentive to build more housing. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2005, the Administration will award $50 million in additional local aid to communities based on the number of building permits they issue in 2004.

 

A second new category of aid compensates municipalities that house state government facilities, which are not subject to local property taxes. Romney’s budget proposes $173 million in payments in lieu of taxes to cities and towns with state government property. Romney’s budget also calls for $75 million in so-called “blocking payments” from gaming facilities in neighboring states to keep expanded gambling out of Massachusetts. If unable to secure the appropriate payment, Mitt Romney said the Commonwealth will pursue the introduction of video lottery terminals, similar to those in Rhode Island, at existing gaming sites.

 

“During the difficult financial times we face in Massachusetts, we need to think of innovative ways how we can balance our state budget without raising taxes,” Mitt Romney said. “If gaming operators in other states aren’t willing to reward Massachusetts for staying out of their business, we will create new competition for them right here in the Bay State.”

 

Demonstrating his commitment to delivering the core missions of government, Mitt Romney noted that spending for health and human services grows by 4.6 percent.

 

This boost includes a 9 percent increase in Medicaid, from $5.97 billion to $6.5 billion. Mitt Romney also preserved benefits for veterans, welfare payments to the poor, childcare funding and the state’s investment in homeless shelters.

 

 

February 27, :

ADVOCATES SHOW BROAD BASED SUPPORT FOR Mitt Romney budget

Business and community leaders laud budget approach as long overdue and refreshing

 

One day after proposing far-reaching reforms for state government, Governor Mitt Romney was joined today by a wide array of business leaders, community advocates and policy leaders to endorse his budget and offer their support for change.

 

The group was comprised of advocates and leaders from the fields of education and health care, the business community and various nonprofit organizations.

 

“It would be impossible to reach unanimity on every aspect of our budget, but it’s clear there is widespread support for the concept of change. We face a choice between either cutting waste out of government, or facing a new job killing tax increase every year from here on out,” said Romney.

 

Romney’s budget calls for the restructuring and streamlining of several areas of state government, including health and human services, the judiciary, higher education, and reforming the state's outdated employment practices.

 

“It’s refreshing to see a serious-minded effort at reform that will finally put state government to work for the citizens of Massachusetts, rather than for special interests on Beacon Hill,” said Steve Adams, President and CEO of the Pioneer Institute.

 

Said Chris Anderson, President of the Massachusetts High Technology Council: “Governor’s Romney’s budget plan proves that there are other means to solving a fiscal challenge than automatically raising taxes.”

 

He continued, “By holding the line on new taxes and spending increases, and supporting the Governor’s bold reform agenda, we have a unique opportunity to provide stability for the state’s employers and families by ending forever the boom-and-bust budget cycle that haunts Massachusetts every decade.”

 

Sara Johnson, Managing Director of Global Insight, also praised the Mitt Romney budget for protecting the Massachusetts economy.

 

“By rejecting new taxes, Governor Romney’s budget ensures that Massachusetts will be at the forefront of the next economic expansion and gives businesses the opportunity to create jobs and build prosperity,” said Johnson.

 

Lyndia Downie, President of the Pine Street Inn, said: “We are grateful that Governor Mitt Romney did not cut homeless programs and that he preserved the safety net for some of our most vulnerable citizens. We also appreciate that he stayed true to his word of not cutting homeless shelters, especially during this time of record demand.”

 

Romney acknowledged the state must focus on delivering the core missions of government, noting his budget preserves veteran's benefits, welfare payments to the poor, childcare funding and homeless assistance. He said spending on health and human services will actually grow by 4.6 percent in his budget for next year.

 

“We will continue to be a generous state when it comes to caring for the poor, the disabled and the elderly. We will be far less generous when it comes to patronage, waste and inefficiencies,” said Romney.

 

 

Advocates at Press Conference

Steve Adams, President, Pioneer Institute

Mitch Adams, Executive Director, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative

Chris Anderson, President, Massachusetts High Technology Council

Greg Beamen, President, Associated Builders & Contractors

John Connors, Former Deputy Administrator, District Court

Clare Cotton, Executive Director, Association of Independent Colleges & Universities

Jim Davis, President, New Balance

Lyndia Downie, President, Pine Street Inn

Lori Ehrlich, Co-founder, HealthLink

Andrew Grainger, President, New England Legal Foundation

Jeff Grogan, Partner, The Monitor Group

Bill Guenther, President & Founder, MassInsight

Mark Helberg, Founder, New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans

Jo-Anne Hodgson, Principal, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School

Mary Ellen Holmes, Executive Director, Housing & Shelter Alliance

Sara Johnson, Managing Director, Global Insight

Christy Mihos, Board Member, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority

Sandra Moose, PhD, Senior Vice President, Boston Consulting Group

Alan Rom, Executive Director, Appleseed Foundation

David Tuerck, Executive Director, Beacon Hill Institute

Michael Weekes, President, Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers

 

 

March 3, 2003

ROMNEY RELEASES LATEST MCAS RETEST RESULTS FOR CLASS 2003

90 percent of class passes both English and math MCAS exams

 

SOMERVILLE Governor Mitt Romney today released the statewide results of the latest administration of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) retest, announcing that 90 percent of students in the class of 2003 have passed the English and math sections of the exam.

 

Romney congratulated the students who passed the test and pledged extra support to those who have not yet met the high school graduation requirement.

 

For seniors who have not yet passed, Mitt Romney said they will have another chance to take the test in May and again this summer after participating in extra help programs.

 

The Governor said his budget released last week calls for $53 million in MCAS remediation funds, including $3 million for community colleges to develop pathways for students who do not pass the MCAS test by the end of high school. Students can take the test as many times as they want until they pass.

 

I am proud of all the students and teachers who worked so hard to achieve such great success, Mitt Romney said. In Massachusetts, we are restoring the value of our high school diplomas and preparing our students for the challenges of college and the 21st century workplace.

 

Romney added, "I have a message for those students who have not yet passed the MCAS: We will not give up on you and you should not give up on yourself".

 

According to results from the December 2002 retest, 94 percent of approximately 60,000 students in the class have passed the English exam and 91 percent have passed the math exam. "I have consistently said that when you hold students to high but reasonable standards, they will do what they can to meet them, and the class of 2003 is proving me right", said Education Commissioner David Driscoll.

 

The results were announced at Somerville High School, where 97 percent of the class have passed English, 95 percent have passed math and 94 percent have passed both exams.

 

Results for students in the class of 2004, who took the retest for the first time in December, also improved. In total, 84 percent of this year’s junior class has now passed both exams, with 90 percent passing English and 86 percent passing math.

 

The class of 2004 is well ahead of the class of 2003 after two administrations of the exam. Eighty-four percent passing after two tries is an eight percent increase over the 76 percent of the class of 2003 who had passed after two attempts.

 

Other results show that while the racial achievement gap is slowly closing, it still exists. For the class of 2003, 94 percent of white students have passed both exams, compared to 75 percent of black students and 70 percent of Hispanics. Among limited English proficient students, 67 percent have passed both exams as have 69 percent of students with disabilities.

 

The gap is also reflected in urban and non-urban school comparisons. In non-urban districts, 94 percent of students have passed both exams, as compared to 79 percent of students in urban communities.

 

Students who have not yet passed either or both of the MCAS exams can take the test again in May, and will be eligible for a local certificate of attainment if they have met their local requirements for graduation. This summer, extra help programs in English and math will be available to them at high schools around the state. These programs will conclude with a fifth retest opportunity with results released by Labor Day.

 

For more information on the MCAS exam, or to view the MCAS retest results, look online at www.doe.mass.edu/mcas .

 

Read the full report

 

March 4, 2003

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION LOAN TO HOME MARKET FOODS

Puts focus on economic revitalization across the Commonwealth

 

SOUTH BOSTON - Governor Mitt Romney today announced a $1 million loan to Home Market Foods, which will enable them to consolidate their South Boston and Kentucky operations to one location in Norwood and bring up to 100 new jobs to Massachusetts.

 

Romney also highlighted his pledge to spur economic growth in Massachusetts, pointing out that his budget filed last week includes a $1 million increase - from $1.4 million to $2.5 million - for the business development office to attract and retain jobs in all regions of the Commonwealth.

 

“Massachusetts is well-positioned for further economic growth and expansion in the years ahead,” Mitt Romney said. “We have a well-educated workforce, great universities, a solid infrastructure and tremendous cultural diversity. Home Market Foods is an example of the kind of company that will find unparalleled opportunities to grow here.”

 

The $1 million loan for Home Market Foods comes from the new $12 million Massachusetts Growth Fund that provides working capital loans to emerging, non-venture backed businesses that are committed to retaining or adding quality jobs in the state.

 

The fund was created from the Economic Stabilization Trust. In addition to the funds announced today, Home Market Foods received a $400,000 loan from the trust in 1999, which was fully repaid, as well as another $500,000 in January 2002 to help them grow and stabilize its new and existing product lines.

 

“These loans have been money well invested,” Mitt Romney said. “These funds help companies stabilize, expand, leverage private funds, and establish better relationships with traditional lenders.”

 

Romney added, “These funds can help get the Commonwealth back on the road to economic recovery.”

 

In addition to investing in bringing jobs to Massachusetts, Mitt Romney said he is committed to holding the line on taxes, making state government more efficient through streamlining and restructuring and cutting bureaucratic red tape.

 

He also said he will take a regional approach to reviving the economy through six new competitiveness councils, charged with developing a jobs blueprint for the unique regions of the state.

 

“With the help of the Economic Stabilization Trust, the Growth Fund and the Regional Competitiveness Councils, my administration will be able to aggressively attract new companies or give existing companies a shot in the arm,” stated Romney.

 

“That is why we are going to hold the line on taxes and spending, cut red tape, and keep our budgets balanced without overburdening the engines of commerce,” said Romney.

 

Home Market Foods offers a full line of cooked beef, pork, chicken and BBQ products. The company's signature meatballs, which are the fourth largest selling in the United States, are produced at the company's South Boston location. Home Market Foods sells to a variety of national and regional customers including fast food shops, restaurants, supermarkets and food service providers. Douglas and Wes Atamian purchased Waltham Beef in April 1996 and then changed the name to Home Market Foods.

 

March 5, 2003

Consumers Warned to Stay Away from High Cost tax Refund Anticipation Loans; Fast, Low-Cost Options Available

Division of Banks Puts Refund Anticipation Loan Providers on Notice

 

Consumers Warned to Stay Away from High Cost tax Refund Anticipation Loans; Fast, Low-Cost Options Available Division of Banks Puts Refund Anticipation Loan Providers on Notice

 

Consumer Affairs Director Beth Lindstrom today warned consumers to steer clear of Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL) and directed the Division of Banks to curb any unlicensed RAL activities in the Commonwealth.

 

RALs are short-term loans based on a consumer's anticipated tax refund that are usually offered with extremely high interest rates.

 

“Taxpayers should not pay unreasonable rates and fees to obtain the refund they are legally entitled to receive,” said Lindstrom. “Further, many of the consumers who obtain a RAL are eligible for the federal and state Earned Income tax Credit. The very purpose of the tax credit is to give a helping hand to those who need it most, not to benefit tax firms.”

 

In Massachusetts, it is illegal for a tax preparer to offer or broker a RAL without a license from the Division of Banks. Lindstrom is working closely with the Commissioner of Banks, Thomas J. Curry, to cease unlicensed RAL activity.

 

This week, the Division of Banks issued a directive to the RAL industry. The directive requires tax preparers to obtain a license, which would put them in compliance with the Small Loan Act.

 

The Small Loan Act allows non-banks to offer interest rates of no more than 23 percent APR. The Division of Banks has found that tax preparers are charging consumers 100 percent APR or more for RALs.

 

“There is questionable justification for the exorbitant RAL interest rates,” said Curry. “Taxpayers are often charged over 100 percent APR for these short term loans that have little risk of default.

 

Curry added, “These rates are illegal and tax preparers found in non-compliance can expect to hear from us.”

 

“We understand that some taxpayers need their money right away and often turn to a RAL provider because they think it is the fastest way to obtain a refund,” said Lindstrom. “What consumers need to know is that there are no-cost options for getting a quick tax refund and tax preparation assistance.”

 

The Commonwealth's electronic filing system administered by the Department of Revenue will issue refunds to consumers in as little as three days, without a fee or interest charges. The quickest way to receive a state refund is to file electronically by telephone or computer.

 

In order to receive a federal tax refund quickly, consumers should use E-File, a service offered by many tax preparation companies. Consumers who E-File their federal tax return can obtain their refund in as little as 10 days.

 

In addition, through the IRS' Free File Alliance, consumers who meet certain income eligibility will receive free online tax preparation and E-Filing.

 

Consumers interested in more information on filing both state and federal taxes or receiving free tax preparation assistance should contact the following agencies:

 

• To file your state tax returns electronically, go to www.mass.gov/dor or call Telefile at (617) 660-2002 or (413) 827-7100.
• To receive your federal tax refund in as little as ten days, eligible consumers should consider the IRS E-File program at www.irs.gov.
• For free tax preparation assistance:

o Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) at (617) 357-6000

o Earned Income tax Credit (EITC) Help Hotline at (617) 918-5275

o Call the IRS toll-free at (800) 829-1040 or visit the website at www.irs.gov

 

March 10, 2003

HHS CONSOLIDATIONS TO SAVE MILLIONS AND IMPROVE SERVICE

Closing 36 underutilized offices will save the state $2.3 million in FY04

 

SOMERVILLE - Governor Mitt Romney today announced that combining of Health and Human Services (HHS) offices across the Commonwealth will free up millions of dollars and offer clients improved delivery of services and convenience.

 

Romney appeared in Somerville to highlight an example of the savings to be achieved through a smarter allocation of resources.

 

“The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission office currently located on Middlesex Avenue will move to the Department of Transitional Assistance office located here at One Davis Square, saving taxpayers $108,000,” said Romney. “It's just plain common sense to join two agencies together rather than having two offices half empty.”

 

The office consolidations are one component of Romney's plan to reorganize the Commonwealth's 16 HHS agencies. Under the plan, HHS's 164 local and regional offices will be narrowed to 128 statewide. The closing of the 36 offices will save the state $2.3 million in Fiscal Year 2004 and will annualize to a savings of more than $3 million a year.

 

“Clients will also benefit from the co-location of offices and access to coordinated services in one building,” said HHS Secretary Ron Preston. “Once the consolidation plan is in place, most of the offices will be located in areas where the greatest number of clients would travel the least distance and near public transportation.”

 

The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) serve similar functions by assisting people who are transitioning into jobs. DTA focuses on the traditional welfare-to-work process while the MRC assists individuals with physical impairments moving into the workforce.

 

MRC's lease will expire in August. The Commission's 25 employees will join DTA's staff of 44, moving into the office's vacant workstations.

 

Romney's HHS reorganization plan will save nearly $60 million in Fiscal Year 2004. Additional savings will be realized as more efficiencies are achieved. One-time revenue of $30 million in Fiscal Year 2004 will result from the sale of property in the large inventory of HHS-owned facilities and land.

 

The re-organization proposal will place the HHS agencies into four different groups - Children, Youth and Families; Disabilities and Community Services; Health: and Elder Affairs. Individuals will enter the HHS system through one portal - the local office of the primary agency providing services to them. A lead caseworker will determine if the family has needs for services administered by other agencies and will help the family navigate those services.

 

“As my 'Common Sense for the Commonwealth' program is implemented, taxpayers will see our outdated 1950's style bureaucracy transformed into a leaner, more efficient and better organized state government,” said Romney.

 

*See attached list of HHS office closures.

 

Department of Transitional Assistance

 

• Closing Westfield Office. Staff move to Springfield, 95 Liberty Street
• Closing Haverhill Office. Staff move to Lawrence, 15 Union Street

 

 

Office of Child Care Services

 

• Closing Springfield Office. Staff move to DTA Office, 310 State Street
• Closing Quincy Office at 1250 Hancock Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 1515 Hancock Street, Quincy
• Closing Westboro Office. Staff move to DTA Office, 340 Main Street, Worcester
• Closing Lakeville Office. Staff move to DTA Office, 21 Spring Street, Taunton
• Closing Beverly Office. Staff move to DTA Office, 35 Congress Street, Salem

 

 

Department of mental health

 

• Closing Springfield Office located at 503 State Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 310 State Street, Springfield
• Closing Medfield Office. Staff move to MA Hospital School, Canton
• Closing Lawrence. Staff move to DTA Office, 755 Main Street, Haverhill
• Closing Haverhill Office located at 52-54 Washington Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 755 Main Street Haverhill
• Closing Hyannis Office. Staff move to DTA Offices, 77 High School Road Extension, Barnstable and 155 Katherine Lee Bates Road, Falmouth
• Closing Worcester Office, 322 Main Street. Staff move to Bryan Building on the grounds of Worcester State Hospital

 

 

Massachusetts Commission for the Blind

 

• Closing Springfield Office. Staff move to DTA Office, 310 State Street, Springfield

 

 

Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Heard of Hearing

 

• Closing Worcester Offices, 340 Main Street and 9 Walnut Street. Staff move to Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission Office, 359 Main Street
• Closing Springfield Office. Staff move to DTA Office 310 State Street, Springfield

 

 

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission Office

 

• Closing North Adams Office, 85 Main Street. Staff move to DTA Office 37 Main Street
• Closing Holyoke Office, 187 High Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 72 Front Street, Holyoke
• Closing Somerville Office, 5 Middlesex Avenue. Staff move to DTA Office, 1 Davis Square, Somerville
• Closing Quincy Office, 275 Hancock Street. Staff move to DTA office, 1515 Hancock Street, Quincy
• Closing Plymouth Office, 40 Industrial Park Road. Staff move to DTA Office, 61 Industrial Park Road, Plymouth
• Closing Salem Office, 45 Congress Street. Staff move to DTA office, 35 Congress Street, Salem
• Closing Natick Office. Staff move to DTA Office, 110 Mt. Wayte Avenue, Framingham
• Closing Lowell Office, 325 Chelmsford Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 1313 Davidson Street, Lowell
• Closing Lawrence Office, 1 Parker Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 755 Main Street, Haverhill
• Closing Fitchburg Office, 76 Summer Street. Staff move DTA Office, 437 Main Street, Fitchburg
• Closing Brockton Office, 55 City Hall Plaza. Staff move to DTA Office, 75 Commercial Street, Brockton
• Closing Sturbridge Office. Move to DTA Office, 79 North Street, Southbridge
• Closing Milford Office, 100 Medway Road. Move to DTA Office, 25 Birch Street, Milford
• Closing Malden Office, 157 Pleasant Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 200 Pleasant Street, Malden

 

 

Department of Mental Retardation

 

• Closing Greenfield Office. Staff move to DTA Office 6 Arch Street, Greenfield
• Closing Lowell Office, 325 Chelmsford Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 131 Davidson Street, Lowell
• Closing Southbridge Office, 309 Main Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 79 North Street, Southbridge

 

 

Department Public Health

 

• Closing Boston Office, Causeway Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 300 Ocean Avenue, Revere
• Closing Boston Office, 174 Portland Street. Staff move to DTA Office, 90 Washington Street, Roxbury

 

 

Department of Social Services

 

• Closing Boston Office, 38 Wareham Street. Staff move to DSS Offices, Roxbury and Dorchester

 

March 11, 2003

ROMNEY ENCOURAGES CITIES AND TOWNS TO BUILD MORE HOUSING

Proposes $50 million in local aid incentives in FY 2005 to spur housing creation

 

Taking steps to boost the supply of housing in the Commonwealth, Governor Mitt Romney today said he will give additional local aid to cities and towns that create new housing. Mitt Romney said he will dedicate $50 million of next year's local aid payments to rewarding communities that issue occupancy permits.

 

“If Massachusetts is to remain economically strong and competitive, it must have more housing that is affordable to those across a broad range of incomes,” said Romney. “This local aid incentive will provide communities with additional funds to offset infrastructure and education expenses associated with a growing population.”

 

Under Romney's proposal, local aid bonuses will be awarded to communities in Fiscal Year 2005 based on the number of occupancy certificates issued during Fiscal Year 2004. It is estimated that communities could receive up to $3,000 for each new and rehabilitated home.

 

The $50 million in Fiscal Year 2005 will come from the eventual phase out of the Transitional Mitigation fund provided temporarily in Romney's Fiscal Year 2004 budget.

 

Romney made the announcement in Burlington, where a 250-unit mixed-income rental development will be built.

 

The new development will boost Burlington's percentage on the state's subsidized housing inventory to 10 percent, bringing the community into compliance with Chapter 40B, the state's 33 year-old affordable housing law.

 

“This 'Friendly 40B' project is a good example of how developers and communities can work together to create new housing. Kimball Woods showed that Chapter 40B, when used responsibly, can produce badly needed affordable housing while preserving the character of a town. The key is to have the right development in the right location,” said Joseph Mullins, Founder and President of the Mullins Company, the builder on the Burlington project.

 

Under the law, if a community has less than 10 percent of its permanent housing stock affordable to low and moderate-income families, certain local zoning regulations can be overridden if 25 percent of a proposed development includes affordable units. Burlington will be the 32nd of the Commonwealth's 351 communities to meet the law's requirements.

 

A recently convened task force is currently examining the 40B law with a view toward making improvements that remove the onerous aspects of the law while increasing progress in the affordable housing area.

 

“We need more affordable housing in Massachusetts to attract new businesses and retain talented people to live and work here,” Mitt Romney added. “To do that, we must not only work harder, but we need to work smarter, and this plan will reward communities which increase their housing supply.”

 

March 25, 2003

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES OCEAN MANAGEMENT TASK FORCE

Industrial uses including pipelines, windfarms and aquaculture, to be examined

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced he will create a task force on ocean management that will examine ways to close the gaps in Massachusetts' ocean use policies.

 

“Right now, private projects in public waters happen on a first-come, first-serve basis,” Mitt Romney said. “This is a first-in-the-nation approach to creating sound ocean management policies.”

 

Under Romney's plan, the task force will advise the Administration on new management and planning regulations for projects in state ocean waters. These regulations will protect and manage ocean resources in a manner that maximizes public use, utility and enjoyment while minimizing impacts on ecosystems.

 

State ocean waters, generally extending to three miles offshore, are owned by the Commonwealth and held in trust for its citizens. Currently, the state lacks the ability to do offshore planning and is only able to review private project proposals in a reactive manner. Recent proposals in ocean waters off Massachusetts have revealed significant gaps in state and federal authority to permit offshore uses and lease open space.

 

“We have accepted zoning as a means of planning on land for appropriate uses of largely privately-owned property, while virtually no planning is done for ocean spaces, which are public,” Environmental Affairs Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder said. “It is time to put some rational ocean management policies in place.”

 

The task force will be comprised of individuals with expertise on local, state and federal coastal issues. Its purpose is to identify ways to balance the economic and industrial uses - in particular, projects that require zones that exclude other industrial or recreational uses of the same area - of state oceans with relevant public access and environmental concerns. The task force will be formed within the next 60 days and will be expected to submit policy recommendations to Secretary Herzfelder within the next six months.

 

In addition to this work on Massachusetts' policy, Mitt Romney announced his intent to intensify a dialogue with federal government officials about creating a U.S. ocean management policy to address these same issues in federal waters.

 

March 28, :

ROMNEY APPROVES PLAN FOR LONGFELLOW BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS

Agreement to save historic bridge follows through on “Fix It First” policy

 

Following through on a “Fix It First” pledge to invest state resources in the Commonwealth’s aging infrastructure, Governor Mitt Romney today took a major first step toward repairing the historic Longfellow Bridge that spans the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge.

 

“The Longfellow Bridge is a major artery for tens of thousands of commuters traveling by foot, car or the MBTA. But, this architectural landmark – at almost a century old – is showing its age,” said Romney. “My Administration is committed to reconstructing this bridge so we do not put any commuters at unnecessary risk.”

 

Romney approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) and the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), which outlines the steps the Administration will take to reconstruct the bridge. He said the MDC, which, pending legislative approval, will become the Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), will retain ownership of the bridge. Following a needs assessment by the Highway Department, the DCR will conduct the design of the reconstruction with the Highway Department taking responsibility for advertising and awarding the contract. Both agencies will oversee the work, which could begin as early as 2006.

 

Romney noted the bridge is expected to remain open during construction, which is estimated to cost $70 million.

 

The Longfellow Bridge, which was built in 1906, is in a serious state of disrepair.

 

The sidewalks and railings are crumbling and there is deterioration in the steel beams that support the arch structure underneath the bridge. In addition, there is significant cracking in the bridge’s decorative towers and many of the stone elements that make up the bridge are becoming dislodged.

 

The Longfellow Bridge is 2,135 feet long and 105 feet wide, with 27 feet of the width used to accommodate the MBTA Red Line. Nearly 50,000 cars and 90,000 Red Line passengers cross the bridge each day.

 

“This MOU brings the expertise of Environmental Affairs and Transportation together in a way that we can expect to continue under the Governor’s Executive Office of Commonwealth Development,” said Chief of Commonwealth Development Doug Foy.

 

The commitment to fix the Longfellow Bridge highlights Romney’s “Fix It First” policy, which emphasizes repairing existing infrastructure before new construction is undertaken. Prior to the agreement, the Longfellow Bridge project had languished due to a lack of consensus for the design parameters and questions about which agency would be responsible for the reconstruction.

 

“Governor Mitt Romney has directed us to put a renewed focus on substandard bridges and other projects that need to be prioritized,” said Transportation Secretary Daniel A. Grabauskas. “This agreement gets the ball rolling on a reconstruction proposal that has languished for too long.”

 

The newly created Parkways Bureau at the Transportation Department will handle maintenance and repair work on soon-to-be DCR parkways and bridges. Care and custody of these properties will remain with the DCR under Environmental Affairs.

 

“We are excited by the opportunity to make better use of Transportation’s road and bridge proficiency, while maintaining the historic character and integrity of MDC properties,” said Environmental Affairs Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder.

 

April 1, 2003

ROMNEY WARNS TAXPAYERS OF CONSEQUENCES OF tax HIKE

Cites last year’s $1 billion tax increase and reaffirms commitment to reducing spending

 

Taxpayers anticipating a refund check from the state this April should remember that the $1 billion tax hike approved by the Legislature last summer will reduce the size of their check and in many cases will wipe out the refund altogether, Governor Mitt Romney said today.

 

“As citizens around the state get hit with the reality of last year’s tax increase, it is imperative in this year’s budget debate that we hold the line on raising taxes again,” said Romney. “Taxes hurt working people, kill jobs and will make it harder to attract businesses to our state.”According to the state Department of Revenue, the typical family of four with both parents working and making a combined $70,000 a year will pay an additional $162 in state taxes for 2002.

 

Most of the increase, or $117, is the result of a reduction in the personal exemption for married couples filing jointly from $8,800 to $6,600. The remainder is due to the suspension of the charitable deduction.

 

In addition, suspension of the Question 4 tax rollback will add an additional $140 to $145 to the typical taxpayer’s bill for 2003, relative to what would have been the case had the income tax rate declined to 5 percent.

 

Last year’s tax increase froze the income tax at 5.3 percent, preventing it from its scheduled rollback to 5 percent. The tax hike also eliminated the deduction individuals can take on charitable deductions, raised the cigarette tax from 76 cents to $1.51 per pack, reduced personal exemptions by 25 percent and raised taxes on long-term capital gains.

 

Romney said that some of the tax increases affect only certain groups – smokers or people with long-term capital gains. But eliminating the charitable deduction “affects about half of all taxpayers and reducing personal exemptions affects everyone who files an income tax return in the Commonwealth,” he said.

 

Romney noted the long-term ramifications of raising taxes to deal with a fiscal crisis. After the 1990s, the 10 states with the highest per capita taxes in the country experienced economic growth at half the rate of the 10 states with the lowest per capita taxes, according to the Cato Institute.

 

“Unfortunately, Massachusetts was among those states with the highest taxes,” said Romney. “We should not make that mistake again.”

 

In the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2004 budget, Mitt Romney closes a nearly $3 billion budget gap without raising taxes. He has proposed a massive restructuring of state government along with eliminating inefficiency and waste, closing tax loopholes and raising fees.

 

“Our state is at a crossroads,” Mitt Romney said. “We should use this opportunity to fundamentally restructure the way state government does business. Otherwise, the people of Massachusetts will have to accept yearly tax increases to pay for the inefficient, wasteful structure now in place.”

 

April 2, 2003

PHOTOS OF HIGH-RISK sex OFFENDERS TO APPEAR ON INTERNET

Romney files legislation to strengthen sex offender laws and names new chair

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced that Massachusetts will post photos and information of high-level sex offenders on the Internet beginning on May 15, 2003.

 

“The public has a right to know where dangerous sex offenders live and work so they can protect their children and themselves,” Mitt Romney said. “During last year’s campaign, one of the key planks in our criminal justice platform was more widely publicizing the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders. This action fulfills that promise.”

 

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey introduced Jennifer Franco as the new chair of the sex Offender Registry Board. Franco comes to the post with several years of experience in the field, most recently serving as general counsel for the Executive Office of Public Safety. She is also former chief of staff and general counsel to the sex Offender Registry Board.

 

Franco has a law degree from the New England School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Hofstra University.

 

“We are confident that as the board faces a number of challenges ahead that Jennifer’s impressive background and experience will lead the agency in its mission to help inform and educate the public about the threat of sex offenders in our society,” said Healey.

 

Romney noted that a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court last month paved the way for states to use the Internet as a tool to warn families of registered high-risk sex offenders living in their communities.

 

Beginning May 15, individuals will be able to access information on all Level 3 sex offenders on the sex Offender Registry Board Web site at www.mass.gov/sorb. The public will be able to see the sex offender’s photo, name, home and work address, the charges the sex offender has been convicted of and a physical description.

 

At this time, nearly 350 classified Level 3 sex offenders are in the sex Offender Registry’s database. In less than two years, the sex Offender Registry Board has classified more than 2,400 sex offenders. Only detailed information on Level 3 high-risk sex offenders will be on the Web site to comply with state law.

 

In addition to Level 3 information, families may use the Web site to determine how many moderate risk (Level 2) sex offenders have been classified and live or work in their towns. Information on those offenders is available by visiting the local police department in those communities and filling out an application. No information on low risk (Level 1) sex offenders is available to the public because of legal restrictions.

 

Romney and Healey are also filing legislation to enhance and strengthen the sex Offender Registry Board. The key components of the plan include:

 

Currently, only sex offenders who live and work in Massachusetts are required to register. This legislation mandates the registration of any sex offender who either attends or works at any school in the Commonwealth, regardless of where they live. It also mandates the registration of individuals found guilty of enticing a child with sexual intent, which is not now covered under the sex Offender Registry law.

 

Requires state prosecutors to notify the board of all cases in which they are trying to have an offender committed as a sexually dangerous person. This will allow the Board to expedite the consideration of that person’s file and get their information online sooner.

 

Sex offenders who fail to register may have their driver’s license revoked or suspended until they comply with the registration requirements.

 

Requires registration of incarcerated sex offenders no later than two days before release. This provision will allow the sex Offender Registry Board to register approximately 3,000 incarcerated sex offenders, decreasing the number of offenders that violate the law by failing to register upon release from jail.

 

April 7, 2003

ROMNEY WINS STUDENT SUPPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION PLAN

Accepts petition signed by UMass, state and community college students

 

Student leaders today showed their support for Governor Mitt Romney’s higher education reorganization plan by presenting him with a petition signed by hundreds of students enrolled at the University of Massachusetts, and state and community colleges.

 

The petition was circulated over the past five days by members of Students for Higher Education reform and the University of Massachusetts Republican Club. Last month, the Student Government Association at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst endorsed Romney’s higher education reorganization.

 

“Seeing this groundswell of student support only boosts my belief that what we are trying to do in our higher education system is right,” Mitt Romney said. “I am committed to our plan, which guarantees quality, affordability and accessibility to all of our campuses for all Massachusetts residents.”

 

Under one of the key parts of the proposal, both tuition and fees will be rolled into one student charge, set by the Board of Higher Education and retained in full by the individual campuses. Charges will rise to levels competitive with comparable schools in other nearby states, with nearly 50 percent of the increase returned to students in the form of financial aid to help Massachusetts residents afford a college education.

 

Under the current system, 40 percent of state residents who are eligible for public higher education cannot afford it, according to state higher education officials.

 

Students lauded the Governor’s proposal for its attention to their financial needs.

 

“The University of Massachusetts was founded as a land grant university, which means a place where education should be accessible to everyone,” said University of Massachusetts-Amherst student Christopher Carlozzi. “Now, under Governor Romney’s plan, that goal will truly become a reality.”

 

Other parts of the reorganization plan call for 25 of the state’s schools to be divided among seven logical, geographical regions, which will be overseen by Regional Coordinating Councils. The chairman of each school’s board of trustees will serve on their region’s council, and the chair of each council will be a voting member of the Board of Higher Education, ensuring that the voice of each school is heard at every level.

 

The plan also calls for three schools that cater to a unique niche, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Massachusetts College of Art, to become state-sponsored, allowing them to thrive and recruit students more aggressively from other states. The Commonwealth will continue to lease each campus space for $1 per year, and continuing financial aid funding would ensure that tuition increases will not shut out needy state residents.

 

The University of Massachusetts-Amherst will become its own research university and the state’s flagship, similar to a University of Michigan or Virginia. Under Romney’s plan, UMass-Amherst will be able to more successfully recruit out-of-state students and compete for top research faculty and grants.

 

April 8, 2003

ROMNEY CALLS FOR TURNPIKE AUTHORITY, MASS HIGHWAY MERGER

Eliminates duplication; gives Governor personal responsibility for Big Dig

 

Fulfilling a pledge made during the campaign, Governor Mitt Romney today filed legislation to merge the operations of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority with the Massachusetts Highway Department, eliminating duplication and taking personal responsibility for the completion of the Big Dig.

 

Romney said the move will reap a $190 million one-time windfall and continue to generate at least $23 million each year through efficiencies.

 

“Billions of taxpayer dollars were invested into the Central Artery project, yet no direct oversight of this project by state government exists. Political accountability and fiscal responsibility are the twin principles behind these sorely needed reforms,” said Mitt Romney

 

“With this merger, we will once and for all put an end to the blame shifting that occurred during the financial mismanagement of the Big Dig, and achieve sustainable savings by managing our roadways more efficiently”, Mitt Romney said.

 

Romney’s plan will increase accountability over the project, adding four new members to the Turnpike Authority Board for a total membership of nine. The Secretaries of Administration and Finance and Transportation will serve as ex-officio members with the remaining two members to be appointed by the Governor. Newly appointed Board members will serve for an eight-year term and can be removed by the Governor at any time.

 

At least one member of the Board will be from a community that abuts the Turnpike and falls between the Weston Toll Plaza and Interstate 495.

 

Romney’s legislation also allows the state to assure the obligations of Turnpike bonds, generating $190 million for the state’s General Fund. Under the plan, the Turnpike will enter into agreements with the Highway Department to operate and maintain the Turnpike roads, creating an estimated savings of $23 million annually through improved efficiencies and sharing of maintenance and administrative resources.

 

“We presently have two highway departments – one that maintains one road and another that maintains the rest of them. The savings that can be generated by improved efficiencies are simply too big to ignore,” said Transportation Secretary Daniel A. Grabauskas. “Even if we did not face a fiscal crisis, we still owe it to the taxpayers eliminate redundancies and waste.”

 

Grabauskas added that the Turnpike Authority spends an estimated $211,000 per lane mile to maintain its roadway while the Highway Department spends $76,000 for the same services.

 

April 14, 2003

ROMNEY CALLS FOR REFORMING STATE EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE

Recommends bringing employee premium share in line with the private sector

 

To bring state employee health care costs in line with the private sector, Governor Mitt Romney today called on the Legislature to approve his plan to increase the contribution state employees make toward their health insurance costs.

 

From Fiscal Year 1991 to Fiscal Year 2002, the cost of providing health care coverage for state employees has grown by 78 percent, from $487 million to $867 million. Over that same period, enrollment has only gone up four percent.

 

“While we all appreciate the dedication of our public work force, we can no longer expect the taxpayers to pay for health care benefits for state employees that are more generous than what they receive in the private sector,” said Romney.

 

Taxpayers currently contribute 85 percent toward state worker health care costs, leaving the employee to pick up the remaining 15 percent. Romney’s plan – outlined in his Fiscal 2004 budget proposal – will increase the share state workers are required to contribute to 25 percent of the least costly plan offered.

 

Romney highlighted what some private companies require their employees to pay. At Fleet Boston Financial and PricewaterhouseCoopers, employees pay 30 percent of their health care premiums. Tweeter Home Entertainment Group employees pay 34 percent. M.I.T. employees pay 50 percent.

 

Stephen J. Adams, President and CEO of the Pioneer Institute, a Massachusetts public policy think tank, praised the Governor’s initiative.

 

“This proposal is a simple, fair and necessary step in balancing the state’s budget and is a test of the Legislature’s commitment to balancing the state budget without a major tax increase,” said Adams.

 

The Governor’s spending plan for Fiscal Year 2004 calls for $718.6 million for the Group Insurance Commission, which administers the health insurance program for state employees. If the Legislature does not address the pressing issue of growing health care costs for state workers, the agency will need at least an additional $62 million to meet its responsibilities.

 

Currently, employees have no incentive to select a cost-effective plan, and more often choose the top-of-the-line option, which results in escalating health care costs year after year.

 

Under Romney’s plan, a sliding subsidy scale will be introduced with employees who choose the least expensive health care plan paying a lower percentage of their premium. If an employee chooses a pricier plan, the state will pay less with the worker making up the difference. Romney’s proposal sets a minimum state contribution of 75 percent of the most cost-effective plan available to all employees.

 

 

 

April 15, 2003

AS THEY RUSH TO FILE RETURNS, TAXPAYERS HEAR FROM Mitt Romney

Governor promises to hold the line on higher taxes, calls on Legislature to pass reforms

 

On tax filing day, Governor Mitt Romney visited the South Boston Postal Annex to tell taxpayers that he will hold the line on taxes. Mitt Romney also challenged the Legislature to reject the “false choice” of deep spending cuts or higher taxes by adopting the reforms proposed in his budget.

 

Romney also addressed the allegations from members of the House leadership that his reforms do not save as much money as the Administration estimates.

 

“Let’s put the numbers to a test,” said Romney. “Pass my reforms and I’ll deliver the savings. Even if one thought the savings would be smaller, that’s no reason to abandon the reforms. If a reform saves money, let’s take it.”

 

He added, “This is not a choice between deep cuts or higher taxes. There is another way. My plan calls for reform. It’s hard to say goodbye to the old way of doing things, but people are demanding change.”

 

As Mitt Romney spoke with taxpayers, he released a list of “common-sense” reforms that are part of his budget.

 

Among the reforms are eliminating duplication by merging the Turnpike Authority with the Highway Department, consolidating the Metropolitan District Commission and the Department of Environmental Management into one unified parks system, closing underutilized courts and bringing public sector employment benefits in line with the private sector.

 

Romney said the $1 billion tax increase approved by the Legislature last year is responsible for the reduction or elimination of refunds this year.

 

“As the reality of last year’s tax increase sinks in, it is imperative to remember how important it is to hold the line on raising taxes again this year,” said Romney.

 

In addition, Romney’s budget takes a regional approach to education, economic development and health and human services in order to improve service delivery.

 

“Given our fiscal crisis, we have a unique opportunity this year to make permanent changes to state government that make sense, save money and make us more efficient,” Mitt Romney said. “Let’s not squander that opportunity, but instead work together to achieve reform once and for all.”

 

 

 

April 16, 2003

ROMNEY, BOSTON CHAMBER URGE NEED FOR MANAGEMENT REFORMS

Reforms would overhaul antiquated system and encourage accountability, efficiency

 

Joined by members of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee, Governor Mitt Romney today urged the Legislature to approve commonsense management reforms that will give him the tools to run state government more efficiently and effectively.

 

Romney’s plan – proposed in his budget – removes managers from the union, eliminates so-called bumping rights and reforms the state’s outsourcing law.

 

“Our state workforce is hardworking and dedicated. They do a difficult job under sometimes trying circumstances,” Mitt Romney said. “But, in order to manage our workforce more effectively and efficiently, our administration needs the right management tools.”

 

He added, “My administration’s goal is to maintain a talented and dedicated public workforce while providing the taxpayers with maximum value for their hard-earned dollars.”

 

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce President Paul Guzzi endorsed Romney’s plans, saying, “We support these reforms and the opportunity they present to improve state services, increase efficiency, and achieve significant cost savings in the face of the state's fiscal crisis. These reforms are based on sound policy, and make good fiscal sense for Massachusetts.”

 

To guarantee that the most qualified workers rise to the top of the management ladder, Romney’s proposal removes government managers from union membership, bringing Massachusetts in line with the National Labor Relations Act and with most other states in the nation. His plan also eliminates a potential conflict of interest that currently exists with these managers often having to make decisions on union-related employee disputes.

 

“Bringing the best management practices to the public sector requires creating a system that puts the best managers in charge,” Mitt Romney said. “Massachusetts is fortunate to have so many talented men and women working in government and clearly distinguishing management positions from other union positions will help to ensure we maintain a top-notch public work force in the years to come.”

 

The Mitt Romney proposal also ends the practice of bumping rights, which protects a state employee based solely on seniority, regardless of expertise, experience or performance.

 

Romney noted an example in which a state worker with seniority as a tax processor avoided being laid off by taking the job of a fellow colleague who worked in child support, an area where this employee has no experience whatsoever.

 

Romney said this provision undermines the effectiveness of the state workforce, adding, “Multiply this by a thousand times and you would have hundreds of workers doing jobs for which they are totally unqualified.”

 

In addition, Mitt Romney and the business leaders called for a reform of the state’s outsourcing law, noting that Massachusetts is the only state that virtually prohibits outsourcing of any functions currently performed by state employees.

 

The outsourcing law currently mandates that private bids be compared not to the actual cost, but to what the cost would be if state employees were to work in the most cost-efficient manner. If the cost of the private bid is lower than the cost of having state employees deliver the service, then the State Auditor must review the contract and determine whether the private vendor will deliver equal quality and savings for the services.

 

Romney noted that since the passage of the outsourcing law in 1993, only eight outsourcing contracts have even been proposed in Massachusetts. He said this contrasts sharply with the rest of the nation, in which the total value of federal, state and local contracts with the private firms is up 65 percent.

 

“My administration wants to restore a fair bidding process to the Commonwealth,” Mitt Romney said. “Our public sector employees are talented and they work hard. Allowing fair, merit-based competition to thrive will ultimately benefit not only the taxpayers, but our public workforce as well.”

 

 

 

 

April 18, 2003

ROMNEY NAMES DR. CHILDS mental health COMMISSIONER

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced the appointment of Dr. Elizabeth Childs, the president of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Hospital, as Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of mental health (DMH) effective July 1.

 

Dr. Childs’s background in psychiatry is critical to provide sensitive and appropriate services to many of the most vulnerable citizens in the Commonwealth,” Mitt Romney said. My Administration and the people we serve are fortunate to have her leading the way.”

 

Dr. Childs has served as the president of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society since last year and is currently the director and chief of psychiatry at Caritas Carney Hospital in Dorchester.

 

Dr. Childs thanked Mitt Romney for the opportunity to serve in his Administration, saying, I relish the challenge to not only meet the high standards established by the Department, but to elevate our level of care. Even in difficult financial times, our commitment to those with mental illness must and will be unwavering.”

 

The magna cum laude graduate of Mount Holyoke College graduated from the University of Cincinnati Medical School in 1986. She performed postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts mental health Center in both child and adult psychiatry.

 

Prior to heading up the Carney psychiatry department, Dr. Childs worked as a child psychiatrist for the M.I.T. Health Plan and has also been affiliated with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Children’s Hospital, Gaebler Children’s Center in Waltham, Winthrop Hospital, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, New England Deaconess Hospital and the Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.

 

Dr. Childs has also served as a lecturer at Harvard University Medical School and for the past 11 years has supervised Boston University Medical School students.

 

Dr. Kenneth Duckworth, who trained with Dr. Childs at Massachusetts mental health Center and was formerly the DMH deputy commissioner for clinical and professional services, has served as acting commissioner since January. He will return to a more clinical role after Dr. Childs assumes her new post.

 

We’re grateful to Dr. Duckworth for his exceptional leadership during this transition and the meaningful contributions he has made toward the reorganization of this secretariat,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Ronald Preston. His work on the DMH mortality study and the creation of environments that relied on clinical creativity rather than coercion have proven invaluable.”

 

DMH serves about 27,000 adults, adolescents and children through an array of inpatient and community-based services. It also provides services targeted to people with serious mental illness who are homeless. DMH forensic specialists annually perform more than 9,000 evaluations in the adult courts, and provide consultation, evaluation and treatment services for 3,000 children and families involved in the juvenile court system.

 

April 22, 2003

ROMNEY, SMALL business OWNERS AGREE: DON’T RAISE taxes

 

Governor Mitt Romney today convened a group of small business owners from across the Commonwealth to underscore his commitment to holding the line on taxes.

 

Romney said a higher tax burden on small businesses will force them to lay off workers and may even encourage them to relocate to a more business-friendly state.

 

Romney said that of the 200,000 companies in Massachusetts, 95 percent of them are small businesses employing less than 50 people. He also noted that small businesses create two-thirds of all new jobs.

 

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy,” said Romney. “They provide jobs for our half of our workforce and stimulate our economy. Raising taxes will force them to cut jobs and will drive them out of Massachusetts to a more business-friendly state.”

 

Romney noted the overall long-term ramifications of raising taxes to deal with a fiscal crisis and said higher taxes will do nothing to solve the state’s fiscal crisis. According to the Cato Institute, after the 1990s, the 10 states with the highest per capita taxes in the country experienced economic growth at half the rate of the 10 states with the lowest per capita taxes.

 

Instead of higher taxes and deep spending cuts to close the budget gap, Mitt Romney proposed a fundamental restructuring of the way state government does business.

 

Romney said, “Higher taxes are simply not an option for my administration, for working families or for the hundreds of small businesses who are struggling. It is time for reform.”

 

 

 

Small business Owners at Roundtable Discussion

David and Marie Allen

Allen Associates

Ayer, Mass.

 

John Boyd

Boyd Financial Advisors

Worcester, Mass.

 

Aime DeNault

Century 21 DeNault Realty

Leominster, Mass.

 

Geraldine Frates

Acushnet Power Lines, Inc.

Acushnet, Mass.

 

Kija Kim

Harvard Design & Mapping Company, Inc.

Cambridge, Mass.

 

William Norton

Citywide Auto Glass

Fall River, Mass.

 

Tom O’Malley

NESA, Inc.

Topsfield, Mass.

 

Rusty Santini

Santini Brothers Iron Works, Inc.

Medford, Mass.

 

Raymond Tarr

North Shore Fire Appliance

Wenham, Mass.

 

Bruce Wilbur

Howland Tool and Machine

Freetown, Mass.

 

April 25, 2003

HEALEY BREAKS GROUND ON YWCA BATTERED WOMEN’S SHELTER

$2.5 million state housing grant paves way for 48-bed safe haven

 

SPRINGFIELD – Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today broke ground at the future home of a 48-bed battered women’s shelter. The shelter will provide women and children who are survivors of domestic violence with support services and a secure place to recover and rebuild their lives.

 

“It is important that we work together and invest in developments which shelter and serve the most vulnerable residents of the Commonwealth,” said Healey. “Through courageous and innovative leadership, along with the unwavering dedication and support of the YWCA, this project will go a long way in serving the needs of women and children in the greater Springfield area who have experienced domestic violence in their lives.”

 

The project, sponsored by the YWCA of Western Massachusetts, received a $2.5 million grant from the Housing Innovation Fund (HIF), a bond-financed program administered by the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The HIF program is designed to produce alternate forms of housing for low-income individuals and families. At least 50 percent of the facility’s units will be set aside for low- and moderate-income residents.

 

Senate Minority Leader Brian Lees said, “This is a great day for the Commonwealth, the City of Springfield, the YWCA, and most importantly, for the many women and children who will walk through the doors of the new facility. These victims of domestic violence will have an opportunity to access shelter and services in a safe setting.”

 

Senator Linda Melconian expressed her appreciation for the Commonwealth’s support of the project, saying, “This is a project that is near and dear to my heart. I would like to thank the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Department of Housing and Community Development Director Jane Gumble for their support of this unique and exciting state-of-the-art battered women’s shelter. This project will finally give battered women and their children a safe, clean, secure and encouraging environment to help them get back on their feet.”

 

The YWCA acquired the seven-acre site in Springfield’s East Forest Park neighborhood and will build the three-story, 39,000 square-foot shelter, a new YWCA administrative headquarters with program space, parking and green space on a four-acre portion of the site. On the remaining land, the YWCA eventually plans to provide an expanded employment and training program as well as build a community center, childcare center and additional residential buildings to provide transitional rental apartments for women leaving abusive situations. The YWCA has offered housing options for women in Greater Springfield for over a century and has been the primary provider of services to battered women in the area since 1978.

 

“It has been 90 years since the YWCA of Western Massachusetts made an appeal for support,” said YWCA Executive Director Mary Johnson Reardon. “To finally ask and receive so generous a response makes me realize just how caring our community is. This is a proud day for all of us.”

 

Construction on the project is expected to begin in early May with completion slated for spring 2004.

 

“This project is a wonderful example of how effective our HIF program can be,” said DHCD Director Jane Wallis Gumble. “I am delighted that we can be a partner in this very important project which is committed to providing a healthy environment and support to victims of domestic violence.”

 

April 28, 2003

ROMNEY TO LEGISLATURE: RESIST URGE TO RAISE taxes

Lauds Analogic Corporation on record job growth

 

PEABODY – As the House of Representatives begins to debate the state budget this week, Governor Mitt Romney urged them to hold the line on taxes and reminded the members that he will veto any attempt to raise taxes.

 

Celebrating the expansion of Analogic Corporation, Mitt Romney said that any tax increase will slow economic growth and make Massachusetts less competitive.

 

“Analogic’s continuing expansion is extraordinary in light of our challenging economic climate,” Mitt Romney said. “If we’re going to attract and retain more companies, we need to get serious about reforming state government and taking steps to foster a pro-growth environment. Those steps include holding the line on taxes.”

 

Analogic, a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced health and security systems, is currently housed in more 400,000 square feet of engineering, manufacturing and administrative space in Peabody. The new construction will add an additional 100,000 square feet of space and expand production capabilities for the company’s medical and security imaging system businesses.

 

In April, they leased a 200,000 square foot building in Haverhill and transformed it into the world’s most advanced manufacturing facility for security scanners, 40 of which are currently installed at Boston’s Logan Airport.

 

In addition to pledging to hold the line on taxes, Mitt Romney highlighted the importance of extending the Investment tax Credit and preserving the single sales factor as ways to encourage more high tech companies to stay in Massachusetts when they make the transition from research and development to manufacturing.

 

Romney noted that the state’s rising unemployment rate underscores the need to create a more business friendly environment in Massachusetts.

 

He said “I find it unbelievable to hear people in the State House talking about tax increases as an option to closing the budget gap,” said Romney. “Raising taxes at a time of rising unemployment will hurt working families, drive companies out of Massachusetts and push our economy into an even deeper rut.”

 

Romney added, “Higher taxes are simply not an option for my administration, for working families or for the hundreds of businesses who are struggling. It is time for reform.”

 

 

April 30, 2003

86 PERCENT OF VOCATIONAL STUDENTS PASS MCAS

 

 

TYNGSBOROUGH – Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today announced that 86 percent of vocational school students in the class of 2003 have passed the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam.

 

Healey applauded students for their accomplishments at a student assembly at Greater Lowell Vocational Technical School, where 83 percent of the 397 students in the class of 2003 have met the MCAS graduation requirement.

 

“The extraordinary achievement of our vocational students undermines the arguments of critics that claimed that voc-tech students would somehow be disadvantaged on high standard academic exams,” said Healey. “With the implementation of MCAS, the Commonwealth is restoring the value of the state’s high school diplomas and preparing all of our students for the challenges of the 21st century workplace.”

 

According to a report released today, 86 percent, or 10,354 of the 12,005 students in the class of 2003 enrolled in vocational-technical programs in vocational schools and comprehensive high schools have passed both the mathematics and English portions of the MCAS exam. Just over 91 percent of all students in the class of 2003 have passed the two exams and will be eligible for a high school diploma in June.

 

Education Commissioner David Driscoll encouraged those who have not yet passed the test to spend time preparing for the retest this May and to participate in the special summer remediation programs being set up now.

 

“A few years ago our critics would not have believed us if we had said that 86 percent of our vocational students could meet this standard,” he said. “But that’s not good enough for us. We intend to do our part to ensure that each student who has not yet passed is given every opportunity possible to prepare for these tests, and eventually earn a well-deserved high school diploma.”

 

Healey said the Administration’s budget recommendations released earlier this year calls for $53 million in MCAS remediation funds, including $3 million for community colleges and others to develop pathways for students who do not pass the MCAS test by the end of high school. She said the House of Representatives budget only includes $10 million for such programs.

 

For more information or to read the report, look online at www.doe.mass.edu.

 

 

May 1, 2003

ROMNEY VOWS TO PROTECT ENGLISH IMMERSION LAW

New regulations go into effect in time for start of school in September

 

Governor Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today applauded the state Board of Education for approving new regulations for the implementation of the English immersion law when school starts in September.

 

Romney, standing with supporters of last fall’s English immersion ballot question, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters, also warned lawmakers against tampering with the law.

 

“The voters have spoken loud and clear on the issue of bilingual education. We need to respect the wishes of the people of Massachusetts and recognize that immersion creates a level playing field in our classrooms that allows non-English speakers to succeed,” Mitt Romney said.

 

The new law requires that all non-English learners, unless they receive a waiver, be enrolled in sheltered English immersion classrooms for at least one year. In these classes, virtually all instruction will be in English, and all books and instructional materials will be in English. Once the students are deemed fluent in English, they will receive instruction in traditional classrooms alongside their native English-speaking peers.

 

This represents a dramatic change from the existing transitional bilingual education system in which limited English proficient students are placed in bilingual education classrooms for up to three years. In these classes, they are taught English, but learn every other subject in their native language as they gradually gain English proficiency.

 

“Bilingual education has led to the establishment of two school systems in Massachusetts – one for children who speak English and another for non-English speakers,” said Healey.

 

Supporters of the law urged lawmakers to follow the voters’ wishes and not attempt to water down the law.

 

“Don’t insult the intelligence and abilities of our young immigrant children by forcing them to return to the same second-rate bilingual education program that has failed to help them,” said Lincoln Tamayo, former chairman of English for the Children, which spearheaded the passage of last year’s ballot initiative.

 

This week, the Board of Education adopted regulations to fully implement Question 2, which was passed overwhelmingly by the voters last November. Beginning in September, school districts across the Commonwealth will be required to offer immersion programs to non-native speakers.

 

Among the regulations:

 

Teachers of English language learners must obtain a license to ensure they have expertise in second language acquisition and knowledge of appropriate subject matter.

District superintendents need to provide annual written assurance to the Department of Education that all teachers of English language classrooms are literate and fluent in English.

Each district must develop procedures to identify students who are English learners and assess their level of English proficiency when they enter the district.

In addition, the Board issued a draft regulation to establish a dispute resolution process on the local and state level that parents must exhaust before filing a legal claim. Mitt Romney said this regulation will make it harder for parents to sue teachers, a provision of the law that he opposed.

 

For more information on Question 2 or to read the regulations, look online at www.doe.mass.edu/ell/.

 

 

 

 

Supporters of English Immersion

 

 

Stephen Adams

President & CEO

Pioneer Institute

 

Maria Baquero

Parent that formally worked with Chelsea High School

 

Engs Co

Clerk

Framingham Post Office

 

David Driscoll

Commissioner of Education

 

Michael Glickman

Director Special Projects

SABIS Educational Systems

 

Margaret Kramer

Head of Lower School

Community Day Charter School

 

Tom McDermott

Managing Director

TPM Associates

 

Maria McDermott

Active Volunteer

 

Kyle Meleski

Director of Public Affairs

Associated Builders & Contractors

 

Attorney Michael Moriarty

Law Office of Ducharme, Moriarty,

& Turcotte

 

Pete Peters

Founding Chairman

Pioneer Institute

 

James Peyser

Chairman

Board of Education

 

Rosalie Porter

Chairman

English for the Children

 

David Rodriguez-Pinzon

President

Economic Development Finance Corp.

 

Rep. Mary Rogeness

(R) Longmeadow

 

Christine H. Rossell

Boston University

Professor of Political Science

 

Carol Sanchez

CPA

Resources Connection

 

Maria Santiago

CPA

Grant Thornton

 

Roberta Schaefer

Member of the Board of Education & Executive Dir. Worcester Regional Research Bureau

 

Dean Doug Sears

Boston University

School of Education

 

Ray Stata

CEO

Analog Devices (Norwood)

 

Lincoln Tamayo

Former Chairman

English for the Children

 

Abigail Thernstrom

Member of the Board of Education & Commission on Civil Right

 

 

May 2, 2003

ROMNEY SIGNS BILL TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR HOMELESS

Averts denial of shelter to approximately 450 families

 

Governor Mitt Romney today signed a $2 million supplemental budget that will prevent hundreds of homeless families from being denied shelter for the remainder of the fiscal year.

 

“Even in difficult financial times, homeless parents should not have to worry about whether their children are going to have a safe place to sleep,” said Romney. “Our commitment to help them is stronger than ever.”

 

Romney filed legislation to close the gap in this program earlier this year. He noted that without this funding, the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) would have been forced to deny shelter to all new applicants to the Emergency Assistance Program beginning Monday and estimated that about 450 families would have been affected by the lack of funding.

 

The program provides shelter to approximately 1,600 families per night.

 

“This additional funding will allow us to continue serving needy and deserving families who have no place else to turn for help,” said DTA Commissioner John Wagner.

 

“As we work to close the budget gap, we must continue to focus on delivering the core missions of government, which includes assistance to the homeless,” Mitt Romney said.

 

Three years ago, DTA spent $39 million to shelter homeless families. Mitt Romney noted that his proposed budget for next fiscal year calls for nearly $79 million and asked the Legislature to follow suit.

 

Romney’s Executive Commission on the Coordination of Homeless Services will convene this month and report its findings to the Governor during the summer. He has charged the commission with making recommendations to better coordinate services that will improve access to decent, safe and affordable housing for homeless families and individuals.

 

“More than a dozen different state agencies have historically applied their own band-aids to the homeless populations they serve,” said Romney. “By integrating their various resources and talents, we must and will develop an infrastructure that reduces reliance upon emergency shelters with increased access to permanent housing.”

 

 

May 6, 2003

ROMNEY URGES LAWMAKERS TO “SAVE LIVES, SAVE DOLLARS”

Wants “per se” law, left out of House Ways and Means budget, put back in

 

Saying it will “save lives and save dollars,” Governor Mitt Romney today called on the House of Representatives to approve the .08 per se law in order to make it easier to get drunken drivers off the road.

 

Romney underscored the need for the per se measure by pointing to the case of a Massachusetts man who was recently arrested on his sixteenth drunken driving charge.

 

“Drunk drivers endanger the lives of innocent people, and that needs to stop. We need a per se law because it will save lives and reduce the incidence of people driving drunk,” said Romney.

 

Romney filed the per se legislation as part of his Fiscal Year 2004 budget, but the House Ways and Means version dropped it. The proposed law would stipulate that if a motorist is detected having a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher, that individual is considered to be driving under the influence.

 

Current Massachusetts law leaves open the question as to whether or not an individual who has a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or higher is truly intoxicated.

 

Romney noted that Massachusetts is the only state in the nation that does not have a per se law. He said the Commonwealth stands to lose millions of dollars in federal highway funding by not putting such a measure in place.

 

“As the only state in the nation without a per se law, Massachusetts is poised to lose millions of dollars in federal highway funding,” said Romney. “At a time of fiscal crisis, we can’t afford to sacrifice any federal dollars that we could be putting to good use here in Massachusetts.”

 

For any state that has not adopted the “per se” law by October 1, 2003, the federal government will withhold two percent of federal highway funds in Fiscal Year 2004 and increase it by two percent each year to a maximum of eight percent. Using this formula, Massachusetts would lose $5.4 million in Fiscal Year 2004, $10.8 million in Fiscal Year 2005, $16.2 million in Fiscal Year 2006, and $21.6 million in each year thereafter.

 

Said Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey: “In addition to the financial benefits, adopting this law would make streets safer for our citizens by curbing the amount of drunk driving incidents.”

 

Many coalition groups, including mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) agreed. “Many innocent lives are claimed each year due to drunk drivers,” said Barbara Harrington, Chairwoman of MADD Massachusetts. “I encourage the Legislature to pass the ‘per se’ law in order to help deter that reckless behavior.”

 

Although the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities in Massachusetts has decreased from 407 in 1982 to 234 in 2001, the percentage of total traffic deaths in Massachusetts being attributable to alcohol at 49 percent is higher than the national average of 41 percent.

 

“As a state, Massachusetts is frequently on the forefront and a leader on many issues,” said Romney. “It is a badge of shame that we choose to lag so far behind on such an important public safety matter.”

 

 

May 7, 2003

ROMNEY CREATES SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMISSION

Expanded commission will work to reduce abuse in the Commonwealth

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced the formation of the Governor’s Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence, which will be chaired by Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey and charged with reducing domestic violence and sexual assault in the Bay State.

 

With unacceptable levels of sexual and domestic violence in the Commonwealth and across the nation, Mitt Romney created a permanent commission to address these pressing issues based on a recommendation of the Governor’s Task Force on Sexual Assault and Abuse.

 

The new Governor’s Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence replaces the original Governor’s Commission on Domestic Violence created by Executive Order in 1992 and the short-term Governor’s Task Force on Sexual Assault and Abuse, which produced its report last winter.

 

“For far too long, the subjects of domestic abuse and sexual assault remained behind closed doors and out of the public eye,” said Romney. “Lieutenant Governor Healey and I are 100 percent committed to dealing forcefully and swiftly with criminals who choose to engage in these horrific acts against society.”

 

The new, expanded Commission will coordinate and integrate policy on all aspects of sexual and domestic violence at the highest levels of state government, maintaining the broad scope of the Commission’s work with the public safety, health and human services, educational, legal faith and business communities.

 

Lieutenant Governor Healey, a criminologist who has conducted extensive research on domestic violence and sexual assault, said, “Sexual assault is one of the least reported crimes in Massachusetts. It will be the aim of the Commission to consider the need for legislation to more effectively protect victims, punish and treat perpetrators, and reduce and prevent the incidence of domestic and sexual violence.”

 

The Commission will ensure that all state agencies and institutions are effectively equipped to provide core governmental services, including protecting individuals in the Commonwealth from domestic and sexual violence, providing the necessary services and legal protections to enable survivors to achieve health and safety in their lives and to ensure that all perpetrators will be held fully accountable for their terrible crimes.

 

The statistics indicate a need for added attention and focus on domestic and sexual violence. Every year, at least 43,000 Massachusetts children are exposed to acts of abuse and violence between family members. In 2001, almost 30,000 Bay State women and children accessed public, community-based domestic violence services. The Department of Social Services funded domestic violence programs received more than 44,000 hotline calls for help.

 

“This past year has been laden with outrage at the pervasiveness of sexual assault in all its forms throughout the Commonwealth,” said Catherine M. Greene, Interim Executive Director of Jane Doe, Inc. “Today is truly a milestone, marking when sexual violence took its rightful place as an issue demanding our attention, commitment and response. The value of a coordinated statewide effort cannot be overstated. We applaud Governor Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Healey for recognizing the public momentum to reject the crimes of domestic violence and sexual assault and to seek solutions that will bring about safety and justice for us all.”

 

Members of the Commission will be announced in the next several months.

 

 

May 8, 2003

ROMNEY OUTLINES JOBS PLAN, MAJOR NEW BIZ EXPANSION

Says Massachusetts should focus on “tapping our potential”

 

Governor Mitt Romney today outlined his administration’s economic development strategy, which has already begun to bear fruit with the planned $6 million expansion of Fujifilm to Massachusetts.

 

In a major speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Mitt Romney described his T.O.P. plan for economic revitalization, which stands for “Tapping Our Potential.” The plan focuses on creating more jobs, holding the line on taxes, taming the spiraling cost of living, curbing business costs, connecting our higher education system to regional workforce needs, and reforming government.

 

“As tough as our problems are, we have enormous potential in Massachusetts—a diverse economy, a highly-educated workforce and major academic and research institutions. We need the right agenda to unleash the power of these resources,” said Romney.

 

Romney said he was pleased to announce that Fujifilm Microdisks USA will build a new manufacturing facility in Bedford, which will bring nearly 100 new jobs. The company will use the facility to produce high capacity tape cartridges used in mainframe computers for activities such as banking, x-rays, MRIs, and space exploration.

 

The move was due in part to the assistance and support of the state’s Department of Economic Development, which is behind the creation of a new 600-acre regional high-tech center near Hanscom Air Force Base.

 

Romney said he personally called George Tanaka, the president of Fujifilm, and that the company agrees the “overall environment” in Massachusetts will help it successfully compete on a global basis.

 

This announcement comes just days after 3Com - a major West Coast company - unveiled their planned corporate relocation from Santa Clara, California to Marlborough, which in combination with the Fujifilm expansion provides a powerful one-two jolt to the state’s economy.

 

“Neither of these moves would have been possible without the tremendous resources and competitive advantage that the Commonwealth possesses,” said Romney.

 

Fujifilm Microdisks Vice President and General Manager Larry Chiarella thanked Mitt Romney and members of his Economic Development team for their assistance, calling it “a testament to the continuing support of technological innovation by Governor Romney, his administration and the Commonwealth.”

 

In outlining his six-pronged T.O.P. program, Mitt Romney made the following points:

 

 

MORE JOBS

Increase spending for the Department of Economic Development and rename it to the Department of business and Technology;

Streamline the permitting process and provide site identification services for Massachusetts companies;

Work with the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and others to help identify businesses that might be interested in relocating to Massachusetts.

 

LOWER TAXES

Hold the line on new or higher taxes to create a stable tax structure.

 

CURB business COSTS

Preserve the investment tax credit and single sales factor for businesses;

Attract more federal dollars, including the use of the New Market tax credits to stimulate private investment in low-income communities for housing and business development.

 

TAME THE SPIRALING COST OF LIVING

Provide $50 million in incentives for cities and towns based on the number of new occupancy permits issued and offer full funding for the affordable housing trust;

40B Commission to submit findings to Governor in several weeks;

Establish criteria and a streamlined disposition process for the construction of affordable housing on state land.

 

CONNECT OUR HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM TO REGIONAL WORKFORCE NEEDS

 

Former Reagan economic advisor, Michael Porter, will join the administration as a special advisor to help oversee and coordinate the work of the regional competitiveness councils, whose work will help link the college curricula to employer needs;

Conduct an annual business survey and feed the results to community colleges.

 

GOVERNMENT REFORM

Eliminate government duplication and administrative overhead by merging the Boston Municipal Court with the statewide District Court system, consolidating the Turnpike Authority with the Highway Department, creating one unified parks agency, and reforming our higher education system;

Institute workforce reforms such as the elimination of bumping rights and the removal of managers from the union.

 

 

May 12, 2003

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES SECURITY DESIGNATION FOR CONVENTION

 

 

Following a request by Governor Mitt Romney, the White House Homeland Security Council today announced that the Democratic National Convention in Boston has been designated a National Special Security Event.

 

Romney, who notified Boston Mayor Tom Menino of the news this morning, said that the special status paves the way for the Secret Service to take charge of all security-related issues associated with the event. As the lead agency, the Secret Service will coordinate and integrate the efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved with providing security at the convention.

 

The convention, which will be held from July 26-29, 2004, is expected to attract more than 35,000 visitors to Boston, including former presidents, presidential candidates, members of the media and delegates.

 

“I am pleased to announce that the White House has informed my Administration that the Democratic National Convention has been designated a National Special Security Event,” Mitt Romney said. “This will ensure the highest level of coordination and cooperation among all law enforcement agencies to keep the residents and visitors of our capital city safe and secure at the convention.”

 

“It is my priority to ensure that all of the delegates, members of the media and visitors to Boston have safe and productive visits during the convention,” Mayor Menino said. “Thanks to coordinated efforts with the Mitt Romney Administration and the federal government, we can now ensure that Boston will have the best security plans available.”

 

 

May 13, 2003

ROMNEY CALLS FOR AN END TO JUDICIAL INEQUITY AND WASTE

Highlights disparities between Boston Municipal Court and other district courts

 

WORCESTER – Standing outside of the Worcester District Courthouse, Governor Mitt Romney today called on the Legislature to end the duplication and waste within the judicial system by merging the Boston Municipal Court into the statewide district court system.

 

“Right now we have a funding mechanism for the district courts that splits the Commonwealth into two – the Boston Municipal Court and the remaining district courts in the state – and the Boston Municipal Court receives vastly more resources than the other district courts,” said Romney.

 

Under the current system, Boston is the only municipality with its own separate court system while the rest of the state is serviced by the district court system. The Boston Municipal Court’s administrative costs rival those of the entire state district court system with 177 judges and more than 60 courthouses, even though it only has 11 judges and one courthouse.

 

Romney said the House-passed budget goes in the wrong direction by proposing to expand the jurisdiction of the Boston Municipal Court and the Senate Ways and Means Committee budget is expected to avoid the issue by calling for a study.

 

“While I applaud the Legislature for recognizing the need to reform our court system, I urge them to take a closer look at merging the Boston Municipal Court with the rest of the district court system. It makes sense and it saves millions of dollars. It is time for action, not more studies,” Mitt Romney said.

 

Romney highlighted the severe inequities in Worcester County, pointing to a report on Case Based Funding by the Worcester County Bar Association. The report indicates that the Worcester District Court handles 41,107 cases with a budget of roughly $4 million, averaging $98.96 per case. The BMC handles 36,568 cases with a budget of roughly $5 million, averaging $231.47 per case.

 

“Worcester and other communities are getting shortchanged when it comes to the administration of justice,” Mitt Romney said. “That is wrong.”

 

The report also noted that the amount per case allocated to the district courts in Worcester County was more than 13 percent below the statewide average.

 

“Clearly, it is time for us to have a uniform and equitable system of justice for all of the Commonwealth’s residents,” said Romney.

 

In his Fiscal Year 2004 budget, Mitt Romney called for merging the BMC into the statewide district court system. This merger would allocate a more equitable distribution of funds and save about $4 million. He also proposed consolidating eight underutilized courthouses, including Ipswich, Charlestown, Natick, Orange, Clinton, Ware, Uxbridge and Winchendon, which are each open and staffed five days a week even though their caseload can only keep a judge busy between one to three days a week.

 

Romney added, “Our judicial system is in desperate need of overhaul and restructuring. These common sense changes are the first steps in that process.”

 

 

May 13, 2003

ROMNEY CALLS FOR AN END TO JUDICIAL INEQUITY AND WASTE

Highlights disparities between Boston Municipal Court and other district courts

 

WORCESTER – Standing outside of the Worcester District Courthouse, Governor Mitt Romney today called on the Legislature to end the duplication and waste within the judicial system by merging the Boston Municipal Court into the statewide district court system.

 

“Right now we have a funding mechanism for the district courts that splits the Commonwealth into two – the Boston Municipal Court and the remaining district courts in the state – and the Boston Municipal Court receives vastly more resources than the other district courts,” said Romney.

 

Under the current system, Boston is the only municipality with its own separate court system while the rest of the state is serviced by the district court system. The Boston Municipal Court’s administrative costs rival those of the entire state district court system with 177 judges and more than 60 courthouses, even though it only has 11 judges and one courthouse.

 

Romney said the House-passed budget goes in the wrong direction by proposing to expand the jurisdiction of the Boston Municipal Court and the Senate Ways and Means Committee budget is expected to avoid the issue by calling for a study.

 

“While I applaud the Legislature for recognizing the need to reform our court system, I urge them to take a closer look at merging the Boston Municipal Court with the rest of the district court system. It makes sense and it saves millions of dollars. It is time for action, not more studies,” Mitt Romney said.

 

Romney highlighted the severe inequities in Worcester County, pointing to a report on Case Based Funding by the Worcester County Bar Association. The report indicates that the Worcester District Court handles 41,107 cases with a budget of roughly $4 million, averaging $98.96 per case. The BMC handles 36,568 cases with a budget of roughly $5 million, averaging $231.47 per case.

 

“Worcester and other communities are getting shortchanged when it comes to the administration of justice,” Mitt Romney said. “That is wrong.”

 

The report also noted that the amount per case allocated to the district courts in Worcester County was more than 13 percent below the statewide average.

 

“Clearly, it is time for us to have a uniform and equitable system of justice for all of the Commonwealth’s residents,” said Romney.

 

In his Fiscal Year 2004 budget, Mitt Romney called for merging the BMC into the statewide district court system. This merger would allocate a more equitable distribution of funds and save about $4 million. He also proposed consolidating eight underutilized courthouses, including Ipswich, Charlestown, Natick, Orange, Clinton, Ware, Uxbridge and Winchendon, which are each open and staffed five days a week even though their caseload can only keep a judge busy between one to three days a week.

 

Romney added, “Our judicial system is in desperate need of overhaul and restructuring. These common sense changes are the first steps in that process.”

 

 

May 14, 2003

ROMNEY SUBMITS EXECUTIVE BRANCH REORGANIZATION PLAN

SAYS THREE R’S – “REFORM, RESTRUCTURE, REVITALIZE”- GUIDED HIS THINKING

 

With the filing of his reform plan to reorganize the Executive Branch, Governor Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today asked the Legislature to give them the tools to manage state government more effectively.

 

“We owe the six million citizens of Massachusetts a government that works for them – a government that runs smarter and more efficiently,” said Romney. “Common sense suggests these reforms should be adopted. The fiscal crisis demands it.”

 

In putting the plan together, Mitt Romney said he was guided by the “Three R’s” – “Reform, Restructure, Revitalize.” He said the plan saves money for taxpayers, improves the delivery of services to citizens and incorporates suggestions from the Legislature and other interested parties.

 

“Our proposal takes into account the feedback we received, while also remaining true to the core principles of reform to which we are committed,” said Romney.

 

Romney submitted his reorganization plan under the authority granted him in Article 87 of the State Constitution. The actual filing will be made tomorrow, once the legal department completes its final review of the many details that go into a major restructuring.

 

The Article 87 provision gives the Governor the power to consolidate agencies and reorganize functions within the executive department. Sixty days after submitting the plan to the Legislature, the plan becomes law unless disapproved by a majority of either the House or Senate.

 

Romney divided the Article 87 submission into two parts – a comprehensive plan that makes changes in the existing Cabinet and creates new secretariats for education, economic affairs and commonwealth development, and a separate filing covering higher education only.

 

Romney acknowledged that the higher education piece has generated controversy, primarily because of the change that would eliminate the President’s office at the University of Massachusetts, which is held by former Senate President William M. Bulger.

 

“I recognize this is a hot button issue where we have not found consensus. That is why I have not included it in our larger filing. But I still think it deserves to be considered and accepted or rejected on a straight up or down vote,” Mitt Romney said.

 

The plan creates a 13-member Cabinet consisting of six Executive Offices (Public Safety and Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Commonwealth Development, Administration and Finance, Economic Affairs, Education) and seven Departments (Elder Affairs, Transportation, Housing and Community Development, Environment, Labor, business and Technology, Consumer and Commercial Services). The heads of each Department and Executive Office share full secretary status, which was not the case previously.

 

Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey credited the hundreds of legislators, business leaders, nonprofit heads and community activists who have weighed in on the plan in forums and hearings around the state.

 

“When different groups expressed concerns about specific proposals, we strove to address those concerns. For example, when veterans’ organizations expressed strong disagreement with our proposal to move Veterans Affairs from A&F to Elder Affairs, we devised a more palatable solution by placing Veterans Affairs within Health and Human Services,” Healey said.

 

She also noted that the administration listened closely to the arguments of labor groups opposed to the elimination of the Division of Apprentice Training. As a result, the final plan supports the Division’s retention.

 

Healey said the “open exchange of ideas over the last few months has served as a reminder that nobody has a monopoly on the right answers.”

 

“I urge the Legislature to adopt these reforms and set Massachusetts on the road to long-term recovery and prosperity,” she said.

 

 

 

May 19, 2003

HEALEY LAUDS AIS EXPANSION, JOB GROWTH

Honors Employees for National Manufacturing Award

 

HUDSON– Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today announced the expansion of Affordable Interior Systems, Inc.’s (AIS) manufacturing facility, which will add 15 new jobs and help fuel the local economy.

 

“We applaud AIS for growing jobs and developing a top-notch manufacturing operation,” said Healey. “Governor Mitt Romney and I will continue to hold the line on taxes and create a business friendly environment in the Bay State so we can continue to create more jobs and get the state’s economy back on track.”

 

The 50,000 square foot expansion of AIS nearly doubles the size of its facility located at 4 Bonnazoli Drive, and will help in the manufacturing of its new product line of office work systems. The expansion will also allow for new shipping and loading docks, improving the efficiency of moving AIS products. The expansion is being built by Cutler Associates of Worcester. AIS expects the space to be completed by the end of the year. AIS will have nearly 200 jobs once the expansion is complete.

 

“Who said that manufacturing is dead in Massachusetts?” asked Arthur Maxwell, President of AIS. “We are proof that manufacturing, when done right, can survive and actually thrive in this state. It is largely because of our commitment to the principles of lean manufacturing that we are here today. We are serious about eliminating waste, eliminating waiting times and delivering superior products on time to our customers. We are competitive with the big players in our industry because we are lean, but not mean.”

 

Bruce Platzman, CEO of AIS, said the company’s success is due to the hard work of every employee. “We would not be here today if it weren’t for the dedication of all of our employees from those on the factory floor to national sales teams. Everyone has worked to get us here.”

 

AIS’ announcement coincides with Governor Mitt Romney proclaiming this week Manufacturing Week in Massachusetts. Bruce Hamilton, President of the Greater Boston Manufacturing Partnership, speaking at the groundbreaking, said that AIS is an example of the future of manufacturing in Massachusetts.

 

“As we celebrate manufacturing week in Massachusetts, it’s encouraging to witness a company that has invested in lean manufacturing learning for its employees as a key strategy for growth. The Commonweath’s Workforce Training Program has made this possible,” said Hamilton.

 

Founded in 1990, AIS is a leading manufacturer of office systems furniture. AIS got its start by recognizing the need for high quality, low-cost systems furniture solutions. Initially, AIS presented its products as an alternative to used and refurbished systems products. AIS operates with 175 employees out of two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to bring alternatives to market at a lower cost to consumers. AIS products are distributed through over 650 dealers in 44 states and in the Caribbean.

 

Today’s ceremonies also included a tribute to AIS employees who helped the company win the prestigious Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. AIS is the only small company among the award recipients this year and the only manufacturer of its kind in the furniture industry to receive the Shingo Prize. AIS officially received the award and was honored at a ceremony held last week in Detroit.

 

The Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing is administered by the College of Business, Utah State University, in cooperation with several distinguished non-profit and corporate organizations. Since 1989, the award has been given annually to manufacturers in the United States, Canada and Mexico that deliver world-class performance through lean principles and techniques in core manufacturing and business processes.

 

 

 

May 20, 2003

ROMNEY PROPOSES TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR OIL SPILLS

Seeks increase of fines, introduces new measures to ensure compliance

 

Governor Mitt Romney today was joined by members of the Legislature from Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod to announce they will file legislation to hike significantly the financial penalties levied on companies that spill oil or other toxic substances into Massachusetts’ waters.

 

While those increased penalties deal with existing criminal and civil violations, a new provision of the legislation will also permit an assessment of $25,000-per-day fine for knowingly making “false, inaccurate, incomplete or misleading statements” pertaining to a spill incident.

 

Romney noted that the Coast Guard today said that the amount of oil spilled into Buzzard’s Bay on April 27 by a tanker owned by Bouchard Transportation was approximately 98,000 gallons, not the 14,700 gallons originally reported.

 

“It saddens and frustrates me that the shores of Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts will suffer the ill effects of this oil spill for a long time,” said Romney. “We must ensure that we take all necessary steps to protect our environment from these insults.”

 

Romney’s bill stiffens the financial penalties associated with the spilling of toxic materials, many of which have not been updated for decades. Currently, there is a daily penalty of $25,000 for illegally discharging oil or other pollutants into the water. Romney’s proposal increases that penalty up to $50,000 per day.

 

“It’s time to bring these environmental penalties up to date. Companies that transport toxic materials perform a necessary service that carries with it a great responsibility, and they must live up to those responsibilities,” Mitt Romney said.

 

“Our oceans and waterways are too important to us to leave anything to chance; we need to make sure that our laws assess penalties that correspond to the enormous environmental damage a spill can cause,” said Environmental Affairs Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder.

 

The planned legislation also contains a measure that takes into account environmental considerations in the awarding of state contracts. If companies are found to have a substantial record of environmental violations, they could be barred from the state bidding process.

 

“These proposals are all tools we should have in our environmental enforcement toolbox,” Mitt Romney said.

 

The formal filing of this legislation is expected within the next several days.

 

May 22, 2003

ROMNEY, MENINO ANNOUNCE NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Spur Development of the Former Boston State Hospital

 

Demonstrating their commitment to increasing the supply of housing, Governor Mitt Romney and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino today kicked off the construction of 99 new homes on 18 acres of the former Boston State Hospital site in Dorchester.

 

“The Boston State Hospital project is a model of our smart growth strategy for future development of thousands of acres of state surplus land across the Commonwealth,” said Romney. “Building more affordable housing like this project is one of the key elements necessary to jumpstart the Massachusetts economy.”

 

Romney and Menino said the project – known as Harvard Commons – will include three phases of work by Cruz Development Corporation of Boston. The first phase will provide 45 units of affordable, limited equity cooperative housing, with apartments available to those whose annual income are at or below 60 percent of the median income for Boston. Some units will also be set aside for homeless families and clients of the Massachusetts Department of mental health. The second and third phases of the project will consist of 54 three and four bedroom single-family homes.

 

“Everybody needs a safe, secure, and affordable place to call home. But we all know that decent housing is hard to find, and hard to afford. That’s why Harvard Commons is so important,” said Menino. “This development will give people the kind of homes they need and deserve. And we will continue to work hard to make sure that housing is available not just in Dorchester, but in every neighborhood in Boston.”

 

The new housing units are a natural complement to the redevelopment efforts that have already taken root at the former Department of mental health Facility.

 

The Massachusetts Audubon Society has completed construction of a wildlife sanctuary and nature center that occupies more than 60 acres of the former hospital. The state-owned Massachusetts Biologics Laboratory facility has recently broken ground on a new vaccine production facility on the hospital grounds and the City of Boston has reserved up to 20 acres of the site for a new high school planned to serve the area.

 

The Division of Capital Asset Management, the state agency overseeing the redevelopment efforts, has also received development proposals on the remaining 40-acre portion of the site where possible uses include additional housing and commercial and institutional activities. These proposals are currently under review with a decision expected within the next several weeks in consultation with the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the local Citizens Advisory Committee.

 

The state has invested more than $27 million over the last 10 years to prepare the former hospital for redevelopment. These efforts include demolition of 900,000 square feet of antiquated buildings unsuitable for reuse, while completing a number of environmental projects. Work by Cruz Development will formally begin this summer.

 

 

May 23, 2003

MASSACHUSETTS TO RECEIVE $550 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS

 

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced that Massachusetts is in line to receive a $550 million infusion of federal funds, making it easier to pay for Prescription Advantage and reduce the state’s reliance on reserves to balance the state budget.

 

However, Mitt Romney urged the Legislature to show continued fiscal restraint in their budget deliberations and warned against thinking the fiscal crisis has passed.

 

“This is certainly good news, but the work of reform is not over,” said Romney. “We still have a sizable deficit in next year’s budget and our commitment to solving it without raising taxes will require hard, necessary decisions.”

 

The additional monies are contained in the “Jobs and Growth tax Relief” package passed by the U.S. Congress and sent to President Bush for his signature. Significantly, in the area of Medicaid, the legislation provides a temporary 2.95 percent increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP).

 

“We have always believed that it’s possible to increase our federal Medicaid share, which is currently 50 percent. It was part of our health care policy in last year’s campaign. Not everyone believed it was possible, but along with many other people we fought for it,” said Romney.

 

He noted, “By raising the reimbursement rate a few percentage points, we are bringing in additional hundreds of millions of dollars to Massachusetts, which will give us the flexibility to preserve vital programs like Prescription Advantage.”

 

The FMAP increase is projected to provide an additional $334 million to Massachusetts between now and September 30, 2004.

 

Congress also set aside $10 billion in additional fiscal relief for the states. The first $5 billion will be made available within 45 days of the bill’s signing, and the second half by October 1 of this year. Massachusetts will receive two payments of $108 million each under this provision.

 

Noting the temporary nature of these revenues, Mitt Romney urged lawmakers to “hold the line” on additional spending and continue to focus on reform as the only way to solve the long-term structural problems with the state budget.

 

“Our state is at a crossroads. We should seize this opportunity to fundamentally reform the way state government does business,” said Romney.

 

The Governor thanked members of Congress and the President for recognizing the fiscal challenges faced by the states and the expense associated with federal mandates and higher health care costs.

 

 

June 2, 2003

GOVERNOR Mitt Romney TESTIMONY ON AN ACT TO REFORM, RESTRUCTURE, AND REVITALIZE GOVERNMENT

 

Madam Chairwoman, Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the Joint Committee on State Administration:

 

I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you this morning. I thank you both for your time and for your consideration of this important matter, as well as the courtesies you have shown us as we have worked with you to bring forward our plan to reform, restructure, and revitalize government.

 

I want to spend a little time talking about government sprawl. It’s the tendency of government over time to add layer upon layer of bureaucracy. Left unchecked, this growth complicates the span of control and coordination.

 

It serves to isolate agencies and saddle them with rigid, outdated bureaucracies. Here in Massachusetts, government sprawl has left us with a 1950’s bureaucracy fumbling the challenges of the 21st century. We can do better.

 

Everyone in this hearing room recognizes our state is at a crossroads. This is no ordinary time.

 

The question is not whether we will solve our budget problems — we will — but how we’re going to do it. The choices we make in the next few weeks are going to significantly impact the ability of state government to carry through on its fundamental missions for years to come.

 

At the end of the day, I see only two alternatives.

 

One, we just cut. If basic services are seriously damaged, so be it.

 

Two, we reform. Yes, we reduce spending in some areas. That’s unavoidable. But we do so as part of a process of broad-based restructuring. We preserve core services now, and position ourselves to better realize the promise of state government in the long term.

 

The initiatives you’re considering under Article 87 right now will save this state literally hundreds of millions of dollars over time. Even more importantly, they will allow us to manage our way through the spending reductions that we have to make in order to bring our budget into balance.

 

The current structure of our state government is half a century old. Fifty years. Fifty years ago, there were no personal computers….no Internet….no cell phones. If a company in the private sector kept the same business model for fifty years, it’d be bankrupt.

 

Even worse, there is no rational order to the structure of state government. It did not come into existence as the result of any extraordinary foresight or well thought out plan. It just grew, and grew, and grew.

 

We’ve already made a lot of progress in the last few months — and I thank you for that. Many of our reforms have been adopted as part of the legislative budget process.

 

But we still have a long way to go. It’s time to take the wrench out of reform and get to work. The proposals before you today offer the Commonwealth a new beginning.

 

They eliminate duplication.

 

They streamline departments and agencies.

 

And they improve the delivery of services, even in a time of diminished resources, and create much-needed accountability in the chain of command.

 

They do not change the rights or responsibilities of government under the general laws. But they do seek to change the structure of the executive branch.

 

Taken as a whole, the proposals included under the two Article 87 filings provide a new, simpler, more efficient structure for public sector administration in the Commonwealth.

 

As the Commonwealth’s chief executive, I am requesting the same leeway to operate the executive branch as you expect to operate the legislative branch. There is no such thing as a “perfect” organizational structure. Every state is organized in a different way. But as chief executive, I ask you to give me the tools to do my job in the best way possible.

 

As you know, my administration’s Article 87 filing has been divided into two parts.

 

First, there is a comprehensive proposal that makes changes in the existing structure and creates new executive offices for Education, Economic Affairs, and Commonwealth Development. We also elevate four department heads to full secretary status: Labor, Housing, Economic Development (which is renamed business and Technology), and Consumer Affairs (which is currently Consumer and Commercial Services).

 

This will create a 13-member cabinet, one that will allow both myself and future governors to integrate the state’s housing, environment, and transportation efforts and more closely tie labor and business regulation to economic development.

 

Let me speak more closely to this issue. The establishment of an Executive Office of Economic Affairs and an Executive Office for Commonwealth Development is absolutely critical to our efforts to bring the different agencies of state government together in a more collaborative manner.

 

One constant complaint among members of previous administrations — both Democratic and Republican — has been the recurrence of conflicts between different agencies pursuing opposing policy agendas. One example: the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Transportation and Construction have often sought to block each other’s projects. The result has been reduced progress both in terms of infrastructure development and environmental protection. At the same time, staff resources and taxpayer dollars are wasted.

 

We cannot afford to tolerate this kind of bureaucratic infighting. By bringing Environment and Transportation together under the auspices of the Office of Commonwealth Development, we won’t.

 

I have also submitted a smaller filing that supplements my education proposal. I recognize that this second filing is particularly controversial. That is why I have not included it in our larger filing. But I still think it deserves to be considered and accepted or rejected on a straight up or down vote.

 

Once again, the fiscal crisis has presented us with a choice. We can keep the existing structure of our university system, slash its budget and cut quality, or we can reorganize the system and improve both its accessibility and quality.

 

Again, I support the second alternative. My proposal saves money by eliminating the office of UMass president and reassigning the office’s responsibilities to chancellors on each of the five campuses. This will save $14 million.

 

Let me also address two questions that have been asked repeatedly.

 

First, why did I file my restructuring plan under Article 87?

 

As you know, the Massachusetts Constitution permits the Governor to bring forward a proposal to reorganize the affairs of the Executive Branch. This provision exists because our predecessors in the State House understood a Governor should be given the tools to manage within legislative mandates.

 

Second, why didn’t I file a separate reorganization proposal for each secretariat?

 

Well, I’m fond of cars and used to tinker with them as a young man, so let me respond to that question with an analogy. You can’t put the engine of a Corvette into the body of a Model-T. If you’re going to change with the times, you need to get a new car.

 

Our vision for how state government can operate more efficiently hinges upon the implementation of our entire reform package, not piecemeal changes to the existing structure.

 

My hope is that, in considering this program, you will be persuaded by its sense of fairness, the people’s demand for a more efficient and accountable government and the right of the executive to bring forward an organization structure that best carries out the executive branch’s mission and responsibilities.

 

I should also note that, as members, you know better than me that there are ways to make amendments to both of these measures despite the fact that they have been submitted in final form. If there are small technical errors or corrections that need to be made — if you don’t like the paint color of the Corvette or you want to change the upholstery — I’m ready to work with you.

 

In return, however, I would ask that you do not use an objection to any one proposal as a pretext for rejecting the entire restructuring plan.

 

Finally, I want to thank the hundreds of men and women who have worked so hard to create a restructuring plan that is truly reflective of the consensus opinion at the grassroots level.

 

Some critics have claimed that these proposals have come from either myself or my team alone. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

Credit for this legislation needs to be extended to the countless public officials, private sector leaders, and non-profit workers who have contributed their ideas and relayed their concerns over the past few months.

 

Here on Beacon Hill, administration witnesses have presented testimony and participated in more than 16 hearings exceeding 60 hours before House and Senate committees. Individual cabinet members have solicited input from legislators and conducted meetings around the state with constituencies impacted by proposed changes in their respective departments or agencies.

 

To cite one example, Secretary Preston held regional forums throughout March and April in eight different cities and towns: Somerville, Worcester, Westfield, Canton, Tewksbury, Fall River, West Barnstable, and Boston. Legislators and community leaders were invited to participate at each forum. At the same time, each assistant secretary from Health and Human Services met with professional, trade, consumer, and advocacy groups to elicit their input on relevant aspects of the reorganization.

 

Above all else, the open exchange of ideas over the last few months has served as a reminder that nobody has a monopoly on the right answers.

 

It has also paved the way for many of the reform steps already taken. A number of elements of my restructuring plan have already been adopted in the House and Senate budgets. We’ve made significant progress.

 

If we continue to work together in a constructive manner, we will create a government that truly works for the people and contribute to a new era of prosperity for our families and citizens.

 

 

June 3, 2003

LEADERS SHOW WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR Mitt Romney REFORM AGENDA

Business and community leaders champion Romney’s reform effort

 

Governor Mitt Romney today was joined by a wide array of business leaders, community advocates and policy leaders to urge the Legislature to “put an end to government sprawl” by reforming state government.

 

Romney said his Article 87 plan to reform, restructure and revitalize state government will eliminate duplication, streamline departments and agencies and improve the delivery of services even in a time of diminished resources.

 

“Today we have assembled a coalition of individuals and organizations that don’t often agree on major public policy issues. However, what has brought them here today is a desire for change and reform that transcends ideological and partisan concerns,” Mitt Romney said.

 

Romney noted that 50 years of “government sprawl” has left the Commonwealth with an outdated, poorly designed bureaucracy that is ill equipped to deal with the modern day challenges facing the state.

 

He added, “These changes will bring state government out of the 1950’s and will finally allow state agencies to work together in a more collaborative manner. The need for reform is too great and I urge individual legislators not to use an objection to any one proposal as a reason for rejecting the entire plan.”

 

Romney’s Article 87 filing is a comprehensive proposal that makes much-needed changes to the existing Executive Branch structure and creates new executive offices for Education, Economic Affairs and Commonwealth Development. It also elevates four department heads to full secretary status: Labor, Housing, Economic Development and Consumer Affairs, creating a 13-member cabinet.

 

“Seven months ago the voters of Massachusetts elected a new governor, an outsider committed to reform. At the same time they signaled their disdain for higher taxes. The message from the voters was clear – citizens want serious, significant reform. They demand an end to business as usual on Beacon Hill,” said Stephen Adams, President of the Pioneer Institute.

 

He added, “Governor Romney’s restructuring plan can be the beginning of the end of business as usual. It can be the cornerstone of a modern, effective state government that can deliver high quality at a reasonable cost, if only the Legislature will let it.”

 

Andrea Watson, Project Coordinator for the Federation for Children agreed, “While reorganization will save money, what this is really about is doing a better job of helping those who require state services. Thank you for having the courage and foresight to reform the way the Commonwealth does business.”

 

“There has already been a great deal of progress made through the legislative budget process and I look forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle to maintain the momentum of reform and give Massachusetts a new beginning,” said Romney.

 

 

 

Advocates at Press Conference

Steve Adams, President, Pioneer Institute

Mitch Adams, Executive Director, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative

Chris Anderson, President, Massachusetts High Technology Council

Sergey Bologov, Executive Director, Russian Community of Massachusetts

Bernie Carey, Executive Director, Massachusetts Association for mental health

Linda Cox, Co-President, Esplanade Association

Pat Edraos, Policy Director, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers

Lori Ehrlich, Co-founder, HealthLink

Tobias Fisher, Executive Director, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill

Elizabeth Funk, Executive Director, mental health & Substance Abuse Corporation

Bob Gale, President, Massachusetts Veterans’ Services Officers Association

Jeff Grogan, Partner, The Monitor Group

Jim Hunt, President and CEO, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers

Totli Krua, Executive Director, Universal Human Rights International

Bill McCarriston, Chairman, State Rehabilitation Council

John Pourbaix, President, Construction Industries of Massachusetts

Tom Sullivan, MD, President, Massachusetts Medical Society

John Suttich, Director of Public Affairs, Massachusetts business Roundtable

David Tuerck, Executive Director, Beacon Hill Institute

Andrea Watson, Project Coordinator, Federation for Children

Donna Wells, Executive Director, Parent Alliance League

Elizabeth Zarella, Director for Advocacy, Home for Little Wanderers

 

June 4, 2003

 

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES $8.1 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS

 

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced that the United States Department of Labor has awarded Massachusetts two National Emergency Grants totaling $8.1 million.

 

Romney, who was informed of the grants in an afternoon phone call from Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, thanked the Bush Administration for their support.

 

“I am grateful for the support the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has received from the Bush Administration,” Mitt Romney said. “It is clear that the September 11th terrorist attacks had a tremendously negative impact on the travel and tourism industry in Massachusetts and across the nation. Individuals who were laid off in these fields want and need jobs. These training dollars will assist them in fulfilling that goal.”

 

Romney said $5.2 million of the funds will help workers who have been laid off from the airline industry and other industries, including travel, tourism, hospitality and retail, as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The grant will pay for job search assistance, employment counseling, basic skills training, GED instruction and testing and support services for individuals who qualify.

 

An additional $2.9 million will help employees from the manufacturing and technology fields who have lost their jobs in Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester Counties. This grant will fund recruitment, outreach, counseling, job search assistance, basic skills training, classroom training and supportive services.

 

Earlier in the day, Mitt Romney stood with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge who awarded $31 million in federal funds to Massachusetts for first responder needs.

 

 

 

June 4, 2003

ROMNEY ANNOUNCES $8.1 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS

 

 

Governor Mitt Romney today announced that the United States Department of Labor has awarded Massachusetts two National Emergency Grants totaling $8.1 million.

 

Romney, who was informed of the grants in an afternoon phone call from Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, thanked the Bush Administration for their support.

 

“I am grateful for the support the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has received from the Bush Administration,” Mitt Romney said. “It is clear that the September 11th terrorist attacks had a tremendously negative impact on the travel and tourism industry in Massachusetts and across the nation. Individuals who were laid off in these fields want and need jobs. These training dollars will assist them in fulfilling that goal.”

 

Romney said $5.2 million of the funds will help workers who have been laid off from the airline industry and other industries, including travel, tourism, hospitality and retail, as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The grant will pay for job search assistance, employment counseling, basic skills training, GED instruction and testing and support services for individuals who qualify.

 

An additional $2.9 million will help employees from the manufacturing and technology fields who have lost their jobs in Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester Counties. This grant will fund recruitment, outreach, counseling, job search assistance, basic skills training, classroom training and supportive services.

 

Earlier in the day, Mitt Romney stood with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge who awarded $31 million in federal funds to Massachusetts for first responder needs.

 

 

 

June 6, 2003

ROMNEY FILES BILL TO POST SEX OFFENDER INFORMATION ON WEB

New tool will assist families in finding out where dangerous sex offenders live, work

 

Governor Mitt Romney was joined today by Andrea Casanova, the mother of Alexandra Zapp, who was murdered by a convicted sex offender, in filing legislation to allow the posting of photographs and information of the state’s most dangerous sex offenders on the Internet.

 

Romney noted that 35 other states and several of the Bay State’s local police departments already post sex offenders images on their Web sites.

 

“Families in Massachusetts have the right to know where sex offenders live and work so they can protect their children,” said Romney. “Posting the information on the Internet will allow people to easily access the most up-to-date information in their own homes.”

 

Zapp, 30, was tragically murdered last July at a highway rest stop in Bridgewater. Her alleged killer, Paul Leahy, was a convicted sex offender. Since her daughter’s death, Casanova has been a crusader for victims’ rights and for enacting tough legislation that will protect innocent victims from dangerous sexual predators.

 

“Ally never saw obstacles in her life,” said Casanova. “She only saw objectives. Her philosophy has helped me see that there is much work to be done. I have devoted myself to fighting for legal and cultural reform and will do whatever it takes to help protect the public from violent sexual predators. It is clear that this administration with the filing of this legislation today is not deterred by obstacles either.”

 

Today’s filing follows a Superior Court order last week that prevented the state Sex Offender Registry from posting Level 3 offenders deemed a high risk on the agency’s Web site. The court ruled that the current Sex Offender Registry law fails to clearly permit Web listings of individual offenders’ sex crime information as well as photos and descriptions of the convicted offenders.

 

“We can’t wait for this issue to work its way through the courts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey. “The Governor and I urge the Legislature to act quickly on this commonsense legislation so that the Internet can be used as a tool to protect our children and others from sexual predators.”

 

Romney announced in April that the Sex Offender Registry Board would begin posting Level 3 sex offenders on the agency’s Web site www.mass.gov/sorb on May 15th. The public would have been able to see the offender’s photo, name, home and work address, the charges the sex offender has been convicted of and a physical description. There are currently 426 classified Level 3 sex offenders in the Sex Offender Registry’s database. Only detailed information on Level 3 high-risk sex offenders will be on the Web site to comply with state law.

 

Romney’s bill has support in the Legislature.

 

“Despite all of the challenges in the Legislature these past few months, this change to the Sex Offender Registry is critical to the long term safety of children across the Commonwealth,” said Bradley H. Jones Jr., the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives. “This legislation makes it easier for parents to know who lives around the corner or across the street. I commend Governor Mitt Romney for his continued leadership and ongoing commitment to public safety.”

 

“I am pleased to join with Governor Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Healey to ensure that all the citizens of the Commonwealth have access to information about our most dangerous sex offenders,” said Representative James Vallee, Chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee.

 

“The Internet is used extensively by these reprehensible criminals,” said Representative Timothy Toomey, Jr., Chairman of the Public Safety Committee. “They trade in child pornography over the Internet. They assume false identities in chat rooms and lure victims to meeting places. It is about time we use this technology against them to combat their insidious reach into our homes and communities.”

 

“The primary focus of the registry should be enabling people to be invested with the knowledge to protect themselves” said Senator Bruce Tarr. “Providing greater accessibility to information is consistent with the spirit of the law and serves that primary purpose.”

 

In addition to Level 3 information, families may use the Web site to determine how many moderate risk (Level 2) sex offenders have been classified and live or work in their towns. Information on those offenders is available by visiting the local police department in those communities and filling out an application. No information on low risk (Level 1) sex offenders is available to the public because of legal restrictions.

 

Romney and Healey also urged the passage of legislation they filed in April to enhance and strengthen the Sex Offender Registry Board. The key components of the plan include:

 

 

Mandates the registration of any sex offender who either attends or works at any school in the Commonwealth, regardless of where they live. Currently, only sex offenders who live and work in Massachusetts are required to register.

 

Requires state prosecutors to notify the Sex Offender Registry Board of all cases in which they are trying to have an offender committed as a sexually dangerous person. This will allow the Board to expedite the consideration of that person’s file and get their information online sooner.

 

Sex offenders who fail to register may have their driver’s license revoked or suspended until they comply with the registration requirements.

 

Requires registration of incarcerated sex offenders no later than two days before release. This provision will allow the Sex Offender Registry Board to register approximately 3,000 incarcerated sex offenders, decreasing the number of offenders that violate the law by failing to register upon release from jail.

 

 

June 10, 2003

HEALEY ANNOUNCES PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS MCAS GRANTS

Community colleges will receive $643,000 to run summer courses

 

CHARLESTOWN – Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey today announced $643,000 in grants to 11 community colleges across the Commonwealth to support them in developing and administering summertime “transition” courses to help students prepare for a special Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) retest being offered at the end of July.

 

“This unique partnership between secondary and higher education will provide an excellent opportunity and environment for those students who have not yet passed the MCAS exam,” said Healey, speaking at Bunker Hill Community College, which will receive a $68,580 grant. “Governor Mitt Romney and I have made a firm commitment to assist all students pass the MCAS test. We will not give up on our state’s children and encourage them not to give up on themselves.”

 

Healey said the grants will help more than 450 high school students statewide who were scheduled to graduate with the class of 2003, but did not meet the MCAS graduation requirement.

 

Education Commissioner David Driscoll said he is hopeful that students will take advantage of the opportunity to get the extra help they need in a campus environment.

 

“These programs will not only help prepare our students to come back and get their diplomas, they will give them some insight into the academic world that lies ahead for them,” Driscoll said. “It is critical that students understand we are not giving up on them and that the services we are offering are there to help guide them toward the right choices for their future.”

 

Board of Higher Education Deputy Chancellor Patricia Plummer said she sees these programs as the start of a K-16 partnership that will continue to grow over time.

 

“This is an outstanding example of collaboration between our community college campuses and the K-12 world,” Plummer said. “Hopefully these programs are the beginning of the creation of a seamless system of education in the Commonwealth.”

 

“For students who have not yet passed MCAS, these grants offer a summer jumpstart at another chance for success and a glimpse of college life,” said Bunker Hill Community College President Mary Fifield.

 

Healey said the 11 community colleges participating in the Pathways program include: Bristol Community College ($45,720), Bunker Hill Community College ($68,580), Holyoke Community College ($68,271), Massachusetts Bay Community College ($42,644), Massasoit Community College ($60,960), Middlesex Community College ($44,439), Mount Wachusett Community College ($45,720), North Shore Community College ($45,720), Quinsigamond Community College ($38,100), Roxbury Community College ($137,160) and Springfield Technical Community College ($45,720).

 

In addition to the community college transition programs, several other outreach efforts are underway to help guide students in the class of 2003 still in need of additional support, including:

 

 

The Pathways initiative was launched by the Department of Education in early March to district and school personnel to ensure all students were aware of the variety of “pathways” available to them as they transition out of high school without a diploma.

 

 

 

June 11, 2003

ROMNEY EXTENDS ‘HELPING HAND’ TO UNEMPLOYED

Announces Expanded Hours at One-Stop Career Centers

 

WORCESTER – In a bid to help find jobs for the unemployed, Governor Mitt Romney today announced expanded hours of operation at the Commonwealth’s 33 One-Stop Career Centers.

 

Romney noted that the Massachusetts unemployment rate has dropped slightly to 5.4 percent, but said he will not be satisfied until “we get that number down to a much lower level.”

 

“Ultimately, the only way for us to get the Commonwealth back on track is to find a job for every citizen who wants one,” said Romney, after a tour of Workforce Central Career Center, which is operated by the Division of Employment and Training in partnership with the Worcester City Manager’s Office of Employment and Training. “Extending the hours of operation for all of the One-Stops will help us achieve that goal – one person and one job at a time.”

 

While at Workforce Central Career Center, Mitt Romney appeared with Amy Donahue, Edward Harley and Wilberth Mora, all former job seekers who utilized the job search and assistance services available at Workforce Central to find employment.

 

Donahue, of Worcester, came to Workforce Central while she was receiving public assistance. After utilizing many of the center’s career planning services, she found a position with Westside House Nursing Center as an activities coordinator.

 

Harley, who had relocated to Worcester from North Carolina, obtained an engineering position at American Superconductor Corporation after using the resources at Workforce Central.

 

Mora, of Worcester, who was laid-off in March 2003, found a position at Midland Farms as a recruiter. In this position, he has the opportunity to use Workforce Central to find qualified employees.

 

“These are just a few of the success stories occurring throughout the state,” said Romney. “As we actively work to bring new businesses to the local regions, we will effectively assist these career centers and make the Commonwealth a leader in job creation and economic growth.”

 

Starting the week of June 16th, the Commonwealth’s 33 full-service career centers will be open late two nights a week instead of closing at 5 PM each evening. Workforce Central will now be open until 7 PM on Mondays and Wednesdays.

 

At the centers, job seekers can access career planning and resume development services, referrals to job training opportunities, job search workshops, job postings on the Internet, labor market information and use of personal computers. Employers can take advantage of customized services including personnel recruitment, market job vacancies to qualified job seekers, access to occupational wage data and information on tax credits and workforce training funds.

 

Romney pledged his support to all Massachusetts’ citizens looking for a job.

 

“We must do whatever we can to set the stage for job growth and economic prosperity,” said Romney. “The work being done at these career centers will enable more people to look for work and get the tools they need to get their lives back on track.”

 

Additional information on the state’s One-Stop Career Centers can be found on www.detma.org.

---

 

2003

 

• 01-02-2003; Governor, lieutenant Governor sworn in; Romney, Healey Celebrate Inaugural Events
• 01-09-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Names professional human resources director;
• 01-10-2003; Governor Mitt Romney seeks expanded authority to balance Budget;
• 01-11-2003; local officials join Governor Mitt Romney; Healey to pledge cooperation;
• 01-13-2003; Governor Mitt Romney fills out cabinet by naming two new members
• 01-14-2003; On transportation, Governor Mitt Romney pledges to "fix it first"
• 01-16-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints new public health commissioner
• 01-17-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill giving him broader Budgetary powers;
• 01-22-2003; Governor Mitt Romney ties job growth to cleaner Environment; Plans to create
• 01-24-2003; Governor Mitt Romney lauds Bush for additional liheap funding; urges Congress to quickly pass increased LIHEAP funding
• 01-27-2003, Communities first: Governor Mitt Romney empowers cities and towns; New program gives cities and towns unprecedented flexibility in road projects
• 01-28-2003; with Budget crisis looming, Governor Mitt Romney moves to cut press operation; Number of press secretaries is downsized, saving $1.2 million annually
• 01-29-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces increase in fuel assistance benefits
• 01-30-2003; Governor Mitt Romney administration reaches out to local communities; Municipal relief package gives cities and towns more flexibility
• 01-31-2003; Governor Mitt Romney unveils no-downpayment loan option; Users of public transportation benefit from ‘Take the PVTA Home’ Program
• 02-03-2003; Governor Mitt Romney puts focus on economic revitalization; welcomes Bowstreet to Mass. following cross-Border move from New Hampshire
• 02-04-2003; Governor Mitt Romney nixes state printing contract for Budget; Putting Budget online saves $50,000; hint of changes to come
• 02-04-2003a; Dispelling the myths, commonly asked questions on the Budget
• 02-05-2003; Governor Mitt Romney to streamline legal function in executive branch; proposes to create a public interest law firm
• 02-06-2003; Governor Mitt Romney; Healey enforce power plant regulations; DEP denies PG&E request for two-year delay
• 02-11-2003; Governor Mitt Romney overhauls judicial nominating process; Establishes New Merit-Based System of Appointing Judges
• 02-13-2003; Governor Mitt Romney targets job growth through regional councils; Business, community and education leaders work together to bolster economic activity
• 02-14-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces commission to prevent homelessness; Tasked with coordinating state services to homeless
• 02-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney convenes affordable housing task force; Panel to assess the impact of Chapter 40B on cities and towns
• 02-19-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces new unified parks system for Massachusetts
• 02-20-2003; Governor Mitt Romney looks to streamline courts as Budget rollout continues
• 02-21-2003; Healey Announces $5.5 million for commercial fishermen
• 02-21-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney fights for prescription drug coverage for seniors
• 02-24-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces HHS reorganization as part of Budget
• 02-26-2003; Governor Mitt Romney unveils $22.858 billion fiscal year 2004 spending plan
• 02-27-2003; advocates show broad based support for Governor Mitt Romney Budget
• 03-03-2003; Governor Mitt Romney releases latest MCAS retest results for class 2003
• 03-04-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $1 million loan to home market foods
• 03-05-2003; fiscal year 2003 deficit closed, focus shifts to 04
• 03-05-2003; consumers warned to stay away from high cost TaxesTax refund anticipation loans; fast, low-cost options available Taxpayers of consequences of TaxesTax hike Taxpayers hear from Governor Mitt Romney
• 03-10-2003; hhs consolidations to save millions and improve service
• 03-11-2003; Governor Mitt Romney kicks off cities and towns to build more housing
• 03-11-2003a; emergency declaration issued for president's day storm
• 03-12-2003; Governor Mitt Romney pledges support to disabled community
• 03-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney administration Announces extended jobless benefits
• 03-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney; legislature push for "per se" drunk driving law
• 03-19-2003; Governor Mitt Romney administration launches capital project review
• 03-19-2003a; illness outbreak detection system is national model
• 03-20-2003; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates manuLife's new US headquarters
• 03-24-2003; to honor veterans, new tunnel to be named after liberty
• 03-25-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $3.1 million for homeless families
• 03-25-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces ocean management task force
• 03-28-2003; Governor Mitt Romney approves plan for Longfellow bridge improvements
• 04-01-2003; Governor Mitt Romney warns Taxes
• 04-02-2003; Photos of high-risk sex offenders to appear on internet
• 04-03-2003; Do not call registry hits one million mark
• 04-07-2003; Governor Mitt Romney winsstudent support for higher education plan
• 04-08-2003; Governor Mitt Romney calls for turnpike authority, Massachusetts highway merger
• 04-14-2003; Governor Mitt Romney calls for reforming state employee health care
• 04-15-2003; as they rush to file returns, Taxes
• 04-16-2003; Governor Mitt Romney; Boston chamber urge need for management reforms
• 04-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Names dr. Childs mental health commissioner
• 04-22-2003; Governor Mitt Romney; small business owners agree: don't raise TaxesTaxes Taxes
• 04-22-2003; Massachusetts dep, usgen ne take steps to clean up Salem power plant
• 04-25-2003; Healey breaks ground on ywca battered women's shelter
• 04-28-2003; Governor Mitt Romney to legislature: resist urge to raise Taxes
• 04-30-2003; 86 percent of vocational Students pass mcas
• 05-01-2003; Governor Mitt Romney vowsto protect English immersion law
• 05-02-2003; may marks national foster care month in Massachusetts
• 05-02-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill to provide more funding for homeless
• 05-06-2003; Governor Mitt Romney urges lawmakers to "save lives, save dollars"
• 05-07-2003; Governor Mitt Romney creates sexual and domestic violence commission
• 05-08-2003; Governor Mitt Romney outlines jobs plan, major new biz expansion
• 05-12-2003; Healey celebrates older Americans month
• 05-12-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney Announces security designation for convention
• 05-13-2003; Healey urges passage of municipal relief package
• 05-13-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney calls for an end to judicial inequity and waste
• 05-14-2003; Governor Mitt Romney submits executive branch reorganization plan
• 05-19-2003; Healey lauds AIS expansion, job growth
• 05-20-2003; Governor Mitt Romney proposes tougher penalties for oil spills
• 05-22-2003; Governor Mitt Romney; Menino announce new affordable housing
• 05-23-2003; Massachusetts to receive $550 million in federal funds
• 06-02-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Addresses joint committee on state administration
• 06-03-2003; Leaders show widespread support for Governor Mitt Romney Reform agenda
• 06-04-2003; helping Massachusetts' first responders
• 06-04-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $8.1 million in federal funds
• 06-06-2003; Governor Mitt Romney administration Announces appointments to state labor relations commission
• 06-06-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $74.5 million for statewide housing
• 06-06-2003; Governor Mitt Romney files bill to post sex offender information on web
• 06-09-2003; Healey Announces pathways to success mcas grants
• 06-11-2003; Governor Mitt Romney extends "helping hand" to unemployed
• 06-12-2003; Governor Mitt Romney unveils housing task force recommendations
• 06-13-2003; Governor Mitt Romney teams up with EPA to protect Massachusetts coastline
• 06-13-2003a; Healey Announces $6.8 million for new Taunton housing
• 06-13-2003b; Massachusetts dep, usgen ne agree on Salem power plant cleanup plan
• 06-17-2003; Governor Mitt Romney creates office of diversity and equal opportunity
• 06-17-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney unveils marketing effort for biz expansion
• 06-23-2003; Governor Mitt Romney swears in Keefe as National Guard chief
• 06-24-2003; Governor Mitt Romney embarks on a mission to create more jobs
• 06-25-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces extension of investment TaxesTax credit Tax Budget in time for new fiscal year
• 06-26-2003; Healey Announces teacher of the year
• 06-27-2003; Governor Mitt Romney launches new web tool to attract jobs
• 06-30-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs no new Taxes
• 07-03-2003; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates passage of new drunk driving law
• 07-08-2003; Healey stands up for will of voters on English immersion
• 07-08-2003a; Healey pledges $26.7 million for maverick development
• 07-10-2003; Healey Announces crime commission
• 07-11-2003; Call goes out for nominations for civilian bravery award
• 07-14-2003; Governor Mitt Romney creates new entrepreneurial spirit award
• 07-16-2003; with focus on economy; Governor Mitt Romney kicks off "jobs first" forums
• 07-17-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Reebok's Paul foster to massport board
• 07-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney welcomes another company to Massachusetts
• 07-21-2003; Governor Mitt Romney unveils new inner city investment award
• 07-23-2003; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates new chapter in affordable housing
• 07-24-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces new jobs initiative to promote economic development and revitalization
• 07-28-2003; Acting Gov. Healey restores teacher bonus programs
• 07-31-2003; Healey Announces "jobs first" day at state's career centers
• 08-01-2003; Healey Announces $5.2 million for gloucester housing
• 08-04-2003; Governor Mitt Romney honors zipcar with entrepreneurial spirit award
• 08-05-2003; Governor Mitt Romney awards $3.3 million in workforce training funds
• 08-06-2003; Governor Mitt Romney holds second "jobs first" forum
• 08-11-2003; Governor Mitt Romney holds third "jobs first" forum
• 08-12-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Life sciences cluster will create 700 jobs
• 08-13-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces launch of business leader survey
• 08-14-2003; Governor Mitt Romney introduces state of the art mbta buses
• 08-15-2003; a day after blackouts, Governor Mitt Romney Names paul g. Afonso as Chairman of department of telecommunications and energy
• 08-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $5.1 million in federal funds
• 08-20-2003; Governor Mitt Romney recognizes City fresh foods with inner city award
• 08-21-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs fiscal year 2003 deficiency Budget
• 08-25-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $17.6 million to create more housing
• 08-28-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints state's 1st secretary of veterans' services
• 09-03-2003; Governor Mitt Romney lauds Students' high scores on 2003 mcas
• 09-04-2003; Governor Mitt Romney; Healey celebrate "jobs first" day at career centers
• 09-05-2003; Governor Mitt Romney launches new crack down on repeat drunk drivers
• 09-09-2003; Governor Mitt Romney invites public to 9-11 state house ceremony
• 09-09-2003; Governor Mitt Romney backs findings of fire safety task force
• 09-10-2003; Governor Mitt Romney focuses on biotech as another company expands in Massachusetts
• 09-11-2003; Governor Mitt Romney presents Sweeney award for civilian bravery
• 09-15-2003; Governor Mitt Romney unveils jobs package to strengthen the economy
• 09-16-2003; Governor Mitt Romney administration appoints new DCR commissioner
• 09-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $6 million charter school grant
• 09-19-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces new mercury emission regulations
• 09-19-2003a; Healey breaks ground on Assabet rail trail
• 09-22-2003; Governor Mitt Romney presents entrepreneurial spirit, inner city investment awards
• 09-23-2003; Governor Mitt Romney takes scientific approach to death penalty
• 09-23-2003; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates consolidation of Rockland plant
• 09-24-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs lease extension at Massachusetts military reservation
• 09-24-2003; Healey recognizes 2003 compass schools
• 09-25-2003; Governor Mitt Romney cuts red tape to help bay state small businesses
• 09-26-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Names diversity and equal opportunity council
• 09-29-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces shot in the arm for flu vaccine program
• 09-30-2003; Governor Mitt Romney welcomes Jetblue airways to Logan (pdf)
• 10-01-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $8.9 million to create 825 more homes
• 10-04-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints three new University of Massachusetts trustees
• 10-09-2003; Healey presents $25,000 award to middle school principal
• 10-10-2003; Healey celebrates reconstructed Gloucester seawalls
• 10-14-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Judge Daher to Chair ethics commission
• 10-16-2003; Healey awards charters to five new charter schools
• 10-17-2003; Governor Mitt Romney highlights importance of training workers
• 10-17-2003a; Harshbarger to lead blue ribbon panel on corrections
• 10-20-2003; Governor Mitt Romney works for resurgence of Massachusetts economy
• 10-21-2003; Governor Mitt Romney invests $19.3 million in libraries statewide
• 10-22-2003; Governor Mitt Romney presents inner city investment, entrepreneurial awards
• 10-23-2003; Healey kicks off energy awareness month
• 10-29-2003; Governor Mitt Romney taps Grogan to head education task force
• 10-30-2003; Governor Mitt Romney works for resurgence of Massachusetts economy
• 10-31-2003; Governor Mitt Romney kicks off redevelopment of brownfields
• 10-31-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill to restore inland fish and game fund
• 11-03-2003; Healey presents social studies teacher with $25,000 award
• 11-05-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Hooley and Hurley to parole board
• 11-06-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Lindstrom to state lottery commission
• 11-07-2003; Healey Announces upgrades at soldiers' homes
• 11-12-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Thomas Merigan, Jr. To parole board
• 11-12-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs law to expand state DNA database
• 11-14-2003; Governor Mitt Romney proclaims support of the guard and reserve week
• 11-17-2003; Governor Mitt Romney presents inner [City; entrepreneurial spirit awards
• 11-18-2003; Statement by Governor Mitt Romney on SJC decision on gay marriage
• 11-18-2003; Governor Mitt Romney denounces legislature's UI bill, says it
• 11-18-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney argues for no delays in web posting of sex offenders
• 11-19-2003; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Candace Kochin to parole board
• 11-20-2003; Governor Mitt Romney creates permanent homelessness & housing council
• 11-24-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs sex offender changes into law
• 11-25-2003; Governor Mitt Romney allows UI bill to become law without signature
• 11-26-2003; Governor Mitt Romney signs economic stimulus, supplemental Budget bills
• 11-28-2003; Governor Mitt Romney lends a hand to state employees on military duty
• 12-03-2003; Blind review process yields Romney’s first judicial picks
• 12-03-2003a; Governor Mitt Romney praises Yankee candles entrepreneurial spirit
• 12-04-2003; Governor Mitt Romney ushers in changes to aid business community
• 12-05-2003; Governor Mitt Romney honors eastern fisheries with inner city award
• 12-05-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $58.9 million for new housing
• 12-12-2003; Governor Mitt Romney Joins archbishop O' malley for new Lynn housing
• 12-17-2003; Governor Mitt Romney kicks off transit oriented development initiative
• 12-19-2003; Governor Mitt Romney establishes new standards for notaries public

 

2004

• 01-08-2004; Governor Mitt Romney files bill to strengthen child protection laws
• 01-09-2004; Governor Mitt Romney kicks off commonwealth capital program
• 01-09-2004; Healey Announces $4.6m to house domestic violence victims
• 01-12-2004; Governor Mitt Romney proposes increased funding for medical examiner
• 01-12-2004; Healey honors traditional breads with inner city award
• 01-13-2004; Healey recognizes Baril Die's entrepreneurial spirit
• 01-14-2004; Governor Mitt Romney boosts funding for homeless programs in '05 Budget
• 01-15-2004; Governor Mitt Romney focuses on education in 2004 state of the state
• 01-16-2004; Governor Mitt Romney targets resources to lowest performing districts
• 01-19-2004; Emergency declaration issued for December snowstorm
• 01-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney opens door to college for top scoring Students
• 01-21-2004; Governor Mitt Romney details mandatory parental prep plan
• 01-22-2004; Healey details plan to remove disruptive Students from class
• 01-23-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; Healey propose lifting charter school cap
• 01-26-2004; Governor Mitt Romney launches $100 million program to spur new housing
• 01-28-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces super bowl wager with nc Governor
• 01-28-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney unveils $22.979 billion fiscal year 2005 spending plan
• 01-29-2004; Romney's Budget pumps up anti-Terrorism funding
• 01-30-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints capeless berkshire County d.a.
• 02-02-2004; Gov't watchdog groups back turnpike/highway merger
• 02-03-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces MCAs retest results for class of 2005
• 02-06-2004; Healey: construction changes key to school building reforms
• 02-10-2004; Governor Mitt Romney proposal preserves $400m road & bridge commitment
• 02-11-2004; Governor Mitt Romney statement regarding constitutional convention
• 02-18-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints deborah mcdonagh to parole board
• 02-18-2004; Governor Mitt Romney wants to help seniors stay in their homes
• 02-19-2004; Healey Announces entrepreneurial training awards
• 02-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney applauds Students for early mcas preparation
• 02-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints greg white to pension fund board
• 02-20-2004; Healey promotes gunlocks to increase child safety
• 02-23-2004; 'ten most wanted' child support scofflaws revealed
• 02-23-2004a; Healey honors H.O. Zimman with inner city award
• 02-24-2004; statement of Governor Mitt Romney on the federal marriage amendment
• 02-25-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Ricciardone to Worcester district court
• 02-25-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Endorses findings of Grogan task force on education
• 02-26-2004; Healey recognizes Veryfine for entrepreneurial spirit
• 03-02-2004; Governor Mitt Romney works to prevent outsourcing of jobs
• 03-04-2004; Healey awards $1.4 million to protect two Westport farms
• 03-04-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney swears in Capeless as Berkshire County d.a.
• 03-08-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces creation of fair housing advisory panel
• 03-09-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $45 million to fight Terrorism
• 03-10-2004; Healey honors George knight & co with inner city award
• 03-11-2004; Healey honors Leominster company with Governor's award
• 03-12-2004; library construction grant round opens
• 03-12-2004; statement of Governor mitt Governor Mitt Romney on constitutional convention
• 03-16-2004; Kathleen Dennehy tabbed as new correction commissioner
• 03-22-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces new anti-outsourcing initiative
• 03-24-2004; Governor Mitt Romney administration awards $458m in low-interest loans for 85 local water and sewer projects
• 03-25-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Wwens as Dorchester clerk-magistrate
• 03-29-2004; statement of Governor mitt Governor Mitt Romney on constitutional convention
• 03-31-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; Healey announce $2m for first-time homebuyers
• 03-31-2004a; new it policy results in first open standards contract
• 04-01-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces changes to spur smart growth projects
• 04-05-2004; crime panel backs mandatory post release supervision
• 04-06-2004; Healey, reilly Endorse data sharing to protect schools
• 04-07-2004; Governor Mitt Romney taps Kimball as economic development secretary
• 04-07-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs "ally Zapp" bill into law
• 04-14-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Haley to Dudley district court
• 04-15-2004; Governor Mitt Romney administration unveils new crime fighting tool
• 04-15-2004; Governor Mitt Romney files emergency bill to seek Goodridge decision stay
• 04-16-2004; Healey honors Pittsfield's interprint with inner city award
• 04-23-2004; Governor Mitt Romney extends General Keefe's term of service
• 04-29-2004; Governor Mitt Romney turns ignition on auto insurance reform
• 05-03-2004; Governor Mitt Romney accepts findings of capital punishment council
• 05-04-2004; Governor Mitt Romney launches anti-terror initiative on rail lines
• 05-05-2004; Governor Mitt Romney vowscharter school moratorium veto
• 05-06-2004; Governor Mitt Romney unveils climate protection plan for Massachusetts
• 05-07-2004; Healey honors cape cod husband and wife team
• 05-07-2004a; Healey Announces $750,000 for cape cod open space
• 05-12-2004; Healey celebrates esplanade's 100 new cherry trees
• 05-14-2004; bank of America, fleet merger yields dividends for housing
• 05-14-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney awards $6.275 million to preserve affordable rents
• 05-14-2004; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates new route 20 connector at centech park
• 05-19-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; HUD team up to preserve section 8 vouchers
• 05-21-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs Taylor's law to give patients voice in hearings
• 05-23-2004; commencement Address to the Students of Suffolk university
• 05-24-2004; Healey honors Gorton's Seafoods with Governor's award
• 05-27-2004; Governor Mitt Romney welcomes Straumann USA to Massachusetts
• 05-28-2004; Governor Mitt Romney marks Memorial Day by honoring veterans
• 06-02-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Names Major Robbins new state police superintendent
• 06-03-2004; Governor Mitt Romney delivers first dividend on reform
• 06-03-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney; Travaglini open new airport mbta station
• 06-04-2004; Healey Announces $62 million for affordable housing
• 06-08-2004; Governor Mitt Romney declares june 11th day of honor for president reagan
• 06-09-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints mccombs mema director
• 06-10-2004; Governor Mitt Romney swears in Robbins as new state police colonel
• 06-15-2004; Board of higher ED overwhelmingly okays Adams scholarship
• 06-18-2004; Governor Mitt Romney makes smoking history in bay state
• 06-18-2004; Healey honors Worcester company for inner city investment
• 06-22-2004; "preserving traditional marriage: a view from the states"
• 06-23-2004; Governor Mitt Romney to veto charter school moratorium
• 06-24-2004; Healey honors teachers for outstanding achievement
• 06-25-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs $22.402b fiscal year 2005 'no new TaxesTax' Budget Tax-free shopping day on Saturday
• 06-25-2004; Governor Mitt Romney breaks ground on new, modern Worcester courthouse
• 06-29-2004; Governor Mitt Romney welcomes 3com to Massachusetts
• 06-30-2004; Harshbarger commission recommends blueprint for reform
• 07-01-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs off on permanent assault weapons ban
• 07-02-2004; Governor Mitt Romney administration paves way for Sagamore rotary fix
• 07-11-2004; Governor Mitt Romney pushes for continuous representation in US Senate
• 07-12-2004; state, City, turnpike authority reach historic agreement on rose Kennedy Greenway
• 07-13-2004; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates mass. Expansion of Fujifilm
• 07-14-2004; Governor Mitt Romney administration makes Springfield finance board APPTS
• 07-15-2004; Governor Mitt Romney replaces Chair of joint labor management committee
• 07-15-2004; Governor Mitt Romney approves electronic weapons for law enforcement
• 07-19-2004; lt. Governor Healey signs construction Reform into law
• 07-21-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs transportation Reform legislation
• 07-21-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney nominates judge graham to appeals court
• 07-21-2004b; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Katzmann to appeals court
• 07-21-2004c; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Morris early clerk of Newburyport court
• 07-23-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; decrying politics, vetoes Senate vacancy bill
• 07-28-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; as part of ED agenda, signs school building reforms
• 07-30-2004; Healey signs safe havens law to protect newborn infants
• 08-02-2004; Healey awards $1.5m to boost Gloucester development
• 08-04-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs legislation to prevent oil spills
• 08-05-2004; Healey honors Attleboro company with Governor's award
• 08-05-2004a; Healey Announces $550,000 grants to combat heroin use
• 08-05-2004b; Healey delivers $5 million for new Bedford/fairhaven harbor
• 08-10-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; Menino celebrate interfaith apartments opening
• 08-10-2004; Healey commits $114 million for smart growth development
• 08-11-2004; Governor Mitt Romney invests $1.28 billion for capital projects
• 08-11-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney promotes Taxes
• 08-12-2004; Healey presents Fall River ford with inner city award
• 08-17-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs into law landmark fire safety legislation
• 08-18-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Names Grabauskas to turnpike authority board
• 08-19-2004; Healey delivers downtown improvement grant to Adams
• 08-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney administration signs animal cruelty legislation
• 08-26-2004; lt. Gov Healey signs bill cracking down on Somerville gangs
• 08-27-2004; Heads up: Healey signs law requiring helmets for kids
• 09-08-2004; Governor Mitt Romney lauds class of 2006 for outstanding mcas achievement
• 09-09-2004; Governor Mitt Romney invites public to annual 9-11 state house ceremony
• 09-11-2004; Governor Mitt Romney presents annual Sweeney award for civilian bravery
• 09-15-2004; Governor Mitt Romney creates advisory council on corrections reform
• 09-16-2004; Governor Mitt Romney introduces state-of-the-art virtual gateway
• 09-17-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs $439 million supplemental Budget bill
• 09-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney hails new sex offender tracking tool
• 09-22-2004; Governor Mitt Romney launches $44m facelift at Ashmont Station
• 09-22-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney administration scores touchdown for Dilboy Field
• 09-23-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $5 million for Cape Cod rail trail
• 09-23-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs law protecting armed service members
• 09-23-2004; Healey kicks off second annual "jobs first" day
• 09-24-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints mark d. Nielsen as new chief legal counsel
• 09-24-2004; Healey honors Westford company with Governor's award
• 09-27-2004; costs are down, but Environmental enforcement is up
• 09-29-2004; Governor Mitt Romney administration wins$1.25 million for efficiency
• 09-30-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $5 million upgrade for Horseneck beach
• 10-01-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $1.5 million to combat gang activity
• 10-05-2004; Healey recognizes 2004 commonwealth compass schools
• 10-05-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; Healey present 21st annual Hanna awards
• 10-06-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Macdonald, Mcintyre for superior court
• 10-07-2004; Governor Mitt Romney administration launches prisoner re-entry centers
• 10-13-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Murtagh, Gaziano to superior court
• 10-13-2004a; Healey presents 4th grade teacher with $25,000 award
• 10-13-2004b; Healey, public safety and fire officials salute young heroes
• 10-15-2004; Healey awards $1 million for senior housing in Ipswich
• 10-15-2004a; Healey honors Lawrence businessman with inner city award
• 10-19-2004; Board of higher ED gives green light to Adams scholarship
• 10-19-2004; Governor Mitt Romney welcomes ASA indoor track and field championships
• 10-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Judge Robert C. Rufo to superior court
• 10-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney unveils first-in-the-nation tamper-resistant license
• 10-21-2004; Governor Mitt Romney awards $1.4m to promote new housing on Cape Cod
• 10-22-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces world series wager with Missouri Gov
• 10-27-2004; Governor Mitt Romney taps Bartini for southern Berkshire clerk-magistrate
• 10-27-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Bruce Henry to superior court
• 10-29-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints three to University of Massachusetts board, including "dr. J"
• 11-03-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Judge Connors to superior court
• 11-05-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces regional homeland security plans
• 11-08-2004; Governor Mitt Romney sings the praises of mbta's new "Charlie card"
• 11-12-2004; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $1.5m for first-time homebuyer program
• 11-12-2004; Governor Mitt Romney awards $2.25m to develop new housing statewide
• 11-15-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints physical fitness and sports committee
• 11-17-2004; Governor Mitt Romney signs toughest-in-the-nation film piracy law
• 11-18-2004; Healey signs law regulating use of motorized scooters
• 11-19-2004; Governor Mitt Romney elected vice Chair of republican Governors association
• 11-22-2004; Thanksgiving day 2004
• 11-23-2004; Governor Mitt Romney honors smart growth leadership accomplishments
• 11-23-2004; it's official: cranberry, blue & green are bay state's colors
• 11-24-2004; Governor Mitt Romney renews commitment to helping the homeless
• 11-30-2004; Governor Mitt Romney dedicates i-495 overpasses to wartime heroes
• 11-30-2004; Healey honors Acushnet company with Governor's award
• 12-01-2004; Governor Mitt Romney praises turnaround at professional licensing agency
• 12-01-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Judge Daniel O Shea to district court
• 12-01-2004b; Governor Mitt Romney nominates fields as w. Massachusetts housing courtclerk
• 12-03-2004; Governor Mitt Romney breaks ground on Sagamore improvement project
• 12-06-2004; Governor Mitt Romney; healthcare leaders tout medical innovations
• 12-07-2004; 2004 Chanukah proclamation
• 12-08-2004; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Hinkle, Bolden to district court
• 12-08-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney to nominate Palmeri as clerk of Greenfield court
• 12-08-2004b; Governor Mitt Romney; Healey present firefighter of the year awards
• 12-10-2004; 13,000 Massachusetts Students win free college tuition
• 12-16-2004; Governor Mitt Romney seeks to jumpstart big dig cost recovery
• 12-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Boston lawyer to state ethics commission
• 12-20-2004; Governor Mitt Romney appoints new commissioners to DTE
• 12-20-2004a; Governor Mitt Romney reaches agreement to clean up Cape Cod power plant
• 12-30-2004; Healey signs bill to help those convicted in error

 

 

2005

 

• 01-03-2005; Healey kicks off baby safe haven awareness campaign
• 01-03-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill cracking down on auto insurance fraud
• 01-03-2005; Governor Mitt Romney makes appeal to Massachusetts citizens to support Tsunami relief effort
• 01-04-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $45.3m for affordable housing
• 01-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney pledges 4.3 percent boost in local aid over last year
• 01-11-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill to protect elders and the disabled
• 01-13-2005; Governor Mitt Romney delivers 2005 state of the commonwealth Address
• 01-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney nominates trio to district court
• 01-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney touts program rewarding companies for new jobs
• 01-21-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names NYC deputy medical examiner as new Massachusetts chief
• 01-24-2005; with work, Governor Mitt Romney helps welfare recipients get on their feet
• 01-25-2005; Governor Mitt Romney moves to make science a graduation requirement
• 01-26-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files $23.22 billion Budget for fiscal year 2006
• 01-28-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces super bowl wager with pa Governor
• 01-28-2005; Governor Mitt Romney invites fans to cheer on pats at New England send-off
• 01-28-2005; Governor Mitt Romney expands adult basic education for immigrants
• 02-01-2005; Governor Mitt Romney makes $261m bid to expand Hanscom, Natick bases
• 02-03-2005; Governor Mitt Romney and citizens bank announce job creation program
• 02-02-2005; Jetblue plans new focus City at Boston's Logan international airport
• 02-04-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill that sets the stage for job growth
• 02-07-2005; Healey tapped to lead regional Competitve councils
• 02-10-2005; Governor Mitt Romney awards smart growth assistance grants to 12 cities
• 02-14-2005; lt. Gov. Healey files bill to mandate post-release supervision
• 02-15-2005; to cut crime; Massachusetts makes it easier to share criminal justice info
• 02-16-2005; Healey proposes GPS tracking to protect domestic violence victims
• 02-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces federal snow aid on its way
• 02-21-2005; Governor Mitt Romney proposes to expand benefits for military families
• 02-24-2005; Governor Mitt Romney tabs Christopher Moore to Chair JNC
• 02-25-2005; Healey recognizes polar beverages with Governor's award
• 03-03-2005; With employment on the rise, Governor Mitt Romney steps up jobs effort
• 03-04-2005; Governor Mitt Romney taps secretary Kimball to Chair Massdevelopment
• 03-07-2005; Healey honors d2hawkeye with Governor's award
• 03-10-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces 20-year statewide transportation plan
• 03-14-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names nine-member early education and care board
• 03-14-2005; State awards more than $519 million in low-interest loans for 92 local water and sewer projects
• 03-15-2005; statement of Governor mitt Governor Mitt Romney on turnpike authority
• 03-15-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces bond rating upgrade for commonwealth's debt
• 03-15-2005; Governor Mitt Romney administration awards $11m in fire safety grants
• 03-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files legislation to protect state s ocean waters
• 03-21-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces additional $1.31m for maverick project
• 03-21-2005; Governor Mitt Romney awards $4.55m for first-time homebuyer projects
• 03-21-2005; fry tapped to lead state economic development agency
• 03-28-2005; Healey Announces expanded shelter access for homeless
• 03-29-2005; Governor Mitt Romney directs early release of road funds for municipalities
• 03-30-2005; Governor Mitt Romney proposes c.h.o.i.c.e. TaxesTax relief program for seniors Tax bills
• 03-31-2005; Healey launches high-tech tool to track sex offenders
• 04-06-2005; Governor Mitt Romney launches healthcare Reform in Massachusetts
• 04-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney takes healthcare Reform on the road
• 04-11-2005; Healey recognizes the Charles C. Lewis company
• 04-12-2005; small businesses to benefit under Governor Mitt Romney healthcare plan
• 04-13-2005; Governor Mitt Romney nominates trio to judiciary
• 04-14-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Jane Tewksbury as DYS commissioner
• 04-19-2005; Governor Mitt Romney honors 9 communities for smart growth innovation
• 04-21-2005; Healey Announces $2.31m for housing development
• 04-23-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names colonel mason to lead Massachusetts National Guard
• 04-25-2005; Governor Mitt Romney and citizens bank tout new jobs in Massachusetts
• 04-26-2005; Governor Mitt Romney praises national small business award recipient
• 04-28-2005; relying on science, Governor Mitt Romney files death penalty bill
• 05-02-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names John Cogliano as transportation secretary
• 05-03-2005; Governor Mitt Romney; Travaglini and Dimasi launch 'every body move!' public awareness campaign
• 05-04-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Stephen Albany to Wrentham district court
• 05-05-2005; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates decade of charter school success
• 05-06-2005; Governor Mitt Romney voices support for Citysquare redevelopment
• 05-11-2005; Governor Mitt Romney unveils commonwealth's anti-terror fusion center
• 05-12-2005; Healey honors Boston company with Governor's award
• 05-12-2005; Governor Mitt Romney proposes $40m to rebuild University of Massachusetts Boston garage
• 05-16-2005; lt. Governor Healey unveils substance abuse plan
• 05-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney cracks down on identity theft and fraud
• 05-20-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs repeal of colonial era Indian prohibition act
• 05-24-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files 'Massachusetts GI bill,' pushes for better soldier benefits
• 05-25-2005; Healey pushes tool to protect Children from sex offenders
• 05-26-2005; Salem power plant settlement ensures Environmental compliance, regional grid reliability
• 05-27-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files "Melanie's bill," says it will help keep repeat drunk drivers off the road
• 06-01-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files auto insurance Reform legislation
• 06-06-2005; Governor Mitt Romney administration touts finance tool for cities, towns
• 06-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $3 million veterans cemetery expansion
• 06-07-2005; Healey delivers $4.1 million for elderly transit assistance
• 06-09-2005; Healey Announces $75 million for rental housing development
• 06-10-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files legislation to "fix" capital gains error; citizens will get refunds, not retroactive Taxes
• 06-15-2005; Governor Mitt Romney awards $8.5 million in workforce training funds
• 06-16-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files bill to expedite local permitting
• 06-22-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces 2006 teacher of the year
• 06-23-2005; Governor Mitt Romney administration receives top award for better government
• 06-24-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Luisa Paiewonsky as highway commissioner
• 06-28-2005; Governor Mitt Romney voices support for faith-based programs
• 06-30-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs into law $23.8 billion Budget for fiscal year '06
• 07-01-2005; Healey honors Davico with Governor's award
• 07-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names A&F, human services and Environment chiefs
• 07-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Massachusetts green communities initiative
• 07-08-2005; Governor Mitt Romney taps Matthew Carlin for University of Massachusetts board of trustees
• 07-08-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files legislation to lift families from poverty
• 07-13-2005; Governor Mitt Romney nominates trio to judiciary
• 07-14-2005; Governor Mitt Romney administration awarded $2 million high school Reform grant
• 07-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney unveils capital Budget, major focus on higher ed
• 07-18-2005; Healey Announces courthouse construction program
• 07-20-2005; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Latino-American advisory commission
• 07-20-2005; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Renee P. Dupuis as juvenile courtjustice
• 07-20-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files safety net care legislation
• 07-22-2005; Governor Mitt Romney approves TaxesTax-free shopping holiday Tax-free shopping weekend
• 07-22-2005; Governor Mitt Romney presents new "gold star" plate to Boule family
• 07-28-2005; Healey signs $200 million bond bill to build more housing
• 07-28-2005; Healey Endorses mandatory overdose reporting bill
• 07-29-2005; Healey signs bill reforming system for indigent counsel
• 08-03-2005; Healey, Menino tout newly-renovated savin hill station
• 08-06-2005; Healey signs bill to honor Massachusetts National Guard
• 08-08-2005; Governor Mitt Romney asks companies to sign up for jobs incentive program
• 08-09-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Matthew N. Kane to state ethics commission
• 08-09-2005; Imbert chosen to lead refugee and immigrant agency
• 08-11-2005; Governor Mitt Romney; Dimasi, Hart promote Taxes
• 08-17-2005; in Worcester, Governor Mitt Romney pushes permitting Reform to create jobs
• 08-18-2005; Healey breaks ground on Norwottuck rail trail
• 08-22-2005; Governor Mitt Romney pushes for state marketing team to help create jobs
• 08-24-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces doubling of space for state crime lab
• 08-25-2005; new state police barracks, more cops on the way, Governor Mitt Romney says
• 08-26-2005; Governor Mitt Romney extends support to public employees on military duty
• 08-31-2005; Governor Mitt Romney calls for crackdown on repeat drunk drivers
• 09-01-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Burrington to head state parks agency
• 09-02-2005; Governor Mitt Romney makes UMass, prim board appointments
• 09-06-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs $25 million emergency appropriations
• 09-13-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Mary Z. Connaughton to turnpike authority
• 09-13-2005; Governor Mitt Romney honors 2005 commonwealth compass schools
• 09-16-2005; Governor Mitt Romney issues public health alert regarding diseases spread by mosquitoes
• 09-22-2005; Governor Mitt Romney files comprehensive education Reform package
• 09-30-2005; Governor Mitt Romney awards $2 million in state assistance to Worcester
• 10-03-2005; Governor Mitt Romney calls for TaxesTax cut as revenues come flooding in Tax fix to prevent retroactive TaxesTaxation Tax relief
• 10-06-2005; Healey presents 22nd annual Hanna awards
• 10-06-2005a; Governor Mitt Romney administration Names Thomas Gloster to springfield finance board
• 10-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney and u.s. energy secretary Bodman join to present easy ways to save energy this winter
• 10-18-2005; to protect public safety, Governor Mitt Romney orders review of high hazard dams
• 10-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney launches new healthcare tool for consumers
• 10-19-2005; Governor Mitt Romney lauds nation-topping performance by Massachusetts Students
• 10-21-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Paul cote as commissioner of public health
• 10-24-2005; Governor Mitt Romney closes curtain on operation helping hand
• 10-26-2005; Governor Mitt Romney pushes for tougher drunk driving penalties
• 10-27-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill to track released criminals
• 10-28-2005; Governor Mitt Romney; Healey present 2005 firefighter of the year awards
• 10-28-2005; Governor Mitt Romney celebrates the passage of Melanie's bill
• 10-28-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Joins in surprise presentations of national educator awards to top Massachusetts teachers
• 11-02-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs first-of-its-kind biotech partnership with Italy
• 11-03-2005; Governor Mitt Romney declares November "hire a veteran" month
• 11-04-2005; Governor Mitt Romney delivers oil spill emergency response trailers to buzzards bay communities
• 11-04-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs Nicole's law
• 11-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney honors six educators for excellence in math and science
• 11-08-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names Steven Rosenthal to mcca board
• 11-08-2005a; Governor Mitt Romney approves death benefit for mcnamara family
• 11-09-2005; Governor Mitt Romney awards $5 million in workforce training funds
• 11-11-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs legislation expanding military benefits
• 11-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Anne Collins as registrar of motor vehicles
• 11-18-2005; Governor Mitt Romney proposes Taxes
• 11-20-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill to give seniors Taxes
• 11-21-2005; Governor Mitt Romney stands up for consumers, vetoes wine bill
• 11-22-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs legislation to provide energy price relief and increase conservation
• 11-23-2005; Governor Mitt Romney nominates ariane d. Vuono to appeals court
• 11-23-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Names roberto braceras to ballot law commission
• 11-23-2005; Governor Mitt Romney nominates james j. Torney as juvenile courtjustice
• 11-23-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs law to cover school costs associated with smart growth housing
• 11-23-2005; "lights, camera, action!" in Massachusetts
• 12-07-2005; Governor Mitt Romney Announces strict new clean air regulations to take effect January 1
• 12-08-2005; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill abolishing retroactive Taxes|Tax
• 12-09-2005; Governor Governor Mitt Romney; first lady to host state house christmas tree and menorah lighting ceremony
• 12-15-2005; Governor Mitt Romney awards free tuition to 14,000 Massachusetts Students
• 12-15-2005; Healey pushes to give prosecutors tools to protect crucial witnesses in gang crimes
• 12-14-2005; Healey opens relocated rt. 44 between carver and kingston
• 12-19-2005; Governor Mitt Romney taps two new Massachusetts maritime academy trustees
• 12-20-2005; Healey expands substance abuse treatment for women

 

• 12-21-2005; Healey kicks off student drug testing program in New Bedford
• 12-22-2005; Governor Mitt Romney approves $11 million plan to target gang violence
• 12-22-2005; Healey calls for responsible driving this holiday season

 

2006

• 01-03-2006; Healey unveils ignition interlock devices for repeat drunk drivers
• 01-05-2006; Governor Mitt Romney files bill to protect rights of sexual assault victims
• 01-11-2006; Governor Mitt Romney testifies on education reform
• 01-11-2006; Governor Mitt Romney and Owens make friendly wager on Saturday’s patriots-broncos game
• 01-13-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces a nearly $200 million increase in local aid
• 01-17-2006; Governor Mitt Romney files bill to support consumer choice in wine
• 01-17-2006; Governor Mitt Romney makes board of education appointments
• 01-18-2006; Governor Mitt Romney nominates John T. Lu to superior court
• 01-18-2006; Governor Mitt Romney focuses on health care, education; jobs
• 01-24-2006; Governor Mitt Romney urges TaxesTax payers to file for new TaxesTax breaks
• 01-24-2006; Healey pledges funding for sexual and domestic violence victims
• 01-25-2006; Governor Mitt Romney files $25.19 billion Budget for fiscal year 2007
• 01-27-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints panel to review Haleigh Poutre case
• 01-30-2006; Governor Mitt Romney administration appoints chief information officer
• 01-30-2006; Healey unveils community-friendly highway design guide
• 02-01-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces January revenues total $1.924 billion
• 02-06-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Names Janice s. Tatarka as consumer affairs director
• 02-07-2006; Governor Mitt Romney proposes $36.5m in funding for pandemic preparedness
• 02-08-2006; Governor Mitt Romney honors legendary blues artist Taj Mahal
• 02-13-2006; Healey awards $6.5 million in workforce training grants
• 02-14-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill providing $1 million for 2006 NCAA women's final four
• 02-15-2006; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Andrew r. Grainger to appeals court
• 02-15-2006; Governor Mitt Romney nominates Lynn C. Rooney to Dedham district court
• 02-15-2006; Healey Announces $2.5 million in first-time homebuyer assistance
• 02-21-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Names Amy Lischko as health care commissioner
• 02-21-2006; Governor Mitt Romney launches new job creation initiative
• 02-24-2006; Governor Mitt Romney urges TaxesTaxpayers to deduct home heating expenses Tax cut
• 03-06-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Robert C. Haas as secretary of public safety
• 03-06-2006a; Healey pushes for passage of anti-gang violence bill
• 03-07-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Ariane Vuono to appeals court
• 03-07-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $1.45 million roadway grant to Springfield
• 03-10-2006; defending religious liberty, Governor Mitt Romney to file bill exempting religious institutions from gay adoption requirement
• 03-10-2006; Healey voices support for veteran training effort
• 03-15-2006; without welfare reform, Governor Mitt Romney warns that Massachusetts stands to lose $56 million in federal funds
• 03-14-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints two new Massachusetts maritime academy trustees
• 03-16-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces $516.5 million to support smart growth in Massachusetts
• 03-21-2006; Poutre panel recommends reforms in child welfare system
• 03-29-2006; Governor Mitt Romney administration Names chief human resources officer
• 03-28-2006; Healey launches statewide effort to prevent underage drinking
• 03-30-2006; Governor Mitt Romney directs release of road funds for municipalities
• 03-30-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill to crack down on gang violence
• 04-28-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Names Deborah Shufrin as director of business and technology
• 04-26-2006; Governor Mitt Romney nominates four women to judiciary
• 04-24-2006; officials announce $16 million nanotech grant for University of Massachusetts
• 04-21-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Names Gottlieb as community development chief
• 04-20-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces award of abstinence education contract
• 04-03-2006; Healey urges high schools to implement financial literacy program
• 04-13-2006; Governor Mitt Romney honors fallen Korean warhero
• 04-13-2006; Healey Announces Massachusetts' first recovery high school
• 04-12-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs landmark health insuranceReform bill
• 05-01-2006; implementation of health care law proceeds
• 05-02-2006; Amid record revenues, Governor Mitt Romney and Healey renew call for Taxes
• 05-03-2006; Governor Mitt Romney grants charters to three new public schools
• 05-05-2006; Governor Mitt Romney honors fallen national guardsman
• 05-08-2006; Healey calls on more employers to hire veterans
• 05-09-2006; Healey delivers $2.3 million grant to Salem ferry project
• 05-16-2006; Healey delivers $10.2 million in water transportation funds
• 05-16-2006; Governor Mitt Romney; officials celebrate National Guard week
• 05-17-2006; Governor Mitt Romney seeks "major disaster" declaration
• 05-17-2006; Healey and Menino announce $3 million gang-fighting grant for Boston
• 05-18-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Names mark Delaney as state police colonel
• 05-18-2006; Healey awards gang-fighting grants to 15 communities
• 05-23-2006; Healey to file medical malpractice reform
• 05-24-2006; Healey calls for safe holiday weekend driving
• 05-25-2006; Governor Mitt Romney administration Announces flood aid on its way
• 05-25-2006; renowned healthcare strategist named to head connector
• 05-31-2006; Governor Mitt Romney asks president Bush for public assistance disaster declaration
• 05-31-2006; Governor Mitt Romney files bill to promote parental responsibility
• 06-06-2006; Governor Mitt Romney honors fallen guardsman Robert Rooney
• 06-12-2006; Governor Mitt Romney administration Announces additional flood assistance
• 06-14-2006; Governor Mitt Romney swears in mark Delaney as state police colonel
• 06-15-2006; Governor Mitt Romney honors the memory of fallen soldier
• 06-15-2006; Governor Mitt Romney recognizes employers for hiring veterans
• 06-21-2006; Governor Mitt Romney welcomes Samsonite to Massachusetts
• 06-22-2006; Healey launches ferry service for Salem to Boston
• 06-24-2006; Governor Mitt Romney vetoes wasteful spending, cites need to maintain fiscal discipline
• 06-28-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Trimarco and Lindstrom to turnpike authority board of directors
• 06-30-2006; Governor Mitt Romney vetoes needles bill
• 06-30-2006a; Healey celebrates Nuvera expansion in Massachusetts
• 07-06-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs legislation to promote hunter safety
• 07-06-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces funding for faith-based initiatives in Boston
• 07-07-2006; Healey Announces local aid for cities and towns
• 07-08-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs $25.2 billion fiscal year 2007 state Budget
• 07-10-2006; Healey Announces Springfield’s first recovery high school
• 07-11-2006; Governor Mitt Romney acts to remove Amorello, citing public safety
• 07-13-2006; Governor Mitt Romney files bill to reassure public on tunnel safety
• 07-24-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints Judy m. Pagliuca to turnpike board
• 07-20-2006; Governor Mitt Romney proposes $8 million for National Guard college fee waivers
• 07-18-2006; Healey celebrates made in Massachusetts day
• 07-26-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces federal approval for commonwealth's healthcare Reform plan
• 07-26-2006; Governor Mitt Romney tabs Phillip Rapoza as chief of appeals court
• 07-26-2006; Governor Mitt Romney approves exemption for target pistols
• 07-28-2006; Governor Mitt Romney files amendments to welfare bill
• 07-28-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs mercury reduction bill
• 08-01-2006; Healey hails passage of sexual assault program
• 08-02-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs permitting Reform into law
• 08-03-2006; Governor Mitt Romney expands care options for seniors; disabled
• 08-04-2006; Governor Mitt Romney dedicates bridge to fallen Marine
• 08-04-2006; Governor Mitt Romney urges caution on expensive new pre-k entitlement
• 08-08-2006; Governor Mitt Romney signs bill making basketball the official sport
• 08-11-2006; Governor Mitt Romney unveils long term energy plan
• 08-14-2006; Governor Mitt Romney expands Taxes|Tax benefits for disabled veterans
• 08-16-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints new Environmental affairs secretary
• 08-16-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces engineering firm, big dig advisory panel
• 08-21-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Announces staff changes in Governor’s office
• 08-24-2006; Governor Mitt Romney orders security review of state's LNG storage facilities
• 08-29-2006; Governor Mitt Romney Names Arleen O’Donnell as acting commissioner of massdep
• 08-31-2006; Governor Governor Mitt Romney; education leaders salute college and career outreach contest finalists
• 09-01-2006; Governor Mitt Romney appoints seven trustees at university of Massachusetts.
• 09-05-2006; Romney denounces Khatami visit to Harvard.
• 09-07-2006; Romney signs bill authorizing disabled participation on regional transit boards.
• 09-15-2006; Romney awards free tuition to 16,000 high school seniors.
• 09-14-2006; Governor Romney approves long-term lease for Tewksbury state hospital equine therapeutic program.
• 09-12-2006; Healey Announces Boston's first recovery high school.
• 09-11-2006; Romney Names Soo Kim as telecommunications commissioner.
• 09-11-2006-; Healey presents Amy Sweeney awards for bravery.
• 09-08-2006;omney Names Gayl Mileszko as new labor director.
• 09-22-2006; Romney swears in new Massachusetts state police troopers
• 09-25-2006; Rath Joins Governor Mitt Romney’s Commonwealth PAC as Senior Advisor.
• 09-26-2006; Bruce Keough to Lead Mitt Romney's Commonwealth PAC in New Hampshire.
• 09-27-2006; Iowa House Speaker Joins Mitt Romney’s Commonwealth PAC.
• 10-02-2006; Romney unveils first new healthcare Reform product.
• 10-05-2006; Romney implements bag inspections on the mbta.
• 10-13-2006; Healey presents Hanna memorial awards for bravery
• 10-16-2006; Mitt Romney's Commonwealth PAC Adds Three Key Advisors; Press Secretary.
• 10-18-2006; ROMNEY, HEALEY: TAKE DOWN TOLLS ON WESTERN TURNPIKE* 10-20-2006; ROMNEY WAVES FAREWELL TO SAGAMORE ROTARY* 10-25-2006; GOVERNOR ROMNEY NOMINATES FOUR TO JUDICIARY
• 10-26-2006; Mitt Romney's Commonwealth PAC Grows Finance Team.
• 11-01-2006; Mitt Romney chastizes John Kerry.
• 11-02-2006; Mitt Romney Sends a letter to more than 1,000 Republicans in the South Carolina.
• 11-03-2006; ROMNEY TRANSFERS FUNDS FROM GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO PAY MILITARY BENEFIT
• 11-08-2006; Mitt Romney's Statement on the 2006 elections results.
• 11-27-2006; COMMONWEALTH PAC ANNOUNCES SOUTHEASTERN SENIOR ADVISOR.
• 11-29-2006; ROMNEY’S PAC ADDS TO SOUTHERN TEAM. Bush Tax Cut Architects Join Romney's PAC.
• 12-13-2006, GOVERNOR ROMNEY, ICE SIGN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT PACT
• 12-19-2006, GOVERNOR ROMNEY APPROVES TWO OFFSHORE LNG TERMINALS
• 12-20-2006, ROMNEY NOMINATES FOUR TO JUDICIARY
• 12-22-2006, ROMNEY, COAST GUARD, NATIONAL GUARD SIGN MMR AGREEMENT

 

 

2007

 

• Nov 02, 2007; In The News Republican Romney Says President Should Have Renewed Foreign Trade Authority
• Nov 02, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Vision: A Nuclear Iran Is "Unacceptable"
• Nov 02, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Experience Matters"
• Nov 01, 2007; In The News Romney Makes Stop In Mason City
• Nov 01, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Maryland Steering Committee
• Nov 01, 2007; In The News Interview With Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney On Technology Issues
• Nov 01, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Vision: "What Is The Governor Supposed To Do?"
• Nov 01, 2007; In The News DeMint Could Give Romney Lift In S.C.
• Nov 01, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: A New Vision To Open Markets And Help Iowa Succeed
• Nov 01, 2007; Chat Ask Team Mitt Anything
• Nov 01, 2007; Events Riverside, CA Welcomes Mitt for Dinner - Fundraiser
• Nov 01, 2007; Events Mitt Romney Attends Lunch at Upland, CA - Fundraiser
• Nov 01, 2007; Events Washington, DC Welcomes Governor Romney for Dinner - Fundraiser
• Nov 01, 2007; Events Mitt Travels to Greenwich, CT for Dinner - Fundraiser
• Nov 01, 2007; Events Oakland County, MI Joins Ann Romney for Dinner - Fundraiser
• Nov 01, 2007; Press Releases U.S. Congressman Chris Cannon Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Nov 01, 2007; Press Releases Kathy Gregg To Serve As New Hampshire Co-Chair
• Oct 31, 2007; In The News Romney: Democrats Will Stifle Trade
• Oct 31, 2007; In The News In Chicago, Romney Warns Of "Hillary's House Of Horrors"
• Oct 31, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney Announces His Trade Policy Advisory Group
• Oct 31, 2007; Press Releases In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On "The Laura Ingraham Show"
• Oct 31, 2007; Press Releases Former Missouri State Rep. Jack Jackson Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Oct 31, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Vision: No Driver's Licenses For Illegals. Period.
• Oct 31, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney Announces National Co-Chairs
• Oct 30, 2007; Press Releases What They're Saying About Senator Judd Gregg's Endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney - Vol. 2
• Oct 30, 2007; In The News Romney Files Official Papers To Get On N.H. Primary Ballot
• Oct 30, 2007; In The News Romney, Clinton, Obama Lead In Latest U Of I Poll
• Oct 30, 2007; Press Releases Big City, Big Spender: Suing For More Spending
• Oct 30, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Record: Governor Romney's Top Ten Line-Item Vetoes
• Oct 29, 2007; Press Releases What They're Saying About Senator Judd Gregg's Endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney
• Oct 29, 2007; Press Releases Michigan Republican Leaders Endorse Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Oct 29, 2007; Press Releases Senator Judd Gregg Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Oct 28, 2007; In The News Romney Woos Emerald Coast
• Oct 27, 2007; The Romney Agenda: The Four Walls Of The Florida Home
• Oct 26, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On CNBC's "Mad Money"
• Oct 26, 2007; Arizona State Rep. Nancy McLain Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Oct 26, 2007; The Romney Vision: Protecting Traditional Marriage
• Oct 26, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Spanish-Language Radio Ad In Florida
• Oct 26, 2007; The Romney Agenda: The Four Walls Of The Iowa Home
• Oct 26, 2007; Governor Romney Announces The North Dakota Statewide Steering Committee
• Oct 25, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney Announces Romney For President Montana Senior Adviser
• Oct 25, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Record: Governor Romney And The Massachusetts Economy
• Oct 25, 2007; Press Releases Romney Agenda: A New Vision To Open Markets And Help New Hampshire Succeed
• Oct 25, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Vision: We Cannot Afford The Democrat Tax Bill
• Oct 25, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: Gov. Romney On Health Care For New Hampshire
• Oct 25, 2007; Press Releases Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Oct 24, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney On The President's Cuba Speech
• Oct 24, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Vision: Opening Markets For American Goods
• Oct 24, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney On The Confirmation Of Judge Leslie Southwick
• Oct 24, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Business World"
• Oct 24, 2007; Press Releases Ohio State Senator Bob Schuler Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Oct 24, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney Announces His Global Competitiveness Policy Advisory Group
• Oct 24, 2007; In The News Romney Pitches His Experience As Businessman
• Oct 24, 2007; In The News Romney Calls For 'Ideology Of Strength'
• Oct 23, 2007; Press Releases Romney Campaign Files For Missouri Presidential Primary Ballot
• Oct 23, 2007; Press Releases Romney Record: Governor Romney On Ending Sanctuary City Policies
• Oct 23, 2007; Press Releases Romney Agenda: A New Vision To Open Markets And Help U.S. Workers To Succeed
• Oct 22, 2007; Press Releases What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Orlando, FL GOP Debate - Vol. II
• Oct 21, 2007; Press Releases What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Orlando, FL GOP Debate
• Oct 21, 2007; Press Releases In Case You Missed It: "America Must Be Strong"
• Oct 21, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Lays Out An Optimistic Vision For The Nation
• Oct 21, 2007; Press Releases What They're Saying About Gov. Romney At The Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit
• Oct 20, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney On Sunday's "Elections" In Cuba
• Oct 20, 2007; In The News "An 'Electability' Theory?"
• Oct 19, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks At The Family Research Council
• Oct 19, 2007; Press Releases Dr. John Willke, A Founder Of The Pro-Life Movement Nationally & Internationally, Endorses Gov. Romney
• Oct 19, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: Strengthening Families
• Oct 19, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney On Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) Stepping Down As RNC General Chairman
• Oct 19, 2007; In The News Romney Visits Area
• Oct 19, 2007; Speeches Governor Mitt Romney's Address to the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit
• Oct 19, 2007; Press Releases Dr. Don Wilton, Former President Of The South Carolina Baptist Convention, Endorses Gov. Romney
• Oct 18, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: Gov. Romney On Health Care For South Carolina
• Oct 18, 2007; Events New Canaan, CT Welcomes Mitt for Dinner - Fundraiser
• Oct 18, 2007; Events Cleveland, OH Jons Mitt for Dinner - Fundraiser
• Oct 18, 2007; In The News Romney Criticizes Clinton While In Clinton
• Oct 18, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Wyoming Statewide Steering Committee
• Oct 18, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Announces Georgia Statewide Coalitions
• Oct 18, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Launches First Web Ad, "Our Home"
• Oct 18, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney Announces Romney For President Ohio State Director
• Oct 18, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Holds 100th "Ask Mitt Anything"
• [Oct 17, 2007 Press Releases In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney At The Club For Growth
• Oct 17, 2007; Events Governor Mitt Romney Travels to Iowa - IA
• Oct 17, 2007; Events Utah State Joins Craig and Mary for Rally
• Oct 17, 2007; Events Craig and Mary Join Harvard Students for Rally
• Oct 17, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: Defeating The Jihadist Threat
• Oct 17, 2007; In The News Romney nabs two nice names
• Oct 17, 2007; In The News Mack backs Romney's presidential run
• Oct 17, 2007; Press Releases U.S. Congressman Connie Mack Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President

Oct 16, 2007 Events Ann Romney Joins Boston for Dinner - Fundraiser

• Oct 16, 2007; Events New York Welcomes Mitt for Lunch - Fundraiser
• Oct 16, 2007; Events Mitt Joins Haverford, PA - Fundraiser
• Oct 16, 2007; Press Releases Policy Briefing: Governor Romney Details Strategies To Defeat The Jihadists, Nuclear Terrorism And The Iranian Threat
• Oct 16, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Not Fair"
• Oct 16, 2007; Press Releases Retired Major General James "Spider" Marks Joins Romney For President
• Oct 16, 2007; In The News New Romney Ad Appeals To N.H. Voters
• Oct 15, 2007; Press Releases In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On The Need To Lower Taxes
• Oct 15, 2007; Events Philadelphia, PA Joins Mitt for Reception - Fundraiser
• Oct 15, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney On Strengthening America's Families
• Oct 15, 2007; Press Releases New Hampshire State Director Jim Merrill On Senator McCain Standing With Governor John Lynch (D-NH)
• Oct 15, 2007; Events Boston, MA Welcomes Craig and Mary for Rally
• Oct 15, 2007; Events Rexburg, ID Welcomes Craig and Mary for Rally at BYU
• Oct 15, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: The Three-Legged Republican Stool
• Oct 15, 2007; In The News Embracing Campaign Life, Still Relishing Home
• Oct 13, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: Gov. Romney On The Michigan Economy And Lowering Taxes
• Oct 13, 2007; Press Releases State Senate Majority Whip Jason Allen Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Oct 12, 2007; Press Releases Governor Romney on the Retirement of Congressman Ralph Regula
• Oct 12, 2007; Press Releases Alaska Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Oct 12, 2007; Press Releases Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Oct 12, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Jihad"
• Oct 12, 2007; In The News Listen To Mitt
• Oct 11, 2007; In The News Romney Opens Up At DU Forum
• Oct 11, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Vision: Gov. Romney Supports Expanding Intelligence Gathering Capabilities
• Oct 11, 2007; In The News Romney Visits Royal Oak
• Oct 11, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Launches New Radio Ad, "Stop Spending"
• Oct 11, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Announces Nevada Romney For President Staff
• Oct 11, 2007; Press Releases Big City, Big Spender: Byrds Of A Feather Spend Together
• Oct 11, 2007; Press Releases Ann Romney Opens Romney For President New Hampshire Seacoast Office
• Oct 11, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Announces Maryland Statewide Steering Committee Co-Chairs
• Oct 11, 2007; In The News Ann Romney Visits Port City
• Oct 10, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Colorado "Women For Mitt" Coalition
• Oct 10, 2007; Press Releases Big City, Big Spender: Mayor Giuliani Vs. Fiscal Conservatives
• Oct 10, 2007; Press Releases In Case You Missed It: "Rudy Awakening"
• Oct 10, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney On FISA Legislation
• Oct 10, 2007; Press Releases What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Dearborn, MI, GOP Debate - Vol. 3
• Oct 10, 2007; Events New York, NY Welcomes Mitt for Breakfast - Fundraiser
• Oct 10, 2007; Press Releases In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney Talks Taxes On "Today"
• Oct 09, 2007; Press Releases What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Dearborn, MI GOP Debate - Vol. 2
• Oct 09, 2007; Press Releases What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Dearborn, MI GOP Debate
• Oct 09, 2007; Press Releases In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On Government Spending
• Oct 09, 2007; Press Releases In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On The Line-Item Veto
• Oct 09, 2007; Press Releases Governor Mitt Romney Lays Out An Optimistic Vision To Move Our Economy Forward
• Oct 09, 2007; Chat Ask Team Mitt Anything
• Oct 09, 2007; Press Releases Ohio State Representative Shannon Jones Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Oct 09, 2007; Press Releases The Romney Agenda: A Conservative Blueprint to Strengthen the Economy
• Oct 08, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Announces Team Mitt Action Center
• Oct 08, 2007; Press Releases Former Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Connie Binsfeld Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Oct 08, 2007; Press Releases Romney For President Files For Alabama Presidential Primary Ballot
• Oct 08, 2007; In The News Romney's Tax Free Savings Plan A Boon For Middle Class
• Oct 08, 2007; Press Releases Big City, Big Spender: Mayor Giuliani Left New York City With "Enormous Deficits"
• Oct 07, 2007; In The News Romney hammers anti-tax message
• Oct 06, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney At Americans For Prosperity
• Oct 06, 2007; Big City, Big Spender: How Mayor Giuliani Went To Court And Killed The Presidential Line-Item Veto
• Oct 05, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "Ambiguity On Taxes Is Something Republicans Cannot Afford"
• Oct 05, 2007; Governor Romney Announces His Fiscal Discipline Policy Advisory Group
• Oct 05, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Radio Ad, "Tax Pledge"
• Oct 05, 2007; Big City, Big Spender: Mayor Giuliani Sued Republicans To Keep $360 Million Commuter Tax In Place
• Oct 04, 2007; Policy Briefing: A Conservative Blueprint To Lower Taxes
• Oct 04, 2007; Romney For President Totals Over $18 Million In Total Receipts For The Third Quarter
• Oct 04, 2007; Anti-Tax Advocate Tom Thomson Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Oct 03, 2007; Governor Romney On The President's Veto Of More Government Insurance
• Oct 03, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Connecticut Co-Chairs and State Director
• Oct 03, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Illinois Delegate And Alternate Slate
• Oct 03, 2007; Governor Romney Announces Congressional Co-Chairs Of The Advisory Committee On The Constitution And The Courts
• Oct 02, 2007; Governor Romney On Sen. Clinton's Co-Sponsorship Of Iran Legislation
• Oct 02, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Advisory Committee On The Constitution And The Courts
• Oct 01, 2007; Romney For President Launches AnnRomney.com
• Oct 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Missouri Legislative Leadership Team
• Oct 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Beginning Of The U.S. Supreme Court Term
• Sep 28, 2007; Romney for President Holds Nationwide "Rally for Romney"
• Sep 28, 2007; The Romney Vision: Change Begins With Us
• Sep 27, 2007; Governor Romney on Senator Hillary Clinton and National Security
• Sep 27, 2007; Romney For President Announces Winner Of "Create Your Own Ad" Contest, "Ready For Action"
• Sep 27, 2007; Governor Romney On The Democratic Debate And Our Children's Education
• Sep 27, 2007; Governor Romney On Last Night's Democratic Debate
• Sep 27, 2007; The Romney Agenda: Change Begins With Us
• Sep 26, 2007; RNC Members Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Sep 25, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The 50th Anniversary Of The Little Rock Nine
• Sep 25, 2007; Governor Romney On Ahmadinejad At The United Nations
• Sep 25, 2007; Georgia State Senator Dan Moody Endorses Governor Mitt Romney for President
• Sep 25, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "A Defining Moment"
• Sep 25, 2007; Congresswoman Kay Granger Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Sep 24, 2007; Governor Romney on California's Pension Funds Divesting from Iran
• Sep 24, 2007; Governor Romney On Today's Budget Message From The President
• Sep 24, 2007; What They're Really Saying About Governor Romney's Message Of "Change Begins With Us"
• Sep 24, 2007; Governor Romney's Statement To The National Rally To End The Threat Now
• Sep 24, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Radio Ad, "Khatami"
• Sep 24, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Open Letter To The Republican Party
• Sep 23, 2007; Governor Romney On Sen. Clinton And Columbia University
• Sep 22, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks At The Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference
• Sep 21, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Yom Kippur
• Sep 21, 2007; Former NRA Executive Craig Sandler Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Sep 20, 2007; Governor Romney on the Senate's Vote Condemning the MoveOn.org Ad
• Sep 20, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Puerto Rico Steering Committee Co-Chairs
• Sep 20, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On Ahmadinejad At The U.N. And Columbia University
• Sep 20, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "Where HillaryCare Goes Wrong"
• Sep 19, 2007; Governor Romney On President Ahmadinejad's Possible Visit To Ground Zero
• Sep 19, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Change Begins With Us"
• Sep 18, 2007; HillaryCare 2.0 Vs. Market-Based Health Care Reform
• Sep 18, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Radio Ad, "Traditional"
• Sep 18, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Chile's Independence Day
• Sep 18, 2007; 50 Ideas To Change Washington: A Strategy For A Stronger America
• Sep 18, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On The Iranian President And The UN
• Sep 17, 2007; South Florida Leaders Endorse Governor Romney
• Sep 17, 2007; The Romney Vision: HillaryCare 2.0 Is "Bad Medicine"
• Sep 17, 2007; Governor Romney Says "HillaryCare 2.0" Is "The Wrong Direction" For America
• Sep 17, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Tennessee Statewide Finance Committee
• Sep 17, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "Tax Cuts On Investments Will Help Middle Class Save"
• Sep 17, 2007; Governor Romney Urges United Nations To Revoke Any Invitation To President Ahmadinejad
• [Sep 16, 2007 Governor Mitt Romney On Mexico's Independence Day
• Sep 15, 2007; Governor Romney on Central America's Independence Days
• Sep 15, 2007; In The News Bringing The Market To Health Care
• Sep 14, 2007; The Romney Vision: Gov. Romney Calls on Dems to Repudiate MoveOn Attack on Gen. Petraeus
• Sep 14, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The ICE Raid In Wright County, Iowa
• Sep 14, 2007; Story County Treasurer Dave Jamison Endorses Governor Mitt Romney for President
• Sep 14, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces the Florida African American Steering Committee
• Sep 14, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney on the Need for a Federal Marriage Amendment
• Sep 14, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On The President's Address and MoveOn.org's "Unacceptable" Ad
• Sep 14, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of Florida State Senator Steve Oelrich
• Sep 13, 2007; Governor Romney on Tonight's Presidential Address
• Sep 13, 2007; Governor Romney Announces His Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence Policy Advisory Groups
• Sep 13, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Picks Up More Georgia Legislative Endorsements
• Sep 12, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces New Jersey Statewide Steering Committee
• Sep 12, 2007; The Romney Vision: Gov. Romney: Surge Working
• Sep 12, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on Rosh Hashanah
• Sep 12, 2007; Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton and Jacksonville Leaders Endorse Governor Romney
• Sep 12, 2007; Ohio State Senator Kevin Coughlin Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Sep 12, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Energy," In Florida
• Sep 11, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on the Sixth Anniversary of September 11, 2001
• Sep 10, 2007; Governor Romney on Today's Iraq Testimony
• Sep 10, 2007; Governor Romney Announces New Hampshire Attorneys for Romney Leadership Team
• Sep 10, 2007; Policy Briefing: Tax-Free Savings for Michigan Families
• Sep 10, 2007; The Romney Vision: Continue a Surge of Support
• Sep 10, 2007; Policy Briefing: Tax-Free Savings for Florida Families
• Sep 10, 2007; Policy Briefing: Tax-Free Savings for South Carolina Families
• Sep 09, 2007; Al Cardenas, Chairman Of Romney For President's Hispanic Steering Committee, Comments On Univision's Democrat Forum
• Sep 09, 2007; The Romney Vision: Putting Conservative Principles To Work For The Hispanic Community
• Sep 08, 2007; Policy Briefing: Tax-Free Savings For Iowa Families
• Sep 07, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Bin Laden Video Release
• Sep 07, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On CNBC's "Street Signs"
• Sep 07, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Comparing Pro-Growth Records
• Sep 07, 2007; Romney For President The Linn County Leadership Team
• Sep 07, 2007; Policy Briefing: Tax-Free Savings For New Hampshire Families
• Sep 07, 2007; Policy Briefing: Tax-Free Savings For American Families
• Sep 06, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor"
• Sep 06, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Laura Ingraham On Governor Romney At Last Night's Debate
• Sep 06, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Additions To The National Faith And Values Steering Committee
• Sep 06, 2007; What They're Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Durham, NH GOP Debate
• Sep 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Outlines The Vision To Move America Forward
• Sep 05, 2007; Governor Romney On The Passing Of Congressman Paul Gillmor (R-OH)
• Sep 05, 2007; Governor Romney On The Passing Of Former Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn (R-WA)
• Sep 05, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Energy"
• Sep 04, 2007; Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch Joins Romney For President
• Sep 04, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The South Carolina Young Professionals For Mitt
• Aug 31, 2007; Governor Romney On The Retirement Of Senator John Warner
• Aug 31, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 8/31/07
• Aug 30, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Iowa's Defense Of Marriage Act
• Aug 30, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names the Florida Health Care Professionals Coalition
• Aug 30, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Leadership"
• Aug 29, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Second Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
• Aug 29, 2007; Romney For President Launches Unprecedented "Create Your Own Ad" Contest
• Aug 29, 2007; Governor Romney Announces Additions To The National Hispanic Steering Committee
• Aug 28, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On His Pro-Growth Economic Agenda
• Aug 28, 2007; The Romney Record: Fiscal Discipline In Massachusetts
• Aug 28, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On His Pro-Growth Tax Cut Agenda
• Aug 27, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "Dr. Romney Goes National"
• Aug 27, 2007; Romney For President Announces "Rally For Romney" In Utah
• Aug 27, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Minnesota Statewide Steering Committee Co-Chairs
• Aug 27, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Romney's Health Care Reform Plan
• Aug 27, 2007; US Representative Tom Petri Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Aug 24, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "A Continuation Of About 30 Years Of Conservative Thinking"
• Aug 24, 2007; The Romney Vision: Conservative, Market-Based Health Care Vs. Hillarycare
• Aug 24, 2007; Policy Briefing: Expanding Access To Affordable Health Care
• Aug 23, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Michigan Small Business Coalition
• Aug 22, 2007; Arizona Mayor Tom Shope Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Aug 22, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Health Care Policy Advisory Group
• Aug 22, 2007; Romney For President Announces Rally For Romney
• Aug 21, 2007; Governor Romney On Senator Obama's Cuba Succession Policy
• Aug 21, 2007; The Romney Record: Highlights From The Club For Growth Report
• Aug 21, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Radio Ad, "Exceptional"
• Aug 20, 2007; Missouri Legislators Endorse Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Aug 17, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On Fox News' "Big Story"
• Aug 17, 2007; Governor Romney On The Retirement Of Former Speaker Dennis Hastert
• Aug 16, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Outlines Pro-Growth Economic Policies in South Carolina
• Aug 16, 2007; The Romney Vision: Strengthen The American People
• Aug 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On India's Independence Day
• Aug 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Colorado Statewide Finance Team
• Aug 15, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Iowa Television Ad, "Thanks Iowa"
• Aug 14, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney Visits The Southern Border
• Aug 14, 2007; US Representative Vernon Ehlers Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Aug 13, 2007; Governor Romney Files Public Financial Disclosure With The Federal Election Commission
• Aug 13, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On NBC's "Today"
• Aug 12, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney Winning The Iowa Republican Straw Poll, Vol. 3: Headlines Across America
• Aug 12, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney Winning The Iowa Republican Straw Poll, Vol. 2
• Aug 12, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney On "Fox News Sunday"
• Aug 12, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney Winning The Iowa Republican Straw Poll
• Aug 11, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Wins The Iowa Republican Straw Poll
• Aug 10, 2007; Governor Romney On The Announcement Of New Immigration Enforcement Measures
• Aug 09, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces West Virginia Statewide Steering Committee
• Aug 08, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 8/8/07
• Aug 08, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Iowa Television Ad, "Change Begins"
• Aug 07, 2007; The Romney Vision: The Intelligence Gathering Capabilities To Keep America Safe
• Aug 06, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Gov. Mitt Romney At The Des Moines, Iowa GOP Debate: Volume II
• Aug 06, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney On The Need To Support The Surge
• Aug 05, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The Des Moines, Iowa GOP Debate
• Aug 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Outlines His Vision To Lead America
• Aug 03, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Michigan Faith And Values Steering Committee
• Aug 02, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney Believes It Is "Time To Shore Up Ethics"
• Aug 02, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Nomination Of Judge Leslie Southwick
• Aug 02, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney To Participate In West Virginia Republican Convention
• Aug 01, 2007; Ambassador Sichan Siv Joins Romney For President
• Jul 31, 2007; The Romney Vision: Gov. Mitt Romney: Surge Of Support At Home
• Jul 31, 2007; Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Jul 31, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces National Finance Chairs And Co-Chairs
• Jul 30, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 7/30/07
• Jul 27, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Peru's Independence Day
• Jul 27, 2007; State Rep. Lanny Littlejohn Joins the South Carolina Leadership Team
• Jul 27, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces the Florida Women for Mitt Team
• Jul 26, 2007; Lower Taxes For All Americans: The Romney Vision Vs. Edwards
• Jul 26, 2007; Policy Briefing: Guarding Our Children On Their Computers
• Jul 26, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Two Additional Legislative Endorsements
• Jul 25, 2007; Congressman Lamar Smith Endorses Governor Mitt Romney for President
• Jul 24, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Democratic Presidential Debate
• Jul 24, 2007; The Romney Vision: Seeing Is Believing - The Romney Agenda Trumps Dem Liberal Debate Pandering
• Jul 24, 2007; Wendy Long Joins Governor Romney's Advisory Committee On The Constitution And The Courts
• Jul 23, 2007; What They're Really Saying: About Governor Romney As He Travels Across America
• Jul 23, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Alabama Legislative Leadership Team
• Jul 23, 2007; Sheriff Mike Bouchard Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Jul 21, 2007; Massachusetts Law Enforcement Officials Support Governor Mitt Romney
• Jul 20, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Colombia's Independence Day
• Jul 20, 2007; Georgia State Legislators Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Jul 19, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Craig Romney Visits Miami
• Jul 19, 2007; Colorado Attorney General John Suthers Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Jul 19, 2007; Policy Briefing: Protecting Our Children
• Jul 19, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Mrs. Romney In South Carolina
• Jul 19, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Iowa Faith And Values Steering Committee
• Jul 18, 2007; The Romney Vision: A Record of Promoting Abstinence, Not Sex Education for Kindergarteners
• Jul 17, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The South Carolina Women for Mitt Team
• Jul 17, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Florida Young Professionals For Mitt
• Jul 16, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Ocean"
• Jul 13, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "The Four Walls Of The American Home"
• Jul 12, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Radio Ad, "Ann On Family"
• Jul 12, 2007; Former New Hampshire State Senator Chuck Morse Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Jul 12, 2007; In Case You Missed It: The Romney Vision
• Jul 10, 2007; Former Congressman Bob Beauprez Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Jul 10, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 7/10/07
• Jul 08, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "George Romney Was True Man Of Action"
• Jul 07, 2007; The Romney Vision: A Stronger America Through Strengthening The American People
• Jul 07, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks At The Young Republican National Convention
• Jul 06, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney Gets First Newspaper Endorsement In Florida
• Jul 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Venezuela's Independence Day
• Jul 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The New Hampshire Veterans Leadership Team
• Jul 04, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Fourth Of July
• Jul 03, 2007; Romney For President Reports $20.5 Million In Total Receipts For The Second Quarter
• Jul 02, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The New Hampshire Women's Leadership Team
• Jun 29, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 6/29/07
• Jun 28, 2007; Governor Romney On Today's Senate Immigration Vote
• Jun 27, 2007; Former Lt. Governor Dick Posthumus To Serve As Honorary State Chairman For Michigan
• Jun 26, 2007; Former Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Jun 25, 2007; Romney For President Holds "America's Calling"
• Jun 25, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Welcomes The Supreme Court Campaign Finance Ruling
• Jun 21, 2007; Policy Briefing: Governor Romney's Global Initiative For Values and Freedom
• Jun 21, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces His Montana Leadership Team
• Jun 20, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names The Iowa Business Coalition
• Jun 20, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Work Like Crazy"
• Jun 19, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Additions To The Nevada Leadership Team
• Jun 18, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Massachusetts Steering Committee
• Jun 18, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 6/18/07
• Jun 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks At The National Right To Life Convention Forum
• Jun 15, 2007; he Romney Record: A Record Of Protecting Life
• Jun 15, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "A Stem-Cell Solution"
• Jun 14, 2007; Former Congressman Henry Bonilla Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Jun 14, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Massachusetts Marriage Amendment
• Jun 14, 2007; Research Briefing: Promoting A Culture Of Life: The Romney Vision Vs. The Democrat Vision
• Jun 14, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Flag Day
• Jun 14, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Co-Chairs Of The Advisory Committee On The Constitution And The Courts
• Jun 13, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces the National Faith and Values Steering Committee
• Jun 12, 2007; Governor Romney On The Anniversary Of President Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" Speech
• Jun 08, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 6/8/07
• Jun 07, 2007; Governor Romney Announces National Hispanic Steering Committee
• Jun 06, 2007; Statement On The Ames Straw Poll
• Jun 06, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney On Last Night's Debate
• Jun 06, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The New Hampshire GOP Debate - Vol. IV
• Jun 06, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The New Hampshire GOP Debate - Vol. III
• Jun 05, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The New Hampshire GOP Debate - Vol. II
• Jun 05, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The New Hampshire GOP Debate
• Jun 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Stands Out By Debating Substance
• Jun 05, 2007; Governor Romney Announces South Carolina Statewide Finance Co-Chairs
• Jun 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Senator Craig Thomas
• Jun 04, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Immigration Reform
• Jun 04, 2007; Research Briefing: American Prosperity - The Romney Vision Vs. The Clinton Vision
• Jun 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Florida County Chairs
• Jun 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support Of Gary Wolfram, Ph.D.
• May 31, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Additions To The California Leadership Team
• May 31, 2007; Research Briefing: A New Generation of Global Challenges - The Romney Vision Vs. The Obama Vision
• May 31, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Detroit Area Endorsements
• May 31, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "Rising To A New Generation Of Global Challenges"
• May 30, 2007; Romney For President Names Polk County City Chairs
• May 29, 2007; Arizona Mayor Art Sanders Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• May 28, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on Memorial Day
• May 25, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Iraq War Funding Vote
• May 25, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 5/25/07
• May 24, 2007; Research Briefing: "Tested & Proven" In The Bluest Of The Blue States
• May 23, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Tested, Proven"
• May 23, 2007; Dan Rutherford Joins Romney For President As Illinois State Chairman
• May 22, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Idaho Leadership Team
• May 21, 2007; State Representative Rich Crandall Endorses Governor Mitt Romney For President
• May 18, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Secure Borders"
• May 18, 2007; The Romney Record: Immigration
• May 18, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Senator Sanborn Will Lead Macomb County Effort
• May 18, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Cuban Independence Day
• May 17, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Senate Immigration Agreement
• May 17, 2007; “Sign Up America!” Enlists Over 24,000 New Supporters In 24 Hours
• May 17, 2007; Bob Letourneau Joins Romney For President In New Hampshire
• May 16, 2007; Governor Romney Participates in “Sign Up America!”
• May 16, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Democrats' Budget Proposal
• May 16, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The South Carolina GOP Debate - Vol. 2
• May 15, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The South Carolina GOP Debate
• May 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Wins Second Debate Advocating A Stronger America
• May 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The Passing Of The Reverend Jerry Falwell
• May 12, 2007; Excerpts From Governor Mitt Romney's Commencement Address At Hillsdale College
• May 11, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Mid-Michigan Leadership Team
• May 10, 2007; Excerpts From Governor Mitt Romney's Address To Massachusetts Citizens For Life
• May 10, 2007; Romney For President Names Jim Kurtenbach As North Central Iowa Chair
• May 09, 2007; Romney For President Launches New Television Ad, "Now Is The Time"
• May 08, 2007; Governor Romney Announces Alabama Finance Team
• May 08, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Michigan Statewide Finance Committee
• May 08, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney On Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes"
• May 08, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 5/8/07
• May 07, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Connecticut Statewide Finance Committee
• May 05, 2007; Excerpts From Governor Mitt Romney's Commencement Address At Regent University
• May 04, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The First GOP Debate - Volume 2
• May 04, 2007; What They’re Really Saying About Governor Mitt Romney At The First GOP Debate
• May 03, 2007; State Chair Doug Gross On Tonight's Debate
• May 03, 2007; Former Republican Party Of Florida Chairman Al Cardenas On Tonight's Debate
• May 03, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Wins First Debate With Message Of Conservative Change In Washington
• May 01, 2007; Romney For President Announces Young Professionals For Mitt
• May 01, 2007; Romney For President Announces "Iowa Students For Romney" Campus Chairs
• May 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Video Channels Exceed 1.5 Million Total Viewings
• Apr 30, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On The House Democrat Tax Increase Plan
• Apr 30, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 4/30/07
• Apr 27, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks at the Livingston County, Michigan Lincoln Day Dinner
• Apr 27, 2007; Romney For President Announces Support of Mike Maturen
• Apr 27, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces New Arizona County and City Chairs
• Apr 27, 2007; Marvin Pomerantz to Co-[Chair Governor Romney's Iowa Presidential Campaign
• Apr 26, 2007; Policy Briefing: Combating Nuclear Terrorism
• Apr 26, 2007; Missouri Governor Matt Blunt And House Speaker Rod Jetton Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Apr 26, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney On Today's Iraq Vote In The U.S. Senate
• Apr 26, 2007; Former Top CounterTerrorism Official Cofer Black Joins Romney For President
• Apr 25, 2007; Ovide Lamontagne Joins Romney For President in New Hampshire
• Apr 25, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "The Fundamental Flaws in the McCain-Feingold Law"
• Apr 25, 2007; Governor Romney Announces Support of Wisconsin Social [Conservative Leader Camille Solberg
• Apr 24, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names New Hampshire Statewide Finance Committee
• Apr 23, 2007; Florida Legislators Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Apr 23, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson
• Apr 23, 2007; The Romney Agenda: 4/23/07
• Apr 20, 2007; Former Iowa Lieutenant Governor Nominee Debi Durham Supports Romney For President
• Apr 19, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Nevada Legislative Leadership Team
• Apr 19, 2007; Policy Briefing: Abolishing The Death Tax
• Apr 19, 2007; State Representative Mark Anderson To Co-[Chair Governor Mitt Romney's Arizona Campaign
• Apr 19, 2007; Romney For President Announces Scott County Leadership Team
• Apr 18, 2007; Saluda County Sheriff Jason Booth Supports Governor Mitt Romney
• Apr 18, 2007; Statement on Today's Supreme Court Ruling
• Apr 16, 2007; Statement on The Tragedy at Virginia Tech
• Apr 16, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of Senator Wayne Allard
• Apr 15, 2007; Policy Briefing: Protecting American Taxpayers
• Apr 13, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces South Carolina Veterans for Romney Chairmen
• Apr 13, 2007; Michigan State Representative Fulton Sheen To Lead Families Effort
• Apr 13, 2007; Romney For President Announces Story County Leadership Team
• Apr 13, 2007; Romney For President Takes Part In New Online Initiatives
• Apr 12, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names West Michigan Leadership Team
• Apr 11, 2007; Governor Romney Names Oakland County Leadership Team
• Apr 11, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names California Leadership Team
• Apr 10, 2007; Policy Briefing: Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks at The George Bush Presidential Library Center
• Apr 09, 2007; State Senator Chuck Gray To Chair Governor Mitt Romney's Arizona Campaign
• Apr 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Indiana Statewide Finance Committee
• Apr 04, 2007; West Central Florida Leaders Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Apr 04, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Iowa Legislative Leadership Team
• Apr 04, 2007; Romney For President Launches New TV Ad, "I Like Vetoes"
• Apr 03, 2007; Former New Hampshire Senate President Tom Eaton Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Apr 03, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney's Message Resonating With The American People
• Apr 02, 2007; Romney For President Reports $23 Million In Total Receipts For The First Quarter
• Mar 30, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney To Hold "Ask Mitt Anything" Town Hall Events
• Mar 30, 2007; Iowa Christian Alliance Board Member Keith Hunter Joins Romney For President
• Mar 29, 2007; Governor Romney's Remarks at the Club for Growth
• Mar 28, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Former Secretary of State Glenda Hood to the Florida Statewide Steering Committee
• Mar 28, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Ohio Finance Steering Committee Chairs
• Mar 28, 2007; Jacksonville Leaders Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Mar 28, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Additions To South Carolina Campaign Team
• Mar 27, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Texas Statewide Finance Committee
• Mar 26, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces New Hampshire Staff
• Mar 23, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on Today's Iraq Vote
• Mar 23, 2007; Romney For President Announces "New Hampshire Students for Romney" Campus Chairs]
• Mar 22, 2007; Policy Briefing: Protecting American Workers
• Mar 22, 2007; South Florida Leaders Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Mar 22, 2007; Former Iowa Christian Alliance Director Joe Earle Joins Romney For President
• Mar 20, 2007; Jorge L. Arrizurieta Joins Governor Mitt Romney's Latin [American] Policy Advisory Group
• Mar 20, 2007; H. Wayne Huizenga Joins Governor Mitt Romney's Florida Statewide Finance Committee
• Mar 20, 2007; Claire Austin to Serve as Alabama Adviser to Romney For President
• Mar 20, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney On Senator Hillary Clinton's Iran Strategy
• Mar 19, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Romney on Radio Mambi
• Mar 19, 2007; U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch Endorses] Governor Mitt Romney For President
• Mar 16, 2007; State Representative Dave Hildenbrand to Lead Governor Mitt Romney's Michigan Sportsmen Effort
• Mar 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names California Finance Co-Chairs]
• Mar 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Senator Stewart Iverson As Adviser To Iowa Campaign
• Mar 14, 2007; Romney For President Names Iowa County Chairs]
• Mar 14, 2007; Indiana] Secretary Of State Todd Rokita Endorses] Governor Mitt Romney
• Mar 14, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Oregon Statewide Finance Committee
• Mar 13, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of Governor Don Carcieri
• Mar 12, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Nevada Finance Steering Committee
• Mar 10, 2007; Policy Briefing: Giving the President Stronger Tools to Cut Spending
• Mar 09, 2007; Policy Briefing: Expanding Economic and Political Freedom in the Americas]
• Mar 09, 2007; Excerpts From Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks at the Miami-Dade County Lincoln Day Dinner
• Mar 09, 2007; Alicia Gonzalez to Serve As Florida Hispanic Media Adviser
• Mar 09, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "We Have One Commander-In-Chief, Not 535"
• Mar 08, 2007; Policy Briefing: Supporting Clean Coal Technologies
• Mar 08, 2007; Governor Romney Announces First Women's Leadership Team in South Carolina
• Mar 07, 2007; U.S. Representative Mike Conaway Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Mar 07, 2007; Brian Reardon To Serve As Senior Economic Adviser
• Mar 07, 2007; US Representative Mike Conaway Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Mar 07, 2007; Brian Reardon To Serve As Senior Economic Adviser
• Mar 06, 2007; Romney For President Launches First Spanish Radio Ad
• Mar 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Cancels Campaign Event In Alabama In Light Of * Tornado Devastation
• Mar 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Michigan Grassroots Steering Committee
• Mar 03, 2007; What They're Saying About Governor Mitt Romney's CPAC Speech
• Mar 02, 2007; Policy Briefing: Repealing McCain Feingold
• Mar 02, 2007; Excerpts From Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks At CPAC
• Mar 01, 2007; Policy Briefing: Restraining Government Spending
• Mar 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces New Hampshire Leadership Team
• Feb 28, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Arizona Leadership Team
• Feb 28, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Latin American Policy Advisory Group
• Feb 27, 2007; RNC Members Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Feb 23, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on the Current Environmental Debate
• Feb 22, 2007; Governor Romney Sends Letters Urging Divestment from Iran
• Feb 22, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Florida Statewide Finance Committee
• Feb 22, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces South Carolina County Chairs
• Feb 21, 2007; Romney For President Launches First Television Ads]
• Feb 20, 2007; Utah Leaders Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Feb 20, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Georgia Leadership Team
• Feb 18, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney On National Security And Families
• Feb 17, 2007; Representative Doug Struyk Endorses Governor Mitt Romney
• Feb 15, 2007; Massachusetts Leaders Endorse Governor Mitt Romney
• Feb 15, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Michigan "Romney" Caucus
• Feb 14, 2007; What They're Saying: About Governor Mitt Romney's Presidential Announcement
• Feb 13, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Presidential Announcement
• Feb 12, 2007; MittRomney.com to Stream Live Governor Mitt Romney's Formal Presidential Announcement
• Feb 09, 2007; Economist John Cogan To Serve As Co-[Chair of Economic Advisory Council
• Feb 08, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of Congressman Robert Aderholt
• Feb 08, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Co-Senate Liaisons
• Feb 07, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney on CNBC's "Kudlow & Company"
• Feb 07, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Florida Statewide Steering Committee
• Feb 07, 2007; Excerpts from Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks at the Detroit Economic Club
• Feb 06, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Congressional Whip Team
• Feb 05, 2007; Romney For President Exploratory Committee Launches Official Facebook Profile
• Feb 03, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on Senator Hillary Clinton and Iran
• Feb 02, 2007; Excerpts from Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks at the Conservative Members Retreat
• Feb 02, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of Kentucky U.S. House Members
• Feb 01, 2007; Former Senator Jim Talent Joins Romney For President Exploratory Committee
• Feb 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Expanding Florida Field Team
• Feb 01, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on National African-American History Month
• Jan 31, 2007; What They're Saying About Governor Mitt Romney
• Jan 30, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Arizona Finance Steering Committee
• Jan 30, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of James Bopp, Jr.
• Jan 30, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Names Additions to Iowa Leadership and Staff
• Jan 30, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney on "Nightline"
• Jan 29, 2007; Charleston Area Leaders Support Governor Mitt Romney
• Jan 28, 2007; In Case You Missed It: Governor Mitt Romney at the National Review's Conservative Summit
• Jan 27, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on International Holocaust Remembrance Day
• Jan 24, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Representative Pete Hoekstra as Intelligence Adviser
• Jan 23, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on the President's State of the Union Address
• Jan 23, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of Former Speaker Dennis Hastert
• Jan 23, 2007; Excerpts from Governor Mitt Romney's Remarks at the Seventh Annual Herzliya Conference
• Jan 22, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on Today's "March for Life"
• Jan 20, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney's Visit to Israel
• Jan 19, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Representative Tom Feeney's Support
• Jan 18, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Support of RNC Committee Members
• Jan 17, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces House Congressional Liaisons
• Jan 16, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Vin Weber as Policy Chairman
• Jan 15, 2007; Governor and Mrs. Romney Attend Service Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Jan 12, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Offers Emphatic Support for DeMint Amendment on spending Reform
• Jan 12, 2007; Research Briefing: Meet The Real Brian Camenker
• Jan 11, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "Intelligent Response"
• Jan 11, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on his 1994 Debate with Senator Ted Kennedy
• Jan 10, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney on Iraq
• Jan 09, 2007; Senator Jim DeMint to Serve as Senior Adviser
• Jan 08, 2007; "National Call Day" Raises Over $6.5 Million
• Jan 06, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Addresses Awakening 2007
• Jan 06, 2007; In Case You Missed It: "Romney on Taxes]"
• Jan 05, 2007; What They're Saying About Governor Mitt Romney
• Jan 05, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces Two New Senior Advisers
• Jan 04, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Announces First Group of National Finance Co-[Chairs
• Jan 04, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Signs "Taxpayer] Protection Pledge"
• Jan 03, 2007; Governor Mitt Romney Forms Presidential Exploratory Committee
• Jan 03, 2007; What They're Saying About Mitt Romney