昆士市首個狗公園揭幕啟用

QUINCY DOG PARK OPEN
JULY 20, 2020 QUINCY, MA – Mayor Thomas P. Koch is proud to announce the official opening of Quincy’s first City dog park this week. The park is centrally located on Quarry St. and includes three separate areas for active dogs of all sizes, small dogs and senior dogs. It is equipped with shelter pavilions, benches and watering stations. The Stanton Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting the welfare of dogs and strengthening the human/dog bond, granted the City of Quincy $247,500 towards the park’s design and construction costs. "The new dog park offers our community a dedicated and safe environment for dogs to exercise and for people to socialize with other pet owners and enjoy time outdoors,” said Mayor Koch. “The park is situated at the top of the hill so the area has a beautiful view and peaceful feel.” As a reminder to the community, in accordance with Governor Charlie Baker’s guidelines for the state of Massachusetts, the City of Quincy requires face masks and the practice of proper social distancing while enjoying this new space with their pets. The use of a mask does not replace important social distancing measures. Individuals must continue to maintain more than six feet of distance from other people, wash hands regularly with soap and water and stay home when sick. The 20-acre parcel will also be home to the future Quincy Animal Shelter/Quincy Police Canine Unit and Animal Control.

Red Sox Livestream Event to Benefit the Red Sox Foundation and Crew Nation

BOSTON, MA (July 20, 2020) – The Boston Red Sox and Live Nation New England announced today the Fenway Sessions, a livestream event celebrating concerts at Fenway Park. This once in a lifetime event will stream live on Fenway Park (Facebook.com/fenwaypark) and Live Nation New England (Facebook.com/livenationnewengland)’s Facebook pages on Wednesday, July 22 at 7:05 PM EDT. All proceeds generated during the livestream will benefit the Red Sox Foundation and Crew Nation.
The Fenway Sessions will feature performances, iconic footage and unique content from Fenway Park artists past, present and possibly future including special performances by Jimmy Buffett, Jefferson Starship and Will Dailey, as well as iconic footage of the Foo Fighters and New Kids On The Block performing at the historic ballpark and a special message from Bell Biv DeVoe. Boston’s own critically acclaimed artist, singer and songwriter, Will Dailey, will serve as host for the evening.
“Will Dailey has been a close friend of mine for years and when he approached us with the idea to host an event that would celebrate music and Fenway Park, all while raising funds for charity, we were completely on board,” said Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy. “Of course, this event would not be possible without our partners at Live Nation who have been instrumental in securing the talented artists who have graced the stage at Fenway Park since 2003. Once again, they have helped us deliver on an exceptional program, this time virtual, that pays tribute to music and our great ballpark.”
“We are excited to partner with our friends at the Red Sox to help bring the Fenway Sessions to life,”
said Don Law, President of Live Nation New England. “Concerts at Fenway Park are an experience like
no other and we are thrilled to help celebrate a genuine New England summer tradition all while
supporting the Red Sox Foundation and Crew Nation.

AG HEALEY SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER NEW RULE ELIMINATING ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS IN HEALTH CARE

AG HEALEY SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER NEW RULE ELIMINATING ANTI-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS IN HEALTH CARE

Rule Eliminates Federal Protections Against Sex Discrimination for Vulnerable Populations, Including Transgender Individuals, Under the Affordable Care Act

  

          BOSTON – Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey today co-led 23 attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration over a rule that seriously undermines critical anti-discrimination protections at the federal level for LGBTQ people, women and other individuals seeking reproductive care, and those with limited English proficiency in health care.

            The lawsuit, co-led by AG Healey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, was filed against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, and the head of HHS’s Office of Civil Rights, Roger Severino, and alleges that the new rule allows providers and insurers to discriminate against certain vulnerable and protected populations by rolling back implementation of Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age by health programs or facilities that receive federal funds.

            “The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately impacting some of our most vulnerable residents, yet this White House is moving forward with a rule that puts these communities at even further risk,” AG Healey said. “We need to focus on expanding access to care – not on rolling it back. We are suing to ensure our residents don’t face unnecessary or discriminatory barriers in accessing the health care services they need.”

The new rule dramatically revises regulations implementing Section 1557 and removes protections against discrimination based on sex and gender identity. Today’s complaint points out that, in excluding gender identity from federal protections, the new rule completely ignores the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which held that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or transgender status is sex discrimination.

Despite numerous failed legislative and legal battles to repeal and dismantle the ACA, the Trump Administration’s new rule would now eliminate many of the express protections contained in the Section 1557 regulations, unlawfully exclude many health insurers from Section 1557’s scope, and would invite health care providers and health insurers to deny care and insurance coverage to particularly vulnerable communities. The new rule would also impose unreasonable barriers and impede timely access to health care for Americans, in violation of Section 1554 of the ACA.

            In August 2019, AG Healey and AG Becerra co-led comments calling on HHS to withdraw the rule. In April, the attorneys general reiterated their call for the Administration to withdraw the rule, in an effort to avoid further straining the country’s already overburdened health care system in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic is already exacerbating racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare that the ACA attempted to address. Immigrants and communities of color have been disproportionately impacted. Individuals with disabilities are at greater risk of infection and long-term illness or death, and the pandemic has created new barriers for them in accessing the care they need. The public health crisis has also exacerbated gender inequities in the healthcare system.

Today’s lawsuit alleges that HHS has unlawfully ignored the harms that the rule will impose on vulnerable populations. The coalition additionally contends that HHS failed to justify why it abandoned its prior policy, which, among other things, explicitly prohibited discrimination in health care and required health care entities to provide meaningful language assistance services to individuals with limited English proficiency. The coalition specifically claims that the new rule is arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and that it violates the equal protection guarantee of the Fifth Amendment.

AG Healey’s Civil Rights Division enforces federal and state civil rights laws, including anti-discrimination laws in Massachusetts that continue to protect residents from discrimination in health care and insurance. The Division encourages residents who feel their civil rights have been violated to call its hotline at (617) 963-2917 or file a complaint online.

Joining AG Healey, AG Becerra and AG James in filing today’s lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

This case is being handled for Massachusetts by Assistant Attorneys General Amanda Hainsworth of AG Healey’s Civil Rights Division and Kimberly Parr of AG Healey’s Administrative Law Division, with assistance from Assistant Attorneys General Jon Burke and Ann Lynch, and Division Chief Abigail Taylor, all of AG Healey’s Civil Rights Division.

麻州大學宣佈四分校下學年學費凍結

            (Boston Orange編譯)麻州大學今(20)日表示，由於新型冠狀病毒疫情持續，下學年大學本科及研究所學生的州內學生學費將凍結。

             麻州大學在聲明中說，包括安赫斯特(Amherst)，波士頓(Boston)，達特茅斯(Dartmouth)，以及羅爾(Lowell)等分校，大學本科的州內學生學費平均為14,722元，研究所學生的學費幅度在14,590元到18,433元之間。該校董事會四月分時為麻州大學醫學院分別訂定了學費。

             該聲明稱，麻州大學校董們今日投票凍結學費，和往年的隨著通貨膨脹幅度帳學費的正常作法不同。那意味著該校將放棄1860萬元收入。

             麻州大學說，損失的收入將一部分藉由持續的減少行政開銷來彌平。

             麻州大學董事們還批准了從7月1日起的2021財政年度，營運預算33億元，較之前一年的支出少1億7100萬元。

             麻州大學總校長Marty Meehan表示，今年有這麼多的學生，家長面對以前從來沒有過的全國衛生進入緊急狀況，經濟低迷等所帶來的不確定壓力，凍結學費只是該做的對的事。

           根據該聲明，麻州大學的學生們在2021會計年度，將持續收10億元到聯邦，州政府以及私人和大學資助的財務援助。在過去5年間，該補助已增加了9900萬元，約38%，其中94%都撥發給了麻州居民。

BCNC聘新主任 歡迎3董事 年度籌款逾40萬元

BCNC董事長馬以正夫婦在網路年會中感謝同仁服務，支持者捐助。
(周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange周菊子波士頓報導)波士頓華埠社區中心(BCNC)因應新型冠狀病毒疫情局勢，2020年會於7月16日傍晚以zoom在網上舉行，由董事會董事長馬以正介紹新聘行政主任Ben Hire，感謝各界支持，宣佈籌款仍有43萬餘元的佳績，報告2名董事卸任，新增3名年輕新董事。

BCNC董事長馬以正在年會中特地感謝Peter Chow的支持。
(周菊子攝)

             馬以正在BCNC精心設計，長僅20餘分鐘的網路會議中指出，雖然該中心的年度籌款活動，礙於疫情，無法以往年形式舉行，但經燈節嘉年華會共同主席鍾潔姿，周榮亞夫婦，Nancy及Christopher Oddleifson夫婦，獲表揚的Peter Chow，以及委員會各人的有力支持，仍籌得43萬餘元。

             BCNC董事會董事Marian Tse在年會中報告，今年有兩名董事卸任，一為該中心董事會任期最長，退休前在塔芙茨醫療中心任職的Mary Moy，一為協助該中心在昆士市設立分部的律師陳朝聖(Russell Chin)。

BCNC新聘行政主任Ben Hire。(周菊子攝)

             三名新增董事，悉數全為年輕女性，分別為Nancy Wang Adams，Jeannette Hsu，Sandee Simshauser。董事會共有14人。

             BCNC在李隆華離任後，歷經半年搜尋，新聘了Ben Hire接掌行政主任一職。這次年會是Ben Hire第一次正式面對該中心所有員工。他簡述了自己當年第一份工作就是青少年輔導員的經歷，以及他對服務社區，幫助青少年的熱情。

              Ben Hire也報告了BCNC今年以來繼續辦理的服務項目，本年度的駐地藝術家為田文浩。

             BCNC董事長馬以正表示，BCNC以扶持家庭圓滿發展為目標，藉由前人經驗，訂定策略，研擬服務項目，關懷社會正義與平等，致力為所有家庭打造更光明未來。

BCNC新增三名董事。(周菊子攝)

BCNC本年度邀田文浩擔任駐地藝術家。(周菊子攝)

BCNC揮別2名董事。(周菊子攝)

熱浪來襲 波市府開放20個BCYF讓民眾吹冷氣

     (Boston Orange)波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin J. Walsh)7月17日宣佈，波士頓市進入熱浪來襲緊急狀況，為因應溫度感覺預計在華氏96到100度之間的這波熱浪，預定持續到下週二，波士頓市府將開放20個青年及家庭中心(BCYF)，供民眾消暑。

               7月19日的早上10點至下午6點，7月20日的早上9點至下午5點，特定的青年及家庭社區中心將開放。

              波士頓市長馬丁華殊提醒民眾，這週末注意採取必要步驟保護自己，免於感染新型冠狀病毒，或中暑。

              20個BCYF社區中心將開放，供民眾吹冷氣、消暑。市內遊樂場將在有限制情況下開放。波士頓公共圖書館及市府經營的游泳池，作為在新型冠狀病毒期間的安全措施，目前將持續關閉。

             民眾可上網查詢開放的BCYF名單。馬丁華殊也再度勸告市民注意防範新型冠狀病毒，要保持6英尺的安全社交距離，勤洗手，用肥皂至少洗20秒。到BCYF的人得自己帶水及水杯，只攜帶一小袋的個人物品。每一設施將以最大容量為基準，只准40%的人數進入使用。市府將派員監督。

             關於防熱安全細節，民眾可上市府網站或推特(Twitter)查找，也可登記接收電子郵件或簡訊通知(https://www.boston.gov/departments/emergency-management/city-boston-alerts-and-notifications)。波市府鼓勵民眾撥打311電話查問任何與市府服務有關的細節。

MAYOR WALSH DECLARES HEAT EMERGENCY, OPENS 20 BCYF COMMUNITY CENTERS AS COOLING CENTERS TO ALL RESIDENTS Cooling centers will be open on Sunday and Monday in accordance with COVID-19 safety guidance BOSTON - Friday, July 17, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today declared a Heat Emergency in the City of Boston in anticipation of the hot and humid weather that is forecasted through Tuesday of next week. Select Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) community centers will be open to the public as cooling centers on Sunday, July 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday, July 20, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when the real feel temperature is expected to range between 96 and 100 degrees. "Please take the necessary steps to protect yourself from COVID-19 and from the heat and humidity that we expect over the weekend," said Mayor Walsh. "Continue to practice social distancing, avoid crowds, wash your hands often, and wear a face covering. If the face covering causes you to overheat, find a shaded area where you can maintain 6 feet of distance from others, and then remove the face covering so that you can breathe easily and cool down." Twenty BCYF community centers will be open for residents to use the air conditioned rooms to cool off. Tot sprays are open at playgrounds in the City, with restrictions. Boston Public Libraries and City-operated pools remain closed to the public at this time due to COVID-19 safety measures. A full list of centers including hours of operation is available here. Due to COVID-19 public health regulations, residents are advised to call before visiting to confirm hours and occupancy limits. All cooling center visitors will be screened before entry and must wear a face covering (covering both the nose and mouth), maintain 6 feet of distance from others, and wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Visitors must bring their own water bottles and water, and must limit belonging to one small bag. Occupancy will be monitored to ensure it doesn't exceed 40 percent of the building's maximum permitted occupancy to maintain proper distancing and the spaces will be regularly cleaned and disinfected hourly. Information on heat safety tips can be found online at boston.gov/heat and by following @CityofBoston on Twitter. Residents can sign up for Alert Boston, the City's emergency notification system, to receive emergency alerts by phone, email or text. Sign up online here. Residents are also encouraged to call 311 with any questions about available city services. The Mayor issued the following heat safety tips for all members of the public: Children and pets should never be left alone in vehicles, even for short periods of time. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids regardless of activity level. Avoid alcoholic beverages and liquids high in sugar or caffeine. Adults and children should use sunscreen containing an SPF-30 or higher and wear protective, loose-fitting clothing, including long sleeve shirts and hats. Limit outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas and be extra cautious from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the sun's UV radiation is strongest. Know the signs of heat exhaustion. Heavy sweating, cool and clammy skin, dizziness, nausea, and muscle aches could all be signs of heat exhaustion. If symptoms persist, call 911 immediately. Do not delay care. Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the US and can exacerbate underlying illnesses. Keep cool with showers, shade, and air conditioning or fans. Urban wilds and tot sprays at playgrounds are open in the City. When visiting, residents should wear face coverings (unless in the spray), maintain 6 feet of distance, and wash hands before and after visiting.If it is cooler outside than at home, wear a face covering and find a shady spot outside. If the face covering results in overheating or trouble breathing, find a shaded area where 6 feet of distance from others can safely be maintained and remove the face covering. If no AC is available: Take frequent cool showers Help find a non-sick family member or neighbor with AC to visit. Wear a face covering and stay 6 feet apart. If you have a child in your home, use child window guards in addition to screens on any open window on the second story or above. Falls are the leading cause of injury for children under the age of six.  Secure all window air conditioner units according to the manufacturer's specifications. Please call or virtually check on neighbors, especially older adults, and people with disabilities. Helping the homeless: If you see homeless individuals out in the heat who appear immobile or disoriented, please call 911. Please ask them if they need assistance. The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) operates emergency shelters at 112 Southampton St. and 794 Massachusetts Ave. These facilities are air conditioned and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  The City of Boston works closely with a network of shelter providers to ensure there is adequate shelter, food, water, and a cool respite from the heat. Street outreach teams providing recovery services, including the Engagement Center behind 112 Southampton St., remain operating as normal during summertime weather.  All sites (Shelters, the Engagement Center, comfort stations) are following COVID-19 guidelines by promoting handwashing, hand sanitizer, and face coverings. Guests are provided sunscreen and water. Nursing teams are onsite to support.  Playground safety:   Children should always wear shoes on playgrounds because surfaces can become extremely hot and cause burns, even splash pads and spray decks. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, children should wear a face covering (except while in the water), stay 6 feet away from others, and wash/sanitize hands before and after play.  Beach safety: Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if going to a beach or a large body of water, it is important to wear a face covering, stay 6 feet apart from others, avoid crowds due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  Don't wear face coverings in the water because they can be difficult to breathe through when they're wet. This means it is particularly important to maintain social distancing in the water. If the face covering results in overheating or trouble breathing, find a shaded area where 6 feet of distance from others can safely be maintained and remove the face covering. Outdoor fires and grilling: No outdoor fires are allowed in Boston, including fire pits, chimineas, and bonfires. Charcoal grills must be on the ground and away from buildings. Keep in mind the wind and never leave unattended. When done, dispose of the ash in a metal container once completely out. Propane tank grills are only allowed on first floor porches with steps to the ground. Do not place propane tank grills near air conditioners or up against a building. Make sure all connections are tight and never carry propane tanks into a home. Grills should always be used in a well-ventilated area.

聯邦參議員Ed Markey公佈報稅記錄 有台灣年輕人公開支持他連任

(Boston Orange 綜合報導)聯邦參議員馬基(Edward J. Markey)公佈了繳稅記錄，過去七年，平均每年收入17萬8317元。他的競選團隊向聯邦眾議員約瑟夫甘迺迪三世(Joseph P. Kennedy III)拋出”你敢不敢”的挑戰。

馬基在政界資歷甚深，1946年出生的他，從1973年當選麻州眾議員起，政途順暢，1976年就跨進聯邦層級，當選為聯邦眾議員， 2013年再晉階當選為聯邦參議員迄今，刻正尋求連任。

大波士頓有一批來自台灣的年輕人，因為馬基的支持台灣，已舉辦了”誰是馬基”的網路會議，討論製作海報，發起宣傳等行動，正默默行動的積極參政，支持馬基競選連任。

約瑟夫甘迺迪三世雖然出生於政治世家，聞名全美的甘迺迪家族，但和馬基相比，絕對是晚進，後備，1980年出生後，他最早接觸政治是2006年聯邦參議員愛德華甘迺迪(Edward Moore Kennedy)競選連任時，擔任競選共同主任。2013年他自己參選聯邦眾議員席位，一舉得籌。現在挑戰馬基的聯邦參議員席位。

約瑟夫甘迺迪三世的競選團隊表示，將在未來數日內公佈他上任聯邦眾議員以來那些年的繳稅記錄。

波士頓環球報指出，儘管馬基的競選團隊藉著公佈了繳稅記錄，吹噓他們對透明這承諾的重視，但馬基的太太Susan Blumenthal是一名醫療健保顧問，公共衛生專家，也是柯林頓政府的高階官員，而馬基沒有把全家人的收入情況公開。

馬基的競選團隊發言人Giselle Barry說，他們倆人向來分開報稅，正在競選的是馬基，不是Susan Blumenthal。拒絕公開Susan Blumenthal的報稅記錄。

根據馬基必須每年向聯邦參議院提供的個人財務狀況揭露，Susan Blumenthal把她從美國公共衛生服務(US Public Health Service)養老金這私營醫療業務領到的薪水，以及演講費用，都存進了他們兩人共有的財務帳戶。上個月的最近一份申報也是這樣記錄。該一揭露報告並未顯示Susan Blumenthal賺到的薪水或養老金有多少，但列出她在2019年給了5場演講，賺到62,700元。

該一揭露也顯示這對夫婦擁有投資資產和銀行帳戶，價值在190萬元到420萬元之間，其中有許多都列在Susan Blumenthal名下。(根據國會揭露規定，議員們只需要報告大概的資產價值，不需要確切數據。)

根據無黨派的回應政治中心(Center for Responsive Politics)，馬基和最有錢的參議員，申報了約2億6000萬元的共和黨籍Rick Scott相比，差得遠了。該機構報告的國會議員淨資產中位數略超過100萬元。

馬基公佈了2013年到2019年的州稅和聯邦稅報稅記錄，顯示這位現年74歲，住在摩頓市的民主黨籍聯邦參議員，來自國會議員薪水及社會福利的收入穩定，

馬基申報的2019年收入是177,483元，其中140,454元是聯邦參議員薪水，34,726元是社會福利。在2019年的報稅記錄中，他繳了39,256元的聯邦稅及州稅，稅率約為22%。

根據美國統計局，麻州的中位收入為77,000元。

總的來說，馬基在過去這七年間，平均每年繳44,160元聯邦及州稅，約為其毛收入的25%。捐給慈善機構的錢，平均佔收入的4%，有逐年增加之是，2014年2.3%，2019年7%，七年來總共捐了49,756元。

侯選人並沒有公佈報稅記錄的法律義務，但自從川普總統顛覆了四十年來的政治傳統，在2016年選舉之前，拒絕公佈他個人的報稅記錄後，這一行動就越來越受歡迎。儘管國會議員及檢察官在法院中和川普總統抗爭，要取得那些報稅資料，但迄今川普總統仍然拒絕拿出來。

住在牛頓市的甘乃迪是國會議員中比較有錢的其中一個。他將在9月1日在民主黨初選中和馬基對抗。他們兩人，無論誰贏，還得在11月3日和共和黨籍贏得初選的候選人對抗。目前在共和黨初選選票上的兩人為貝爾蒙(Belmont)的shiva Ayyadurai，以及都佛(Dover)的Kevin J. O’Connor。

六月份麻州失業率17.4% 高居全美第一

(Boston Orange)美國勞工部7月17日公佈六月份失業率，麻州高居全美第一位，17.4%，比全美失業率的11.1%，高6.3%。波士頓環球報稱這顯示麻州為積極控制新型冠狀病毒大流行，付出很高代價。

全美各州失業率，繼麻州之後，依次為新澤西州16.6%，紐約州15.7%。勞工部稱這3州各創下1976年開始紀錄的系列高點新高。六月份全美失業率最低的是肯塔基州(Kentucky)，僅4.3%。

今年年初，在新型冠狀病毒猛烈蔓延，麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)下令關閉許多經濟活動之前，麻州的失業率幾乎達到歷史低點，2.8%。

勞工部的新數據顯示，以百分點為基準，除少數幾州外，麻州比其他各州失去更多工作機會，包括極度仰賴旅遊業的夏威夷州，以及在最近以前，一直都是疫情震央的紐約州。僅僅三月份和四月份，麻州就失去690,500個工作機會，約為總工作機會的19%，把2009年上一次大衰退以後逐漸新增回來的工作機會，全部丟失了。

DataCore Partner的首席經濟學家Klepper-Smith說，這是他們在二次世界大戰後時代，第一次看到如此規模的(外部)震驚。他們找不到一個對照參考點。

根據聯邦儲備銀行波士頓分部的新英格蘭公共政策中心資深經濟學家趙波(譯音，Bo Zhao)的說法，麻州因應新型冠狀病毒大流行的作法，包括要求人們戴口罩，保持安全社交距離，急遽的限制了戶內及戶外活動，然後重新開放的步調也很謹慎，是就業市場那麼慘的主要原因之一。該政策緩慢了新型冠狀病毒擴散，但須要深度凍結經濟。

過去這幾個月來，對麻州不利的另一個原因是麻州的經濟組成。麻州比全美其他各州更加仰賴的行業，諸如醫療健保，教育，以及和旅遊相關的餐館，酒店，都直接受關閉影響，就業機會也大幅流失。

趙波說，在傳統的經濟衰退中，教育及醫療健保是比較不受影響的。那也是為什麼大衰退時，麻州沒有比全美其他各地糟。

            麻州政府17日時表示，在餐館及零售商開始聘僱下，企業主在6月份增加了83,700個工作機會。但在企業主增加就業機會時，失業率可能也會上升，因為在經濟恢復的鼓勵下，更多人開始找工作。六月份時，麻州勞動力增加了130,800，達到367萬人。

根據麻州納稅人基金會，在6月30日結束的上一個財政年度中，麻州的稅收比政府1月時的預期少了60億元。

麻州用來支付失業救濟的錢，也用光了，逼使查理貝克政府向聯邦政府借了4億5500萬元。由於失業保險信託基金在最近交給州政府的報告中估計，在剛到期的會計年度中，企業主付出的失業保險金和需要付給申領者的失業救濟金額，有32億元差距，在現在的會計年度中，約會有60億元，麻州政府恐怕還得再借更多錢。

在這些財政障礙之外，如果感染率持續走低，麻州政府所做的嚴格公共衛生選擇，可能在未來數月中帶來經濟紅利。

華人前進會等團體呼籲政府加稅 籌資復甦經濟

華人前進會行政主任陳玉珍(左三紅衣者)等呼籲政府籌資復甦經濟。
(CPA提供)

                     (Boston Orange整理報導)包括華人前進會(CPA)在內的"扶養麻州聯盟(Raise up Massachusetts)，7月15日起，預定一連8日在波士頓市等不同地點遊行示威，呼籲政府向有利潤的企業及富裕股東增收稅款，投資推動恢復經濟的”復工，復產”。

              華人前進會等組織警告道，州政府如果大刪預算，只會使新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)危機更形惡劣，影響經濟復殊，該會和"扶養麻州聯盟"本週推出"投資近我們的復甦(Invest in Our Recovery)”，和教育界人士，醫護工作人員，人民服務工作者，巴士司機，以及其他公司企業工作人員，一起在波士頓市，瑞維爾(Revere)市等地遊行，要求政府向盈利企業及富有股東增收稅款。

             麻州選民桌行政主任Beth Huang表示，議員們有選擇，麻州可以大刪預算，更進一步衰退經濟，加深種族和經濟上的不平等，或者我們可以在改善公共衛生，成長經濟，減少族裔不平等上做投資。

               華人前進會表示，人們現在比任何時候都更需要政府採取行動，協助他們對抗新型冠狀病毒，減輕經濟損失，以及這一疾病加深的族裔不平等現象。無論是醫療健保，交通，教育或安全網計畫，現在都需要更多經費來支持運作。根據往年曾經發生過的三次經濟衰退，麻州議員都能經由立法提高累進收入，創造11到25億元的新收入，避免削減預算。

該會和”扶養麻州聯盟”因此建議，1. 提高企業利潤稅率，只要從當前的8%，提高到2009年以前的9.5%，麻州就能從盈利企業獲得4.5億元到5.25億元的收入。2. 提高GILTI(全球無形資產低稅收入)稅率，就轉移到海外的利潤徵稅。3. 提高投資者非勞動收入的稅率。若以目前的5%稅率為基準，每增加1%，就可為政府增加4到5億元收入。

“扶養麻州聯盟”的遊行活動，將持續7月23日下午5點，在布洛克頓(Brockton)的遊行為止。(更新版)

波士頓市明年改選市長 馬丁華殊、吳弭槓上了

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)不滿吳弭批評市府設立基金。
(周菊子攝)

                     (Boston Orange周菊子綜合報導)還有一年半之遙的波士頓市長選舉，今天冒出煙硝味。波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)和波士頓市不分區市議員吳弭(Michelle Wu)槓上了。吳弭在電台節目中批評馬丁華殊在病毒大流行期間成立的兩個基金，馬丁華殊立即回應，稱”想要競選更高位置，得挑更好的議題”。

吳弭認為市府向私營企業募款，自行決定哪個機構
可得捐款，容易發生利益衝突。(檔案照片，周菊子攝)

                    波士頓市長馬丁華殊今(7月16日)下午3點在波士頓市政府大樓前舉行記者會，匯報疫情，說明波士頓彈力基金(Boston Resiliency Fund)將再撥款120萬元，穩定市內社區，其中包括撥款40萬元支持大波士頓拉丁裔網路(GBLN)，以協助拉丁裔社區對抗新型冠狀病毒，因為拉丁裔人口佔波士頓總人口約20%，但確診率卻佔28%。

                   根據波士頓市府的網站資訊，這一”波士頓彈性基金”，迄今已從大約1700個機構及個人，募得3420萬元，並已分發了將近2400萬元給306個非牟利機構，以及225,700個家庭。收受補助者有52%以上為有色人種，包括前進會(CPA)，越助中心(Viet-Aids)等。

波士頓彈性基金分配概況。(擷自市府網站)

                馬丁華殊在記者會現場表示，通常他不會立即回應外界的言論。但今天在他召開記者會之前的不過一個小時，竟然有市議員上電台節目，批評兩個基金。他認為批評的人完全不知道自己在說甚麼，還奉勸批評者，”如果想要競選更高職位，就該好好挑選議題”。

                    他認為批評者應該擠出時間打電話給他，或者和他談這”波士頓彈性基金”，就會知道”波士頓彈性基金”做得如何。他說，那些錢是用在把食物放在人們的桌上，讓人不至於挨餓，也用在社區醫療中心增設病毒檢測站，用來提供遠距醫療，為學童提供Chrome book電腦等。所以當人們批評這些基金發放得沒效率時，他希望這些人好好做一下研究。

               聽到馬丁華殊這發言的人，幾乎都能猜到他說的是誰。結果也不出人意料之外，的確就是吳弭，已經在公開場合批評過馬丁華殊三月分成立的”波士頓彈性基金”，以及數週前才成立的”族裔平等基金(Racial Equity Fund)”。

                吳弭在電台節目中再度指出，”波士頓彈性基金”和”族裔平等基金”都是向私營企業或個人募款，以幫助波士頓是居民，但這做法卻扭曲了行政流程，把政府工作和私人募款混唯一談。

                 吳弭還說，”族裔平等基金”是設計來增強有色居民能力，改善經濟的，但目前的做法卻是由市長出面，以市府作為向私人或企業募款的平台，然後由市府決定市內哪一個非牟利機構得到捐款，那只會造成非常具有顛覆性並且危險的變動。慈善當然很棒，有個慷愾，在市內做很多捐贈的政府，當然很好，但當那是經由政府而不是經由非牟利機構或基金來給出去時，就扭曲了政治過程(political process)。

              吳弭贊成在波士頓市內推動族裔平等的目標，但表示要讓那發生，市府必須處理更大的結構性問題，例如讓工程發包，土地發展的過程更為透明化，社區可以追究責任。

               吳弭說，毫無疑問的，我們需要更多錢，把更多經費送進有色人種社區，送進黑人領導的組織，送給黑色及棕色居民。但從我的觀點來看，目前的市政府做法，並沒有往那個方向去。這是由政府主導，把錢塞給某個組織，而不是由波士頓市內的黑人或棕色企業領袖所創辦，領導的組織來執行，因此灌注了政治因素在那裏面。但事實上，政府的工作是要做結構性工作。

             WGBH報導，他們用馬丁華殊政府給出的那1200萬元緊急新型冠狀病毒開銷，流到少數族裔企業的不到2%。

             WGBH表示，在馬丁華殊的記者會結束後，吳弭為她在電台中的發言辯護，她重申自己擔心”在大流行期間推出由市長控制的私營基金，會在令人困擾的缺乏監管下，造成利益衝突。她希望市長明白她的話並不是對市長做個人攻擊，而是呼籲波士頓市要做得更好。