Danielle Allen calls for Paradigm Shift Towards Health Equity to Address Gaps Across MA Communities

 Danielle Allen Unveils Bold & Progressive New Health Agenda, Calls for Paradigm Shift Towards Health Equity to Address Gaps Across MA Communities

Boston, MA – Today, gubernatorial candidate and national pandemic response leader Danielle Allen unveiled her health agenda — a transformative set of policies to trigger a paradigm shift towards centering health equity across all policy areas, including equitable pandemic resilience. The full agenda is available here, and a summary is available here.

The latest in a series of bold policy agendas, the health agenda draws on Allen’s work as an early national voice on pandemic response. These last tough two years have shone a new light on the ways health isn’t equal in our state, or our country. In 2020, Massachusetts recorded the third highest number of COVID-19 deaths per capita in the country. Chelsea was among the municipalities with the highest COVID-19 mortality rates in the nation. Faced with this reality, Allen aims to not only fix the gaps in healthcare, but also address the social determinants of health — to ensure everyone has access to the resources needed to stay healthy in the first place.

“Massachusetts has a proud leadership record on health, but our excellence on average hides wide gaps that still exist in health across our state,” said gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen. “We need to not only close the gaps in healthcare, but also start asking the bigger question: how can we get to a place where no matter our background, identity, income, or zip code, we all have equal access to a great standard of health? It’s time for a paradigm shift: a shift towards health equity. This is how we can make sure everyone in our Commonwealth has access to a great foundation for health.”

To make that happen, an Allen administration will prioritize:

• Leading for equitable pandemic resilience, including by pressing forward on community-based vaccine drives, ramping up quality rapid testing availability, investing ARPA funds in building out school-based health teams and public health infrastructure, transitioning to using hospitalization metrics, and investing in the community organizations that have been leading equitable pandemic response.

• Addressing the social determinants of health, including by closing the SNAP gap, expanding PACE for low-income seniors, activating our healthcare system’s support for patients’ social needs, and centering housing and environmental justice.

• Fully integrating behavioral health into our health system by increasing mental health provision in schools, fighting for coverage of a yearly mental health wellness check, expanding access to in-patient substance use disorder treatment and community-based, peer-support centers and healing communities for people in recovery or dealing with trauma, and addressing behavioral health disparities across the health system.

• Ensuring health coverage is truly universal. To close the gaps in coverage and ensure coverage is high quality for all, we will make being insured the default through auto-enrollment for people eligible for public plans, ensure undocumented people can get quality health coverage and services, and strongly support community health centers and safety net hospitals. 

• Bringing services to where people are to support healthy and resilient communities — making getting healthcare simpler and easier through school, public health, and community health center partnerships; strengthened public health infrastructure; and reduced use of research hospitals for routine care.

• Making health care affordable — acting to ensure fair pricing through caps on price growth at high-cost providers, use of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid reference pricing methods for routine “shoppable” services, and anti-trust measures to counteract the impacts of market concentration. 

最高法院同意聆訊哈佛大學入學許可族裔考量案

           (Boston Orange 編譯)由保守派主導的最高法院今 (24)日同意聆聽挑戰大學院校入學許可族裔考量的案件。

這使得最高法院在墮胎、槍枝控制、宗教及新冠病毒等議題之外，又多一宗備受矚目的案件。

最高法院表示，將接受聲稱私立的哈佛大學，州立的北卡羅來納 (North Carolina)大學歧視亞裔美籍申請人的案件。最高法院的決定若是反對大學現有作法，可能意味著大學入學許可中平權行動的終結。

兩造辯論預定會在今秋進行。

低等法院以40多年來，高等法院的判決是准許大專院校在入學許可決定上考慮種族因素為由，拒絕了這一挑戰。但大專院校必須以精細制定的方式來推廣多元化。

2016年，最高法院最近在一名白人女性挑戰德州大學的入學許可做法時，以4比3的投票，支持了德州大學。不過最高法院的人員結構在美國前總統川普 (Donald Trump)新增3名保守派法官之後，有了改變。

由於有4人而成為多數的大法官中，有2人離職了，包括2020年辭世的Ruth Bader Ginsburg法官，以及2018年退休的Anthony Kennedy法官。

在這案件中持不同意見的3名法官，首席法官John Roberts，以及法官Clarence Thomas和 Samuel Alito，仍然在位。對某些議題有調節作用，對於在公眾項目上限制使用種族堅定不移的Roberts法官曾經寫道，”這是很不好 (sordid)的作法，把我們按種族分化了”。

最高法院已經在聆聽可能擴大槍枝，宗教權力的案件，還可能直接挑戰1973年的Roe v. Wade判決，平反墮胎權，

週四時，最高法院第一次介入美國總統拜登 (Joe Biden)的疫苗政策，制止了大型企業的接種疫苗或檢測規定，同時准許全國大多數醫療護理員工的疫苗規定。

平權行動案件可能會在春季開始辯論。兩宗訴訟都是由Edward Blum所運作的維琴尼亞州團體”公平入學許可”提出的。他在促使大專院校在做入學許可審核時，廢除族裔考量上，已努力多年，而最高法院的新成員結構，有望為他的努力帶來新氣象。

該團體要求最高法院推翻2003年的Grutter v. Bollinger案的維持密西根大學法律系入學許可項目做法的判決。

拜登政府則力勸法官們遠離這一議題，並在哈佛案件中稱該案的推翻2003年判決的挑戰”不能證明這非同尋常的步驟是正確的”。

As Supreme Court Decides to Hear SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC, 

Asian American Civil Rights Orgs Affirm Race-Conscious College Admissions Expand Opportunities for All Students of Color

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five independent Asian American civil rights organizations, affirms its support for race-conscious college admissions and releases the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC:

 

“Amid a national reckoning with anti-Asian racism, we know that discrimination is not a relic of the past and continues to pervade and distort the lived experiences for people of color in this country every day. Affirmative action, diversity, and anti-discrimination programs, are essential to opening up opportunities for women and people of color, including Asian Americans, in higher education and all aspects of public life, and have been foundational building blocks for a more just and equitable society.  

 

“We still need these programs. The reality is that race continues to unfairly limit educational opportunities for students of color. Even after Brown v. Board of Education, schools in Black and brown communities are too often neglected and K-12 schools are severely segregated by race and ethnicity.

 

“Cold numerical indicators like grade point averages and standardized test scores capture and magnify these inequalities. Contrary to measuring merit, universities have increasingly recognized that standardized test scores are poor predictors of future academic success and have a troubling record of racial bias. In order to fairly assess the meaning of these numerical indicators, we need to consider the whole person, including race and our full life experience, as part of what we bring to any table.

 

“Seventy percent of Asian Americans support affirmative action. We reject the use of Asian Americans as proxies to attack the constitutionality of race-conscious programs. Race-conscious programs should not be conflated with racial quotas or other forms of unlawful discrimination. As we stand against anti-Asian racism and all forms of white supremacy, we are united with other civil rights advocates and students of color against further exclusion and segregation and for an education system in which all students have opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.”

 

Background: Advancing Justice Affiliation Support for Race-Conscious Admissions

In 2020, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC on behalf of the Advancing Justice affiliation, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Lawyers For Civil Rights and pro bono counsel Arnold & Porter filed an amicus brief to the First Circuit on behalf of a group of Asian Americans and other students of color at Harvard who support race-conscious admissions. In their testimony before the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, represented by Advancing Justice-Los Angeles and other co-counsel, these same students shared how consideration of race safeguards against discrimination and ensures candidates’ full life experience can be shared and recognized. 

 

In California, Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus and Advancing Justice - LA have joined with civil rights organizations and communities to repeal Proposition 209, which has prevented equal opportunity in state contracting, hiring and education and has led to the resegregation of campuses and workplaces across the state. 

 

About Asian Americans Advancing Justice

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation's members are: Advancing Justice - AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Advancing Justice - Atlanta, and Advancing Justice - Chicago.

吳弭:94%市府員工已接種新冠疫苗 遵守規定限期延一週

波士頓市長吳弭說明市府員工接種新冠疫苗狀況。

            (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市府員工遵循市府接種新冠病毒疫苗規定政策的限期，延至1月31日正。波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 今 (24) 日一早10點公佈，市府員工已有94% ，約18,270人符合規定。

             波士頓市府將繼續努力，期使所有員工都能在1月31日以前完整接種新冠疫苗，避免收到勒令停薪停職(unpaid leave)的通知。

             吳弭感謝所有配合疫苗政策者，並舉例說明自12月20日宣佈這一政策迄今，又有1600人接種了疫苗，使得市府已接種疫苗員工人數增加到18270。市府各部門的疫苗接種率都超過90%，波士頓學校部門94%，波士頓警察局95%，波士頓消防局91%，波士頓公共圖書館95%，波士頓稽核部 (ISD)96%，波士頓公園局97%。

             波士頓公共衛生局主任Bisola Ojikutu博士指出，波士頓居民也已有70%完整接種新冠疫苗，82%至少接種了一劑。她強調確診率已從最高峰的32%，降到上週五的18.9%。但是住院率增加了12%。波士頓市府認為接種疫苗等相關措施是防止病毒傳播的最好辦法，市府大樓內一週2次，每週二、四的疫苗接種門診將持續辦理。

             吳弭表示，市府會繼續和員工溝通，並為他們在1月30日前接種疫苗提供支援，以達成市府員工在一月底之前全都接種了疫苗的目標。市府也在持續和各個工會溝通。

             週五時，有數以打季的波士頓消防員在Florian廳抗議市府的疫苗政策。今日波士頓市府大樓外也有一小群人聚集抗議。波士頓市消防局的工會希望保持已持續數月的每週做檢測選擇，工會人員說因為那是他們協商來的辦法。(更新版)

麻州、波士頓市合作 牙買加平原將建202戶可負擔住宅

(Boston Orange 編譯)波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)，麻州州長查理貝克 (Charlie Baker)和非營利的住宅組織”社區建造者 (The Community Builders)”，新英格蘭最大的劉民服務機構”松街客棧 (Pine Street Inn)”合作，24日宣佈新建202戶公寓的工程，已經開動了。             這一建造大型支持性住宅的項目，早於2019年3月公佈，預定2023年末竣工，將在牙買加平原 (Jamaica Plain)的華盛頓街3368號，為需要可負擔及穩定住宅者提供202個公寓單位。             波士頓市長吳弭表示，一旦竣工，這將是波士頓市內最大型的支持性宅項目。             在這202個可負擔住宅中，有140戶公寓會保留給目前無家可歸的流浪人，62戶為收入或租金有限制的單位。             竣工後的物業將由”社區建造者”管理，該機構的社區生活小組將為居民提供或轉介服務。”松街客棧”將為140戶入住流民提供支援性服務。波士頓住宅局 (BHA)將為這一土地發展計畫發出156張以項目為基礎的憑證 (PBV)，包括要發給脫離流民生活者的140張憑證。             華盛頓街3368號項目的資金來源十分多元，包括來自麻州住宅及社區發展局的700萬元，美國銀行的5000萬元低收入住宅抵稅優惠 (LIHTC)，以及6000萬元的建築融資，麻州互惠壽險公司的2000萬元貸款，3000萬元免稅橋接融資，波士頓市市長的住宅辦公施提供1600萬元，150萬元的社區保存法經費，來自HYM投資集團的500萬元連鎖金，麻州發展 (MassDevelopment)要在4%的LIHTC債券融資中提貢5000萬元以上，麻州政府提供150萬元，可以產生980萬元效果的低收入住宅抵稅優惠，社區經濟發展援助公司 (CEDAC)會提貢400萬元的住宅創新資金，以及來自波士頓醫療中心和Robert Wood Johnson基金，從健康社區基金中的加速投資來的100萬元。              這一建築計畫還有波士頓的回家之路基金資助。該基金在美國銀行捐助支持下，提早2年達到募資1000萬元目標。自由互惠保險，麻州Brigham總醫院，麻州互惠壽險，薩福克護理 (Suffolk Cares)等機構也各捐了100萬元。在這些資金之外，松街克戰的總體住宅擴建計畫是由Yawkey基金會的大型補助款支持。              華盛頓街3368號在拆除現有建物後，預定蓋成有5層樓高，約144000平方英尺的綜合用途樓噢，一樓是辦公室及倉庫，上面的樓層為居民住宅。華盛頓松街公司 (Washington Pine LLC)將是業主。松街客棧將簽署服務條約，並租用一樓的1萬3000平方英尺辦公室面積。             薪樓宇將有21個殘障人士單位，包括有2個移動障礙的18個感覺有障礙者單位。整棟樓也有13戶套房，4戶一睡房，1戶兩睡房公寓。 MAYOR MICHELLE WU, GOVERNOR CHARLIE BAKER, PINE STREET INN, AND THE COMMUNITY BUILDERS ANNOUNCE THE START OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE LARGEST SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN BOSTON New development in Jamaica Plain will provide more than 200 units of housing for working families with support services for individuals moving out of homelessness

BOSTON -Monday, January 24, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu, Governor Charlie Baker, The Community Builders (TCB), a leading nonprofit housing organization, and the Pine Street Inn (PSI), New England’s largest homeless services agency, are proud to announce that construction has started on the largest supportive housing development in Boston at 3368 Washington in Jamaica Plain, which once completed, will provide 202 apartments. This is a major milestone during a time of critical need for increased housing in the City of Boston, especially for those facing the challenges of affordability and stability. The plans for the project were announced in March 2019, and the building is due to be completed in late 2023. "This project, with units for individuals moving out of homelessness, and wrap-around support services, is a significant step towards ending homelessness in the city,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Once complete, these apartments will represent the largest supportive housing development in the city, delivering stable, affordable homes to those who require it most. I'm thankful to the community and all our partners who helped make this development possible." When the new development is complete, it will create 202 units of affordable housing, of which 140 apartments will be reserved for people who are currently experiencing homelessness, and 62 apartments will be income or rent-restricted apartments for families. The property will be managed by TCB, with programs and services for residents provided by TCB’s Community Life team, trained to connect families to healthcare, education, and employment.  Additional supportive services for the 140 units for those moving out of homelessness will be provided by PSI. The Boston Housing Authority will be providing 156 Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) to the development, including all 140 units designated for individuals moving out of homelessness.   “Housing with support services that will help people rebuild their lives is how we will end homelessness,” said Pine Street President and Executive Director Lyndia Downie. “Breaking ground on what will be the largest housing development of its kind in Boston to date, brings us one step closer to reaching the goal of ending homelessness. This could not come at a more critical time, as we grapple with a pandemic and housing crisis in the city. We look forward to housing 140 of Boston’s most vulnerable individuals and providing them with the wraparound services they need to thrive. We are so grateful to the Jamaica Plain community who voiced such strong support for those who will be moving into this building.” “We are providing rental housing that working families can afford and supportive housing many individuals need, steps away from public transit in the heart of Jamaica Plain,” said Bart Mitchell, president, and CEO of The Community Builders. “We look forward to working with the community and our project partners to make this development a vibrant platform for educational and economic opportunity, where every resident can thrive. We are proud to make this development a model for creating permanent supportive housing at scale, with long-term services and sustainable design. This new approach to affordable housing addresses Boston’s most pressing needs.” The 3368 Washington Street project received a diverse combination of public, private philanthropic support to finance the building construction, property operations, and resident services.  Major project funders include $7 million of funding from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development; Bank of America is providing over $50 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity and over $60 million in construction financing. Barings/Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company is providing over $20 million in permanent loans as well as over $30 million in tax-exempt bridge financing, the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Housing is providing more than $16 million of funding, including $1.5 million from the Community Preservation Act and $5 million of linkage funding from The HYM Investment Group;  MassDevelopment is providing over $50 million in 4% LIHTC bond financing; the Commonwealth is providing $1.5 million of State Low Income Housing Tax Credits which generate $9.8 million in equity; the Community and Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) is providing $4 million of Housing Innovation Funding and $1 million from its Accelerating Investments in Healthy Communities fund, courtesy of Boston Medical Center and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The project was funded in part through the Boston’s Way Home Fund, started by the City of Boston to create permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals. The Fund reached its $10 million goal two years ahead of schedule with lead donations from Bank of America, which helped launch the Fund, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), and Suffolk Cares, each of which committed $1 million. In addition to these funds, Pine Street Inn’s overall housing expansion is being supported by a major grant from the Yawkey Foundation.  The development of the five-story building includes demolition of the existing building and new construction of a five-story, approximately 144,000 square foot mixed-use building with first-floor office and warehouse space and residential units on the upper floors.  The project will consist of 202 residential units, with 140 studio supportive housing apartments and 62 family units. A total of 156 units will be subsidized with Project-Based Vouchers awarded through the Boston Housing Authority, consisting of 111 traditional PBV and 45 Mainstream vouchers. Pine Street Inn, Inc. is the Project Sponsor and 51% member of the Managing Member and TCB is the 49% Managing Member. The Owner, Washington Pine LLC, will enter into a long term services contract with Pine Street Inn to provide daily twenty-four hour intensive supportive services at the property for the 140 supportive housing units and Pine Street and the Owner are establishing a supportive service reserve funded with proceeds from the sale of the property, the Boston Way Home Fund, and operating cash flow. Pine Street Inn will also lease approximately 13,000 square feet of office space on the first floor of the building.  The new building will also include 21 mobility impaired units and 18 sensory impaired units, 2 of which will also be mobility impaired units.  The apartments will include 13 studio apartments, 4 one-bedroom apartments, and 1 two-bedroom apartment. Of the mobility and sensory impaired units, there will be 1 three-bedroom mobility-impaired apartment; 13 studio apartments, 2 one-bedroom apartments, and 1 two-bedroom sensory impaired apartments; 2 studio mobility/sensory impaired apartments; and 12 of the 13 mobility and sensory impaired units are supportive housing studios. The architect for the new development is RODE Architects, a Boston-based design and architecture firm. About the Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) The Mayor’s Office of Housing is responsible for housing people experiencing homelessness, creating and preserving affordable housing, and ensuring that renters and homeowners can obtain, maintain, and remain in safe, stable housing. The department develops and implements the City of Boston’s housing creation and homelessness prevention plans and collaborates with local and national partners to find new solutions and build more housing affordable to all, particularly those with lower incomes. For more information, please visit the MOH  website. About the Department of Housing and Community Development  The Department of Housing and Community Development oversees a diverse portfolio of programming, including affordable housing development, rental assistance programs, the Emergency Assistance Program for eligible homeless families, funding for more than 240 state-aided local housing authorities, and provides tools and funding for municipalities and planning agencies across the state.  About the Boston Housing Authority The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) is a public agency that provides subsidized housing to low and moderate-income individuals and families. In addition to conventional public housing communities throughout Boston, BHA offers rental assistance programs. BHA receives federal and state funding to provide housing programs to individuals and families. BHA’s mission is to provide stable, quality affordable housing for low and moderate-income persons; to deliver these services with integrity and mutual accountability, and to create living environments that serve as catalysts for the transformation from dependency to economic self-sufficiency. About The Community Builders, Inc. The Community Builders (TCB) is one of America's leading nonprofit housing organizations. Our mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive. Our mission-driven businesses work with partners to develop, finance and operate residential communities, neighborhood amenities, and opportunity initiatives for families, seniors, and adults with disabilities.  Since 1964, we have advanced housing equity through award-winning affordable and mixed-income communities and our pioneering Community Life model for resident success. Today, anchored by offices in Boston, Chicago, Columbus, New York, and Washington, D.C., we own or manage over 13,000 apartment homes across 15 states and Washington D.C. www.tcbinc.org.   About Pine Street Inn Supporting over 1,400 individuals daily, Pine Street Inn is the largest homeless services provider in New England. Pine Street’s programs include permanent housing, job training, emergency shelter, and street outreach, with a goal of moving individuals off the street, out of the shelter, and back to home and community.   With a housing retention rate of 95%, PSI’s strategy to scale up supportive housing builds on the success of its current program, which includes 850 tenants in buildings it owns, leases and/or manages in Boston and Brookline, as well as rental units throughout Boston. www.pinestreetinn.org.

Baker-Polito Administration to File for $200 Million in Chapter 90 Local Transportation Funding, Highlights Fiscal Year 2023 Local Aid Proposal

 Baker-Polito Administration to File for $200 Million in Chapter 90 Local Transportation Funding, Highlights Fiscal Year 2023 Local Aid Proposal

 

 MA governor Charlie Baker making remarks at the Municipal Association Virtual Annual Meeting.

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced plans to file legislation next week seeking $200 million in Chapter 90 funding to help all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts improve transportation infrastructure and address needs within their local communities. Governor Charlie Baker made the announcement at the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s (MMA) Annual Meeting today.

This funding request complements the $31.5 million increase in unrestricted local aid that will be included in the Administration’s

MMA meeting is moderated by Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller (upper right).

Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget proposal, as announced by Lt. Governor Karyn Polito at the MMA meeting this past week. Keeping a commitment made by the Governor and Lt. Governor in 2014, the Administration’s budget proposals over the course of their time in office have increased local aid consistent with tax revenue growth. The Administration’s full FY23 budget proposal will be released in the coming days.

Senator Warren (bottom left also attended MMA meeting.

 

“As former local officials, Lt. Governor Polito and I pledged to be strong partners with cities and towns throughout our administration, and with these proposed investments in our cities and towns and local infrastructure, we are proud to sustain that commitment,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The budget proposals we have filed throughout our time in office kept our promise to cities and towns to increase local aid funding consistent with the growth in state tax revenue, and we have consistently filed for additional Chapter 90 funds to make critical improvements for local roads and bridges.”

 

“Our commitment to cities and towns has remained a vital part of our Administration’s approach, and we are proud to once again increase support for local aid through our FY23 budget proposal,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We look forward to partnering with our legislative colleagues to ensure our municipalities get the support they need to serve their residents and improve their local infrastructure.”

 

This $200 million in Chapter 90 funding would be available to local cities and towns for FY23. After taking office in 2015, Governor Baker quickly directed MassDOT to release $100 million in Chapter 90 funds that had been promised the previous year, fulfilling a commitment made to cities and towns. The Baker-Polito Administration has released a total of $1.56 billion in funding through the Chapter 90 formula, and if approved by the Legislature, this most recent request would bring the total to $1.76 billion.

 

“The Baker-Polito Administration continues to focus on supporting cities and towns by providing critical resources through the Chapter 90 program and through increases in local aid,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan. “We are proud to once again request these important resources which give municipalities the tools they need to effectively improve their communities.”

In her remarks to the MMA yesterday, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito also announced that the Administration’s FY23 budget proposal will include $1.2 billion for unrestricted general government aid (UGGA), a $31.5 million increase over Fiscal Year 2022, and equal to a projected 2.7% increase in tax revenue in the FY23 consensus revenue estimate. Including the FY23 budget proposal, the Administration has increased the total annual UGGA distribution by $253.9 million since taking office.

 

“The Chapter 90 funding program is a lifeline for municipalities as they manage and maintain their roadways and bridges.” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler. “Additionally, the Baker/Polito Administration has created and funded municipal programs like the Complete Streets Funding Program, Shared Streets and Spaces, Municipal Small Bridge, Municipal Pavement and Local Bottleneck Reduction, which have not only provided a generational investment directly to communities but helped repair and modernize the transportation network of the Commonwealth.”

Through the Chapter 90 program, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) reimburses cities and towns for costs incurred for eligible transportation projects. Funding is awarded by municipality and is predetermined by a formula that includes factors such as population, road miles, and employment.  

 

More information about the Chapter 90 program is available here.

尚莫維爾市:進出室內營業場所不需出示接種疫苗證明

                 (Boston Orange 編譯) 尚莫維爾 (Somerville)的衛生委員會在1月20日，週四時以2票對1票，否決了進入諸如餐廳，健身房，俱樂部及劇院等室內企業，須出示新冠病毒疫苗接種證明的提案。

             尚莫維爾市長Katjana Ballantyne表示，雖然她不同意，但尊重委員會的決定。在委員會的公聽會中，重要的訊息是市政府和委員會都同意，疫苗是控制病毒的重要工具。

             波士頓市的人們進入餐廳等室內場所需出示已接種疫苗的規定，已於1月15日生效。布魯克蘭鎮也已實施類似措施。

             尚莫維爾衛生委員會主席Brian Green博士在委員會準備投票前表示，”我不覺得我已經有了準備要在這個時候為這病毒規定簽字，因為關於奧米克戎 (Omicron)病毒變種，我們所知道的是這對於降低在餐館、健身房的傳染，不會有任何作用”。

             不過Brian Gree暗示，在不同環境下，他可能會支持這樣的規定。他說，疫苗規定對企業來說，會是非常好的政策，我完全願意為下一個證明是有效的變種，投票支持這一規定，但奧米克戎不符合這標準。

            根據該市的最新數據，尚莫維爾居民有80.4%已完整接種疫苗。該市過去14天來的確診率是13.23%。

尚莫維爾市長Katjana Ballantyne表示，衛生委員會的會議，強調了在對抗病毒大流行時疫苗的關鍵重要性。自然的，她們希望衛生委員會會支持提議的規定，但她尊重委員會的決定及顧慮，現在她們要關注的是，就像以前一樣，繼續用每一種可以採用的策略來對抗病毒大流行。他的員工已在獲取檢測，口罩，疫苗，資訊，以及財務和健康上，為人們提供加倍支援。