共和黨查理貝克選州長 提議給中小企業抵稅優惠

麻州州長候選人查理貝克（Charlie Baker）日前在”州長候選人論壇“中指教育是未來所繫；聯邦政府應該把規範，管理醫療保險的權利，交回給地方；州政府應訂定小企業抵稅優惠（small business tax credit），以創造就業機會，改善經濟。

            22日談及議會將調漲麻州最低工資時，查理貝克表示，到2016年中時把每小時最低工資從8.5元漲到10.5元的這提案，他可以接受。

            查理貝克是麻州州長候選人中，唯一的共和黨籍候選人。麻州州長亞美顧問委員會（Governor’s AAC）與25個支持機構合作舉辦的這“州長候選人論壇”，也特地為他，把論壇場地搬到了共和黨籍范文南(Nam Pham)擔任行政主任的越助中心（Viet -Aid）。

            查理貝克在這場除了華裔，越南裔之外，有多名韓裔，泰裔人士出席的論壇中，介紹自己，闡述他第二次參選麻州州長提出的好工作，好學校，好社區等三大理念。       

            查理貝克認為，麻州內的企業，百分之八，九十都屬於中小企業，要改善麻州經濟，創造就業機會，就要幫助小企業經營，成長。最佳的方法之一是給中小企業抵稅優惠（tax credit），而不是把納稅人的錢用來支撐那些“大到不能讓他們倒下來（too big to fall）的公司”。

            談到醫療保險時，查理貝克一方面指稱聯邦政府的醫療保險制度是仿效麻州早已實施的全民健保，一方面指現行的醫療保險費用過高，在於整個醫療體系營運做法有問題，聯邦政府應該讓各地政府自行找出最好的方法。

            談及學校時，查理貝克指教育是人們改善未來的最重要途徑。他認為每個社區之內都至少有一所很不錯的學校，如果鼓勵各學校交流，可逐漸發揮全面改善各級教育作用。他也贊成辦理特許學校，以容許更多學子獲得更好的教育。

            1956年十一月十三日，在麻州尼罕（Needham）出生的查理貝克，畢業於哈佛大學，獲有西北大學凱洛格（Kellogg）管理學院企業管理碩士學位，目前是

總催化夥伴（General Catalyst Partners）的駐公司企業家。

            查理貝克當天表示，他有豐富的政府，企業經驗，一旦當選麻州州長，最能發揮橋樑作用。

            過去這些年間，他曾在威廉威爾德（William Weld），保羅瑟祿奇(Paul Cellucci)兩位州長任內，擔任行政及財務卿（Secretary of Administration and Finance），推動過許多節省開支，增加效率的改革，1998年還曾獲得全國州長協會的傑出服務獎。在2010年他第一次參選麻州州長之前，他當過哈佛朝聖者醫療保險公司（Harvard Pilgrim Health Care）執行長十年。

            查理貝克在他的競選州長網站上指出，他在哈佛朝聖者醫療保險公司服務期間，不但扭轉了該公司被接管的命運，還讓該公司在會員滿意度，臨床效率（clinical effectiveness）上，一連六年獲得全國最高評價。

他也強調自己的接近民眾，住在他家附近的鄰居都知道他什麼時候會到附近的咖啡店小坐，有意見時，都會直接向他反映。

           

圖片說明：

            越助中心行政主任范文南（中）送紀念品給麻州州長亞美顧問委員會副主席李超榮（左），以及麻州州長候選人查理貝克。（菊子攝）

            查理貝克（立者）在多徹斯特的越助中心，向出席者闡述他參選麻州州長一職的理念。（菊子攝）

牛頓台灣日訂 5/3 舉行

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處、波士頓華僑文教服務中心和牛頓市海德社區中心合作，將於5月3日（週六）在位於牛頓市的波士頓僑教中心（90 Lincoln street, Newton Highlands, MA 02461）舉辦「牛頓台灣日」。

僑教中心表示，舉辦「牛頓台灣日」，旨在加強與當地主流社會的互動與認識。

「牛頓台灣日」訂5月3日中午12點，由五彩金龍帶領參加表演，活動的團體，在林肯街上遊行，揭開序幕。

表演節目預定從一點開始，除三太子舞蹈表演之外，還有山地舞、民族舞蹈、扯鈴、採茶舞、Nia 帶動跳等文化表演。

台灣移民社團及中文學校將在現場擺設許多小吃及遊戲攤位，如珍珠奶茶、蛋捲、草粿、肉丸、麻薯、生煎包、涼麵、茶葉蛋、打彈珠、花枝丸、捏麵人、粽子、綠豆椪、鳳梨酥、愛玉、擂茶、貢丸、12生肖書籤、迷你高爾夫球、麻將以及現場摸彩等活動。

新英格蘭台灣青年商會已邀請紅十字會派捐血車，在會場外停泊，希望僑胞屆時踴躍登記捐血。

僑教中心已準備了台灣醫療服務國際化文宣、台灣觀光及馬年燈籠等勞作摺紙，「從空中看台灣」DVD光碟片，將在當日分贈給與會人士。

昆士市 4/26 再辦水災保險咨詢會

Time is running out to make critical decision. Please check and tell your friends to check on the related flood zone status. Families affected by the federal government's new flood map will have to pay flood insurance when the map becomes effective on June 9, 2014. Policy purchased a month before the effective date may cost less or much less. Please help spread the word. Thank you. 

Betty 617-376-1298

Also:
A new voice message has been recorded on the "Cantonese Information Line" of the City of Quincy. (617-984-8914) re: 2014 FEMA Flood Zones.
請廣傳﹕請撥 617-984-8914 “昆士市廣東話電話錄音資訊服務”
收聽有關聯邦政府2014水災區域圖的資訊。
查詢物業是否納入新圖內﹐
1． 請上網﹕http://www.quincyma.gov 按 “GIS Property Viewer” 
2． 或電話 617-376-1937 或 617-376-1298
3． 或出席4月26日在北昆士社區中心舉行的 “水災保險諮詢會”
(詳請﹐請查閱下面海報。)

GROSSMAN ANNOUNCES LATEST UNCLAIMED PROPERTY EBAY AUCTION

GROSSMAN ANNOUNCES LATEST UNCLAIMED PROPERTY EBAY AUCTION

Properties to be Showcased Across the State Starting Monday, April 28 in Boston

            Treasurer Steven Grossman today announced that his office will be displaying select items from its Unclaimed Property Division that will soon go up for bid on eBay.com.  The items will first be displayed at the State House in Boston on Monday, April 28, and will subsequently be shown in Yarmouth, New Bedford, Springfield, and Worcester, all leading up to the online auction going live on Saturday, May 3.

            “Reuniting people with their rightfully-owned property is our first priority, but in cases where these individuals cannot be located, we want to ensure that we maximize the revenue that is generated from this auction,” said Grossman. “Selling these items through eBay offers a competitive bidding environment, reaches a high number of potential buyers, and maximizes revenue for taxpayers.”

            The traveling showcase, which represents only a portion of the lots up for bid, will include items such as gold, silver, jewelry, collectible currency, and high-end watches.  The vast majority of items come from safe deposit boxes with contents that have gone unclaimed for a period of at least nine years.  After a lengthy period of going unclaimed, the state is legally permitted to liquidate these items at auction. 

            The times and locations for the display of these select items are as follows:

·       Monday, April 28 from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Nurse’s Hall, Second Floor, Massachusetts State House, Boston, MA.

·       Tuesday, April 29 from noon to 6:00 p.m. – Cape Cod Room, Cape Cod Irish Village, 822 Route 28,Yarmouth, MA.

·       Wednesday, April 30 from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Massachusetts State Lottery offices, 200 Theodore H. Rice Road, New Bedford, MA.

·       Thursday, May 1 from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Springfield State Office Building, 436 Dwight Street, Springfield, MA.

·       Friday, May2 from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Massachusetts State Lottery offices, 151 West Boylston Drive,Worcester, MA.

This is the ninth time that the Commonwealth has used EBay to liquidate its unclaimed tangible property holdings.  Prior to that, the Treasury held a live auction for such items, a process that was far less profitable because of its limited reach to potential bidders.  Last year’s eBay auction raised over $544,000 for the state’s General Fund through the sale of 1,830 separate bid lots, more than three times the amount of money generated from comparable live auctions of the past.

On May 3, 100 lots will be posted on eBay for bid, followed by a gradual release of additional items over the following eight weeks.  In all, the Treasury expects to put approximately 1200 lots out to bid.  The items will be able to be viewed by using the eBay seller ID “mass.state.treasury.”

Grossman said that the Treasury needs to regularly liquidate older portions of its tangible property holdings due to storage constraints and logistical needs.  He noted that if individuals or their heirs later prove that a piece of sold property belonged to them, they will be fully compensated the sale price of the item. 

The Treasury also maintains a comprehensive list of approximately $2.4 billion in unclaimed monetary property, such as stock, insurance payments, and bank accounts.  Individuals can search to see if they own such property by visiting www.findmassmoney.com or by calling (888)344-MASS (6277).

Boston Receives $140,000 for Food System Resiliency Study

Boston Receives $140,000 for Food System Resiliency Study

To Understand Food Sustainability in the Event of a Natural Disturbance 

BOSTON—Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the City of Boston’s Office of Food Initiatives joined community partners Next Street and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) to announce the receipt of $140,000 in support of a food system resilience study. The study will focus on the resilience and preparedness of Greater Boston’s food system, continuing work completed by NextStreet and ICIC over the last six years, and aimed at understanding the points of production, processing, and distribution in Greater Boston. The funding is provided by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation and the Local Sustainability Matching Fund, a project of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities.

“Ensuring food access for all Bostonians is a critical component of the work this administration is doing,” said Mayor Walsh. “Confidence in our food system is important in sustaining a healthy and vibrant city. This study will inform the Office of Food Initiatives, the Office of Environment, Energy, and Open Space, and the Office of Emergency Management as we consider Greater Boston’s food system holistically, and identify existing and potential gaps in access within the City.”

The study seeks to understand the many ways food reaches the plates of Bostonians. The study will also compare similar cities that have experienced natural disturbances, and suggest policy changes that will help prepare the City of Boston should similar situations occur.

“This project is about better understanding Boston’s local and regional food system. Where do Bostonians grow, manufacture, and access food? How might those access points be impacted by a natural disturbance and how do we make sure that the food system we’re developing is robust enough that it is able to withstand such disturbances?” said Director of Food Initiatives, Edith Murnane. “This work is going to enable us to think about the policy and programming that we need to put in place to create a more robust and resilient food system – one that will not only better ensure that Bostonians are able to put food on their table, but will help us to do so despite expected natural disruptions.”

The project is slated to begin by the middle of May. Over the course of a year, NextStreet and the ICIC will visit cities of similar size with analogous food distribution planning, and interview food system stakeholders to gain a better understanding of how natural disturbances have impacted their food production, processing, and distribution.

“I am thrilled that the City of Boston is investigating this important issue. As New England’s largest city, the food system developing in and around the city has rippling implications, region-wide, on food and farm production,” said Andrew Kendall, Executive Director of the Henry P. Kendall Foundation.

GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES NEW SUPPORT FOR JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT READINESS SKILLS FOR HOMELESS AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

BOSTON – Wednesday, April 23, 2014 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced $1 million in funding to connect homeless and low-income families with services to help some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable citizens overcome barriers to work and succeed in life. These Secure Jobs Initiative grants will help connect them with suitable employers in jobs with long-term career pathways. The Governor made the announcement at the Jewish Vocational Services organization in Boston, which assists individuals from diverse communities to find employment and build careers.

“We must continually invest in our workforce to provide our workers with the skills and resources they need to become great job candidates,” said Governor Patrick. “Helping our most vulnerable citizens transition into stable jobs is vital to supporting our economy and creating a stronger Commonwealth for the next generation.”

Through five regional partnerships, these grants will help homeless and low-income families receive job training and placement skills, as well as access to child care services so that they can successfully attain and thrive in their careers. These partnerships will increase coordination and local innovation to improve the Commonwealth’s ability to serve the needs of low-income and homeless families.

“Often times all it takes is a good paying job to lift struggling families out of homelessness,” said Aaron Gornstein, Undersecretary for the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). “The grants funded today are one part of the Administration’s comprehensive strategy to prevent homelessness and reduce our reliance on the state’s emergency shelter system.”

The Secure Jobs Initiative represents a strong collaboration between DHCD, the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), regional housing networks, nonprofit organizations and philanthropic organizations, many of whom participate on the Secure Jobs Advisory Board.

“Helping to provide clients with the skills and training necessary to get a good paying job has been a priority for Governor Patrick and is an important part of the Department’s mission to help clients transition toward economic stability and improve them and their families lives,” said DTA Commissioner Stacey Monahan. “These grants will go a long way toward reaching that goal and DTA looks forward to continuing to work with its sister agencies to help our state’s most vulnerable residents.”

"Access to high-quality early education and care is a critical resource for many families who are working hard to achieve self-sufficiency," said EEC Commissioner Tom Weber. "High-quality early education programs meet the important developmental needs of children while allowing adults to obtain and maintain family-sustaining employment. Working in partnership to provide comprehensive services to these families will help deliver positive outcomes for them and the Commonwealth."

The Secure Jobs Initiative grants are funded through the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund established by Governor Patrick in 2013. Today’s announcement builds upon a 2013 pilot program funded by the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, during which 348 individuals were placed in jobs. Two additional agencies that were not part of the pilot program but used the program model in their organization were also able to secure an additional 156 jobs for individuals.   

Following the success of the pilot program, the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation announced that it is matching the Commonwealth’s investment this year by contributing an additional $1 million.

“The Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation is excited to see Secure Jobs continue,” said Sue Beaton, Interim Director of the Fireman Foundation. “In the first year our state partners working alongside the foundation and our regional partnerships have together provided job opportunities for upwards of 600 individuals. As we seek to stabilize families in housing, it is key to launch them to income generating opportunities. Securing a job is often times the best life line possible.”  

“I applaud the Patrick Administration for committing $1 million in funding towards the Secure Jobs Initiative, providing critical job training and readiness assistance to help homeless and low-income families find a path to escape poverty," said Senator Jamie Eldridge. "If we're serious about reducing the homeless population in Massachusetts, we need to recognize that support services are critical, and I'm grateful to Governor Patrick for his leadership on this investment."

Today’s awards follow Governor Patrick’s recent announcement of more than $25 million in funding to create over 335 new units of supportive housing for veterans, homeless and very low-income households across the Commonwealth. With these new units, the Patrick Administration has reached its goal of creating 1,000 units of permanent, supportive housing in the Commonwealth over a year early.  

Earlier this month, Governor Patrick filed a An Act to Promote Growth and Opportunity, a comprehensive economic development package that will increase opportunity across the Commonwealth by providing new tools and training so our workforce is prepared to meet the needs of employers, invests in our Gateway Cities to promote development across the entire state and provides incentives to create jobs and stimulate the economy.

Today’s award recipients are:

·         Community Teamwork, Inc., Merrimack Valley, $250,000

·         Father Bills & MainSpring, South Shore, $115,649

·         HAP Housing, Western Massachusetts, $250,000

·         Jewish Vocational Services, Metro Boston, $250,000

·         SER-Jobs for Progress, South Coast & Islands, $134,351 

呂秀蓮抵哈佛談她為新台灣的奮鬥

 台灣前副總統呂秀蓮展示她的新書，封面是她年輕時
的照片。（周菊子攝）

台灣前副總統呂秀蓮（前左三）和來自台灣的學生，遊學者
合影。前排左一起為，經文處副處長陳銘俊，Ashley Esarey，
經文處處長洪慧珠，遊學團大使游麗珠。後右一為哈佛大學
東亞法律系系主任William Alford。（周菊子攝）

            (Boston Orange 周菊子劍橋市報導)台灣前副總統呂秀蓮昨(廿二)日到哈佛大學法學院宣傳她的英文新書「我為新台灣的奮鬥」。在回答提問時稱，若有機會和美國總統奧巴馬見面，會告訴他台灣是最好的和平保持者，軟實力模範，對世界有巨大貢獻。

台灣前副總統呂秀蓮（前右二）和來自台灣學生合影。前
排左起，哈佛法學院教授，學生，波士頓經文處長洪慧珠 。
哈佛大學東亞法律系系主任William Alford。（周菊子攝）

            呂秀蓮此行訪美，是為宣傳她的新書「我為新台灣的奮鬥：一個女人從囚獄到掌權的旅程（My Fight for a New Taiwan: One Woman’s Journey from Prison to Power）」，預定訪問七個城市，辦十二場演講。哈佛大學是第四場。今（廿三）日將到哥倫比亞大學。

            今年六十九歲的呂秀蓮，迄今是中華民國歷史中唯一的女性副總統，也是唯一做滿兩任的副總統。她曾因美麗島事件被判刑十二年，入獄五年多，其後歷任立法委員，桃園縣長，再於2000年，2004年和陳水扁搭檔競選，一連做了八年副總統。

哈佛大學東亞法律系系主任William Alford(中)邀新出共同
作者Ashley Esarey（右）和來自中國大陸的學者合影。
（周菊子攝）

            呂秀蓮從北一女，臺大法律系畢業後，在1969至1971年間，到美國伊利諾大學取得比較法學碩士學位。回台後鼓吹女性主義，受到調查局關注，於是再度出國，取得哈佛大學法律碩士學位，接著受恩師孔傑榮（Jerome Cohen）影響，到燕京圖書館搜集資料，做了三個月研究，寫成“台灣的過去與未來”一書，再因中美將斷交，決定回台灣投身基層選舉。

            呂秀蓮談及過去，指當年日本無條件放棄（renounce）台灣後，蔣介石是在被毛澤東“推翻（throw）”後，才撤到台灣。1947年二月廿七日時，一名女煙販和一名男子被射殺，約一個星期後，恐怖開始，約三萬大軍入台，約一萬名台灣人被殺，一萬多人被捕，台灣的精英階層，幾乎被消滅殆盡。

馬若德（Roderick MacFarquhar)在會後談呂秀蓮時，稱她
是個勇敢的人。（周菊子攝）

            呂秀蓮形容台灣在那段軍政，訓政時期，有許多人生活在恐懼之中，常被找去問話。1981年還發生陳文成事件。

            她說，美麗島事件發生後，蔣經國決定公開審判，發現事情和他所想的不同，決定沒人應該被處決。台灣後來陸續開放黨禁，報禁，奠定了民主基礎。

            呂秀蓮指出，台灣至今已經歷過兩次和平政黨轉移，要說台灣當年的經濟奇蹟令人驕傲，她認為台灣的民主奇蹟，更值得稱許。最近的“太陽花”學運，更把台灣的民主帶到另ㄧ個新篇章。

台灣前副總統呂秀蓮回母校哈佛大學演講。(周菊子攝)

            由於呂秀蓮也是在台灣推動女權運動的第一人，昨日她不忘談論在台灣的婦女，從中國傳統的三從四德觀念中走出來，如今有王雪紅，蔡英文等在商界，政界有傑出表現的婦女。三月份的太陽花學運，她到現場親自走看時，也發現場中有不下一半人都是女性。

            她認為台灣過去以來，至少有兩大成就，一是不暴力，一是女性參與社會發展。

        昨日的講座，由哈佛大學東亞法律系系主任William Alford做開場引言。曾任哈佛大學費正清中心主任的馬若德（Roderick MacFarquhar)，哈佛公衛學院教授李敦厚都側身座中。駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處有處長洪慧珠，副處長陳銘俊，組長陳佩瑩，波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文到場接待。

            呂秀蓮稱這本書為她的自傳。合撰該書的另一作者，曾在哈佛大學做博士後的加拿大阿爾伯塔（Alberta）大學訪問助理教授Ashley Esarey則表示，他在呂秀蓮在桃園縣當縣長（1997-2005）期間，和呂秀蓮成為好友，其後兩人都有寫書想法，由他陸續做了許多訪問，才寫成這本「我為新台灣的奮鬥」一書，目前僅有英文版。他相信將來會出中文版。

頂大學人連弘宜認為美俄漸對立未冷戰

政大教授連弘宜日前在頂大學人講座中談美俄關係，指中國崛起，改變世界威權局勢，但國際間並未進入“新冷戰”時期。

「頂尖大學聯盟選派訪問學者學術論壇講座」是駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處教育組與新英格蘭中華專業人員協會合作的系列活動。今年第二場請來頂大聯盟選派在哈佛大學做訪問研究的國立政治大學外交學系教授連弘宜講談。

連弘宜以“普京時期的俄美關係”為題，探討俄羅斯總統普丁兩次執政的美俄詭譎多變複雜關係。

他認為，俄國的國際外交政策方向，主要受其本國經濟狀況牽動。 中國崛起後，中俄攜手開發遠東，關係漸好，俄國開始不再優先和歐美西方合作，和歐美外交關係的重要性也降到次於中國地位。

他在這場假麻省理工學院舉行的講座中指出，烏克蘭（Ukraine）境內的克里米亞(Crimean)今年二月時宣佈獨立，並以公投決定加入俄國（俄羅斯），美歐立即發表不承認公投結果聲明，並採取凍結資產，停發簽證等禁制行動，儼然形成美歐與蘇俄對抗局面。

 連弘宜認為，當前國際情勢雖緊繃，但不如冷戰時期的劍拔弩張，國際間應該未進入所謂「新冷戰」時代。

連弘宜指出，俄國總統普丁（Vladimir Putin）兩次執政，與美國關係一直是分分合合，早年在北大西洋公約組織(簡稱北約，The North Atlantic Ocean Treaty Organization, NATO)東擴接收波羅的海三國、羅馬尼亞及保加利亞時，採取養精蓄銳忍讓態度，其後九一一事件時與美國聯手打擊全球恐佈份子，但2007年卻在慕尼黑會議公開抨擊美國。連弘宜指出，這些轉變，主要是俄國經濟復甦、中國崛起，以及俄國以往的忍讓，並未爭取到美國及西方認同，因而改變策略，

普丁在二次執政後向俄國人民宣稱，俄國應重回歐洲，揭示了俄國急欲重振昔日霸主地位的企圖。普丁還提倡從歐亞經濟共同體，擴大到歐亞共同體。當美國有意促使前蘇聯國家如喬治亞，烏克蘭加入北約，還計畫在波蘭及捷克佈署飛彈時，就牽動了俄國敏感的神經，強硬回應。

會末，紐英崙中華專業人員協會董事長張重華代表該會送上一份感謝狀給連教授。

圖片說明：

（左起）紐英崙中華專業人員協會張董事長重華、駐波士頓教育組組長黃薳玉 、新英格蘭臺灣同學會聯合會新任會長李慧真與前任會長林俞安等人在會後送上感謝狀給頂大學人暨政大教授連弘宜教授（中）。（圖由經文處教育組提供，謝開明攝）