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| 迎春揮毫嘉賓及書法家們，左起，伍振中，周麗桃，林賢琪，林卓培，僑教中心主任歐宏偉，牛頓市議員John Rice，經文處處長徐佑典，僑務委員蔣宗壬，大波士頓中華文化協會會長談繼欣，吳紹營，池元山。(謝開明攝) |
星期日, 1月 27, 2019
波士頓迎春揮毫 謝開明圖片專輯
波士頓迎春揮毫 僑教中心"豬事大吉"
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| 左起，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉，牛頓市議員John Rice， 波士頓經文處處長徐佑典，僑務委員蔣宗壬，大波士頓 中華文化協會會長談繼欣展示揮毫寫的字。(僑教中心提供) |
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| 左起，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉，牛頓市議員John Rice， 波士頓經文處處長徐佑典，僑務委員蔣宗壬，大波士頓 中華文化協會會長談繼欣即席揮毫。(僑教中心提供) |
”迎春揮毫”是波士頓僑教中心舉辦已逾10年的慶祝農曆新春活動，每年都有新意。今年除了邀來中華書法會的現任會長林卓培，周麗桃，前任會長池元山，陳綺怡，書法家吳紹瑩，伍振中之外，還請擅長手工藝的林賢琪到場，教人做豬年拓印版畫和吉祥與書籤。
為強調文化傳承，波士頓僑教中心今年更特地商請義工團出動第二代，穿上一式的粉紅T恤，在會場為書法家研墨，遞紅紙，把出席者揮就的墨寶，張貼牆上，供人瀏覽。
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| 駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長徐佑典在活動開始 前致詞。(僑教中心提供) |
徐佑典處長和歐宏偉主任為”迎春揮毫”活動致詞後，和僑務委員蔣宗壬、牛頓市議員John
Rice，大波士頓區中華文化協會會長談繼欣、率先響應揮毫，分別寫下”春”，”新春快樂”，”新年快樂”等祝福語。
紐英崙昭倫公所主席謝如鍵、麻州牛頓元極舞協會會長鄭玉春，前會長曾秀梅，波克萊台灣商會秘書長陳玉媖，臺大校友會會長莊保羅以及劍橋合唱團團長屠澤寬等人，雖然都謙虛表示自己的毛筆字不好，倒也都湊熱鬧的揮畫幾筆。
僑教中心主任歐宏偉表示，今年揮毫的主題訂為「祥豬獻福除舊歲．波城揮毫迎春」，全靠僑教中心志工團協助，會場佈置年節氣氛十足，書法會會長黃周麗桃、林卓培和書法家吳紹營、伍振中、池元山等人的坐鎮示範，林賢琪的現場教作豬年拓印版畫及吉祥語書籤，更是活動美滿，老中青三代得以同堂共樂，感受中文正體字之美的大功臣。
星期五, 1月 25, 2019
MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES DIGITAL EQUITY FUND NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
| MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES DIGITAL EQUITY FUND NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS |
$100,000 will be awarded to local organizations aimed at increasing digital resources available to Boston residents
BOSTON - Friday, January 25, 2019 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the Digital Equity Fund is accepting applications from local organizations for grants up to $35,000. In total, the Digital Equity Fund will disperse up to $100,000 to increase equity across all communities and neighborhoods. By providing seed funding to a new round of applicants, the City hopes to identify promising strategies that will help Bostonians access the tools and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. Organizations can apply for funding until March 1, 2019.
"Providing resources to local organizations will help residents across Boston access high-speed internet and gain new digital skills," said Mayor Walsh. "We are proud that since the creation of the fund, we have tripled its size to serve even more Boston residents. We look forward to supporting more organizations as they address digital equity gaps."
Created in October 2017, the Digital Equity Fund provides support to community-based organizations that help Boston residents fully connect and participate in today's media and information landscape. The Castle Square Tenants Organization (CSTO) was awarded a $35,000 grant in 2017 to create a technology audiovisual college course and internship program in partnership with the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology.
"I wanted the students to have a college atmosphere," said Irene Chan, Square Tech Training and Senior IT administrative services manager. "The students are able to take what they learn at Square Tech, get college credit, and have confidence that they have this training in their background, before they even apply to college."
The goal of the Digital Equity Fund is to explore ways to build individual and community capacity to:
The Digital Equity Fund is overseen by the Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) and an external Fund Council consisting of four members. Fund Council members are appointed by Mayor Walsh and serve three-year terms. To qualify for a grant, nonprofit organizations must be Boston-based and serve Boston residents. The Digital Equity Fund Council is responsible for reviewing applications and selecting recipients.
Mayor Walsh has been committed to bringing more equity and choice to residents throughout Boston, from launching Boston's first-ever Digital Equity Fund; to bringing WiFi hotspots to the Boston Public Library's lending program; to Boston's Wicked Free WiFi program; to working to protect Net Neutrality rules that ensure a fair and open internet.
In addition, in November 2018, Mayor Walsh and Verizon announced a new partnership that will accelerate Boston's plan to be one of the most technologically advanced cities in the nation, giving residents more choice. Building on the partnership formed in 2016, Verizon will expand its local wireless network speed and capacity to its local 4G LTE network, expand Fios internet and cable television to all neighborhoods in Boston, and collaborate with Boston on Smart Communities solutions.
The City of Boston's Broadband and Digital Equity efforts improve access to affordable and reliable high speed Internet for households and businesses, expand the availability of high speed Internet in public places, and facilitate ease of access to up-to-date digital tools.
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美中生物醫藥協會醫療器械會10週年
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| 美中生物醫藥協會和協辦的中華資訊網路協會、哈佛大學醫學院中國學生學者聯合會合影。(主辦單位提供) |
(Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導)美中生物醫藥協會(CABA)1月19日在麻州醫學會(MA Medical Society)的會議中心大樓，舉行第10屆醫療器械與診斷創新論壇(MDDI)，分醫療設備業創新科技，行業動態和觀點，機會與政策等三個主題，邀12名專家分享經驗、心得或成果，吸引了約150人出席。
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| CABA的魏義彬(右一)，張偉(左二)和獎者樊榮(左一)等人 合影。(主辦單位提供) |
會議由CABA會長英博，副會長兼會議主席魏義彬做開場致詞，創辦醫療設備會議的CABA理事張偉，以幻燈片和出席者回顧當初他和現任CABA董事長張引，前會長戴朝陽，陳志宏等人籌辦這會議的歷程，並指出迄今這仍是本地華人生物醫藥圈唯一的，以醫療器械設備為主題的會議，近年的人工智慧與醫療結合趨勢，尤其彰顯了他們當年眼光前瞻。
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| CABA會議籌辦團隊，後又起，前會長戴朝陽，董事長 張引，副會長魏義彬，會長英博等人。(主辦單位提供) |
今年的大會主題是”下一個世代，科技，機遇”，主講請來PerkinElmer創新及科技副總裁Karen Madden談“企業內部啟發人的創新故事”，AB Sciex的資深研發主任Subhasish Purkayastha談”傳統的質譜技術改變了診斷界景觀”。
Karen以自己有80年歷史的PerkinElmer公司為例，指出對規模較大的企業來說，內部創新是企業發展，擴張，保持競爭力的必走路徑，如何有效協調公司內部資源，非常重要。
Subhasish從質譜儀的理論，發展和應用說起。他指出，無論是辨識可處理癌細胞的抗體藥，觀察可救命的免疫藥劑量，或是分析成分以打擊造假汙染物，使用質譜儀檢測都能發揮很大作用，這種分析檢測的從研發轉向臨床應用，更是與近年來生醫界強調的精準醫療理念十分契合，未來發展讓人十分期待。
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| (主辦單位提供) |
醫療器械業創新科技這部分，由本身是PKI創投創始合夥人的CABA副會長魏義彬主持，安排有基於Sherlock的新創公司，Ultivue，以及SingleRon和IsoPlexis等的介紹。
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| 麻省理工學院分子結構實驗室負責人張曙光。 (主辦單位提供) |
Omar Abudayyeh 和 Jonathan Gootenberg都曾是張鋒實驗室的學生，他們對Cas13等基因剪輯的酶，以及化學訊息RNA的新剪輯技術等進一步研究，不但奠定名為Sherlock的這種基因檢測技術基礎，還把檢測靈敏度提高甚至100倍，並研發出迷你紙，讓人用肉眼就可看見檢測結果。這研究成果已促使他們成立了一家公司，預計下個月可獲得約三千萬元投資，將從與非牟利機構合作開始營運。
Ultivue的執行長Michael J. Natan解釋該公司研發的多標免疫組化影像分析，具有同時偵測5到10各，甚至更多目標物，卻不會錯失抗體的能力，可以和現有的自動染色或螢光顯微鏡合併使用，來達到更高效的分析多個癌症生物標記，可以客製化生物標記等等功能。
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| 張鋒實驗室的Omar Abudayyeh 和 Jonathan Gootenberg 也自己開公司了。旁為魏義彬。(主辦單位提供) |
耶魯大學生醫工程副教授樊榮，也是新格元生物科技公司創辦人暨首席科學家，IsoPlexis創辦人。他研發出來的微芯片技術，讓人們第一次可以在一個單細胞內，同時衡量42個免疫效應蛋白，也是迄今最多元的單細胞蛋白分泌測定。
行業動態及觀點這部分，由CABA執委杭劍鋒主持，講者分別有麻省理工學院分子結構實驗室負責人張曙光，Exosome診斷公司總經理Thomas
McLain。
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| 魏義彬(左)，杭劍峰(右)是會議主持人。(主辦單位提供) |
張曙光早前創辦的公司，3DMatrix，被日本人收購後，2014年在東京上市，總值逾12億美元。現在，他專注於已研發7、8年的水溶性膜蛋白QTY分子密碼，也為此有望改變醫藥發現的技術，成立了Oh2公司。
Thomas McLain在生物醫藥領域20多年，出任過許多新創公司的執行長，這次的Exosome是一家液體活檢公司，在前列腺癌早期診斷上，尤其受關注。
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| CABA的醫療器械會議最初是由張偉創辦的。 (主辦單位提供) |
機遇與政策這部分，由AB
Sciex全球產品經理，也是CABA協調員的俞瑩卿主持。分別有Cam
Med執行長Larry Alberts談”初創設備企業領導者的教育”，上海食品藥品監督局處長黃亦武談”中國醫藥設備規範概況”。
會議當天，波士頓風雪來襲，但出席者都興致濃厚，等著抽獎，從七橋(Seven
Bridge)亞太區副總裁殷騰飛等人手中領google home等獎品，還參加會末的雞尾酒會繼續交流。
星期四, 1月 24, 2019
Baker sign bill to ensure disabled with equitable coverage
Governor Baker Signs An Act Providing for Equitable Coverage in Disability Policies
BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito were joined by House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senator Jason Lewis, Represenative Ruth Balser, members of the Legislature and a coalition of groups led by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women to participate in the ceremonial signing of An Act Providing for Equitable Coverage in Disability Policies. The legislation prohibits insurers that offer disability insurance from charging higher premiums or otherwise setting terms and conditions of coverage based solely on gender, race, religion, national origin, or other personal characteristics.
“I am pleased to sign this bill ensuring everyone in the Commonwealth has fair and equal access to insurance,” said Governor Baker. “We thank the Legislature for working with our Administration to pass this important legislation, delivering lower insurance rates for women and families across the state.”
“This legislation provides necessary protections for women and families in Massachusetts to receive insurance at the appropriate rate,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “I am proud that the Commonwealth continues to be a leader in equality and am grateful to our partners in the Legislature for working to get this bill passed.”
“Thanks to the hard work of Representative Balser, House members and advocates, this new law – 10 years in making – protects consumers across Massachusetts and result in a healthier Commonwealth,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo. “Massachusetts will always stand with its citizens and safeguard against discrimination of any kind.”
“Women's rights groups have been working to eliminate gender discrimination in insurance since the 1970s when Massachusetts adopted the Equal Rights amendment to our state constitution,”said Representative Ruth Balser. “Slowly and incrementally, Massachusetts has eliminated gender disparities in most insurance products including automobile, homeowners, health, and annuities. Today we have eliminated the unfair practice of charging women more than men for the same disability protection. Many thanks to the large coalition of groups led by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, the legislature, and the Governor for insisting that Massachusetts continues to lead when it comes to ensuring equality for all.”
“On the long march to gender equality, the passage of this bill is another step forward,” said Senator Jason Lewis, the bill’s lead sponsor in the state Senate. “Thank you to Rep. Balser and the advocates who worked tirelessly for many years to pass this legislation; it will improve fairness and lower insurance premiums for tens of thousands of women in Massachusetts.”
“We are pleased to join Governor Baker, Rep. Balser and Sen. Lewis in celebration of this victory for women’s economic security, and to affirm the Commonwealth’s commitment to equality under the law,” said Nina Kimball, Chair of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.
波士頓僑務簡訊108年1月第2期
中華民國 10 8年 1月第 2期
波士頓華僑文教服務中心
Culture Center of TECO in Boston
地址 : 90 Lincoln St., Newton Highlands, MA 02461
電話 : 617 : 965 -8801 傳真 : 617: 965 -8815
電子信箱 : boston@ocac.gov.tw
◎歡迎加入【海外僑胞卡特約商店】行列～
僑務委員會為了促進全球臺商的商機，並進一步服務海外僑胞，自2018起8月，廣邀海外各優質僑臺商企業加入「僑胞卡海外特約商店」。新英格蘭地區迄今已有9家商號（共18家商店）加入海外特約商店行列，為僑胞卡持卡人提供不同方式的折扣與優惠內容。歡迎有興趣加入的臺商業者親自前來本中心申辦，或填妥「僑務委員會僑胞卡海外特約商店申請表」後，提供至多3張照片由本中心彙整統一辦理。僑務委員會將於審查通過後另案函復，並提供僑胞卡樣張及識別標誌貼紙給海外特約商家參用。詳情請至僑胞卡官網www.ocacocc.net瀏覽相關訊息。
◎歡迎申請【僑胞卡】～
歡迎年滿20歲的中華民國僑民及台灣鄉親，攜帶「美國護照」或「中華民國護照及美國綠卡」正本，前來波士頓僑教中心申辦，經審核無誤即可當場領取，非常方便。
中華民國僑委會自106年10月發行僑胞卡後，目前國內已有逾2500家特約商店持僑胞卡於國內、外僑胞卡特約商店消費，可享商店提供之相關優惠。或在國內醫療機構自費健檢，醫療機構提供專案價服務。歡迎持卡人到僑胞卡官網(www.ocacocc.net)瀏覽相關訊息。。
◎僑務電子報LINE正式上線囉🎉接收僑委會訊息超便利～
想知道最新僑務訊息及僑社動態嗎？請踴躍加入僑務電子報的LINE@官方帳號。 好友加入方式：
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◎歡迎台商回台投資行動方案~
為協助台商順利返台投資，行政院推動「歡迎台商回台投資行動方案」，實施期程為3年（108年至110年），以企業需求為導向，提供客製化單一窗口服務，整合土地、水電、人力、稅務與資金等政策措施，積極協助台商回台投資。詳情請瀏覽網站： https://www.ndc.gov.tw/Content_List.aspx?n=6C3C3045CFD283A2
◎2019年「投資臺灣新創事業僑臺商邀訪團」受理遴薦報名中
僑委會為增進僑臺商對國內新創事業現況、優勢及技術之瞭解，促進商機交流、技術合作等，特訂於今年4月22日至4月26日辦理「2019年僑務委員會投資臺灣新創事業僑臺商邀訪團」，帶動來臺投資及產業發展，協助國內新創事業開創海外通路及商機。歡迎海外具投資實力、有意投資國內新創團隊合作、或有意與臺灣新創事業合作拓銷海外市場之僑臺商參加，報名請洽本中心林小姐，電話：617-966-8801，電郵ocacboston@gmail.com。
◎2019年「僑務委員會電子商務臺商觀摩團」受理遴薦報名中
為增進僑臺商對國內電子商務現況、優勢及技術之瞭解，協助國內電子商務開創海外通路及商機，僑務委員會訂於今年5月27日（星期一）至5月31日（星期五）共5天4夜，舉行「電子商務臺商觀摩團」，有意與國內電子商務產業合作或投資，能協助臺灣電子商務拓銷至海外市場者，請於3月15日前洽本中心林小姐，電話：617-966-8801，電郵ocacboston@gmail.com。
◎2019年「海外青年英語服務營活動」開始報名
僑務委員會、教育部、客家委員會、原住民族委員會合辦的「2019年海外青年英語服務營活動」開始接受報名。報名時間：自即日起至3月15日止，活動期間
自今年6月29日至7月27日，為期4週。全程參與3週活動之學員，僑委會將頒發80小時中英文服務證明。
申請資格為：(一)報名時已就讀11年級以上且於2019年11月30日前年滿17足歲，但未滿25足歲、現居美國、加拿大、紐西蘭、澳洲、英國、愛爾蘭、南非或貝里斯地區、以英語為母語、能以簡單中文溝通、身心健康、學行良好、能適應團體生活，且具高度從事志願服務意願者，為優先錄取對象。(二)前曾參加本活動者不得報名。(三)報名客籍志工者須由僑居地客家社團推薦。
有意回國請向各駐外館處或華僑文教服務中心索取報名表格，或逕自僑委會網站（www.ocac.gov.tw）/國內研習資訊專區、本營隊網站（https://teenage.ocac.gov.tw）下載，並請於報名期間內完成線上申請手續及備齊相關文件，向各駐外館處或華僑文教服務中心辦理報名。
◎2019年驚艷臺灣-師大華語遊學團及華語小大師夏（冬）令營
台灣國立師範大學為推廣海外青年回臺增進華語能力及體驗臺灣文化之美，訂於2019年6月17日起至12月27日舉行「2019年驚艷臺灣-師大華語遊學團」，共計4梯次；另「2019年華語小大師夏(冬)令營」訂於2019年6月24日起至12月27日舉行，共計4梯次。報名期間自即日起，採網路方式報名，活動網站http://ntnucamp.sce.ntnu.edu.tw/studytour_tw/，或洽該校邱先生或張小姐，聯絡電話：886-2-7734-5824或886-2-7734-5851。
◎2019臺灣青年海外搭僑計畫1月7日報名開跑
廣受大專院校在學青年歡迎的「僑務委員會臺灣青年海外搭僑計畫」又來囉！2019年將遴選234名學生，於暑假期間前往全球18個國家33個城市進行為期7日之參訪見習。1月7日起開始受理報名，2月25日報名截止。網站https://www.ocac.gov.tw/ocac/pages/vdetail.aspx?nodeid=3467&pid=7265588&rand=2115。
◎全球熱愛生命獎章開放申請
財團法人周大觀文教基金會設立「全球熱愛生命獎章」，歡迎在各自領域有具體事蹟者向該會申請。推薦時間：3月3日起至6月30日止，請附候選人自傳一篇，內容包含候選人之優良德行、傑出成就或奮鬥經過及對周遭影響與社會貢獻，並附與候選人優良事蹟之有關照片（包括二吋照片二張及生活照20張）。預定明年一月上旬複審、二月上旬決審，並於三月召開記者會公佈得獎名單。細節請上網http://www.ta.org.tw、e-mail:ta88@ms17.hinet.net財團法人周大觀文教基金會。
◎華僑救國聯合總會108年華文著述獎開始申請
為提高海外華文著作素質，弘揚中華文化工作，華僑救國聯合總會設置「108年華文著述獎」，鼓勵與學術論著、文藝創作及新聞寫作相關的優良作品參加。有
意參選者，可透過駐外領館及機構推薦，也可以個人身份申請，申請期限至今年６月底。詳情請至該總會網站http://www/focat.org.tw
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CAPAC Leaders Oppose Partisan Trump-McConnell Proposal and Urge Republicans to Reopen the Government Immediately
CAPAC Leaders Oppose Partisan Trump-McConnell Proposal and Urge Republicans to Reopen the Government Immediately
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, leaders of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) issued a joint-statement opposing the anti-immigrant Trump-McConnell proposal that will be considered in the Senate later today. The McConnell amendment would trade temporary protections for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients in order to provide $5.7 billion for Donald Trump’s border wall. It would also further militarize the border and reduce protections for asylum seekers.
CAPAC Chair Judy Chu (CA-27), CAPAC Immigration Task Force Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and CAPAC First Vice Chair Grace Meng (NY-06) issued the following statement:
“In December, Donald Trump said he would take full responsibility for shutting down the federal government unless he received billions of dollars to fund his wasteful border wall. 34 days into the Trump shutdown, 800,000 federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay, and will soon miss another paycheck as the President continues to hold these workers hostage to advance his anti-immigrant agenda. Governing by temper tantrum is not an acceptable tactic. Otherwise, the President could use the threat of a shutdown anytime he does not get what he wants. This is not how a functioning democracy works.
“If Donald Trump wants to negotiate on border security, he must end the shutdown first. His latest proposal, which the Senate is set to vote on today, is a complete non-starter. The provisions in this partisan, anti-immigrant proposal reflect the xenophobia of the Trump White House, which cruelly ended the DACA program and terminated TPS protections. Even worse, the proposal restricts DACA eligibility significantly, guts protections for asylum seekers, and fails to include protections for several TPS countries, including Nepal.
“We will not trade temporary protections for Dreamers and TPS recipients for a permanent wall. We urge our Senate colleagues to reject this harmful proposal and remain steadfast in their opposition to Trump’s border wall. The shutdown has gone on for too long, and it is irresponsible to negotiate while innocent federal employees continue to suffer. The House has already passed ten bills to reopen the government, and it is long past time for Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell to put partisanship aside and prioritize reopening the government immediately.
Governor Baker Unveils School Finance Proposal to Fully Fund the Foundation Budget Recommendations with FY20 Budget
Governor Baker Unveils School Finance Proposal to Fully Fund the Foundation Budget Recommendations with FY20 Budget
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced a multi-year school finance reform initiative to increase funding for school districts to invest in a quality education and fully implement the recommendations of the Foundation Budget Review Commission. An Act to Promote Equity and Excellence in Education will be filed alongside the proposed Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) state budget, which includes a significant increase in state education aid to fund the first year of the reform plan.
The reform bill filed today updates the Foundation Budget formula to provide more support for school districts to meet the rising cost of health care and special education costs, as well as educating English language learners and low-income students, and will provide a significant influx of funding for communities with the highest need. The proposal will also target additional support for the lowest-performing schools to offer programs that give every student greater opportunities to learn.
The initiative also gives the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education the ability to support persistently underperforming schools, in part by utilizing a limited amount of Chapter 70 funds, if necessary, to implement needed reforms and investments with the district.
This proposal represents the most significant expansion of the Foundation Budget since the formula was adopted in 1993, and is funded using available revenue.
The Administration’s budget for FY20 includes an increase of $200.3 million in Chapter 70 funds to implement the first year of the reforms, for a total of $5.1 billion in school aid next year.
“Our proposal updates the school funding formula to provide a quality public education for all students, particularly in school districts with the highest needs, across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This initiative will fully fund the Foundation Budget Review Commission recommendations and will make targeted investments for low-income students, minority students, and English Language Learners to help close the achievement gap and support underperforming schools. We look forward to working with the Legislature to update the Commonwealth’s school finance policies, building on the nearly half a billion dollar increase in funding our administration has invested in public education.”
Building on the Administration’s previous investments to implement the Commission’s recommendations, when the school finance reform initiative is fully implemented the Foundation Budget will increase by more than $1 billion (in current dollars), resulting in an increase of an estimated $3.3 billion by 2026.
This is the third consecutive year that the Administration’s budget proposal has included increases for school districts to address rising health care costs, one of the deficiencies identified by the Foundation Budget Review Commission. Over the past two years, Governor Baker signed budgets that increased funds to school districts for health care by nearly $60 million. The Administration also supported an increase of $24.5 million for districts educating English Language Learners in FY19. These increased investments have allowed communities to put more money back into classrooms, with the greatest impact on low-income communities.
The major components of the school finance reform initiative with an impact on the FY20 budget include:
· Full funding of foundation and base aid requirements, reflecting current rate of inflation ($129.9 million increase)
· Further increase in Foundation Budget formula for health care, including benefits for retirees ($30.6 million increase)
· Additional increase in the factor for educating English language learners ($13.6 million increase)
· Increased support to districts serving highest concentration of economically-disadvantaged students ($12.8 million increase)
· Minimum aid level of $20 per pupil for all districts ($7.9 million increase)
· Increase in funding to help districts meet rising out-of-district special education costs ($4.3 million increase)
· Introduction of a new enrollment category for students in Early College and Career Pathways ($1.2 million in FY20)
Starting in Fiscal Year 2021, the plan will phase in an expansion of the factor in the foundation budget for counseling and psychological services, which will ultimately add about $75 million (in current dollars) to the statewide Foundation Budget. The Administration’s budget proposal also creates a $30 million trust fund for school safety initiatives.
“By updating the school funding formula to provide more support to enroll students in Early College and Career Pathways programs, we will help high school students gain more work experience and access to college level courses before they graduate,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “This budget will build on the investments our Administration has already made to improve school safety by supporting grants for districts for security and communications upgrades and training for school and public safety officials, among other initiatives.”
The Administration’s school finance reform proposal includes opportunities for struggling schools to partner with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to invest in proven strategies that help students learn, such as acceleration academies, after-school enrichment, as well as more professional development and leadership programs for teachers. The budget proposal also includes a new trust fund of $50 million, to be used by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education to help accelerate improvements in low-performing schools. In addition to this trust fund, the Governor’s budget proposes $26.5 million in targeted assistance funds to help schools improve.
“While this increased investment is incredibly important, how we spend it is equally important to ensure we are using strategies and providing programs that accelerate learning for all students and close achievement gaps,” said Secretary of Education James Peyser. “We are asking the lowest-performing schools to partner with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to make reforms that will help our neediest students achieve their potential academically.”
The proposal strengthens the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education’s ability to support schools that are consistently underperforming by giving him authority to work with schools to use a limited amount of a district’s school aid to implement needed reforms and investments.
“While Massachusetts public schools offer many children a strong education, that success has not reached all students,” Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley said. “The measures included in the governor’s proposal will help us ensure that the Commonwealth’s most struggling schools are on the right track to offering their students a strong program and engaging instruction.”
The 1993 Education Reform Act created the school funding formula that determines how much each school district must spend, based on the specific makeup of its student body, to ensure every child receives a solid education. Every school district’s Foundation Budget is different, and calculated specifically for that district. The Commonwealth’s progressive funding formula finds the right balance between state and local contributions to fund districts’ Foundation Budgets. School districts with higher populations of low-income students and English Language Learners have the highest Foundation Budgets. Districts with small populations of students who make up those high-need categories have smaller Foundation Budgets. The law requires communities to pay a share of their Foundation Budget, determined by their local tax base.
Charter School Reimbursement
In addition, the proposal will revamp charter school reimbursements to a three year schedule, with 100 percent tuition reimbursements to districts the first year, 60 percent the second, and 40 percent the third. By revising the reimbursement formula to a three year schedule, the Commonwealth will be a better partner to local communities that experience increasing enrollments in charter schools. This realignment will also ensure that communities spending greater than 9 percent of their total school spending on charter school tuition payments will benefit from a new minimum tuition reimbursement amount.
In addition, the Administration’s plan increases the facilities stipend for charter schools. Currently charter schools get a facilities stipend of $893 for each student, which hasn't changed in 10 years. This proposal increases that amount by 5% to $938, and then indexes it for inflation going forward.
College Affordability
Along with new investments in K-12 education, the House 1 budget proposal includes a historic $100 million investment to help more students afford college.
The Administration’s reform proposal creates more opportunities for all students to gain skills, knowledge and experience by revising the school funding formula to incentivize high schools that enroll students in Early College and Career Pathway programs. The proposal creates a dependable revenue stream as part of the Foundation Budget formula to support these programs, so more students can earn college credits or professional certificates at no cost to them while they are still in high school.
The House 1 proposal includes a new $100 million trust fund that will enable students entering Massachusetts public and private colleges and universities next year to significantly reduce college costs and have greater opportunities for paid internships and cooperative education. Seeded with revenue from the Administration’s sales tax modernization proposal described in more detail below, the trust fund would set aside $25 million for Commonwealth Commitment, the college affordability program for students transferring from a community college to a public college or university. The trust fund would commit another $25 million to scholarships for students who are participating in proven college success programs at both public and private four-year colleges; $25 million for matching grants to provide work experiences to students attending two and four-year public colleges and universities; and $15 million to expand Early College programs. The trust fund would also set aside $10 million to pilot financial aid strategies that have proven successful in other states to help students complete their degrees.
As part of this expansion, the Baker-Polito Administration will ask public colleges and universities to develop long-term plans to reduce student charges, while still ensuring institutional fiscal sustainability.
“This is a breakthrough budget proposal for students and families who look to Massachusetts’ public colleges and universities to deliver both opportunity and affordability,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Carlos E. Santiago. “This proposed investment could have dramatic impact on both individual lives and the state as a whole – because a highly-educated workforce is the key to economic growth.”
Details on the full FY20 budget proposal, known as House 1, follow here.
HOUSE 1 PROPOSAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020
Including the increased investment for the Administration’s school finance reform proposal, the Administration’s FY20 budget proposes $42.7 billion in overall spending, including investments in substance misuse, mental health, workforce development, climate change preparedness, transportation and public safety.
The FY20 budget proposal relies on total tax growth of 3.6%. That includes a consensus tax revenue estimate of $29.299 billion, or 2.7% growth over the revised FY19 tax benchmark, in addition to $133 million in projected revenue from recreational marijuana sales and $28 million from room occupancy tax modernization scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2019. House 1 increases gross spending by 1.5% over FY19 projected spending, and uses only $28.5 million in one-time revenue for ongoing expenses. It anticipates a deposit of $297 million into the Stabilization Fund, which would bring total reserves to $2.8 billion, after an expected deposit at the end of Fiscal Year 2019.
“Our Administration is pleased to file another fiscally-responsible budget proposal that is balanced with available tax revenue, limits the use of one-time revenue, and anticipates another deposit in the Rainy Day Fund, bringing the balance to $2.8 billion by the end of next fiscal year,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “Through fiscal discipline and a targeted approach to spending, this budget continues to make the key investments that enable us to meet the needs of all Massachusetts residents.”
The budget includes several reform initiatives, including a proposed change in eligibility for low-income seniors to save money on their prescription drugs by expanding benefits and eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program, and new authority for MassHealth to negotiate drug prices. House 1 also proposes changes to modernize sales tax collection for the state’s largest vendors by shortening the time between collection and remittance.
Sales tax modernization
House 1 proposes shortening the length of time between collection and remittance of sales tax for the state’s largest vendors, those that have remitted at least $100,000 in sales tax in the prior year. The budget proposes to dedicate the one-time revenue generated by this proposal in FY20 to support various one-time needs related to education, including investments in college scholarships, school safety, and to assist districts in eliminating lead from their school drinking water.
The budget also proposes a requirement that online marketplace facilitators collect and remit tax on sales to Massachusetts customers on behalf of vendors who sell products on their marketplace platforms, streamlining the revenue collection process and leveling the playing field for “Main Street” retailers across Massachusetts.
Energy and Environment
In addition to the House 1 proposal, the Administration today is also filing legislation to launch a major new climate change adaptation initiative, funded through a modest increase in the deeds excise paid on real estate transactions. This investment will amount to $75 million in FY20, and $137 million on an annualized basis to support the Commonwealth’s communities in upgrading their infrastructure and planning for the impacts of climate change.
House 1 also recommends an increase of $5.5 million over the Department of Public Utilities’ FY19 budget to support and enhance the pipeline safety division’s critical testing, investigations, and oversight responsibilities to ensure that natural gas distribution companies are in compliance with safety regulations.
Substance Misuse
The budget supports a total of $266 million in funding across several state agencies for substance misuse treatment and services. This includes $49.4 million to expand MassHealth treatment services for individuals with addiction made available through a federal waiver that allows Massachusetts to increase Medicaid funding for these services, and $16.7 million in new funding to fulfill the requirements of the CARE Act, including medication-assisted treatment within correctional facilities. Including this budget proposal, the Baker-Polito Administration will have increased annual funding to treat the opioid epidemic by $147 million, an increase of 123%.
The budget also includes $5 million for a regional, multi-agency approach to fentanyl interdiction, to give local police departments the resources to coordinate with each other across their districts to crack down on fentanyl trafficking and reduce the displacement of drug dealers into neighboring communities. This initiative would provide funding to police departments to conduct a prolonged and coordinated approach to addressing the fentanyl problem.
The budget also proposes a tax on gross receipts of opioid manufacturers from the sale of their opioid products to address the growing cost to the state of providing treatment and services for substance misuse. The proposal is projected to generate $14 million in FY20.
MassHealth reforms
MassHealth is funded at $16.539 billion gross, $6.586 billion net, representing growth of 0.1% gross (4.3% net) over estimated FY19 spending. The budget proposal includes new drug pricing authority for MassHealth to engage in direct price negotiations with drug manufacturers, subjecting high-cost prescription drugs to a public rate-setting process, similar to the process used to set rates for most other MassHealth services, if negotiations do not produce an agreement on a target price. House 1 also proposes a requirement that Pharmacy Benefits Managers be transparent about pricing spreads and rebates in their contracts with MassHealth Managed Care Organizations and Accountable Care Organizations, and limits their margins in those contracts. Together the reforms would deliver $80 million in gross MassHealth savings.
Assistance for seniors
House 1 proposes expanding benefits and eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program to provide assistance to approximately 40,000 low-income seniors in managing their prescription drug costs, delivering potential savings of thousands of dollars per year. A state investment of $7 million annually ($4 million in FY20) will leverage more than $100 million in Medicare prescription drug subsidies accruing directly to older consumers.
Black Advisory Commission/Latino Advisory Commission
House 1 supports a total of $23.9 million in funding across several agencies reflecting the priorities of Administration’s Black Advisory Commission and Latino Advisory Commission, from public schools to workforce training to economic development and housing.
THE BAKER-POLITO ADMINISTRATION’S FY20 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS BY THE NUMBERS
Fiscal Overview
· $42.7 billion in gross spending, a 1.5% increase over projected FY19 spending
· Anticipates a deposit of $297 million into the Stabilization Fund, for a projected balance of $2.8 billion, 150% above the balance when the Administration took office
· Assumes a reduction in the income tax rate to 5% on Jan. 1, 2020, returning $88 million to taxpayers in FY20
Transportation and the MBTA
· $741.6 million for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation overall, including MassDOT operations, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and other transportation agencies
· A $1.130 billion sales tax transfer, in addition to $127 million in operating budget support and $60 million in capital funding that will be included in the FY20 capital budget
· $86 million for regional transit authorities (RTAs), inclusive of $4 million in discretionary funding to improve ridership and performance, and authority for the Secretary of Transportation to establish performance metrics and reporting requirements for RTAs
Workforce and Economic Development
· $2.9 million in new funding for the Registered Apprenticeship program
· $2.5 million for the advanced manufacturing training program, and $2 million for Small Business Technical Assistance grants
· $2 million in Urban Agenda grants, $1.5 million in new funding to expand targeted workforce development programs to Black and Latino young adults
· $500,000 to fund a new downtown district coordination grant program, to promote cooperation among cities and towns as they implement downtown revitalization efforts
· $10 million transfer of any consolidated net surplus to the Community Preservation Trust Fund, and $10 million to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
Housing Choice
· $8 million in FY20, an increase of $3 million over FY19, through a combination of operating and capital funds for the Administration’s Housing Choice initiative, which provides grant awards and technical assistance to cities and towns that have met housing production goals over the past five years, providing them with an incentive to plan for and build diverse housing stock
Combating the Opioid Epidemic
· Total of $266 million in funding across several state agencies for substance misuse treatment and services
· $49.4 million to expand MassHealth treatment services for individuals with addiction made available through a federal waiver that allows Massachusetts to increase Medicaid funding for individuals with addiction
· $16.7 million in new funding to fulfill the requirements of the CARE Act, including medication-assisted treatment within correctional facilities
· Tax on gross receipts of opioid manufacturers from the sale of their opioid products, generating $14 million to address the growing cost to the state of providing treatment and services for substance misuse.
Mental Health
· $887 million for the Department of Mental Health, a $10.8 million increase over last year
· This investment builds on the $84 million the Baker-Polito Administration invested last year for the redesign of community-based services for adults with serious mental illness.
Supporting our Community Partners
· $1.129 billion in unrestricted general government aid (UGGA), a 2.7% or $30 million increase over FY19, equal to the consensus tax revenue growth rate
· $6.8 million in Community Compact-related programming
Black and Latino Advisory Commissions’ Recommendations
House 1 supports a total of $23.9 million for implementing these recommendations across agencies. This funding includes:
$12.4 M for education programs, including:
· $5.9 million in funding to expand adult basic education programs, including post-secondary vocation programs, and English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) education programs
· Funding to develop and expand college and career pathways for high school students through Early College and STEM Pipeline programs
$8.9 M for workforce development programs, including:
· $2.3 million new funding to Youth Works employment program
· $2.9 million increase for Registered Apprenticeships Program to tech, health care, and advanced manufacturing sectors
· $2 million for Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund to increase employer-based ESOL programs and career pathways
· Expansion of “Learn to Earn” career pathway initiative to more regions
$2 M for economic development programs, including:
· $1.5 million expansion for the Urban Agenda program
· $440,000 for targeted outreach and assistance to Black-owned and Latino-owned businesses
Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention
· $75 million across several agencies, an 18% increase in funding over the past four years
· $1 million for DPH to expand the Healthy Relationships program, to address teen dating violence among teens in high-risk communities
Other Health and Human Services
· $10 million, $1.9 million increase for the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative
· Fully funds the Department of Developmental Services’ Turning 22 program
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
· $19.5 million in FY20 to implement various criminal justice reforms, including:
o $11.7 million for costs within the Department of Correction including additional correctional officers and other staff to meet requirements associated with recently-enacted criminal justice reforms
o An increase of $2.3 million over FY19 spending for the Parole Board to support a higher caseload expected to be newly released into supervision
o $1.9 million for the State Police Crime Lab to increase staffing to meet the new 30-day testing requirement for Sexual Assault Evidence Kits (SAEKs)
· $9.4 million in funding for a new class of 150 officers at the Department of Correction
· $8 million in funding for the Shannon Grant program to fund anti-gang and youth violence prevention efforts
· $4.5 million for a new State Police class of 100 recruits
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