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人生一定要有的八個朋友: 推手(Builder)、 支柱(Champion)、 同好(Collaborator)、 夥伴(Companion)、 中介(Connector)、 開心果(Energizer)、 開路者(Mind Opener)、 導師(Navigator)。 chutze@bostonorange.com ******************* All rights of articles and photos on this website are reserved.
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Baker-Polito Administration Announces $2.655 Billion FY22 Capital Plan
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced its Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) Capital Plan, a $2.655 billion plan that makes substantial investments in critical priorities including housing, transportation, climate resiliency, health and human services, and education to promote economic growth and opportunity. The plan maintains flexibility by supporting existing short, medium, and long-term investments, and funding new initiatives that encourage growth and strengthen the Commonwealth’s communities amid the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito joined Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan and Secretary of Education James Peyser today at Bridgewater State University to release the FY22 Capital Plan and highlight a major renovation project at the university, which is funded under the capital plan.
The Administration is investing $87 million in five major renovation projects across the Commonwealth’s higher education system. The capital investments at these colleges and universities are focused on strengthening programming that connects students with high-demand fields like STEM and health care, which will remain crucial to the Commonwealth’s economic recovery.
The plan also begins implementing the Economic Development Bond Bill and Transportation Bond Bill that Governor Baker signed last year. Through these investments, the plan aims to promote economic growth and strengthen the Commonwealth’s transportation system as more residents return to work. It also funds the Commonwealth’s share of costs for the redevelopment of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke, which the Administration is seeking to augment by applying for federal funds. It provides significant capital investments in all regions of Massachusetts while maintaining the Administration’s commitment to addressing and preparing for climate change and considering the environmental impact and resiliency of its investments.
“As Massachusetts emerges from the pandemic, our FY22 Capital Plan aims to strengthen and modernize infrastructure throughout the Commonwealth in ways that promote opportunity,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These meaningful investments will encourage economic growth and strengthen existing initiatives around housing, climate resiliency, health and human services, and food security – critical priorities that have proven even more important as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.”
“We are continuing to invest in local cities and towns in order to support the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “By providing capital funding for education, public safety, information technology, and other infrastructure projects, we can help reinvigorate the economy and ensure Massachusetts has a bright and prosperous future.”
The funding
detailed in this FY22 plan will complement the more than $100 billion awarded
to Massachusetts residents, businesses, and governments throughout the public
health emergency to address both the response and the recovery from the
pandemic. The vast majority of this funding has flowed directly to businesses,
individuals, non-profits, and unemployment insurance in Massachusetts.
In total, the Commonwealth exercises some level of discretion over approximately $15.6 billion of this federal funding, notably the $2.5 billion in Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars received through the CARES Act. These Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars have supported numerous key priorities consistent with federal guidelines, as for example, $750 million of this funding has been transferred to other governments and $780 million has been allocated for economic assistance.
Also included in the $15.6 billion total is the $5.3 billion in direct federal aid the Commonwealth has received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support a range of initiatives, including infrastructure investments that will leverage municipal funding to maximize impact. ARPA is also providing a total of $3.4 billion in direct aid for municipalities throughout Massachusetts, as well as substantial funding for key priorities including a total of $2.6 billion for housing and economic development initiatives, $1.1 billion for transit, $315 million in child care stabilization funding, and $200 million in Child Care and Development Block Grant funding.
“The Baker-Polito Administration’s fiscally responsible FY22 Capital Plan devotes significant resources toward key areas while also protecting state finances and leveraging other funding sources to achieve the greatest impact with spending,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “We look forward to collaborating with key stakeholders as we carry out these capital projects and strengthen infrastructure throughout Massachusetts.”
The $2.655 billion capital plan is fiscally responsible, demonstrates careful long-term planning, and is informed by numerous factors including the Debt Affordability Committee.
FY22 Capital Plan Highlights:
Transportation
DCAMM
Economic
Development
Housing
Energy and
Environmental Affairs
Public Safety
Technology
Local Cities and
Towns
Education
To view the full
FY22 Capital Plan, please click here.
Danielle Allen。(圖片取自哈佛網站) |
根據波士頓環球報及波士頓前鋒報,Danielle
Allen並不是下屆州長選舉的第一個宣佈參選人,曾任麻州參議員的Ben Downing 已於今年2月宣佈參選,據說麻州現任參議員,父親是美國首名亞裔太空人張福林,有西班牙,以及至少四分之一華裔血統的Sonia
Chang Diaz 也在考慮是否參選。
坊間最早傳聞,可能參選麻州州長的麻州現任總檢察長奚莉(Maura
Healey),日前出席大波士頓商會政府事務座談,在該會會長 James E. Rooney直白探問未來計畫時,也並未鬆口。
現年49歲的Danielle Allen一旦正式宣佈參選,她將是麻州歷史中首名參選這一職位的黑人女性。
大波士頓商會會長 James E. Rooney(右)訪談麻州總檢察長奚莉(Maura Healey)。 |
陳翟蘇妮(Sonia Chang Diaz)在2010年時和麥家威(Aaron Michlewitz)出席 波士頓華埠居民會活動。陳翟蘇妮現為麻州參議員,麥家威現為麻州 眾議會財政委員會主席。(檔案照片,周菊子攝)。 |
Danielle Allen說,她的參選既有意義,又痛苦。麻州是全美第一個廢除奴隸的州,早就應該是個領導層開放給所有人的州,她既為自己得到過的機會感恩,同時有覺得自己身負重任,要為所有的有色人種年輕女性樹立榜樣。
她早從去年12月就宣佈自己有可能參選州長了,接著展開了一個多月的”聆聽之旅”,深入麻州各地聽取選民意見。
她聽到的選民最在意”有所居”,但要增加麻州內的可負擔住宅供應量,必須同時改善交通網路,就業安全,公共健康,教育機會等等。她說她的團隊還不會公佈任何政策,但會聚焦於擴大麻州的社會架構,平等化其機會。
根據競選經費辦公室資訊,Danielle Allen已籌得283,278元競選經費,更早宣佈參選的Ben Downing還只籌得111,000元。陳翟蘇妮目前手頭有203,164元在手,Maura Healey則有三百餘萬元(3,065,222)元,遠高於其他可能的競爭對手。
Danielle Allen預定明早在州政府大樓對面,紀念美國內戰中第一個黑人兵團的Robert Gould Shaw 紀念碑前宣佈參選麻州州長。(更新版)Michelle Wu calls for $200 million in Boston’s federal funds to be spent on housing; Pledges to build new deeply affordable, energy-efficient housing
Boston, MA — Today, Michelle Wu called for housing stability and affordability to be the centerpiece of Boston’s federal relief fund spending, calling for $200 million of the $500 million Boston is set to receive from the federal American Rescue Plan to be spent on directly on housing solutions, including programs that prevent the displacement of residents, support community land trusts, expand access to homeownership, fund capital repairs to Boston’s public housing, and build new, deeply-affordable, energy-efficient housing.
Claiming that housing is too vital to be left solely to the private sector, Michelle Wu also called for Boston to accelerate bold, creative solutions like integrating housing with the redevelopment of municipal assets like libraries, schools and parking lots, currently being explored at the Egleston Square branch of the Boston Public Library; take advantage of low interest rates to build new housing through the City’s capital budget; and invest in cost-saving retrofitting for Boston residents. Her call comes at the start of a week of events across the city to highlight and propose solutions to Boston’s housing crisis.
A comprehensive solution to Boston’s housing affordability, climate resilience, and transit crises is currently hampered by a Boston Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) that approves developments on a case-by-case basis, without clear zoning rules or a master plan. Michelle Wu has called to abolish the BPDA and replace it with a public planning agency that can zone for affordability, density, resilience and transit connectivity. With a new citywide approach to housing creation and the greening of existing stock to save families much-needed funds, Boston can prioritize the creation of needed housing stock rather than relying on the whims of the private market.
“The top concern I hear from families as I’m knocking on doors, at events and speaking with neighbors is the need for housing affordability and the stress of spending more and more to try to stay in Boston. Ensuring everyone has a roof over their heads is too important to leave to the private sector. We need to invest in building new affordable housing, and to be creative by building on top of municipal assets. And we need to save residents money and meet our climate goals by retrofitting homes, and ensuring that our housing stock is affordable, resilient and energy-efficient,” said Michelle Wu.
“A report released in 2020 by City Life and researchers at MIT showed that evictions disproportionately affect communities of color. The climate crisis also disproportionately affects communities of color and it is important for the next Mayor of the City of Boston to address these issues simultaneously in order to help create a Boston that is safe, affordable and livable for all people,” said Reverend Vernon K. Walker, Massachusetts Sierra Club Executive Committee Member.
Mayor Koch Announces 2021 Neat Neighbors Contest
QUINCY, MA – June 11, 2021 - Mayor Thomas Koch announces that the annual Neat Neighbors Contest will once again recognize Quincy residents who maintain their property in the spirit of a cleaner and greener Quincy. The Neat Neighbors contest is an annual recognition of property owners that keep up their yards and their property. Each year, thirty properties throughout the city are recognized for their hard work in keeping Quincy looking great. If you have a friend, relative, or neighbor that you want to nominate, you can call the Department of Natural Resource at (617) 376-1251 or email pdoherty@quincyma.gov The contest will stay open from June through Labor Day. All nominees will be viewed to ensure compliance with the standards of the program and then the 30 winners will be picked at random from those that meet the minimum requirements. This is not a comparative competition. “Each year, many residents spent countless time and considerable effort and resources to make their properties look nice,” said Mayor Koch. “This has a strong, positive impact on our neighborhoods and makes our city the livable city that it is. I want to thank all those that work hard and take pride in their properties.” The winners of the contest will all receive a $25 gift certificate to a local garden center in recognition of their work. “I hope this program not only recognizes those that are already maintaining their properties, but also encourages those that are not,” said Dave Murphy, Commissioner of Natural Resources. “A well-maintained property can have a ripple effect on the entire neighborhood, but so can a property that isn’t being maintained. We ask all our residents to work together to keep our neighborhoods looking great. It’s a team effort.
https://www.kwongkowschool.org/
Join us on Saturday, June 12th @ 6:00PM – 7:00PM for our Virtual Fundraising Gala!
The entire event will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel for FREE, so make sure you tune in! This will be an event you don’t want to miss!
Find some key information about the event below.
SUPPORT THE EVENT SEE GALA FAQ
You can expect to see many amazing performances from our students, as well as a traditional Lion Dance performance!
This year, we’ll also have some very special guests such as:
This allows us to continue our mission: to provide affordable, academically rigorous, and culturally enriching programs for our local youth.
Therefore, if you believe in us, and if you believe in our vision, please consider supporting us in our upcoming Gala event! Visit our dedicated Gala donation website at kwongkow.wixsite.com/gala.
There, you can find several ways to support us such as:
We will have a virtual silent auction featuring giftcards, exciting ticketed-experiences, and valuable Chinese antiques all available for bidding! It will begin on Monday, June 7th @ 12:00PM. More info on how to participate will be released closer to the event.
謝謝大家!
會長 宋玉琴敬上
Annissa Essaibi-Georgec獲波士頓市府員工工會支持。 (檔案照片) |
Annissa
Essaibi-George獲得波士頓市人數最多工會之一,AFSCME州市員工工會的波士頓分會背書支持,吳弭則是獲得全美最老、最大的草根環保組織,Sierra Club的麻州分會背書支持。
波士頓前鋒報(Boston
Herald)在今日刊登的一篇報導中說,代表了包括大約1700名市府員工的”美國州、郡及地方市鎮員工(AFSCME)”93分會,在今年的波士頓市長選舉中選擇支持波士頓市不分區市議員Annissa
Essaibi-George,反而沒有支持他們現在的頂頭上司,波士頓代市長Kim
Janey。
AFSCME的波士頓會長委員會共同主席,也是本地1631分會會長的Christopher
“Tiger” Stockbridge表示,”作為一個會員由為波士頓市做重要工作者所組成的協會,我們知道選一個在背後支持我們的市長有多重要,而Annissa
Essaibi-George是,也將會是那樣的領導”。
以人數來說,AFSCME是波士頓最大的工會之一,成員包括公共工程,交通及公園局等員工。 波士頓前鋒報上星期刊登了一篇報導,指出波士頓市長交接後,有一大批市府員工離職,離開的人比新增的人多許多。
Annissa
Essaibi-George早前還獲得波士頓警察局前局長葛羅斯(William
Gross),以及波士頓消防員工會(718分會)的支持。
麻州Sierra Club環保團體支持吳弭當波士頓市長。(檔案照片) |
該會主任Deb
Pasternak表示,該會強烈支持吳弭所倡議的要在2035年達到100%使用清潔電力,2040年達到全市碳中和的目標。
Sierra Club麻州分會的政治委員會主席Vernon K. Walker牧師表示,該會在決定支持哪個候選人之前,檢查過各候選人的政綱,以及是否言行如一,並在環保正義上展現大膽、堅定的領導力。他們認為吳弭在所有相關議題上都展現了魄力。
吳弭競選陣營表示,在Sierra
Club的麻州分會之外,支持環保的團體,諸如”波士頓日出(Sunrise
Boston)”,MBTA工會聯盟等也都已表態支持吳弭。