吳弭、Annissa Essaibi George 各有話說 (視頻)

 

誰當下屆波士頓市長? 華裔選民各有所好

波士頓華埠的吳弭支持者，一大早七點就趕到華埠青年會路口，
舉牌助陣。前排右起，余寶愛，黃周麗桃，馮武成，後排右起，
陳仕維夫人，余麗媖，陳文珊，翁耀漢，以及關美玲(後左一)等人。
(周菊子攝)

波士頓華埠也有Annissa Essaibi George的支持者。右二起為
何遠光，Betty Kim，司徒宗達，關麗莎。(周菊子攝)

黃兆祥(右起)，蔡倩婷，Derek等人在法蘭克林學校前為吳弭助選。

(周菊子攝)

華人協選會成員鄺寶蓮(右)籲請選民支持選票1號問題。Lydia Edwards
競選麻州參議員的助選者提醒選民，12月14日還要在投票一次。
(周菊子攝)

在法蘭克林學校前派發傳單，為吳弭助陣。(周菊子攝)

助選者提醒選民，選市長之外，還要選市議員。(周菊子攝)

 

波士頓市將有女領導已成定局 花落誰家還看選民出席投票率

吳弭。(周菊子攝)

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 今天(11月2日)晚上，就是波士頓市選出一名女市長的歷史時刻了，至於到底是吳弭(Michelle Wu)，還是Annissa Essaibi George，就看誰能催促更多選民出來投票了。

              波士頓市選民到底會選出一名被人視為激進，左傾，呼籲地鐵免費，穩定租金，削減警察經費的亞裔(吳弭)當市長，還是會選出人們認為保守，更傾向於維持現狀，有警察，消防員，護士工會支持的Annissa Essaibi George，在初選投票率

              麻州州務卿威廉蓋文(William Galvin)在11月1日時才說，估計這次的波士頓市長大選，會有13萬5000人出來投票，大約是已登記選民人數的30%。

Annissa Essaibi George(周菊子攝)

              他說，2013年馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)和John Connolly角逐市長的那次選舉，總共有14萬2000人投了票。這幾年波士頓人口增加，現在大約有44萬選民了，估計總投票率會打破紀錄。麻州總共有10萬人索取了郵寄選票，其中波士頓市大約有5萬3000人，但約僅3萬8000名波士頓選民交回了郵寄選票。

              在麻州，除了波士頓市外，還有大約60個市鎮要改選市長。華人社區比較關注的，除了波士頓市外，就是有名華裔後代馬惠美(Amy Mah Sangiolo)參選的牛頓市市長選舉了。

              今天一大早7點，Annissa Essaibi George就去多徹斯特的Bellflower 公寓投票了。一整天的拜票行程，臨時還增加了下午3點15分，陪同她母親和勞工部長，也是波士頓前市長馬丁華殊的母親到多徹斯特的Catherine Clark公寓投票。

              吳弭則是在丈夫Connor Pewaski，以及2名兒子的陪同下，一家4口，一起到羅森岱爾(Roslindale)的Phineas Bates小學投票站投票。

              波士頓的這次市長大選，雖然早從去年9月就已開打，各候選人在這一年多的時間中，並未掀起任何令選民感到激動，狂熱的情緒，9月14日的初選在選民出席投票率不高中落幕後，主要參選人從5個剩下2個後，大部分選民似乎並不覺得這2位擔任波士頓市不分區市議員已分別有6到10年的候選人是那麼地截然不同，而他們2人在競選拜票時，大部分的時候也都只是簡述政見，並一再重複，偶而強調彼此有不同處，卻都點到為止，一直很溫和，也就沒有激起火花。

              直到大選日的大約2週前，才出現了指控報稅不實，購屋受惠的負面攻擊，但也主要是由外圍，甚至是來自外州的助選團體發出的訊息。受到攻擊的吳弭，競選陣營回應得很溫和，Annissa Essaibi George只簡單澄清她和發出負面攻擊者沒有關係。

              吳弭和Annissa Essaibi George在這次競選中，籌款數額都相當可觀。吳弭共籌得215萬元，George共籌得194萬元。吳弭因為她的亞裔身分，更因為她是聯邦參議員伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth Warren)的門生，有著聯邦參議員Ed Markey和聯邦眾議員Ayanna Pressley等重量級聯邦層次要人支持，在她募得的競選經費中有將近19%，約40萬元來自麻州以外地區，而George只有7%。

              在選舉中近年從聯邦層級擴散到州府層級的”超級政治行動委員會(super political action committee)”，今年也捲進了波士頓市的市長選舉。在加州的環保團體「綠色倡導項目(The Green Advocacy Project)」，就捐款給2個超級政治行動委員會來支持吳弭。另外一個「波士頓出來投票(Boston Turnout Project)」也捐了23萬多元支持吳弭。

              George則有「波士頓真正進步(Real Progress Boston)」為她花了23萬多元。另外曾捐款40萬元支持川普的”新平衡(New Balance)”這球鞋公司主席Jim Davis捐了109萬多元給超級政治行動委員會來支持George。前任波士頓警察局局長William Gross，以及至少430名警察及消防員，也因為George的支持警察，共捐了15萬元來回饋支持。

              截至目前為止，坊間評論人員大都認為，吳弭的民調領先太多，出面支持吳弭的聯邦，州市政要人數也多到前所未有，George要扳倒劣勢，反敗為勝，在選民出席投票率低的情況下，不是完全不可能，但機會不大。(更新版)

吳弭選舉日前現身華埠回應各界記者提問

 

MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES $2.7M IN NEIGHBORHOOD JOBS TRUST FUNDING TO SUPPORT TRAINING AND EDUCATIONS PROGRAMS FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS

MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES $2.7M IN NEIGHBORHOOD JOBS TRUST FUNDING TO SUPPORT TRAINING AND EDUCATIONS PROGRAMS FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS  The disbursement, the largest in the Trust’s recent history, is expected to serve an estimated 3,200 residents

 

BOSTON - Monday, November 1, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey, the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, and the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) today announced the disbursement of $2.7 million in Neighborhood Jobs Trust (NJT) funds to 30 community-based organizations that provide job training, education, and support services to Boston residents. Bolstered by the strength of Boston’s commercial development market, $2.7 million is the largest NJT disbursement in at least 15 years and is expected to help grantees leverage an additional $7.7 million in funds. The 30 community-based organizations will serve an estimated 3,200 low- and middle-income residents seeking employment in sectors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including technology, culinary, healthcare, and human services.  “Now, more than ever, workers are seeking higher paying jobs and quality employment,” said Mayor Janey. “This historic disbursement of Neighborhood Jobs Trust funds will enable residents to acquire the skills they need to position themselves for better opportunities. The City’s employers are in great need of their skills, and we are grateful to the 30 job training programs that answered the call to build a stronger workforce.” “The building boom that Boston has experienced in the last several years has resulted in millions of dollars in linkage funding to support needed workforce training programs for Boston’s residents,” said BPDA Director Brian Golden. “The 30 organizations awarded in this round of funding will strengthen our local economy by supporting thousands of Boston residents in finding quality, high-paying jobs.”  The Neighborhood Jobs Trust is a public charitable trust replenished by linkage fees from developers of large-scale commercial projects in Boston. Since 2014, new development approved by the BPDA has generated over $80 million in linkage fees to support affordable housing and workforce training. Earlier this year, the BPDA approved a 42 percent increase in linkage fees in Boston. The increase raised the fees to $15.39 per square foot, of which $13.00 is dedicated to affordable housing and $2.39 is dedicated to workforce training.  The NJT grant recipients were selected through an open Request for Proposals (RFP) process administered by the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD). The RFP, released in June 2021, garnered 37 proposals, which were evaluated by a team of OWD staff and outside experts.  Among this year’s grantees are three organizations receiving first-time NJT funding: Haitian Multi-Service Center, which will offer English instruction and job training in healthcare and human services; X-Cel Education, which will train young adults for careers in water management and conservation; and Immigrant Family Services Institute, which will provide English instruction and training for the medical assisting, culinary, or retail sectors. “The immigrant community in Boston faces extreme hardship and challenges, which are only deepened by the impacts of COVID-19,” said Dr. Geralde Gabeau, executive director of the Immigrant Family Services Institute. “We are so grateful to partner with the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development to provide career and job opportunities to our clients who have been impacted so greatly by COVID-19."  Many previously funded organizations, including Resilient Coders which provides training to young people of color for careers in software development, were also selected for grants again this year based on the strength of their ability to deliver strong outcomes for trainees.  “Every day of the Resilient Coders bootcamp, my fingers were on the keyboard to apply new programming concepts that I had learned,” said Anvy Tran, a 2021 graduate who is now a software engineer at Audible. “The skills, confidence, and community that I have gained from Resilient Coders have given me the ability to pursue career opportunities that otherwise would not have been available to me." The full list of Fiscal Year 2022 NJT grant recipients can be found below.

MAYOR JANEY EXTENDS ALL INCLUSIVE BOSTON CAMPAIGN

MAYOR JANEY EXTENDS ALL INCLUSIVE BOSTON CAMPAIGN The All Inclusive Boston campaign extension aims to continue the support for the tourism industry and local businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic     BOSTON - Monday, November 1, 2021 - Culminating her commitment to putting equity at the center of the City of Boston’s recovery from COVID-19, Mayor Kim Janey today announced the expansion of the All Inclusive Boston tourism campaign, having awarded a request for consulting services to a partnership between Colette Phillips Communications and Proverb –– Team CPC-Proverb –– and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB). The scope of this work includes building upon the April 2021 All Inclusive Boston tourism campaign to extend into the spring of 2022, as well as the continuation of marketing for the B-Local program to promote shopping locally, to launch in time for the 2021 holiday season. Since initially launching the All Inclusive Boston tourism campaign in April 2021, Mayor Janey has promoted a strong recovery in Boston’s diverse travel and hospitality sector. With these industries devastated by the pandemic, this initiative showcases Boston’s workers, entrepreneurs, and tourism assets, across all neighborhoods, as part of an equitable recovery initiative. Tourism and hospitality is the third-largest industry in Boston and the Commonwealth. The sector employs a large percentage of workers of color, making it critical to an inclusive economic recovery. The All Inclusive Boston campaign is renewing and reimagining how Boston is perceived locally and across the globe. With over 57 million overall campaign impressions, 1 million video views on social media, and a 400 percent increase in web traffic to date, the campaign successfully highlights the local attractions and eclectic neighborhood offerings across the city. It also supports many small businesses that suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Extending the All Inclusive Boston campaign continues the work of safely reopening and renewing all neighborhoods across the city. “The All Inclusive Boston campaign has played a key role in keeping our tourism industry and small businesses afloat during this difficult time,” said Mayor Kim Janey. “It is important that we continue this campaign to encourage our visitors to explore parts of our City that they may not have been to before and to continue to support our businesses and workers in this time of renewal. I look forward to working with Colette Phillips Communications, Proverb, and the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau to build on their prior work on the All Inclusive Boston campaign and to extend their marketing know-how to the City of Boston’s B-Local app as well.”  B-Local is a free mobile app that supports small businesses by incentivizing residents and visitors to shop locally and driving Boston's economic recovery. Launched in April 2021 as a pilot program, the rewards app has on-boarded over 2,700 small businesses -- many of whom are woman, immigrant, Black, or minority-owned. With the City’s reopening and increased foot traffic, this will provide critical support to the businesses that struggled to keep their doors open with the shutdown. As of October 2021, the app has attracted over 10,000 registered user downloads. By integrating this app with the All Inclusive Boston campaign it will only further increase visibility and support Boston’s vibrant small business community. Since its launch, B-Local has granted over $97,949.73 to local businesses through user reward redemptions and generated $884,008.52 in overall spending at these businesses.  Together, Colette Phillips Communications, Inc. (CPC), an award-winning marketing and communications firm, and the first minority and woman owned public relations firm in the City of Boston; Proverb, a Boston-based, minority owned, award-winning creative branding, design, and advertising agency made up of 25 talented, diverse, and strategic creatives; and the GBCVB, the city's primary marketing and visitor services organization, will work to extend the All Inclusive Boston campaign and continue marketing for the B-Local app, highlighting Boston’s multicultural, local economy and promoting the city as a welcoming and diverse destination with rich cultural enclaves and many untold stories. “We are honored and grateful to Mayor Janey for giving CPC this opportunity to lead this campaign into new markets, working with our incredible partners at Proverb and the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau to show the world all that Boston has to offer,” said Colette Phillips, CEO of Colette Phillips Communications, Inc. “We are also excited to leverage B-Local to support and promote our minority, women, LGBTQIA, and veteran-owned businesses - building on the tradition of this campaign as a model for economic inclusion.” “The All Inclusive Boston campaign encourages residents and visitors to see Boston as the diverse, welcoming, and vibrant city we know it to be,” said Daren Bascome, founder and managing director of Proverb. “We’re grateful to Mayor Janey for extending this story of Boston into new markets and proud that this campaign will continue to serve as a promise about what is possible when we tell a city’s story from a broader and more inclusive lens.” “There’s never been a more critical time for the City of Boston to invest in a tourism marketing campaign,” said Martha Sheridan, President and CEO of the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The extension of All Inclusive Boston is a testament to how the campaign has been received and how important it is for us to continue this work to tell a broader, more inclusive, and more authentic Boston story. This is what visitors want and it’s what the GBCVB is determined to deliver.” For more about the All Inclusive Boston campaign, including more campaign collateral, visit allinclusivebos.com, the dedicated website for this campaign maintained by the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau. Follow along on social media with #AllInclusiveBos. To download the B-Local app, visit www.colu.com/b-local. To learn more about signing up as a business, visit www.boston.gov/b-local. COLETTE PHILLIPS COMMUNICATIONS Colette Phillips Communications, Inc. (CPC) is an award winning marketing and communications firm, and the first minority and woman-owned public relations firm in the City of Boston. CPC has received local and national awards and recognition for its work advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the marketplace. PROVERB Proverb is a minority owned agency located in the South End that focuses on building powerful brands and creating a more thoughtful world around us. They partner with innovative real estate developers, cities, hotels, museums, architects, hospitals and other organizations that seek to transform the built environment. Proverb is fluent in brand and market strategy, identity and naming, interactive design, environmental design, and communication design. Proverb’s diverse creative team takes a deep, research-driven approach because the brands they create make an impact today, but also help form the culture and economic vibrancy of tomorrow. GREATER BOSTON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) is the official sales, marketing and visitor services organization charged with the development of meetings, conventions and tourism-related business to enhance the economy of Boston, Cambridge and the metropolitan area. ​The GBCVB is a not-for-profit, membership-driven sales and marketing organization comprised of almost 1,200 member companies across New England that depend on the visitor economy for their own success and growth. MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Economic Development Cabinet's mission is to make Boston an appealing and accessible place for working families, entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors to innovate, grow, and thrive in a way that fosters inclusion, broadens opportunity, and shares prosperity, thereby enhancing the quality of life for all Bostonians and the experience for all visitors. MAYOR’S OFFICE OF TOURISM, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT The Mayor's Office of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment supports the tourism industry in Boston by producing events, supporting film and TV production, and marketing the City to conventions and visitors. Our mission is to advance tourism in Boston and promote participation in public celebrations from Boston residents and visitors to our City.

INSURANCE COMPANY TO PAY $625,000 TO RESOLVE CLAIMS OF UNLAWFUL AND DECEPTIVE SALES OF HEALTH PLANS

INSURANCE COMPANY TO PAY $625,000 TO RESOLVE CLAIMS OF UNLAWFUL AND DECEPTIVE SALES OF HEALTH PLANS
Settlement will provide $515,000 in Consumer Relief

BOSTON – A Florida-based insurance agency has agreed to pay $625,000, including consumer restitution, to settle allegations that it used deceptive and unlawful practices to sell health plans to Massachusetts consumers, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

 

“Massachusetts has strict regulations regarding the marketing and sale of health insurance for a reason: to prevent companies like this one from taking advantage of people regarding something as serious and essential as healthcare.” said AG Healey. “We took action against this company for engaging in deceptive practices in violation of these regulations and secured monetary relief for harmed consumers.”

 

According to the complaint, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, Health Plan Intermediaries Holdings, LLC (HPIH) d/b/a Health Insurance Innovations, sold health insurance plans to Massachusetts consumers from Unified Life Insurance Company that were not authorized for sale and engaged in several other deceptive practices. Those practices include claiming that the unauthorized health insurance covered services that it in fact excluded, describing limited health insurance as comprehensive, and passing off coverage limitations as positives, rather than negatives.

  

Under the terms of the consent judgment approved by the Superior Court, HPIH must pay $625,000, including $515,000 for consumer relief, which will be distributed by HPIH to purchasers of the Unified plan. The company will also pay $100,000 in civil penalties to the Commonwealth and $10,000 for costs of the investigation. Under the settlement, HPIH is also banned from selling non-Medicare-related health plans in Massachusetts for a year.

 

In the past, the AG’s Office has taken action against other insurance companies for related and similar issues regarding health plans including UnitedHealth insurance companies and United Life Insurance Company.

 

Consumers concerned about illegal health insurance practices in Massachusetts are urged to call the AG’s Health Care Helpline at (888) 830-6277. 

 

            This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Emiliano Mazlen, with assistance from Division Chief Eric Gold of AG Healey’s Health Care Division, and Anthony Crespi of AG Healey’s Civil Investigations Division.

Michelle Wu Holds Get Out The Vote Events Across Boston Ahead of Tuesday’s Electi

 Michelle Wu Holds Get Out The Vote Events Across Boston Ahead of Tuesday’s Election  

Boston, MA— Michelle Wu attended numerous get out the vote events across the city over the weekend, connecting with Bostonians from every neighborhood and energizing supporters and volunteers in advance of Tuesday’s mayoral election. Connecting with thousands of voters, with hundreds of volunteers having meaningful neighbor-to-neighbor conversations, Team Wu spent the weekend in every corner of the city sharing Michelle’s bold vision. Her events included elected officials and community leaders across Boston, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and Mayor Kim Janey.

“It’s so important that every Bostonian get out there to make our voices heard at the polls! Across every neighborhood, it’s clear that Boston residents want city government to be bold and act with urgency to meet this moment. We’re ready to fight for the change we need,” said Michelle Wu.

Senator Warren said: “Michelle listens to our concerns and shows up in our neighborhoods. She has the experience, vision and heart to fight for big, structural change and tackle the day to day issues affecting Bostonians. Make sure you get out and vote for Michelle Wu for Mayor of Boston on Tuesday, November 2nd.”

Congresswoman Pressley said: "Michelle and this team are taking nothing for granted in these final days - we'll be working right up until the moment polls close on Election Day to knock on every door, make every phone call, and ensure that everyone in Boston makes their voice heard in this election. There are so many folks who have poured their hearts and their sweat equity into this campaign because they believe in Michelle's bold, inclusive vision for our city, and in what we can accomplish together; I'm excited to see that energy and that passion reflected at the polls on Tuesday."