波士頓市長吳弭發新派令 BRENDA HERNANDEZ任人民及文化主任 Paul Chong任註冊專員

MAYOR WU APPOINTS BRENDA HERNANDEZ AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE; PAUL CHONG TO SERVE AS CITY’S NEXT REGISTRAR Hernandez and Chong will enhance workforce and constituent experience in their respective roles. Additionally, Mayor Wu announces programs created to encourage sustainable transportation and support the City of Boston workforce.

BOSTON - Wednesday, February 1, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced her appointment of Brenda Hernandez as Executive Director of People and Culture for the People Operations Cabinet. As the City’s Human Resources (HR) leader, she will work to strengthen the City’s organizational culture and the ways the City's workforce is supported. She will develop all centralized employee-related policy and will oversee essential HR functions including recruitment, job and organizational design, performance management, talent management, health benefits, and employee experience. Additionally, Mayor Wu today announced Paul Chong’s appointment to serve as the City of Boston’s next Registrar. Chong will ensure Boston’s constituents' needs are at the forefront. As a key leadership role in the City’s People Operations Cabinet, the City Registrar will set the policies, vision and strategy for access to vital records for the City of Boston. This includes managing a team of employees who provide essential documents to constituents during critical times in their lives.  “A well-functioning government has a responsibility to serve both its workforce and constituents through easy-to-access, supportive services,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am confident that Brenda’s vast Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging and cultural transformation experience will make Boston a desirable employer for both future employees and current staff. Her work internally will complement Paul’s work to enhance residents’ experience when they visit City Hall for the most essential and foundational constituent services.” Hernandez comes to the job as a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) expert and culture transformation professional with over a decade of experience in the higher education and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, Hernandez served as the inaugural Chief of Equity and Engagement at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. Hernandez began her role on January 4. “I'm honored to join the Wu administration and Chief Lawrence in the People Operations Cabinet,” said Brenda Hernandez, Executive Director of People and Culture for the People Operations Cabinet. “My goal is to center equity through the entire employee life cycle and lead the cultural transformation necessary to execute on Mayor Wu's commitment to making the City of Boston an employer of choice and one that reflects the diversity of its constituents.” Chong comes to the role following a number of roles for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including managing strategy and analytics for the School Building Authority and serving as the Finance Director for the Executive Office for Administration and Finance. During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chong worked with leaders across the Commonwealth to manage $300 million in federal relief funds and led efforts to stand up compliance and risk management around federal funds. Chong began this role Monday, January 30. “It’s a privilege to be a part of the Wu administration and to serve the City of Boston. The Registry provides services to residents at crucial moments in their lives,” said City Registrar Paul Chong. “I am excited to work with Chief Lawrence and the Registry staff to make residents’ experience with vital records simple, accessible, and secure.” “I am thrilled to welcome both of these talented leaders to such important functions of local government,” said Chief People Officer Alex Lawrence. “Both Brenda and Paul appreciate the amount of transition and challenges our workforce has undergone in the last few years, and have the deep experience in culture building and organizational change that the City needs to help the Mayor achieve her ambitious vision for Boston.”  The Director of People and Culture for the People Operations Cabinet oversees, develops, and coordinates the policies, activities, and staff for the centralized Office of Human Resources (OHR). The Office of Human Resources partners with all City departments to attract and develop diverse, qualified, and productive employees to serve Boston's residents. OHR is also responsible for benefits administration and compliance with the policies, laws, and ordinances governing municipal government. Hernandez received her BA in women’s studies from Mount Holyoke College and her JD, cum laude, from Pace University School of Law. She is a feminist activist and has presented on issues of reproductive justice, abortion support, and street harassment at several universities and conferences. Hernandez is a trained yoga teacher and practitioner and brings mindfulness into her equity practice. She enjoys performing and attending live music. A native of Northampton, she currently resides in Roslindale with her husband, daughter, and their cat Amethyst. The Registrar will advance the City's goals of record modernization and digitization and ease of access to public records. The Registrar will continue to develop consistent processes and practices for the department and ensure organizational compliance, while maintaining a customer focus. The Registrar is responsible for birth, marriage and death certificates. In 2022, 4,489 marriages were registered in Boston.   Chong started his career as a student volunteer and later as a parking analyst in his hometown of San Rafael, California. Born to immigrants, he has seen first hand how government services can improve the lives of people. Chong is a collaborative leader who believes that government is a powerful tool for good. He brings to the Registry a passion for building cohesive teams and strong institutions that work for employees and the public alike. Chong is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Northeastern University. He lives in West Roxbury with his wife and two children. In addition to new departmental leadership, Mayor Michelle Wu announced several new employee transit benefits, including the City of Boston’s MBTA Passport Program, free Bluebikes memberships, and an expanded fitness reimbursement to include active mobility expenses. Mayor Wu is focused on supporting the City workforce and making the City of Boston an employer of choice while building on her commitment to active and sustainable transportation. Inspired by specific asks organized by City of Boston employees, Mayor Wu launched the following employee programs: The City Of Boston’s MBTA Passport Program: Through the City of Boston’s MBTA Passport program, the City of Boston will pay for 65% of the monthly MBTA pass of an employee's choice (up to $232). The program received over 900 new sign ups since its launch.  Free Bluebikes Memberships: The City of Boston is now offering free annual Bluebikes passes to full-time, benefits-eligible City employees, and discounted memberships to part-time and non-benefits-eligible employees. Since the launch of the program in September, over 1,100 employees have signed up. Expanded Fitness Reimbursement To Include Active Mobility Expenses: The Mayor also announced that in partnership with City of Boston health partners, the City has expanded employees’ annual fitness reimbursement to include active mobility expenses including:  Vehicles: Purchase of active mobility vehicles including bikes, cargo bikes, and scooters  Equipment: Purchase of equipment for active mobility vehicle such as helmets, parts, and gear Maintenance: Payment to have active mobility vehicle equipment repaired or inspected  The City encourages residents to join the team and get involved in this work by visiting Boston.gov/jobs.

昆士市市長Tom Koch發表市情咨文 麻州長Maura Healey出席致意 (圖片)

 

東波士頓警察局啟用 市長吳弭、警察局長Cox聯袂剪綵

MAYOR WU, COMMISSIONER COX, AND CHIEF IRISH OPEN NEW EAST BOSTON POLICE STATION

BOSTON - Tuesday, January 31, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today joined Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, Chief of Operations Dion Irish, police officers, and community leaders for a ribbon cutting of the new District A-7 police station in East Boston. The new facility (which officially opened last week) on East Eagle Street represents a $29.9 million investment in East Boston’s public safety and community spaces, and was designed following several public meetings to hear the community’s opinions about the project, public safety, traffic, and accessibility. The new facility also includes stormwater management and more energy efficient systems. “An investment in our municipal buildings is an investment in our City workers and our residents. This new state of the art station provides the working environment our officers deserve and creates a more accessible experience for the local community,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I want to thank our Public Facilities Department for seeing this project through and incorporating community input and sustainability into the design.” “This new District A-7 station is a win for our officers and for the East Boston Community,” said Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox. “The former station was unsafe and outdated for far too long. The new A-7 is more strategically located and offers modern resources for our officers to better serve the diverse communities of East Boston. We are grateful to Mayor Wu, as well as the City’s operations and facilities teams, for making this a priority. This building brings with it new space for our officers to meet and connect with residents and the business community as we work to build trust and enhance our community policing efforts.” This new police station will be the first complete new district station in more than a decade. Its location is centrally located in East Boston. The new facility is safer and more code compliant than the old premise which contained antiquated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. The officers gain a more efficient space for work and collaboration which provides adequate space for personnel, equipment, and security. The new A-7 facility helps conserve water and prioritizes the use of safer materials to lower exposure to toxins. The mechanical systems are all controlled by a building management system and the lighting is controlled by a lighting control system and occupancy sensors to manage energy use and increase efficiency.  “We broke ground on this project in October of 2019 to create a modern facility with enhanced community access, improved working conditions, and public art,” said Chief of Operations Dion Irish. “This new station will improve dispatch response times, while providing a sustainable, resilient asset for the East Boston neighborhood and Boston Police Department.” The building is situated so that the public lobby and community room face the neighborhood with transparent facades and an accessible plaza facing the main intersection. It is entirely accessible to both the community and to staff with dedicated parking. To complement the construction of the new building, the City commissioned artist Monika Bravo to create a long-term public art project in the community room and main lobby of the building. The artwork, UNUS MUNDUS, consists of mosaics and hanging glass mobiles that mimic the original topography of East Boston, a place that was once five separate islands and now has been covered in landfill to create one neighborhood. Bravo referenced many historical and current images and maps of East Boston in creating the work, embedding some of them in the artwork itself. She also engaged community members and Boston Police officers in a series of workshops to learn more about the project and share their input and experiences.  “There has been much anticipation about the opening of the East Boston Police Station,” said City Councilor Gabriela Coletta. “I look forward to working in partnership with the community and BPD to continue building trust and ensure that the station is a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for everyone in the community.” “I’m so proud of the work Mayor Michelle Wu, City Staff, and the Boston Police Department have done to bring a new police station to East Boston, the first new station in Boston in a decade,” said State Senator Lydia Edwards.  "I'm glad to see the new A-7 police station open in East Boston after many years of hard work and collaboration with the community," said State Representative Adrian Madaro. "The new facility will be a more modern, healthy, and centrally located facility for both the officers who work there and East Boston residents." This announcement builds off of Mayor Wu’s commitment to invest in City workers and infrastructure to ensure all residents and City workers can take advantage of state of the art facilities. Earlier this month, Mayor Wu announced $25 million for a new BCYF community center in the North End. Last year, Mayor Wu announced a Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools, a $2 billion plan to overhaul BPS facilities, including new construction and renovation projects, as well as district-wide upgrades.

波士頓市長吳弭午夜出巡 為3800萬元聯邦經費數算街頭流浪漢

波士頓市長吳弭和統計活動負責人一起踏進華盛頓街。 (周菊子攝)

          (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓綜合報導)　波士頓市長吳弭（Michelle Wu）1月30日午夜在市府同仁、志工等人陪同中，沿著華盛頓街巡視，和分佈全市各地45個地區的200多名志工一起，執行波士頓市第43屆的街頭流浪漢人數年度統計。

　　包括急救服務局(EMS)局長James Hooley，房屋長Sheila Dillon，警察局局長Michael Cox，波士頓市長幕僚長朱為婷，經濟機會及包容長Segun Idowu，波士頓市亞裔聯絡員黃楚嵐等，多名波士頓市府首長及工作人員，波士頓環球報、電視台、廣播電台媒體，當晚出發數算前，先在市長的５樓辦公室外接待廳會師。

波士頓市長吳弭和1996年就參與這統計活動的急救服務長James Hooley 交換意見。
(周菊子攝)

　　一名曾參與這凌晨流浪漢統計行動者表示，去年這沿街巡視活動，進行了約２小時。今年這巡視，在華盛頓街，以及城中區地鐵站外等地，至少見到４名流浪漢。吳弭市長和巡視行動負責人輕聲細語地和他們交談，紀錄資訊。其中一人身體似乎有狀況，波士頓市府立即召了救護車到現場。

　　當晚的統計結果，波士頓市府將於數個月之後公佈。

波士頓市長吳弭和統計負責人和躺在地鐵站入口處的流浪漢攀談。 (周菊子攝)

　　當晚稍早前還在柯普利廣場費爾蒙酒店舉行了她第8個年度農曆新年慶祝會的吳弭市長表示，波士頓市的這年度流浪漢人口統計，是波士頓市在邁向為每一個人打造城市的路上，評估全市各地住宅需求的另一個機會。這也是波士頓市要得到3800萬元聯邦補助款，必須遵循的美國房住局規定之一。

              美國房屋及服務部部長（Secretary for Housing and Services）的聯邦房住局資深顧問Richard Cho表示，聯邦房住局要求全美各地市鎮每年1月的某一天晚上，辦理一次某個時間點的流浪漢人口統計。這行動不只是數據，更是從人性角度了解這些人流浪街頭的背後原因，期以最終幫助他們回家，或重新站穩腳步。

波士頓警察局局長Michael Cox (中)也出席支持流浪漢人口統計活動。 (周菊子攝)

　　　2021年時，聯邦房住局推出「美國之家 (House America) 」計畫，邀請市長，城市及郡縣、部落等地領導，和州長們結為夥伴，經由美國原就計劃法(ARPA)，借助「房屋第一」的方法，來處理無家可歸危機。

　　波士頓是作為這「美國之家」計畫的一分子，承諾到2022年底前，安置1100戶人家，並未面對失去房屋危險人士，建造650戶住宅單位。波士頓市做到的比承諾還多，共安置了1161人，並蓋了739戶住宅。

1月30日晚的流浪漢人口統計，還有救護車到場協助。 (

　　在2022年9月時，波士頓市政府向聯邦房住局 (HUD)遞交了4100萬元補助提案，以期在2024年中，經由聯邦房住局的麥金利流浪漢持續護理計畫，支持波士頓的流浪漢項目。

　　波士頓是公共衛生委局局長，以及公共衛生委員員會執行主任Bisola Okikutu表示，無家可歸是公共健康危機，會嚴重增加健康不良風險。

　　2022年6月時、波士頓市長吳弭宣佈，在波士頓市做流浪漢人口統計那晚，流浪漢人數減少2.4%，從2021年的1659人，降到2022年的1545人。這是從2020到2021年減少24.7%之後，繼續減少。

　　波士頓市府宣稱，在市府各機構和合作夥伴的努力下，在2022年內，有470多名原本在「美沙酮英里」上露天而居的遊民，接洽上了低門檻的支援性住宅。

波士頓市府即起再為年收入6萬以下居民免費報稅

                        (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市今（31）日宣佈，「波士頓報稅協助聯盟( BTHC)」將再度為年收入６萬元以下居民，提供免費報稅服務。

　　　「波士頓報稅協助聯盟( BTHC)」將在30多個地點提供遠距或現場的報稅服務，幫助波士頓居民最大化的獲得退稅或抵繳優惠，包括「所得稅抵免（EITC）」，「兒童抵稅優惠（Child Tax Credit）。

　　　　報稅援助的語言有英語，西班牙語，海地克里奧爾語、佛得角克里奧爾語，葡萄牙語，法語，越南語，國語及廣東話。服務日期可上網查詢，bostontaxhelp.org，或撥打311電話。

　　　　波士頓報稅協助聯盟是工人賦能內閣（Worker Empowerment Cabinet）內，打工家庭中心的一部分，自從成立以來，已為大約19萬3000戶人家報稅，協助他們取得3億4800萬元的抵稅優惠。

　　　　截至2022年12月，全美共有3100萬符合資格的打工人士及家庭，獲得約640億元的「所得稅抵免（EITC）」，平均拿回2043元。

　　　　工人賦能中心長Trinh Nguyen表示，聯盟的夥伴和志願者，都接受了國稅局訓練，已連續２２年進入地方，為民眾提供免費報稅服務。

CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES RETURN OF FREE TAX SERVICES  TO MAXIMIZE REFUNDS FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS Boston Tax Help Coalition to provide remote and in-person tax preparation services at 30 locations to residents earning $60,000 or less

 

BOSTON - Tuesday, January 31, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced that the Boston Tax Help Coalition (BTHC) will again offer free tax preparation services to Boston residents earning $60,000 or less a year. The BTHC and its community partners are providing tax services remotely and in-person at over 30 neighborhood tax sites. Residents can file safely while maximizing their refunds and credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit. Tax preparation assistance is available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese, French, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The schedule can be found by visiting bostontaxhelp.org or calling 3-1-1.   "Boston residents can save hundreds of dollars per household through the Boston Tax Help Coalition’s free tax preparation,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “These free, multilingual tax assistance services are available across thirty locations and remotely serve as a valuable resource that supports thousands of Boston residents in maximizing their refunds safely. I encourage every qualified Boston resident to take advantage of this model program.” Part of the Center for Working Families, a department in the Worker Empowerment Cabinet, the Boston Tax Help Coalition has served approximately 193,000 households and returned over $348 million dollars in tax credits and refunds since its creation. The program allows residents to keep more of their earned income and maximizes the impact of their tax credits by eliminating tax preparation fees. Tax preparers assess filers’ eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a credit for low- and middle-income workers, and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Both credits greatly reduce poverty for working families by providing a financial boost. As of December 2022, 31 million eligible workers and families have received an estimated $64 billion in EITC with an average return of $2,043 nationwide.  "All qualified Bostonians should take advantage of the Boston Tax Help Coalition's free tax preparation in order to maximize their refund and receive the tax credits due to them," said Trinh Nguyen, Chief of Worker Empowerment. "The Coalition's partners and volunteers are IRS-trained and are providing a valuable service to our residents at locations conveniently located in Boston neighborhoods. Congratulations to the Coalition as it enters its 22nd year!" “Often, receiving a tax refund is people's first step toward household budgeting and building family wealth,” said Urban Edge CEO Emilio Dorcely. “As part of the Boston Tax Help Coalition, Urban Edge has been a trusted and reliable place where hundreds of families in Roxbury and Jamaica Plain can go for free tax preparation and filing services each year. We applaud the City of Boston and Mayor Wu for their citywide efforts in providing this vital service to Boston residents.” “ABCD is proud to be a longstanding partner of the Boston Tax Help Coalition and kicking off a new tax year with the Mayor and others once again,” said ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler. “Free tax preparation services fight poverty by channeling money directly back into the hands of residents and under resourced communities. People have an opportunity, they don’t often have, to take a lump sum of their hard earned cash and pay off debts or save toward things like buying a house or furthering education. With extraordinarily high food and energy prices today, they are also able to help meet immediate needs like rent and transportation.” The Boston Tax Help Coalition continues to serve the Disability community through a partnership with Deaf, Inc. and this year is adding a Visually Impaired People (VIP) tax preparation pilot. On Wednesdays in February, the VIP program will provide accommodations to visually impaired residents receiving tax preparation services at the Center for Working Families in Nubian Square. More information can be found at boston.gov/vip-pilot.  “The City of Boston prioritizes equity in all of its programs and services, and access for people with disabilities is a key piece of that,” said Boston Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh. “The Blind/Low Vision pilot program is building on the work we’ve done to ensure that tax prep services are accessible and inclusive of all Boston residents.” In addition to tax preparation, the Boston Tax Help Coalition connects residents to other free financial services to improve their financial health. Of note, Bank On Boston helps residents identify banking services that are safe, affordable, and non-predatory and the Financial Check-Up provides residents with a one-on-one session with trained Financial Guides who review their credit score and provide personalized credit-building strategies. Boston Saves, the City of Boston’s children’s savings account program, is offering eligible BPS families a $25 incentive into their child's account for getting free tax preparation and a Financial Check-Up through BTHC. More information on the Boston Tax Help Coalition’s free tax services can be found at bostontaxhelp.org.  ABOUT WORKER EMPOWERMENT The Worker Empowerment Cabinet (WE) leads the City’s work in advancing the well-being of all working Bostonians in both the public and private sectors by linking worker empowerment policy and programs to create a safe, healthy, and climate resilient city for all.

AG CAMPBELL ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH AUTO DEALERSHIP OVER ALLEGED PRICING DISCRIMINATION FOR ADD-ON PRODUCTS

AG CAMPBELL ANNOUNCES SETTLEMENT WITH AUTO DEALERSHIP OVER ALLEGED PRICING DISCRIMINATION FOR ADD-ON PRODUCTS 

AG’s Office Alleged Dealership Charged Higher Prices to Black and Hispanic Consumers; $200,000 Restitution to Be Provided to Impacted Individuals 

 

BOSTON– Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced that her office has reached a $350,000 settlement with Hometown Auto Framingham, Inc. to resolve allegations that the company engaged in the unfair, deceptive and discriminatory pricing of “add-on” products sold to Black and Hispanic consumers.  

 

The assurance of discontinuance, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that Hometown Auto, which operates two car dealerships located in Wellesley and Danvers, charged Black and Hispanic consumers higher prices for “add-on” products in comparison to white consumers. “Add-on” products are extra goods or services sold to a consumer who purchases or leases a car; these include products like guaranteed asset protection (GAP) products, paint protection products, tire and wheel protection products and remote starters.  

 

“Consumers need to know that their race or ethnicity will have absolutely no effect on the type of service they receive from Massachusetts auto dealerships or the prices they will be charged,” said AG Campbell. “My office is committed to protecting consumers from predatory and discriminatory practices that stand in the way of upward mobility, and we will continue our advocacy to ensure all consumers are being charged for services equally and fairly.”  

 

In 2018, the AG’s Office began an investigation into discriminatory pricing of “add-on” products at Massachusetts auto dealerships, including Hometown Auto. The AG’s Office determined that Hometown charged higher prices to its Black and Hispanic consumers for the same “add-on” products sold to white consumers. The AG’s Office alleges that Hometown’s conduct violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts and practices in trade or commerce. 

 

Under the terms of the settlement, Hometown has agreed to pay $350,000 – $200,000 of which will be allocated to provide restitution to harmed consumers – and to enact several business practice changes in order to decrease the likelihood of pricing disparities in the future. Some of these changes include: 

 

·       Providing staff training on implicit bias and the obligation not to discriminate when pricing products.  

·       Requiring disclosure of “add-on” product pricing to provide transparency on the price of any add-on product offered to consumers. 

·       Improving oversight of “add-on” product pricing by implementing a standardized pricing policy for “add-on” products that limits when and why staff may deviate from such prices and requires documentation and oversight for pricing deviations.  

·       Providing compliance monitoring information to the AG’s Office concerning   future “add-on” product sales.      

 

This matter is part of an ongoing investigation into Massachusetts auto dealerships concerning the pricing of “add-on” products. In September 2022, the AG’s Office announced a lawsuit against Jaffarian Volvo Toyota, of Haverhill, for charging Black and Hispanic consumers hundreds of dollars more, on average, than white consumers for “add-on” products. 

 

This matter was handled by Deputy Division Chief Mychii Snape, Assistant Attorney General Schuyler Daum, and Paralegal Sky Karp of the AG’s Consumer Protection Division with assistance from Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Burke in the AG’s Civil Rights Division.