波士頓市長吳弭申請設立參與預算辦公室

MAYOR WU FILES ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING Office of Participatory Budgeting will provide another opportunity for residents to engage with the City’s budget process

BOSTON - Tuesday, December 13, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu yesterday filed an Ordinance establishing the Office of Participatory Budgeting, amending the City of Boston Code. The purpose of this office is to provide the structure necessary to enhance public engagement and direct involvement in the City’s budget. The ordinance requires approval by the Boston City Council. “Creating opportunities for direct involvement in the City’s budgeting process ensures our residents’ voices and needs are represented in their local government’s departments and programming,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I look forward to working with the City Council to establish this office and its oversight board for direct civic engagement to shape our budget.” This ordinance establishes the Office of Participatory Budgeting, which will include a director and an external oversight board. The Office, working in partnership with the external oversight board, will establish and manage a Participatory Budgeting Process that will be an equitable and binding decision-making process open to all Boston residents during fiscal 2024 and in addition will create another opportunity for residents to both engage with the City’s annual budget process and to make recommendations for projects to include in the budget. The Office will work across departments and agencies, external organizations, and with communities to ensure year-round public involvement and engagement in the City’s budgeting. Working with the Office, the external oversight board will be tasked with submitting participatory budgeting project proposals to the Mayor for inclusion in the City’s budget. The board will also assist in the creation of a Participatory Budgeting Rule Book, which will outline the policies and procedures for the participatory budgeting process. The Board will be composed of nine Boston residents with varied experience and expertise, including community investment and development, public finance, open space, urban planning, community organization and outreach, affordable housing, public education, public health, environmental protection, and historic preservation. The Mayor will appoint five individuals directly to the oversight board, as well as appoint four individuals to the oversight board from a pool of eight applicants provided to the Mayor by the City Council. Board members will have two-year terms. In the 2021 Municipal Election, Boston’s voters approved a ballot measure to create an Office of Participatory Budgeting charged with furthering public engagement on how the City’s budget is created and how tax dollars are spent. Ahead of the FY23 budget submission, Mayor Wu worked with the Office of Budget Management (OBM) and Boston City Council to hold a Budget Listening Tour for residents to better understand the budget and to solicit public feedback. The direct feedback was aimed to empower constituents in working alongside the City, and allowed the City to further evaluate where resources might be most equitable and valuable. For those who were unable to attend the series of listening sessions, a budget survey was also available for constituents and residents to weigh in on the city’s future investments. Additionally, recently, in advance of the FY24 budget process, the Office of Budget Management (OBM) in partnership with ONS’ Office of Civic Organizing, hosted budget workshops with groups that were underrepresented during the FY23 winter budget listening sessions to help increase their understanding of the budget process and share how to engage with the City’s budget. For more information, go to boston.gov/budget.

 

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $11 Million in 24 Grants through the Seaport Economic Council

Funding Will Support Commercial Fishing, Improve Waterfront Access, and Prepare for Future Dredging

PLYMOUTH – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced over $11 million in Seaport Economic Council grants for 24 projects. The grants will help 20 coastal communities advance projects that benefit commercial maritime industries, improve resident and visitor access to waterfront assets, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and advance future dredging. The grants were approved at today’s meeting of the Seaport Economic Council, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito at Plymouth Town Hall.   “I want to thank Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and all of the members of the Seaport Economic Council for their tireless work advancing Massachusetts’ coastal communities,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Since taking office our administration has been proud to award over $87 million through the Seaport Economic Council to support 190 projects that promote economic development, recreation, and climate resiliency along our shoreline.”   “It has been an honor to serve as chair of the Seaport Economic Council, a role in which I’ve been able to learn from, partner with, and advance the work of local leaders in communities up and down our coast,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “At our final meeting today we are thrilled to invest over $11 million for projects aimed at protecting and improving our waterfronts.” The Seaport Economic Council was relaunched in August 2015 with a mission to deepen the maritime economy, promote economic development, and support resilient infrastructure in all 78 of the Commonwealth’s coastal communities. The Council awards grant funding to municipalities and other entities in support of projects that promote job creation and economic growth, transformative public-private partnerships, educational opportunities for young people, local economic development planning efforts, coastal infrastructure improvements, and the planning and permitting of saltwater dredging. With this latest round of grants, the Seaport Economic Council has invested over $87 million through 190 grants in 55 coastal communities since being relaunched in 2015. “Under the Baker-Polito Administration, the Seaport Economic Council has made significant investments to help our coastal communities stimulate economic growth now and in the long term,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “Today’s awards will modernize and improve access to waterfronts in 20 cities and towns, boosting tourism and commercial activity in these communities.” “Grants from the Seaport Economic Council enable coastal communities to undertake important waterfront improvement projects, from rebuilding infrastructure to planning for future dredging,” said Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba, Vice Chair of the Seaport Economic Council. “With Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito’s leadership, we have invested in 55 cities and towns with the resources they need to support economic growth and build resilience for the future.” "I am thrilled to see the Town of Plymouth receive this funding to make improvements to their municipal boat ramp,” said Representative Kathy LaNatra. “Plymouth Harbor is a vibrant hub of economic activity and this investment into such a crucial aspect of it will go a long way to continuing to grow Plymouth Harbor and the surrounding area." "We are grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration and Seaport Economic Council for investing in coastal communities and addressing climate impact," said Representative Mathew Muratore. "We are thrilled that Plymouth will receive much needed funding of $1,000,000 for reconstruction of our town boat ramp to provide options for launching and landing for commercial fishermen and aquaculture growers to better support our blue economy." “The Commonwealth’s $1 million grant for the Town of Plymouth Boat Ramp will expand the loading and unloading space for commercial fishermen including aquaculture growers. This project will ensure that the Town has the necessary infrastructure to support the industry and to provide stormwater controls which will improve the water quality in the harbor,” said Plymouth Town Manager Derek Brindisi. “The Baker-Polito Administration has supported over $8.1 million in grants for critical harbor infrastructure improvements in the Town of Plymouth. The Town is thankful for the Baker-Polito Administration for prioritizing our region’s Blue Economy”. Seaport Economic Council Grant Awards Town of Barnstable, $1 Million The Town of Barnstable will use grant funding to install approximately 675 linear feet of steel bulkhead, including anchors, timber piles, timber pier repairs, utility adjustments, and other associated work related to a replacement bulkhead at the Bismore Park Marina. This is essential to continued operations in the busy marina, which serves passenger ferries, commercial fishing, other commercial vessels, transient and recreational boating, and landside uses including parking, pump-outs, artist shanties, harbormaster office, and welcome center. City of Beverly, $560,000 The City of Beverly will use grant funding to support improvements to 4 Cabot Street, with the city using funding to demolish the existing building, regrade the parcel including adding fill, build retaining walls and a planting area, add necessary signage, and construct a parking lot. Additionally, the city will reconstruct the existing brick sidewalks on the roadways adjacent to the new parking lot to be ADA-compliant concrete sidewalks and work with a consultant to modify the current license and permitting on the property for future pier construction.   Town of Chatham, $235,000 The Town of Chatham will use grant funding to support the renewal of Chatham’s 10-year Comprehensive Town-wide Dredging and Disposal permit, which includes existing projects as well as expansion of dredging and disposal initiatives to other areas. The project will also identify and permit suitable beach nourishment sites throughout the town to provide erosion protection and coastal resiliency of public and private shorelines.  Town of Dartmouth, $40,000 The Town of Dartmouth will use grant funding to assess the feasibility for dredging of the Padanaram Harbor to improve the safety, navigability, and accessibility of the harbor for recreational, transient, and commercial boaters. Town of Dartmouth, $32,000 The Town of Dartmouth will use grant funding to hire a consultant to conduct an economic and fiscal impact assessment of the Padanaram Harbor. Town of Duxbury & Duxbury Bay Maritime School, Inc., $196,000 The Town of Duxbury and Duxbury Bay Maritime School, Inc. (DBMS) will use grant funding to conduct a feasibility study to explore a pathway towards achieving coastal resiliency against future climate change and sea level rise through improvements made to existing waterfront infrastructure, current facility operations, and surrounding areas. The town and DBMS waterfront facilities that will be the focus of the study consist of adjoining waterfront parcels located within Snug Harbor. Town of Edgartown, $292,000 The Town of Edgartown will use grant funding for engineering and permitting services required for its 10-year Comprehensive Permits for interchangeable dredging and beach nourishment activities that are set to expire in 2024. Town of Fairhaven, $1 Million The Town of Fairhaven will use grant funding for Phase 5B of the overall renovation of Union Wharf, the final phase of the 10-year planning and reconstruction effort to reconstruct the wharf to modern standards. Union Wharf provides the only public, commercial vessel off-load space available to the entire fleet within New Bedford harbor. City of Fall River & Fall River Redevelopment Authority, $640,822 The Fall River Redevelopment Authority proposes its next phase of City Pier development on the Taunton River at 600 Davol Street. Its multi-year plan is to install four floating dock systems parallel to City Pier for transient use by recreational boaters and will use grant funding to install a 475-foot-long dock on the north side in 2023. Waterside access will expand tourism and contribute to the ongoing transformation of the waterfront district. Town of Falmouth, $30,000 The Town of Falmouth will use grant funding for the engineering and permitting of repair and improvements at the Town Commercial Fishing pier in Great Harbor Woods Hole. Town of Gosnold, $457,720 The Town of Gosnold will use grant funding to replace the current bathroom facility serving the town-owned and -operated marina located on Cuttyhunk Island that was built approximately 20 years ago. Town of Gosnold, $510,000 Cuttyhunk Island has been without fuel for its residents and boaters since 2019. The Town of Gosnold will use grant funds to complete a fuel farm facility so that fuel no longer needs to be transported from other communities. The project includes installation of concrete foundation, two above-ground ConVault tanks, and electrical and piping as well as dispensing equipment, a containment sump, and a high-level alarm system. Town of Manchester, $568,250 The Town of Manchester plans to add 500 additional feet of transient docking space at Reed Park with water, electricity, and pump-out facilities to accommodate transient vessels, as the current facility is regularly at capacity and unable to serve all the boaters requiring dockage in Manchester. The town will use grant funding to engineer and permit the expansion and re-configuration of the transient docking facility, as well as a portion of the construction. Massachusetts Maritime Academy, $1 Million This grant will fund a dredging improvement project at Massachusetts Maritime Academy that will remove approximately 9,500 cubic yards of sandy material securing appropriate safe berths for the 550’ National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) Training Ship Patriot State, Commonwealth’s 120’ tall ship Ernestina-Morrissey, and numerous support vessels. The project will also provide adequate safe refuge for emergency response and recreational boaters, and support marine hydrokinetic research projects.  Town of Marion, $300,000 The Town of Marion will use grant funding to support the construction of a new elevated Maritime Center / Harbormaster office, which will be out of the flood zone. These improvements are intended to better facilitate the use of the property by the public, boating community, and transient boaters alike while also addressing the inadequacies of the current facility and its vulnerability to storms and sea level rise. Town of Nantucket, $1 Million The Town of Nantucket will use grant funding to replace the existing public dock system with new concrete floats, including power pedestals and water service, and upgrade existing utilities at the Town Pier facility, which services commercial, recreational, and transient users.  City of New Bedford & Community Boating Center of New Bedford, $50,000 Partnering with the City of New Bedford, the Community Boating Center of New Bedford (CBC) will use grant funding to support a comprehensive feasibility study for its campus vision and expansion plans. CBC connects thousands of greater New Bedford youth, ages five to 24, to the water through a wide range of programs year-round, providing youth development, education, mentorship, and access to a network of community partners. New Bedford Port Authority, $880,000 Homer’s Wharf, a commercial fishing pier in the Port of New Bedford, needs full structural replacement. New Bedford Port Authority (NBPA) will use grant funding to advance design, engineering, and permitting to the shovel-ready stage and make grant applications for future reconstruction more competitive. New Bedford Port Authority & Town of Fairhaven, $320,000 The New Bedford Port Authority and Town of Fairhaven will use grant funding to revise and update the 2010 New Bedford / Fairhaven Municipal Harbor Plan to support a broad mix of commercial fishing, marine construction, offshore wind support, and recreational uses. Town of Plymouth, $1 Million The Town of Plymouth will use grant funding to reconstruct the dilapidated town boat ramp adjacent to the Maritime Facility and the state boat ramp. Town of Provincetown, $120,000 MacMillan Pier is a vital piece of public infrastructure, providing capacity for public passenger ferry service, while supporting commercial fishing, public safety/harbormaster’s office, recreational fishing, charter fishing, whale watching, and local retail establishments including artist shanties and museums. The Town of Provincetown will use grant funding to conduct a feasibility analysis to evaluate alternatives to improve and enhance the existing site uses through a focus on the following areas: public safety, commercial fishing, infrastructure upgrades, ferry/transportation improvements, sea level rise resiliency enhancements, navigational dredging assessment, and recreational vessel accommodation. City of Salem, $300,000 The City of Salem will use grant funding to design and permit a passenger terminal building at Salem Wharf, located at 10 Blaney Street, to support the operations of the existing city-owned Salem Ferry, the Nathaniel Bowditch. The terminal building will replace an existing temporary structure put in place in 2011. City of Salem, $700,000 The City of Salem will use grant funding to support the replacement of the Salem Willows Pier, an iconic waterfront access point in Salem’s famed Willows Park. The project is being designed and funded jointly pursuant to a Land Management Agreement between the City of Salem and the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG) through its Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and Office of Fishing and Boating (OFB) Access. Town of Scituate, $300,000 The Town of Scituate will use grant funding for construction costs associated with the next phase of the Cole Parkway Marina Rehabilitation project.

AG HEALEY JOINS COALITION IN SUPPORT OF WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN CASE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT

AG HEALEY JOINS COALITION IN SUPPORT OF WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN CASE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT  

BriefDefends the Right of Workers to Strike 

 

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey announced today that her office has joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general in filing a brief with the Supreme Court defending workers’ rights.  

In the amicus brief, filed in Glacier Northwest Inc v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174, the coalition of attorneys general argue that the case potentially threatens workers’ right to strike and the effectiveness of the National Labor Relations Act, which protects the rights of private sector employees to organize and collectively bargain for better workplace conditions including pay.   

“Workers need to know that they will be protected when they organize, unionize, or go on strike to improve their working conditions,” said AG Healey. “I am proud to join my colleagues in support of the workers involved in this case and call on the Supreme Court to uphold workers’ right to organize and advocate for themselves.”   

The case follows a 2017 labor dispute between Glacier Northwest, which provides construction services and building materials, and Teamsters Local 174. The union’s collective bargaining agreement had expired and, in the course of negotiating a new one, the union called a strike. When the strike was called, some Glacier drivers were in the process of delivering mixed concrete but left the job to participate in the strike. The mixed concrete became unusable, and Glacier later filed a lawsuit against the union arguing that its actions amounted to intentional destruction of property that is not protected by the union’s right to strike.   

The Washington State Supreme Court sided with the union, finding that the strike was arguably protected under the National Labor Relations Act, and therefore ruling that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) should determine whether the actions taken were reasonable and protected under the National Labor Relations Act. Glacier subsequently sought review from the U.S. Supreme Court, which accepted the petition in October.   

The states’ brief describes how numerous court and NLRB rulings protect strikes that exert economic pressure even if a strike causes product loss. The brief also argues that Glacier’s arguments undermine the National Labor Relations Act, which protects employees’ “concerted activities” and explicitly recognizes the right to strike. The right to strike is essential to a core purpose of the Act – restoring the bargaining power between employees and employers.    

The coalition further argues that a concerted withdrawal of labor is virtually the only way employees can exert economic pressure on employers when attempting to bargain collectively. They also claim that if strikes could not threaten economic loss to employers, they would be less effective, and employees would lose their most powerful legally sanctioned tool.  

AG Healey has consistently been an advocate for the rights and protection of workers. In June of this year, the AG’s Office joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general in support of a federal rule that would empower workers and expand public awareness of on-the-job dangers. In the same month, the AG’s Office also joined an amicus brief that defended states’ authority to protect workers from retaliation when speaking up about unsafe working conditions and workplace violations.  

AG Healey is joined in the amicus brief, which was filed by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, by the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.   

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case in January 2023.  

麻州候任州長Maura Healey為「尊重婚姻法」簽署發聲明

   (Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州候任州長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 在美國總統 (Joe Biden)簽署「尊重婚姻法 (Respect for Marriage Act) 」後發表聲明，說明2009年她還是總檢察長辦公室民權處處長時，就成功領導了全美第一次的「婚姻保護法 (DOMA)」州級挑戰，為全美的婚姻平等鋪路。

剛締造歷史，當選為全美第一個女同性戀州長，也是麻州第一位女性州長暨同性州長的奚莉指出，「尊重婚姻法」廢止了「婚姻保護法」，也為同性戀伴侶編纂了其他保護。

奚莉說，「當我們起初挑戰「婚姻保護法」時，許多人都懷疑我們能夠成功。但是我們知道，那太重要了，我們不能不全力以赴。我們把這陳情案一路帶到最高法院去，而且我們贏了，為全國的婚姻平等鋪了路。我從來沒想到10年多之後，我們那麼努力爭取來的那些權益，會受到那些極端主義者的威脅，想要把我們所推動的進步倒退回去。

            「那就是為什麼「尊重婚姻法」是那麼要緊。它一勞永逸的廢止了「婚姻保護法」。它保證了你的婚姻會被承認，而且不論你愛的是誰，在全國都會受尊重，我感謝拜登總統和國會領導能夠堅持到最後。我更加感謝所有分享自己故事，大聲發言，從不放棄為真正平等奮鬥的同性戀夥伴。我也感謝我的聯合律師Mary Bonauto，一名帶領這場爭取平等婚姻戰鬥的開拓者，從Goodridge到DOMA，到Obergefell，以及其他。我們做到了。

Governor-elect Maura Healey Issues Statement on Signing of Respect for Marriage Act

Healey led the first successful state challenge to DOMA, was recently elected one of the first lesbian Governors in the country

BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor-elect and Attorney General Maura Healey, who recently made history when she was elected one of the country’s first lesbian Governors and Massachusetts’ first woman and LGBTQ person elected Governor, issued a statement following President Biden’s signing of the Respect for Marriage Act. As Chief of the Civil Rights Division in the Attorney General’s Office, Healey led the country’s  first successful state challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act in 2009, paving the way for marriage equality nationwide. The Respect for Marriage Act repeals DOMA, as well as codifying other protections for LGBTQ+ couples.

“When we first challenged the Defense of Marriage Act, many people doubted that we would be successful. But we knew it was too important not to give it everything we had. We brought that case all the way to the Supreme Court and we won, laying the groundwork for marriage equality nationwide. I never imagined that more than a decade later, those rights that we fought so hard to secure would come under threat by extremists who want to roll back the progress we’ve made.

“That’s why the Respect for Marriage Act is so essential. It repeals DOMA once and for all. It guarantees that your marriage will be recognized and respected across the country, no matter who you love. I’m grateful to President Biden and Congressional leaders for seeing this through, and I’m especially grateful to all of the LGBTQ+ couples who shared their stories, made their voices heard and never gave up the fight for true equality. I’m also thinking of my co-counsel Mary Bonauto, a trailblazer who has led this fight for marriage equality, from Goodridge to the DOMA challenge to Obergefell and beyond. We did it.”

MAYOR MICHELLE WU CELEBRATES GRADUATION OF BLACK MEN LEAD BOSTON INAUGURAL COHORT

MAYOR MICHELLE WU CELEBRATES GRADUATION OF BLACK MEN LEAD BOSTON INAUGURAL COHORT

BOSTON - Tuesday, December 13, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu today celebrated the first graduation for the Black Men Lead Boston (BMLB)’s inaugural cohort. This event at the newly built City Hall Plaza Pavilion celebrated the 24 graduates who have spent the past eight weeks building community with a strong focus on developing participants’ civic organizing and movement building capacity in communities that have been historically disenfranchised. Black Men Lead Boston is a new program recently launched and led by the Office of Black Male Advancement (BMA), a department in the City’s Equity Cabinet. "Black Men Lead Boston strengthens our city's foundation for empowering Black men and expanded civic leadership across our neighborhoods," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "These BMLB graduates show unwavering commitment to their communities and have already started to empower and build with other Black men across Boston. I’m proud to highlight their success as the first graduating cohort of the Black Men Lead Boston program and looking forward to the cohort’s impact across our communities." Black Men Lead Boston is designed for Black men over the age of 18 in Boston who want to become more civically engaged and leaders in their communities. The program is a core part of Black Male Advancement’s work to improve outcomes and reduce systemic barriers to advancement for Black men and boys living in Boston.  “Our 2022 Black Men Lead Boston inaugural cohort is truly a more empowered and civically engaged collective,” said Frank Farrow, Executive Director of Black Male Advancement. “The graduates are better positioned to advocate for equitable resources for their communities, ensuring they have a stronger voice on issues impacting Black men and boys across Boston. This program showed the participants that there are opportunities and spaces for them to lead and serve throughout the city. I’m very excited to see what all of our cohort participants do next and I know that their time to create lasting change in their communities is now.” “We are focused on ensuring that every community member across Boston’s neighborhoods has all the resources they need to thrive in our city,” said Mariangely Solis Cervera, Chief of Equity and Inclusion. “I’m thrilled for all of Black Men Lead Boston’s participants and confident that they will engage even more residents to build a more equitable and inclusive Boston for everyone.” From October 12 through December 6, the inaugural cohort learned a range of skills, knowledge, and practical experience through weekly hour-long sessions aimed at positioning them to robustly organize their communities for social change. Participants also met with key City of Boston officials from various departments and members of the Black Men and Boys Commission to learn how to effectively access crucial city services, navigate local government, foster civic engagement within their communities and sustain advocacy related to issues impacting Black men and boys across the city’s neighborhoods. The cohort’s participants are from many of the city’s neighborhoods including Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Roslindale, South Boston, South End and Jamaica Plain. "Black Male Advancement opened the door to the resources we need to make change in our community,” said Lamont Thomas, Black Men Lead Boston 2022 Cohort participant. “It's one thing to say you want thing's to change. This Black Men Lead Boston cohort allowed me to see that change is alive and well.” The cohort’s weekly sessions were developed and facilitated by The Davis System LLC, which provides grassroots organizing strategy to individuals, organizations and communities across the country. Topics covered include but were not limited to: civic engagement, storytelling, volunteer recruitment, gathering community support for issues and causes, debate, group facilitation, and media engagement. “It was an honor to organize the first ever Black Men Lead Boston program,” said Anthony Davis, Jr., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Davis System, LLC. “From the inception of the program, our vision was to provide the men that participated in the program with the skills and knowledge to advocate for the changes they wish to see in their communities in Boston. The brothers felt this was one of the few spaces that they could go in and be vulnerable and tell their story, and through that they found additional power in the community we were building.” This April, the Office of Black Male Advancement will hold a spring 2023 program focused on engaging young people, particularly high school students in Boston. Applications for this program will open in the new year. For more information regarding the program and how to apply, please visit Black Male Advancement’s webpage.

麻州地鐵綠線展延竣工 麥德福/塔芙茨站剪綵啟用

轉載自MBTAA

MBTA Celebrates Opening of the Green Line Extension Medford Branch

Posted on December 12, 2022

Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito were today joined by federal, state, MassDOT, MBTA, and local leadership to celebrate the opening of the Medford Branch of the Green Line Extension.

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Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler, and MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak today joined federal, state, and local officials to celebrate the opening of the Medford Branch of the Green Line Extension (GLX). Following a ceremony dedicating the new Green Line Vehicle Maintenance Facility to former Congressman Mike Capuano and a ribbon cutting at the new Tufts/Medford Station, the celebration was held at the Joyce Cummings Center at Tufts University.

“The Green Line Extension will have a transformational impact on the cities of Somerville, Medford, and Cambridge by providing the region with access to important public transit and we are pleased today to bring the Medford Branch into service after years of planning and coordination,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This project is the product of the collaboration of federal, state, local, and community partners, and will bring economic growth and improve opportunities to education and jobs for many years to come.”

“Students and community members in Somerville, Cambridge, and Medford now have a one-seat ride from their homes and schools directly to downtown Boston and into communities across the MBTA system,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration has recognized the importance of expanded transit options and made the Green Line Extension a priority and we’re excited to see this project brought to fruition.”

With Green Line Medford Branch service, riders now have a convenient one-seat ride from Medford and Somerville to downtown Boston, the Longwood Medical Area, and beyond.

“It has been very fulfilling to see MBTA projects in many locations completed, including new stations, new track and signals, grade crossing work, and other improvements,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler. “Certainly, the Green Line Extension Project will go down in the annuals of local history as a project with a huge economic impact and impact on our MBTA customers. The project is just one example of the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to providing safe and equitable transportation networks that support the Commonwealth’s transit, economic, climate, and public health goals.”

Transportation Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler today celebrated the opening of the GLX Medford Branch.

The Medford Branch runs approximately 3.7 miles to College Avenue in Medford and includes five fully accessible stations located at East Somerville, Gilman Square, Magoun Square, Ball Square, and Medford/Tufts stations. With the opening of Green Line Extension, the MBTA estimates 26,000 vehicle trips per day will be removed from local streets.   

“The opening of the Medford Branch of the Green Line today marks another remarkable accomplishment for the MBTA after many years of hard work and billions of dollars in investments in the system, culminating in improved transit options for current and new riders to come in the Somerville, Cambridge, and Medford communities,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “I’d like to thank the Baker-Polito Administration for its continued support of GLX as the T followed through on its commitment to rejuvenate and complete this project; the Federal Transit Administration and our federal partners for their support of GLX and investments in safety, maintenance, infrastructure, and public transportation; our MassDOT partners for their continued guidance; our municipal partners for their eagerness and advocacy; GLX Program Manager John Dalton and the entire GLX team; and the many stakeholders, advocates, GLX neighbors, and members of the community who have partnered with us and supported the project. We’re excited to become an integral part of the landscape of these new neighborhoods that we now serve, and the MBTA looks forward to offering expanded Green Line service for many years to come.”

MBTA General Manager Poftak offered remarks at today’s GLX Medford Branch opening celebration.

Green Line trains are anticipated to operate every five to six minutes in the peak hours, providing safe and reliable service in areas that did not previously have access to public transit. The Green Line Extension will also significantly reduce vehicle emissions by removing cars from local roadways and improving regional air quality. With the opening of both branches, nearly 80% of Somerville’s population is now within walking distance to a station.

“Since day one of my time in the Senate, I have fought to keep the Green Line Extension project alive, and today I'm thrilled to see this long overdue project completed,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren. “This extension of the Green Line will carry 50,000 riders a day and will promote cleaner air and economic opportunity throughout Medford, Cambridge, Somerville, and the entire Greater Boston region. I'll continue fighting alongside federal, state, and local leaders to support these projects and build out the 21st Century transportation system that our communities deserve.”

“The Green Line Extension is a critical step toward a Green New Deal future in Greater Boston,” said Senator Ed Markey. “I am proud to have worked with my partners in Congress to have secured nearly $1 billion in federal funding to support this community-defining project, and I am grateful to the state, municipal, and community leaders – as well as riders and residents – for their decades of work to make the dream of Green Line service in Somerville and Medford a reality.”

“Today, we celebrate the opening of the Medford Green Line Extension and reaffirm the Commonwealth’s belief that public transit is a public good,” said Assistant U.S. House Speaker and Incoming Democratic Whip Katherine Clark. “This project will deliver long overdue economic development, environmental justice, and public health benefits to communities along the corridor. I thank the countless residents, advocates, and public officials who have worked with our federal delegation to make this moment possible. I am eager to continue our partnership in building a more inclusive, equitable, and accessible Commonwealth.”

“The opening of the GLX stops at Medford/Tufts and Ball Square/South Medford is the culmination of years of advocacy and outreach from so many community leaders and partners, who have spent so much of their free time trying to get this project across the finish line,” said Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn. “With this expansion in public transportation infrastructure, so many of our residents and neighbors now have a reliable and accessible alternative to motor vehicles, which will assist our City in achieving our climate goals of zero emissions by 2050. Thank you to everyone, especially the community working group, for working to make this day a reality.”

“I'm so thrilled the Green Line is now arriving at all Somerville stations. Increasing access to public transit is vital to creating a more equitable future, more jobs, cleaner air, and greater sustainability,” said Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. “The MBTA, community transit advocates, our elected officials, and City and State staff all deserve a hearty congratulations for their work to bring this historic public transit expansion to our area. I look forward to joining many of them on the first ever train departing the Tufts/Medford station on December 12.”

“After decades of advocacy, I am thrilled to be celebrating the opening of the Green Line Extension throughout my district in Somerville and Medford,” said Representative Christine Barber. “This public works project is the result of years of hard work from countless community members, laborers, activists, and colleagues in government. I’m proud we've gotten to this day and can celebrate this momentous occasion as well as the introduction of clean public transit through some of the most densely populated areas of our state.”

“We are so excited today to celebrate not just the opening of the full GLX, but the decades of community activism that have made it possible,” said Senator Patricia Jehlen. “There were many times in the past 30 years that this project seemed to be at a dead end. But the dedication and persistence of so many people, most of them unnamed today, and many of them no longer with us, got it over every roadblock.”

“Today’s opening marks the culmination of decades of advocacy by local residents in support of expanded public transit in our community,” said Representative Mike Connolly. “As the State Representative for East Somerville, Union Square Station, Lechmere, and other parts of Somerville and Cambridge, I want to say thank you to all of our state, federal, and municipal partners for making the Green Line Extension a reality. Connecting the Environmental Justice community of East Somerville to the Green Line will help take cars off the road, further reducing environmental burdens in our region. In addition, I am delighted that this project will deliver the Community Path Extension and incorporate work from local artists.”

“We are all so thrilled to fulfill a long-kept promise for transit justice and investing in our public transportation here in Somerville,” said Representative Erika Uyterhoeven.

“Congratulations to Governor Baker and his team,” said former Congressman Mike Capuano. “They delivered transit equity that was promised decades ago. It’s a great way to cap off a successful eight years in office.”

“The T should be very proud that it rose to the challenge to reshape this project, to renew its commitments to the community, and to execute brilliantly despite the myriad challenges from Covid,” said former Chairman of the Fiscal and Management Control Board Joseph Aiello. “The communities of Somerville, Medford, and Cambridge should be proud that their steadfast insistence that this important Big Dig mitigation be built was the key to why we are able to celebrate today.”

“Today’s celebration is the result of decades of work by local officials, community members, and members of the university,” said Tufts University President Anthony Monaco. “We thank everyone who played a role in making public transit a viable, sustainable, and affordable option for the Tufts community and neighbors in our host communities. It’s wonderful to now have the Green Line connect our Boston campuses with the Medford/Somerville campus, and we encourage everyone to take the T to Tufts.”

The $2.3 billion project extends the Green Line approximately 4.7 miles along two branches – the Union Square Branch, which opened to Green Line riders in March 2022, and the new Medford Branch – from the reconstructed Lechmere Station in East Cambridge. Seven new stations in total have been constructed, along with a new vehicle storage and maintenance facility in Somerville and the purchase of 24 new trolleys to augment the existing fleet.
 
With the new Medford branch open, Green Line E Branch trains will terminate at Medford/Tufts station and D Branch trains will terminate at Union Square station. B and C Branch trains will continue to terminate at Government Center station.

MAYOR WU SIGNS ORDINANCE REQUIRING CAPTIONS ON PUBLIC-FACING TELEVISIONS TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE FOR DISABILITIES

 

MAYOR WU SIGNS ORDINANCE REQUIRING CAPTIONS ON PUBLIC-FACING TELEVISIONS TO INCREASE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE FOR DISABILITIES  The City Council passed the ordinance unanimously at the December 7th meeting

BOSTON - Monday, December 12, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu last Friday signed an ordinance requiring that places of public accommodations in the City of Boston such as restaurants, bars, banks and gyms turn on the closed captioning function on any televisions in public areas. The ordinance, sponsored by Council President Ed Flynn, was unanimously approved by the Boston City Council this week with the goal of removing barriers in public spaces related to communications access for people with disabilities.  “Improving communications access in public spaces across Boston is critical to Boston truly being for everyone,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This ordinance removes barriers for people with disabilities, and I am grateful to the Disabilities Commission, Disability Advisory Board and the entire Boston City Council for their leadership and advocacy.” “This ordinance ensures persons with disabilities have full access to information and resources shared to the public,” said Council President Flynn. “I want to thank my City Council colleagues, Mayor Wu, and Commissioner McCosh for their leadership, and to the advocates for their work on this issue. This is a step towards accessibility. We will continue to focus on equity for residents and visitors with disabilities. Disability rights are civil rights.” When businesses enable the “captions” function on their TVs, a live transcript of the program’s audio content is shown scrolling across the bottom of the screen. Requiring visible captions to be turned on will remove a significant communication barrier for people with hearing loss and other disabilities. This will also be beneficial to the general public, as it increases access to information in crowded and noisy commercial spaces where it may be difficult to hear.  “Lack of communication access on TVs in public places existed before COVID-19, but it is now recognized as a critical issue of equity,” said Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh. “All televisions have the ability to enable closed captions for broadcasts, and cable and streaming services offer captions so this is something that is entirely free for businesses to do. This ordinance is a win-win that will ensure Boston’s businesses are more accessible and more welcoming to thousands of residents, workers and visitors. I want to thank our dedicated Disability Advisory Board members, past and present, for their advocacy on this issue, especially our Chair Wesley Ireland.” During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, TV stations broadcasted daily or weekly municipal press conferences, important public health updates, breaking news reports, emergency alerts, and other crucial information and timely instructions related to the pandemic response. However, that audible content was not accessible to the Deaf community, people with hearing disabilities, seniors experiencing hearing loss, people with developmental or sensory disabilities, and people who speak a language other than English.  In 2020, then Board Member Wesley Ireland raised the issue of requiring captions at a monthly Advisory Board meeting. After discussion, the Board requested that the Disability Commission look into how other municipalities have handled it. The Commission researched more than half dozen cities and one state who have instituted a similar captions requirement and worked with other departments to develop a proposal. The proposal was further refined after a City Council hearing took place in November 2021.  “I am excited to see Boston joining the ranks of other big cities like Seattle and San Francisco to require captioning on public facing televisions,” said Disability Advisory Board Chair Wesley Ireland. “It is an equity issue I have faced in the past and it is finally addressed.” The Disabilities Commission will work with other City Departments including the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, Office of Neighborhood Services to conduct outreach to businesses across the City with information about the new ordinance. The Commission will assist businesses with coming into compliance by providing resources on enabling captions.  “This is an important moment in the ongoing push of our small businesses to ensure that all of our spaces are inclusive of everyone,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “Our team is committed to working with our small businesses to help them become more accessible for all. I am grateful to Commissioner McCosh and the Disabilities Commission and Disability Advisory Board for pushing this forward.”  The Commission will assist businesses by providing resources about how to enable captions in an effort to assist them with coming into compliance. For more information and future announcements regarding captioning in public spaces, please visit the City’s Disabilities Commission webpage.

麻州候任州長和波士頓市長終於正式晤談 細節內容口風緊

麻州候任州長Maura Healey首度正式拜會波士頓
市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 。 (Boston Orange)

               (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 麻州總檢察長奚莉 (Maura Healey) 12月6日以候任州長身份，到波士頓市政府拜會波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 。倆人並聯袂晤見記者，回答問題8分多鐘，互相稱許。

               這是奚莉在11月8日大選當選麻州州長後，首次的正式拜會。她們倆人私下晤談後，一幅歡欣模樣的聯袂面對記者，以陳腔濫調的語句，稱讚彼此，但是這2位重量級麻州民主黨員未來的道路方向如何，卻幾乎一句也沒說。

               吳弭市長告訴記者們，「我們這兒有個不可置信的領袖」，她期待看到「一些令人驚詫，很驚詫的進步」。

               奚莉和吳弭在房屋、交通、人力發展、氣候變遷等方面議題，回答記者們的提問，但還未談及倆人這次聚會，到底私下溝通了些什麼，就被市長助理叫停了記者會。

               談到州政府是否應該做更多努力，來處理在麻州大道和Melnea Cass大道交界處「美沙酮英里」那兒露天而居的遊民時，奚莉說，「我認為這會是個持續討論的議題」。她也特地提到她促成的一項和解案，規定Sackler家族支付40億元來打擊鴉片類毒品的流行。

麻州候任州長Maura Healey和波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)聯袂晤記者 。 (Boston Orange)

               在租金控制上，奚莉說「那要由社區來決定」。她還承諾她主政的政府會把房屋列為優先要務之一。

               麻州居民在1994年時，以選票問題通過了禁止租金控制議案，意味著地方上的實行新法努力，得得到州長及州議員們的批准。吳弭去年在競選波士頓市長時，把她稱為「穩定租金」的方案，作為成功競選市長的關鍵平台。

麻州候任州長和波士頓市長首度會晤，記者們搶鏡頭。 (Boston Orange)

               奚莉在競選州長時說她不支持”規定”全州性的租金控制，她偏向允許個別市鎮選擇自己的政策。她說，「我們必須以所有解決方案都在檯面上的思維來考慮」。

               奚莉和吳弭早在奚莉競選州長時，以及當選州長後，就已非正式的聯袂出現在民眾面前好幾次，包括上週到大波士頓食物銀行當志工，歡迎英國威爾斯王子和公主到波士頓等活動，但這次才是正式的拜會。

吳弭市長比候任州長Maura 高了那麼一點。
(Boston Orange)

               有些人批評奚莉沒有更快的和波士頓市長會晤。吳弭上星期在WBUR的訪談中說，儘管她們倆人沒有面對面的會晤，她和奚莉一直在溝通。

              吳弭則是在她當選市長的2週後，上任市長的第一天，就去州政府拜會州長查理貝克 (Charlie Baker)了。

               儘管奚莉的1月5日就職慶祝迫在眉睫，12月6日這天晤見記者，奚莉仍保持她在選後的低調作風。幾個月前已悄悄從波士頓搬到劍橋市的奚莉，在這場記者會中沒有透露任何內閣人選，也迴避了記者們的直接提問。

               不過奚莉和那些人晤談，卻都在人們的關注之中。上個月，奚莉在沒有通知大眾，也沒舉行記者會的情況下，和麻州眾議會議長Ronald J. Mariano，參議會議長Karen E. Spilka晤談過。2014年時，查理貝克卻在和議會首長晤談後召開了記者會。

               儘管奚莉和吳弭這2名自由派民主黨員在諸如墮胎權，可負擔住宅，環境正義等激進議題上，聲音都很大，但她們倆人在奚莉1月上任州長一職以後，將會如何合作，仍然是個未知數。

               吳弭告訴記者們，她將致力使得奚莉政府做得很成功。她們的關係一直很複雜。在今年的民主黨初選中，她們兩人分別支持互相競爭的總檢察長候選人，那時候還激起一場電話熱議。

               吳弭上個月告訴記者們，她將靠攏奚莉在競選時優先強調的改善公共交通、對抗氣候變化等議題，但她並未說她是否覺得自己在州政府角落辦公室有了個盟友。

               波士頓環球報在事後報導中形容，記者會結束，民選官員準備離席時，一名記者請吳弭談談她比奚莉更激進的說法。吳弭停下來一陣子，聆聽這問題，看了看那名記者，然後繼續走回去，一邊說了聲「非常謝謝你」。