THE RACE FOR THE HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN AND
WORCESTER SENATE DISTRICT BECAME A FOUR-WAY RACE THIS
WEEK, EVEN THOUGH JUST ONE OF THE CANDIDATES WILL APPEAR ON
THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.
LAST WEEK'S ABRUPT RESIGNATION OF
SENATOR STANLEY ROSENBERG WHO REPRESENTED THAT DISTRICT,
COUPLED WITH THE DEATH OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE PETER KOCOT IN
FEBRUARY, MEANS THAT THE REGION IS WITHOUT ANY ELECTED
REPRESENTATION ON BEACON HILL.
FIVE SENATORS HAVE STEPPED FORWARD AND SAID THEY WILL
ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE VOTER ROSENBERG ONCE REPRESENTED.
THREE OF THOSE JOINED ME IN THE STUDIO TO DISCUSS WHERE THINGS
WILL STAND BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY, WHEN NEW LEGISLATORS
WILL BE SWORN IN.
>> NONE OF US THOUGHT IT WOULD LAST THIS
LONG SO WE DECIDED TO GET TOGETHER AND CARRY THROUGH THE
LEGISLATION.
>> AND THE SENATOR JOINS US TONIGHT, THE ONLY SENATOR FROM
THE DISTRICT WHO CALLED FOR SENATOR ROSENBERG'S
RESIGNATION.
AMONG THE GROUP YOU DID NOT.
WAS THERE A DECISION YOU DECIDED NOT TO CALL FOR THE
SENATOR'S RESIGNATION?
>> WELL, WE DIDN'T KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS YET.
WE WERE WAITING FOR THE REPORT THAT WAS A VERY THOROUGH
REPORT, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PAGES, DOCUMENTS, E-MAILS
WERE TAKEN.
IT WAS AN INDEPENDENT FIRM THAT WAS HIRED BY THE ETHICS
COMMITTEE AND WHEN THE REPORT CAME BACK TO US, SENATOR
ROSENBERG RESIGNED.
>> YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO MAKE.
>> YES, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION ON HIS PART BUT
THE REASON WE DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION IS WE DIDN'T HAVE THE
INFORMATION AND ONCE THAT CAME OUT, THE DECISION WAS MADE ON
ITS OWN.
>> AND THE SENATOR STEPPED FORWARD LAST WEEK WHO SAID WE
WILL ADVOCATE FOR THOSE IN THE DISTRICT AND WITH THE DEATH OF
KOCOT, DON'T HAVE AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE TO SPEAK ON
THEIR BEHALF TILL JANUARY 18TH, SEEMS SO FAR
AWAY BUT IT WILL BE UPON US QUICKLY.
HAVE YOU HEARD TALK OF THIS?
>> YES, WE HAVE.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT IS
IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS THE TIMING.
HERE WE ARE HEADING DIRECTLY INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE
SENATE SIDE AND EVEN AT STAFF AMENDMENTS NEED TO BE FILED ON
BEHALF OF THE REGION AND THAT IS THE OTHER MOTIVATION, IS WE
ARE A REGION, ALL FROM THE 413 AND WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO WELL
TOGETHER IF WE'RE GOING TO DO WELL AS AN ENTITY.
IT IS A BIT OF A NO-BRAINER.
AS SOON AS WE SAW THAT DYNAMIC MERGING, WE LOCKED ARMS AND
DECIDED TO WORK TOGETHER.
>> RIGHT NOW OUR STAFF IS MEETING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO
WE FILE THE AMENDMENTS, AS A GROUP, SEPARATELY, YOU FILE A
COUPLE, I FILE A COUPLE.
WE HAVE THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CHAIR PRESIDENT AND CHAIR OF
WAYS AND MEANS BUT DON'T KNOW THE MECHANICS --
>> LEARNING AS YOU GO HERE.
>> AND IT IS WORTH POINTING OUT WE'RE ALREADY AT A
STRUCTURAL DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE FIVE OF 40 SENATORS
TOUCH THE FOUR WESTERN COUNTIES OF WESTERN
MASSACHUSETTS.
SO WE START AT A DISADVANTAGE AND IN A WAY, ARE RALLYING
AROUND SOMETHING WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE WHICH IS WORK IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY AND REGIONAL WAY TO BASICALLY ALL SWIM IN
THE SAME WAY WHEN IT COMES TO WESTERN MASS PRIORITIES AND WE
WERE CONFRONTED WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED SET OF
CIRCUMSTANCES IN THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A GENERATION,
YOU HAD THE BIG THREE, THE PRESIDENT, SPEAKER AND THE
GOVERNOR AND THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE THE 70s.
NOW WE ARE FACED WITH A SITUATION WHERE WE LOST THAT
SO IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AND INCUMBENT ON US THAT THE
ISSUES FOR WESTERN MASS STAY AT THE FOREFRONT.
>> THERE HAS BEEN SOME CRITICISM ONLINE, PROBABLY NOT
A SURPRISE, THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING YOU
HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS, WHY NOW?
>> WELL, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING --
>> THERE WERE COMMENTS IN MASS LIVE.
>> YOU ALWAYS READ THE MASS LIVE COMMENTS.
[OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS] >> NOTHING IS HAPPENING AT THE
EXPENSE OF OUR OWN DISTRICTS, OUR OWN COMMUNITIES, THAT IS A
GIVEN BUT IT ACTUALLY ENHANCES ALL OF OUR INTERESTS IN ALL OF
OUR COMMUNITIES WHEN WE WORK AT A REGIONAL APPROACH FOR ALL
THE ISSUES.
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE WORKED ON RAIL SERVICE.
THAT IS A REGIONAL ISSUE ALMOST BY DEFINITION AND OF
COURSE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR SPRINGFIELD, VERY
IMPORTANT FOR WESTFIELD AND PITTSFIELD SO WHEN WE'RE ALL
SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE ON THAT, IT HELPS.
THE SAME FOR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, ARTS AND
CULTURE FUNDING.
FUNDING FOR THE SPRINGFIELD MUSEUMS, CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS
DOES NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF PROMOTING ALL THE GREAT
CULTURAL ASSETS IN THE BERKSHIRES, IT COMES AS AN
ENHANCE WANT TO THAT BECAUSE IT BRINGS MORE PEOPLE TO THE
REGION, MORE INVESTMENT, MORE DOLLARS TO THE --
>> THAT IS REALLY THE FOCUS FOR THE --
>> I COVER NINE DISTRICTS AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FRANKLIN OR
THE NORTH D.A.'S OFFICE, IT AFFECTION MY OFFICE SO THAT IS
JUST A FUNCTION OF WHERE WE ARE.
THAT CONSTITUENTS SEE -- >> REACH OUT TO THOSE OFFICES
IF THEY HAVE A QUESTION OR QUERY ON THE PROPER WAY TO DO
THAT AND THEN THEIR OFFICE WILL IN TURN BE IN TOUCH WITH
YOUR OFFICE AND LOOK AT THINGS THAT WAY?
>> WHEN IT COMES TO CONSTITUENCY SERVICES, IT WILL
BE BUSINESS AS USUAL.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SENATE PRESIDENT'S CHANDLER'S
DECISION.
THE MAYOR OF NORTHHAMPTON REACHED OUT AND SAID WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE A TWO-WEEK EXTENSION OF THE FILING
DEADLINE BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT CAME OUT.
WE KNOW THAT ONE HAS ALREADY MADE THE BALLOT, THREE OTHERS
CAME FORWARD AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO RUN WRITE-IN
CAMPAIGNS BUT WANTED THE SENATOR TONE HANS THAT FILING.
SHE DID NOT.
ARE YOU HAPPY SHE DIDN'T MAKE THAT DECISION?
>> WELL, IT IS A 413 THING, A GROUP THING.
I RESPECT THE PRESIDENT.
SHE HAS A LOT OF POWER AND CONTROLS THE SCHEDULE SO SHE
KNOWS BEST WHAT SHE THINKS WE CAN GET DONE AND NOT GET DONE.
I AM NOT GOING TO CRITICIZE HER DECISION.
I THINK THE CANDIDATES CAN MOVE AHEAD WITH WRITING
CAMPAIGNS -- >> BUT THE THREE GENTLEMEN WHO
ARE RYAN O'DONNELL, DAVE MURPHY AND STEVEN O'CONNOR WHO
ARE THE WRITE-IN CANDIDATES, ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE.
>> IT IS AN UNPRECEDENTED SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT TURNED
OUT THIS WAY AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE THE ETHICS
COMMITTEE REPORT CAME OUT ON MAY 2ND WHEN THE DEADLINE WAS
MAY 1ST.
THE REALIT IS THE LAW IS THE LAW --
>> CAME OUT THE WEEK BEFORE ACTUALLY --
>> EXACTLY, SO UNPRECEDENTED AND AN UNFORTUNATE SET OF
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO THE SITUATION WE'RE IN BUT IT IS
VIRTUALLY IMPRACTICAL AT THIS POINT TO REOPEN THAT LAW.
WE WERE PREPARED TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BUT I THINK
SENATE PRESIDENT CHANDLER MADE SENSE FOR EXAMPLE WHEN SHE
SAID THERE WAS A DEATH IN FRAMINGHAM OF CHRIS WALSH, IF
YOU OPEN THE REFILING LINE, SEE WHAT IT IS VACATED, WHAT
DO YOU DO ABOUT THE WALSH SEAT THAT WAS VACATED LITERALLY THE
SAME DAY I BELIEVE -- [OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS]
>> AND THE DEATH BEFORE OF MICELLI.
SO IT IS AN UNFORTUNATE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND I CAN
APPRECIATE WHERE PEOPLE MAY FEEL DISENFRANCHISED, FEEL IT
WAS NOT FAIR, NOT EXPLAINING OR EXCUSING THAT AWAY BUT IT
IS A PROCESS THAT THEY CAN WRITE A STICKER CAMPAIGN, AND
I WILL POINT OUT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, MY PREDECESSOR
WON, SO I EXPECT THAT IT WILL BE A VERY LIVELY ELECTION IN
THE -- A. [OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS]
>> HAVE TO RUN THEM IN SPRINGFIELD --
>> EXACTLY.
>> THIS WEEK A REPORTER POINTED OUT THE THREE PREVIOUS
LEADERS OF THE HOUSE FACED SCANDALS, CONVICTED OF
FELONIES UNDER STAN ROSENBERG'S TERM CALLED A
MODEL OF GOOD GOVERNANCE.
GIVEN THE FULL SENATE REPORT, DO THE ISSUES OF HOW
HARASSMENT IS ADDRESSED NEED TO BE LOOKED AT?
>> WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP THAT WAS FORMED EVEN BEFORE
ALL THIS BROKE BECAUSE WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE
WERE ALL LEANING FORWARDED ON THIS.
THERE IS SOME RECOGNITION WE CAN KEEP IMPROVING AND SAID
THIS IN OUR STATEMENT WITH THE ETHICS COMMITTEE AND THEIR
REPORT.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON, FOR
EXAMPLE, MAKING SURE IF YOU ARE GOING TO REPORT IN A
WORKPLACE, CONFIDENTIAL, JUST REALLY TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT
OUR OWN STRUCTURES IN THE STATE HOUSE.
>> HAVE ANY OF YOU HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR STAFF
SURROUNDING ISSUES SUCH AS THIS?
>> ABSOLUTELY, MANY.
>> WHAT IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS?
>> ESPECIALLY AT THE STAFF LEVEL, FEAR OF RETRIBUTION,
RETALIATION IF A CLAIM IS MADE OR IF SOME ALLEGATION IS PUT
OUT THERE, THEY ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE IT IS THEIR JOB SO
THEY MAY BE HESITANT TO EITHER MAKE A CLAIM OR REPRESENT THAT
SOMETHING HAPPENED BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT WANT TO
ULTIMATELY HAVE SOME RETRIBUTION BE TAKEN OUT.
WE BELIEVE IT IS ALREADY WRONG TO RETALIATE AGAINST THE STAFF
OR ANYBODY FOR MAKING A CLAIM OF HARASSMENT OR SEXUAL ABUSE
BUT I THINK HAVING TO SERVE ON THAT TASK FORCE THAT IS HEADED
UP BY SENATOR LOVELY, LOOKING INTO HARASSMENT RULES IN THE
SENATE BUT LOOKING AT WAYS OF TIGHTENING THAT UP A LITTLE
MORE AND MAKING CLEAR THE OPTIONS OF WHAT THE
ALTERNATIVES ARE, WHO DO YOU REPORT TO, A SUPERVISOR, IF IT
IS SOMEONE IN YOUR OFFICE, YOU MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING
THAT.
YOU MAY TO WANT GO TO THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE.
THE ISSUE SORT OF OF SURROUNDED THE SENATE
PRESIDENT IN THIS CASE SO NORMALLY THE SINGLE MEMBER OF
THE SENATE WHO WOULD BE MOST IN CHARGE OF PROTECTING THE
INSTITUTION AND THE MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTION WAS SOMEHOW
INVOLVED IN THIS SO IT MADE IT REALLY KIND OF UNIQUE AND
DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH.
>> MOVING ON TO OTHER NEWS THIS WEEK, MOVING ON TO HOUSE
WAYS AND MEANS, A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE BUDGET.
YOU ARE SORT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BETWEEN THE
GOVERNOR'S AND HOUSE'S PROPOSAL.
THE FULL BODY WILL TAKE THIS UP MAY 22ND.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS ISSUE WILL COME OUT ULTIMATELY?
>> IT IS A GOOD BUDGET.
WE WENT THROUGH IT AS A COMMITTEE AND ALSO THIS WEEK
IN THE CAUCUS AND REALLY, HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED ON WHAT WE HAVE DONE ON EDUCATION FOR
EXAMPLE.
IT IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER FOR CHAPTER 70 FUNDING EVER.
WE HAVE GONE FOR FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION FUNDING, CHARTER REIMBURSEMENTS FOR
MUNICIPALITIES SO A LOT OF THE BUCKETS MAKING SURE THEY WERE
RIGHT FOR THE REGION -- EXACTLY --
[OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS] >> WE HAVE A BUDGET COMMISSION
ESTABLISHED THROUGH THIS, FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE
BIPARTISAN WORK WE DO IN THE REGION, WORK ON THE REFERRAL
PART THAT WE TO WANT SEE ADDED TO THE BUDGET BUT IT IS A
DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD TO
CUT $800 MILLION -- >> AND LOOKS LIKE THERE'S
$800 MILLION MORE IN TAX SEATS THAN THEY EXPECTED, RIGHT?
>> WELL, WE HOPE SO.
SOME OF IT IS A TEMPORARY FUNDING THROUGH THE TRUMP TAX
AND THEN SOME OF IT COMING IN UNDER THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA
WHICH IS A QUESTION MARK BUT NO, THEY REALLY ENJOY SOME
CREDIT ON THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE FIGHTING FOR
REGIONAL AND SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION, SO IMPORTANT
FOR OUR DISTRICTS AND SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT I THINK HAS ACTUALLY BEEN UNDERAPPRECIATED IN THE
COVERAGE OF THE BUDGET AND THE EXPANSION OF THE EARNED INCOME
TAX CREDIT WHICH IS ONE OF THE SINGLE MOST AFFECTIVE ISSUES
FACING FAMILIES AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT IN THE SENATE.
>> YOU LOOK AT THE FORMULA DEVELOPED IN THE 90s AND YOU
HEAR OFTEN IN MASSACHUSETTS THAT THE CHAPTER MONEY ISN'T
CUTTING IT.
ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THAT CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO THAT
FORMULA?
IT HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT.
>> THE SENATE JUST PASSED A BILL THAT WILL GO TO THE HOUSE
NEXT AND WE HAD SOME AMENDMENTS THAT ULTIMATELY I
THINK WILL END UP COMING BACK IN THE BUDGET.
BUT YEAH, WE RECOGNIZE THE FOUNDATION BUDGET, THE CHAPTER
70 SCHOOL 8 BUDGET THAT WAS REALLY CRAFTED BACK IN 1993
HAS NOT BEEN NECESSARY HEE KIND TO SOME OF OUR DISTRICTS
BUT OVER THE YEARS, NUMEROUS COUNTIES HAVE -- PEOPLE
RUNNING FOR OFFICE HAVE SAID I WANT TO REOPEN THAT FORMULA
AND HAVEN'T HAPPENED.
SO NOW WE HAVE WAYS TO ADDRESS THAT AND GOING FORWARD, I
THINK WE ARE HOSPITAL MYSTIC.
>> THANKS FOR COMING IN, SENATORS.