>> WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS LOST A LOT OF POLITICAL CLOUT ON BEACON
HILL WITH THE RETIREMENTS LAST YEAR OF JOHN SCIBAK, STEVE KULIK
AND THE DEATH OF PETER KOCOT. NOCEDEGLAVEOMTTOBERT DEL H
APPOINTMENTS AND SOME WESTERN MASS LEGISLATORS HAVE BEEN
APPOINTED TO KEY COMMITTEES. I SAT DOWN WITH THREE OF THEM,
AARON VEGA, JOSE TOSADO AND MICHAEL FINN TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
WORK AND WHAT IT WILL MEAN FOR WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
>> I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO HAVE BEEN APPOINTED VICE
CHAIRMAN ON TH CMIEEF MEALEAH,UBANCEBUAND RECOVERY.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN REAPPOINTED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL
SERVICES, WHICH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES CHAIRS.
I AM ALSO ON THE COMMITTEE OF HOUSING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A
HUGE ISSUE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS SEASON.
MY BACKGROUND IS I HAVE A MASTER 'S DEGREE IN CLINIC SOCIAL
TTA DAREN MEALEAH FOR THE GREAR SPRINGFIELD AREA, SO I COME WITH
A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND RELATIVE TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS, ACTUALLY, GOVERNOR BAKER HAS
MADE MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING ONE OF HIS TOP PRIORITIES AS WELL AS
FUNDING FOR HISUBANBU. MY IT SHOULD WHEN MY LARGE PART
IS MENTAL HEALTH IS CREATING MORE TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR
CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENCE. OTHERWISE, I THINK THAT THERE IS
AN ISSUE THERE IN TERMS OF THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT ACHIEVEMENT
BEDS FOR THAT POPULATION, SO I MB OILLS THAT WILL BETO REVIEW
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE THAT ARE JUST ON THESE VERY ISSUES.
>> AND VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES. REPRESENTATIVE VEGA, AS WELL.
THE COMMITTEE OR COMMITTEES YOU ARE ON NOW, AND YOUR PRIORITIES
AS YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BILLS ON THOSE IN.
>> GREAT, THANKS TO BE WITH YOU AND MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES
HERE. SO I AMEAOIEDOHIND
THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO WESTERN MASS.
I WAS WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE , STC, U-MASS, SO IT'S A
GREAT COMMITTEE. I AM REAPPOINTED ON THE CANNABIS
CONTROL COMMISSION, SO THE CANNABIS COMMITTEE, SO OUR
COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH THE CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSION, ARE
BASICALLYEGATG N INRY SIT EXCITING.
MY NEW APPOINTMENT THIS SESSION IS ON EXPORTS, WHICH IS A WHOLE
NEW CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW MASSACHUSETTS COMPANIES AND MY
RELATIONSHIPS OUTSIDE OF OUR BORDERS AND INTERNATIONALLY, SO
IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO LEARN ABOUT, AND AICHAH
OUR GOOD FRIEND, ANGELA, THE CHAIR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL
AFFAIRS AND TECHNOLOGY. AND A LOT OF THAT FOCUSES ON
CYBER SECURITY, WHICH WE KNOW IS CRITICAL NOWADAYS AND WILL BE
MEETING WITH THE BAY STATE ABOUT THEIR CYBER-SECURITY AND KEEPING
OUR MEDICAL RECORDS STRAIGHT, AND TALKING ABOUT THE ENERGY
GRID AND HOW WE KEEP THAT SAFE. SO AIN VYIMY, A ALSO
KIND OF EXPANDING THE PURVIEW. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE ALWAYS FOCUSED
ON THE DISTRICT AND WESTERN MASS , BUT TO SEE THE BIGGER
PICTURE AND HOW MASSACHUSETTS PLAYS A ROLE INTERNATIONALLY AND
NATIONALLY SHOULD BE REALLY EXCITING.
>> AND REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL FI NN, YOU ARE CHAIR OF AN
IMPORTANT COMMITTEE AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN THAT CAPACITY.
EHA O NOW AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT.
>> SO IT'S VERY EXCITED WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM THE SPEAKER
NOTIFYING ME THAT I WOULD BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE.
I THINK THAT IT'S OFTENTIMES LOST ON FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WHERE
WE ARE AS A COMMONWEALTH WHEN IT COMES TO GLOBAL WARMING AND
CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES. THE COMMONWEALTH WAS A LEADER
WHEN WE PSEHELOL WAIN SUTNS A, T
REON GENEAS INITIATIVE AND SET SOME, YOU
KNOW, SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS FOR ACHIEVING THE RENEW
ABLE ENERGY AND THE USE OF THOSE AS A COMMONWEALTH.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE EARLY RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE
COMMITTEE IS YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO HIT THE
2020 GOALS FOR RENEWABLE ENERG IES HERE IN THE
COMMONWEALTH, BUT WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP BECAUSE THE NEXT LEVEL
IN THAT PURSUIT IS 2050 GOALS, SO THERE IS NO INTERMEDIATE
GOALS BETWEEN THE 2020 AND 2050, NO INTERMEDIATE GOALS, SO HOW DO
YOU JUDGE WHETHER WE'RE ACHIEVING WHAT WAS SET FORTH IN
THAT INITIAL LISTI? SO TT'AR O THE CHALLENGE
IN THAT COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW, AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAS
COME TO LIGHT AS I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT ACROSS THE STATE
AND MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THE U-MASS AMHERST AND
THEIR CLIMATOLOGY DEPARTMENT AND U-MASS LOWELL AND U-MASS ATIN
AN MIT, THEY ALL HAVE THESE HUGE PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THIS
PARTICULAR ISSUE. ONE OF THE GLARING, I GUESS,
SHORTFALLS THE COMMONWEALTH HAS IS THE LACK OF A STATE
CLIMATOLOGIST OR RISK ASSESSMENT AREA, SO WHILE WE HAVEIFRE
POET O ACADEMIA AND GOVERNMENT WORKING, THERE IS NO
REAL CENTRAL POINT OF CONTACT IN THE STATE, SO I THINK THAT YOU
KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WE WILL TRY TO GET AT THAT DEEPER.
>> YOU HAVE HAD TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH AND HOMEWORK SINCE YOU
TOOK OVER THE CHAIRMANSHIP. IMATHAEUETOUETHI AUTHE
WERE NOT AWARE OF BEFORE, AND ANYTHING THAT YOU LEARNED IN
YOUR RESEARCH NOW IN -- ON THE COMMITTEE?
>> I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS TWO SPECIFIC AREAS.
NUMBER ONE IS THAT YOU KNOW, PPTHI BUT MASSACHUSETTSIS SE
REALLY IS -- AT AN EPICENTER OF GLOBAL WARMING IMPACTS.
SO IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE, WE'RE EXPERIENCING HIGHER
LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE. WE HAVE PROBABLY -- NOT PROBABLY
, WE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME OF THE WORST AIR QUALITY
ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS NEW ENGLAND, AND SO,ESRN
MAACSESASIGFINT SET OF CHALLENGES, AND THEN FROM
THE SEA LEVEL RISE, IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE MELTING OF THE
POLAR CAPS AND SOME OTHER AREAS, BOSTON SEEMS TO BE RIGHT ON THE
RIM OF WHERE IT'S THE ACADEMICS WILL TELL YOU THAT BOSTON IS
E OW RING,NDHAS AND SEAEVS GOGO A REAL PROBLEM, AND
SO FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS
A DEPARTMENT DEDICATED TO HOW ARE WE GOING TO MITIGATE THE
IMPACTS OF THE SEA LEVEL RISE YOU KNOW, UP AND DOWN THE
MASSACHUSETTS COASTLINE AS A OTR EAF CONCERN BECAUSE-
THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS, LIKE AN IN LET SHOULD CHANGE ITS LOCATION
IN TSKITISHVILI -- IN SKITUATE, WHAT WANTS TO PROPERTIES AND THE
TOWNS, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S A
SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM THAT IS GOING TO REQUIRE -- AND I SHOULD
SAY, IF YOU LOOKLOBALLY, NOT JUST IN THE STATE OF
MASSACHUSETTS, ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE WORLD,
PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO REALLY RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE
SCIENCE AND THAT THINGS NEED TO BE DONE, SO I THINK THAT
MASSACHUSETTS IS BASED ON OUR REPUTATION OF BEING THE FIRST IN
A LOT OF THINGS, I THINK WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS A LOT MORE
ACTIVITY IN THIS REALM. >> REPRESENTATIVE VEGA, YOU
MEIODNEF EOMTTS YOAR OS MIJNA POLICY.
THE STATE, OF COURSE, IS IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW POLICY
WITH REGARD TO MARIJUANA SALES NOW THAT IT IS LEGALIZED IN
MASSACHUSETTS. HOW DO YOU FEEL OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION MENTION OF THE LAW HAS GONE WITH REGARD TO
RETAIL SALES, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN ITHASENORER
E MOVING? THIS, B >> I THINK OVERALL THINGS ARE
MOVING WELL. I THINK THAT THE LEGISLATION
THAT WE PASSED LAST SESSION AND THE MENTION -- IMP
IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING SMOOTH, I THINK AS MUCH AS MASSACHUSETTS
PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING FIRST, WE ARE A MAKING MAGMATIC STATE.
AND NOW THAT THE SKY WILL NOT FALL AND PEOPLE ARE NOT BUYING
IT LEGALLY, AND NOW WE SEE THE REVENUE THAT'S COMING IN, AND
NORTHAMPTON JUST POSTED $700,000 , SO THE REVENUE TO
THEIR BUDGET JUST FROM THE 3%, THAVELL IT'SXESHEGE A
GOING WELL, WHAT I AM WORRIED ABOUT AND WANTING TO ADDRESS,
SPECIFICALLY THIS SESSION, IS WHAT WE PUT INTO THE LEGISLATION
AND THE CCC IS TRYING TO DO AROUND EQUITY AND MAKING SURE
THAT MINORITIES GET ACCESS TO THE BUSINESSES, THAT IT'S GOING
TO BE OWNED BY SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL PEOPLE, AND I THINK
THAT WE ARE SEEING, YOU KNOW, QUOTE/UNQUOTE BIG CANNABIS
MI IOASCHET JTAW ANOTHER BEING SOLD
TO A NATIONAL COMPANY, SO HOW DO WE MAINTAIN A VERY EXPENSIVE
BUSINESS TO GET INTO? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THE PATHWAYS
FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY MINORITY OWNED AND WOMEN OWNED
BUSINESSES TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES IN THIS INDUSTRY, AS
WELL? THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE LEATHER
MEETS THE ROAD. >> THERE WL TWES T
RELAONASHE SND >> I THINK TWEAKS IN THE
REGULATIONS, PROBABLY TWEAKS IN THE REGULATIONS AROUND THAT BUT
MORE THE REGULATION TWEAKS ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE CCC
AND HOW THEY MAY BE ON ON-SITE CONSUMPTION.
WE ALSO NEED TO SEE HOW THE STATE IS ON DELIVERING DIFFERENT
THINGS SO I THINK THAT THERE UTOED PSEOKS AT THAT AOT
I INWEREEA T LKT TH NT ASPECTS OF IT, AND I
THINK WHEN IT COMES TO REGULATION, ALSO IT IS ABOUT
SUPPORT. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE OTHER
SMALL BUSINESS, WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORTS OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S
TECHNICAL TRAINING OR ASSISTANCE OR LOAN PROGRAMS.
SHOULD WE BE MIRRORING THAT IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT LOCALLY AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES?
>> REPRESENTATIVE, YOU TOUCHED ON AN IMPORTANT POINT IN YOUR
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH,
WITH REGARD TO BEDS FOR RECOVERY TH'S BEING PROPOSED THAT WOULD
ADDRESS THE NEEDS OUT HERE IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS WHERE WE
NEED MORE TREATMENT FACILITIES? >> THERE IS ABSOLUTELY MONEY IN
THE BUDGET THAT IS GOING TO FLOW TO WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.
IT'S JUST -- THERE IS STATEWIDE SERVICES FOR THE MONEY, ACROSS
THE STATE, AN WTE MAACSES,SHE
COISSIERIL TL Y,E HA GTE T SRT END OF THE
STICK IN TERMS OF GETTING IN SUFFICIENT FUNDING AND THE
IMPACT HAS BEEN THAT THE PEOPLE WHO REQUIRE INPATIENT OR
TREATMENT SERVICES FOR EITHER MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE OFTENTIMES GET SHIFTED OUT TO THE EASTERN PART
OF THE STATE WHERE THE RESOURCES ARE MORE PLENTIFUL, WHICH
OBVIOUSLY, CREATES A, AN IMPACT ON YOUR RECOVERY BECAUSE YOUR
FAMILY AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS HAVE TO BE PART OF THE RECOVERY
PROCESS. >> MY COLLEAGUES HERE WILL, WILL
, I AM SURE, WILL AGREE THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING MEETINGS OVER
THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS WITH FORTUNATELY, DON'T GET THE --
THEIR FAIR SHARE OF REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE FOR
THE SERVICES PROVIDED. WE CREATE, YOU KNOW, IT CREATES
A PROBLEM IN TERMS OF THE VIABILITY.
SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT I AM HOPEFUL WE'LL BE ADDRESSING AND
AGAIN, CREATE MORE ACCESS TOSEI. REESTAVE VERIA, I'VE
BEEN -- REPRESENTATIVE VEGA, I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR THE PER
STUDENT ALLOCATION IN WESTERN MASS AS OPPOSED TO COMMUNITY
COLLEGES IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE?
>> I CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW IT HAPPENED.
IT'S BEEN BEFORE MY TIMND I , YOU KNOW, EACH COLLEGE
WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, OFTEN JUST ADVOCATING AND TRYING TO GET
EARMARKS AS IT WERE AND GETTING THEIR OWN SPECIFIC FUNDING.
SO NOW WHEN THE FORMULA IS IN PLACE, WHEN WE PUT IN THE
FUNDING, WHICH WE ALL SUPPORT, HOLYOKE CONTINUES TO BE LAST
BECAUSE THE ALLOCATION IS THE LOWEST SO WE ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE THAOUNDAYERE ARAOMNIOLGE THAT
KEEPS THE RATES LOW BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY, AND
THEIR NEED FOR ACCESS, BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT.
THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD. MAYBE THE COLLEGES ARE GETTING
MORE PER STUDENT ALLOCATION ARE NOT MEETING THE 50-50 CHALLENGE
AND PROMISE, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE ARE TRYING TO HAVE AT THE
STE. YEARS AGO MY FIRST TERM, MAYBE
THAT WE MET THAT 50-50 CHALLENGE WHERE THE STATE WOULD PAY 50% OF
TUITION FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND STATE UNIVERSITY,
SO IT'S DOING AMAZING WORK, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, WHETHER
IT'S IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR MENTAL HEALTH OR INUR
MMIT COLLEGES, IT'S THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT WE ARE
DOING, PUTTING OUT THE FOOD PANT RIES AND CREATING THE WRAP
-AROUND SERVICES THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY REIMBURSED BUT
HAVE TO HAPPEN. >> AND REPRESENTATIVE FINN, I
WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CLIMATE CONTROL I.
THSPEIN DELEO'S CALL FOR A 1 BILLION, TEN-YEAR PLAN
FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, GREEN WORKS, I THINK HE CALLED IT, YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THAT AMBIT L? IS POI?FSIE,RAIC A
IT'S A HUGE EXPENSE BUT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, OBVIOUSLY?
>> IT CERTAINLY IS, AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S VIABLE, AND I
THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU WILL SEE THAT IDEA GET A LOT OF
SUPPORT IS BECAUSE AS I I UNDERSTAND -- AS I UNDERSTAND IT
, COMMUNITIES CAN APPLY FOR COMPETITIVE GRANTS SO EACH
COMMUNITY WILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, SAY HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S
IMPORTANT TO US OR THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AS A
SIGNIFICANT CLIMATE IMPACT OR CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM THATE
AR GOIO FE,ND THIS IS ONE WAY BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE MANY OF THESE CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEMS THAT THE
COMMUNITIES WILL FACE, THEY COME WITH SIGNIFICANT PRICE TAGS, SO
IN MANY INSTANCES, IF NOT ALL, COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
BE RE-ENLIGHTENED ON GETTING FUNDING FROM, YOU KNOW, SOME
OTHER SOURCE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD,
YOU KNOW, TO PAY FOR THOSE MITIGATION EFFORTS.
SO, IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL BIG PROBLEM.
SUCCESS, I SHOULD SAY.