September 2022 | The Stanley Report 

Dear Friend,

I hope this email finds you healthy and well!

September's issue of The Stanley Report includes important information about legislation I am supporting this session as well as local and state news.

As always, please feel free to contact me if you need assistance.

Sincerely,

Tom Stanley

President Biden speaking at Inflation Reduction Act Call to Action Day.

Rep. Stanley at President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act Call to Action Day in DC.

News from the Elder Affairs Committee

As the co-chair of the Committee on Elder Affairs, Rep. Stanley is pleased to announce that the fiscal year 2023 budget includes $10,000 for dementia care coordination. Approximately 130,000 individuals are living with Dementia in Massachusetts. The FY23 budget provides funding for the Alzheimer's Association MA/NH Chapter's Dementia Care Coordination (DCC) program and help them serve more families in need across our Commonwealth.

DCC provides integrated care coordination for families in partnership with participating providers. The pandemic stretched the program to its max, showing how critical these services are for the effected population and how important it is for the state to continue to support those with Alzheimer's and their families.

In addition, the budget includes $510,400,000 for nursing home supplemental rates. In the wake of the pandemic, nursing facilities are currently experiencing an unprecedented workforce crisis. Unfilled vacancies are not only impacting the quality-of-care elders receive but prevent some from accessing services altogether. This funding would continue to provide critical supplemental funding to nursing facilities participating in the Medicaid program to offset the ongoing higher workforce costs associated with providing quality. Moreover, it will help facilities retain their dedicated staff and begin to fill vacant positions.

Waltham Police Department Receives Municipal Road Safety Grant

The Waltham Police Department recently received a $65,000 municipal road safety grant. 186 municipal and state agencies completed a competitive grant process by submitting plans for improved traffic safety training, equipment, and enforcement. Together, these efforts align with Massachusetts’ Annual Highway Safety Plan that describes the state’s safety trends and guides improvements for the year ahead.

Since taking office in 2015, the Baker-Polito Administration has distributed approximately $70 million in highway safety grants. The Office of Grants and Research (OGR) within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security serves as the state administering agency for federal funding sources, including: the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and the source today’s grant awards, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Rep. Stanley signs Student Professional Development Month House Resolution

Rep. Stanley joined his colleagues in signing a House resolution declaring September 2022 as Student Professional Development Month to recognize and highlight the importance of professional development for our students. The Student Professional Development (SPD) organization is a network of real-world practitioners facilitating free professional development activities for high school students. The purpose of SPD is to provide students with early access to the real-world knowledge and skills they’ll need to be successful in college, careers, and life.

Contributing practitioners have worked for organizations including Pixar Animation Studios, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Berklee College of Music, Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), Moderna, and more. Professional Development programs help participating students utilize and develop their individual interests in ways that may not be able to do in the classroom. By using different forms of PD to learn from their mentors and practitioners, students are also able to gain practical skills and experiences that will help them in college and their future careers.

MCC Grants available!

MA continues to invest in the Power of Culture! Funding for the Mass Cultural Council's fiscal year 2023 Local Cultural Council increased 15% over last year, ensuring all 329 LCCs across the Commonwealth see a boost in their allotment. LCCs help to improve access to arts and cultural events and promote initiatives in every city/town.

Local Waltham arts organizations, programs, and individual artists may apply directly with the Waltham Cultural Council between September 1st and October 17th for funding to support projects that focus on increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the arts. For more info, click here.

Baker Administration Files $840 Million Fiscal Year 2022 Supplemental Budget

Governor Baker filed a final Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) supplemental budget that proposes investments in transportation, health and human services, school safety and other fiscal year closeout needs. The proposal includes approximately $1.622 billion gross / $840 million net spending and is supported by an FY22 state revenue surplus of $2.3 billion – up from a preliminary surplus figure shared in early August of $1.9 billion. This surplus figure accounts for $2.941 billion in refunds that will be returned to taxpayers under Chapter 62F, the state law that requires net state tax revenues that exceed allowable revenues be returned to taxpayers. The Department of Revenue submitted this amount in its annual report to the State Auditor for certification. The Auditor is required to certify if the threshold under 62F has been met by September 20. Revenues in FY22 exceeded Fiscal Year 2021 revenue collections by approximately 20.5%. This fiscal year, $2.3 billion was deposited into the Stabilization Fund, bringing the FY22 balance to a historic $6.9 billion.

DCR Welcomes Public Comment on 10-Year Review of Landscape Designations and Management Guidelines

Over the next few weeks, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will hold a series of public meetings to discuss the DCR Landscape Designations and Management Guideline 10-year review. At each meeting, staff will describe the impact these landscape designations and will be seeking feedback on evolving climate concerns. For more info and a list of the meetings, click here. To view the current 2012 DCR Landscape Designations and Management Guidelines, click here. You may also submit feedback (deadline is 9/28) here. 

Rep. Stanley Attends Inflation Reduction Act Day of Action in DC

On September 13^th, Rep. Stanley traveled to Washington, D.C. to join President Biden and Vice President Harris in celebrating the passage and signing of the Inflation Reduction Act. By signing the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden is delivering on his promise to build an economy that works for working families.

The Inflation Reduction Act lowers prescription drug costs, health care costs, and energy costs. It’s the most aggressive action on tackling the climate crisis in American history, which will lift up American workers and create good-paying, union jobs across the country. It’ll lower the deficit and ask the ultra-wealthy and corporations to pay their fair share. And no one making under $400,000 per year will more in taxes.

Student Debt Relief Announcement

Last month, President Biden announced targeted student debt relief to working- and middle-class families. The Biden-Harris Administration is taking actions that fulfil that commitment and provide breathing room to borrowers as they prepare to resume student loan payments following the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions will help borrowers who need it most – with nearly 90% of relief dollars going to borrowers earning less than $75,000 per year. An estimated 813,000 Massachusetts residents would be eligible for loan forgiveness under PresidenBiden's plan.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced it will provide up to $20,000 in debt cancellation to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in debt cancellation to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers who earn less than $125,000 per year or households earning less than $250,000 are eligible for debt cancellation. The White House will also extend the federal student loan pause a final time through December 31, 2022 to provide borrowers a smooth transition back to repayment. Lastly, the plan will make the student loan system more manageable for current and future borrowers by cutting monthly payments in half for undergraduate loans and holding schools accountable when they hike up prices.

Baker Administration Announces Coordinated Support for Newly Arriving Families and Individuals to the Commonwealth

The Baker Administration announced new shelter and humanitarian supports at Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC) for the approximately 50 migrants who arrived in Martha’s Vineyard this week. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is coordinating efforts among state and local officials to ensure access to food, shelter and essential services for these men, women and children. Governor Charlie Baker also plans to activate up to 125 members of the Massachusetts National Guard as part of this relief effort.  

On Friday, September 16, the Commonwealth offered transportation to a new temporary shelter on JBCC. This move will be voluntary. JBCC is a facility already designated by MEMA as an emergency shelter in Barnstable County, and its existing infrastructure provides a safe temporary accommodation appropriate for the specific needs of families and individuals. Additionally, the facility can provide dedicated space for access to legal services and other essential services such as basic healthcare. JBCC has historically housed and cared for displaced individuals, including Louisiana residents fleeing the impact of Hurricane Katrina, as well as an alternative care medical site for Massachusetts residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commonwealth Launches Comprehensive Online Resource, Map Tool for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

Gov. Baker announced the launch of a new comprehensive, user-friendly website designed to provide survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and their families with information on resources available to them in a variety of critical issue areas, as well as an interactive map tool for locating services throughout the Commonwealth.

This new tool ensures that aggregated, important information is readily available and easily accessible on mass.gov. The website provides information on major service categories, including housing, legal resources and employment assistance, as well as more immediate support such as the SafeLink Hotline and area Rape Crisis Centers. To further protect survivors seeking resources, the page also has an escape link located at the top of the page so that survivors may quickly exit the page and be redirected to the mass.gov homepage. Additionally, the website and interactive map tool are both accessible on mobile devices.

US launches 988 Suicide Prevention Hotline

 Recently launched in Massachusetts and across the US, the new 988 suicide and crisis line will offer 24/7/365 non-clinical, compassionate, emotional support for callers and referrals to additional resources, as needed. Support will be available in multiple languages. Learn more here.

Mass Central Rail Trail Waltham-Weston Connection

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) recently began designing the connection between the Weston and Waltham portions of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) in Waltham. Waltham is currently constructing the 2.7-mile segment (the "Wayside Rail Trail") to the east of the proposed MCRT connection from Main Street to Beaver Street.

DCR held a public hearing last week (9/15) on the proposed segment. Folks who missed the meeting can view it here. DCR is also inviting the public to submit comments on the project by 9/29.

Mass Audubon Receives YouthReach Partner Grant from MCC

Mass Cultural Council (MCC) awarded a $22,000 YouthReach Grant to Mass Audubon in Lincoln. This year, MCC is allocating $1.9 million to Creative Youth Development programs across the state  thanks to the Legislature’s continued investment in the arts and culture.

YouthReach programs are youth driven, focused on social justice, and designed to foster collaboration between cultural organizations, social service agencies, and other non-profits. Through YouthReach, multi-year grants are awarded to creative youth development programs that integrate substantive out-of-school arts, humanities, and science opportunities into a collaborative community response to the needs of youth. 

$100 Million Available for Public Schools to Make HVAC and Air Quality Improvements

Gov. Baker announced the availability of $100 million in grant funding for school districts to improve ventilation and indoor air-quality to support healthy learning environments. The grants will be targeted to schools with high concentrations of economically disadvantaged students, English language learners and communities disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding is available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) bill and authorized by Chapter 102 of the Acts of 2021. As required by the ARPA bill, funds will be distributed by a formula to ensure the highest need districts receive the largest portion of funding. More than 20 school districts are eligible for up to $1 million, and several districts qualify for several million dollars, with Boston Public Schools eligible to receive up to $15 million and Worcester Public Schools eligible for up to $7 million.

School districts are strongly encouraged to focus on efficient, environmentally friendly HVAC and air quality technologies when planning upgrades, consistent with Governor Charlie Baker’s 2050 net zero pledge. Eligible districts can apply here.

You’re Invited: Student Loan Forgiveness Virtual Discussion with CFPB, Tuesday 9/27

Please join the State Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment on Tuesday, September 27th at 12 noon for a virtual discussion with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as part of OEE’s ongoing Money Talk Tuesday webinar series. This session will detail the federal student loan debt relief plan, the final payment pause extension, and rule changes that impact certain repayment plans. Please tune in to learn more about these changes to federal student loans! Register for free here. 

Regan's Corner

Meet Regan! Rep. Stanley and his family rescued a pup last year and named her Regan. Regan loves long walks, playing games in the yard and making friends! Here is Regan enjoying a beach day on Cape Cod.

The Animal Rescue League continues to support legislation that enhances and improves protections for animals, and to oppose reforms that endanger the welfare of animals in Massachusetts. Learn more about ARL's current legislative agenda here.

About Rep. Stanley

State Representative

City Council

Former City Council President

State Committee:

Co-Chairperson, Joint Committee on Elder Affairs

Member of:

Massachusetts Home Care Licensing Commission

Massachusetts LGBT Aging Commission

Massachusetts Elder Nutrition Commission

City Council:

Veterans Committee

Economic Development Committee

Committee of the Whole

Education: Suffolk University (MPA), Bentley University (BS - Management), Mass Bay Community College (AS - Business Administration)

Community Involvement (Past & Present):

Waltham Boys & Girls Club, Waltham Youth Basketball Association, Basketball Plus Program, Central Middle School Basketball, Little Nippers Baseball, Warrendale Little League, Waltham Youth Soccer, Waltham Police Athletic League, CCD Teacher, St. Jude Church, Waltham Lions Club, Waltham Rotary Club, Reagle Players Board of Directors, Warrendale Little League Board of Directors, Waltham Partnership for Youth Board of Directors, Waltham Day Center (Homeless) Advisors Board, Waltham Family School Advisory Board, Waltham Safe & Healthy Schools YRBS Steering Committee, Reach Beyond Domestic Violence Advisory Board, Waltham Public Library Planning Committee, Waltham Sons of Italy, Middlesex Area Enough Abuse Campaign.

Awards: 

Work, Community, Independence - Human Service Advocate of the Year, COFAR - award recipient for support of people with mental disabilities, MassBay Community College Distinguished Alumni Award WATCH CDC - Housing Advocate Award, Minuteman Senior Services - Certificate of Appreciation, Boston Bar Assoc., Greater Boston Legal Services and MetroWest Legal Services - Pillar of Justice Award, Shining Star Award, Edinburg Center, Community Health Center Leader Award, The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Dignity Award Certificate of Appreciation

Personal:

Married to the former Kimberly A. Bayliss

Children: Ryan, age 28, Parker, age 19 & puppy Regan