OP-ED: 2011 Year-In-Review

The following is an op-ed from State Senator Katherine Clark:

This past year, as the state continued to confront economic challenges, I focused on ways to build our schools and our communities, support our businesses, and maintain a strong fiscal position for the Commonwealth.  The Fiscal Year 2012 budget was a difficult one, with the legislature facing a projected $1.9 billion budget gap.  While we struggled with cuts, I was proud to work to preserve – or in some cases increase – funding for priority programs, all without raising taxes.  Highlights included:

• Maintained and increased funding for elder services like adult day habilitation, home care and elder protective services.
• Additional support for special education and early intervention programs.  The Special Education Circuit Breaker provides funds to reimburse cities and towns for special education costs, and this funding will go directly to help some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in our Commonwealth.  In addition, over 30,000 children and families are currently served through 58 early intervention programs statewide, and the final budget reflected an approximately $6 million increase for these effective programs.
• Maintaining support for the METCO program. The METCO program provides valuable educational opportunities to more than 3,000 students, many of whom attend schools in our district.
• More funding for veterans services. Massachusetts will see more returning veterans than we have since the end of World War II, and we need to be able to provide them with the services they deserve.  An innovative new program was also funded that will train veterans to offer peer-to-peer mental health services.   

Other important priorities this year included:

• Supporting Small Business. Through a series of small business forums on topics like access to capital and health care pools, I have worked to help local businesses get access to tools and information that can help them succeed. 

• Controlling Healthcare Costs.  As the Senate Chair of the Public Service Committee, I was pleased to play a central role in drafting the municipal health insurance section of the FY2012 budget, that resulted in a set of comprehensive reforms that could save municipalities as much as $100 million.
• Anti-Human Trafficking.  Anti-human trafficking legislation was approved this year, establishing human trafficking for sexual servitude or labor as a crime in Massachusetts and giving law enforcement the necessary tools to enforce it and protect victims.
• Redistricting.  The House and Senate also voted on new legislative districts proposed by the joint committee on redistricting. Redistricting is a constitutionally required process that occurs every 10 years after the release of the U.S. census data. The process has been lauded as fair, balanced and transparent. 
• Reforming our Pension System.  This year I chaired the pension reform effort in the Senate.  The resulting bill will save more than $5 billion over the next 30 years while maintaining a strong, fair public pension system.  
• Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth.  A new law will allow up to three casinos in Massachusetts and is projected to create over 12,000 jobs and produce much needed revenue for the state.  I will continue to monitor its implementation and work for school funding fairness through the new revenues.

These are just some of the important areas of action on Beacon Hill this year.  In 2012, I look forward to building on these successes and pursue a legislative agenda that creates jobs, grows our businesses, and strengthens our schools and communities.  I wish you and your family a healthy and happy New Year and look forward to working with you in 2012.