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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 069
See Education, Page 3
75 cents
Tribes warn Conn. could lose 18,000 casino jobs to Mass.
Baker names 2 to state education board BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker has named education activist Chris Gabrieli to serve as chairman of the Board of Higher Education. Gabrieli is well known in education circles in Massachusetts. He’s co-founded three nonprofit focused on education issues and is a lecturer at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. Gabrieli also ran for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2006, losing to Deval Patrick after spending about $10 million in personal funds. He spent about $5 million on an unsuccessful 1998 bid for Congress. Baker also appointed Sheila Harrity to the same board yesterday. Harrity is superintendent of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District and a former Worcester Technical High School principal. She was named the 2013 Massachusetts Principal of the Year. Gabrieli and Harrity replace board members Charles Desmond and Keith Peden. “These new board members not only have practical experience as leaders in education, but also have a strong commitment to excellence in higher education in both academic and vocational fields,” said Baker. “Chris Gabrieli’s background as an advocate for public education and an innovative social entrepreneur gives him first-hand insight into the challenges and opportunities to make positive change happen for students. I am proud of our Commonwealth’s world-class institutions of higher education and I’m confident that these new Board members will help ensure that our state and community colleges get the attention they deserve and continue to rise to the next level.” “I look forward to working with these top-notch education leaders who have made an impact both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Secretary of Education Jim Peyser. “The combination of their background in education as advocates, practitioners, and thought leaders will add great value to our ability to make a difference in the lives of the
“It’s easy to be i ndependent when you’ve got money. But to be independent when you haven’t got a thing — that’s the Lord’s test.” — MAHALIA JACKSON
Attorney General Maura Healey swears in members of the Massachusetts Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning Youth.
Report: State must support gay, lesbian, transgender youth BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts must do more to help meet the needs of the state’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth. That’s the conclusion of a report released yesterday by a state commission charged with making recommendations to Massachusetts policymakers. The report recommends Massachusetts adopt new strategies to allow state agencies to collect data on gender identity and sexual orientation. It also recommends expanding nondiscrimination policies to include gender identity. Attorney General Maura Healey, the nation’s first openly gay attorney general, praised the report. Healey pointed to other problems facing many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth, including homelessness, bullying and substance abuse. Lt. Gov. Karen Polito told the commission members that she and Gov. Charlie Baker are committed to helping improve the lives of all young people, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth. The Massachusetts Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth released the new recommendations yesterday at the annual swearing-in ceremony of commission members at the Massachusetts State House. Polito and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg took part in the ceremony. House Speaker Robert DeLeo sent a letter of support and congratulations to be read on his behalf. Healey swore in the 48 members of the commission. “I appreciate the opportunity to join today’s important ceremony and will welcome future conversations about ways to make the Commonwealth and our communities better for LGBTQ youth and all our children,” said Polito. “Administering the oath of office for such an important commission is a tremendous honor for me,” Healey said. “Emphasizing diversity, inclusion, and a deep respect for one another, this commission is crucial to promoting the health and safety of our LGBTQ youth in our schools and communities.” “Each year our swearing-in ceremony is both a celebration of the completion of our annual policy recommendations and a day to bring together community stakeholders, elect-
ed officials, and loved ones to welcome new commission members to this important and challenging work,” said Julian Dormitzer, commission chairperson. “We are thrilled to have support from such a broad range of political leaders, and are honored to have an important champion of LGBTQ rights, Attorney General Maura Healey, swearing us in.” The commission’s recommendations address 15 state agencies and the Massachusetts Legislature. The commission outlined several core recommendations for the agencies in its report, including: • Adopting data collection practices that will allow agencies to receive data on gender identity and sexual orientation; • Identifying and strengthening LGBTQaffirming resources, internally and externally, including dedicated staff hours to address relevant issues; • Developing stronger guidance, best-practices and model policies for working with LGBTQ youth; and • Expanding agency non-discrimination policies to include gender identity. “Thanks to all of the members of the LGBTQ Youth Commission for their service. Their work with a variety of state agencies addressing concerns such as preventing homelessness, discrimination, harassment and suicide among LGBTQ youth has never been more critical,” said Rosenberg. “I look forward to working with members of the commission as they pursue policies and programs to help these young people.” The report also identifies more than 60 agency-specific recommendations with the goal of better supporting LGBTQ youth in every city and town in Massachusetts. The commission will work over the next year in partnership with the Baker administration and the Legislature to advocate for resources in the FY16 budget that will help fund the implementation of some recommendations. Among the commission’s priority legislation for the current session is “An Act Relative to Gender Identity and Non Discrimination,” a bill that would add gender identity to existing Massachusetts civil rights laws for public accommodations, which currently allow for See Support, Page 3
Treasurer names 8 to financial board Barbara Anthony: Barbara Anthony is currently a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Business and Government. She served as Massachusetts Undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation from 2009 to 2015 where she oversaw five state agencies: Banking, Insurance, Professional Licensure, Telecommunications and Cable, and the Division of Standards. Anthony, with a background in law and economics, is a well known consumer advocate and a highly respected public interest lawyer and policy maker. Among her accomplishments, Anthony oversaw implementation of the state’s Data Security Law and regulations, kept health insurance rate increases under control, helped implement the state’s 2012 Health Care Cost Containment Law, oversaw efforts to reform the mortgage foreclosure process, initiated a financial literacy project, Project Credit Smarts, in various Mass. colleges, and spearheaded a campaign to empower Massachusetts healthcare consumers through price and quality transparency. She is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School, where she currently serves as an adjunct professor of law. She holds a graduate degree in economics and a bachelor of science in business administration degree from Northeastern University. Elizabeth Barajas-Román: Elizabeth Barajas-Román is the chief executive officer
of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, a public foundation that invests in the lives of women and girls through strategic grantmaking and leadership development. Most recently she was a manager at The Pew Charitable Trusts in their government performance division. Barajas-Román also directed the National Latina Institute’s Washington, D.C. office as the director of policy. Barajas-Román is a graduate of Oberlin College and received her masters degree in international policy from Harvard University. Ellen Kennedy: Ellen Kennedy serves as president of Berkshire Community College. She is committed to college affordability, reduced college debt, and financial literacy for all residents of the Commonwealth. She has a particular interest in Gateway Cities. Involved in the Berkshires, Kennedy serves on a number of boards, including the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Berkshire Country Regional Employment Board, Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Compact for Education, Berkshire Visitors Bureau, Berkshire Priorities and the Berkshire Population Task Force. A native of Lynn, Kennedy lives in Williamstown with her husband, Mark Gold. Roy E. Belson: Roy E. Belson is in his 20th year as superintendent of the Medford See Treasurer, Page 3
See Casino Jobs, Page 3
Opiod group to meet GREENFIELD – As the number of drug overdose deaths in the Commonwealth continues to rise, the Opioid Crisis Working Group created by Governor Charlie Baker will hold a public session to listen to the community and gather feedback and ideas on the best ways to halt the epidemic. It will be held Thursday, March 19 from 4-6 p.m. in the dining common at Greenfield Community College. “In order to formulate solutions, we need to understand the depth of this devastating problem that is affecting families, friends and neighbors across the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services and Chair of the Working Group Marylou Sudders. “This session will give us a chance to hear directly from those most impacted by this issue.” Baker announced the 17-member working group on February 19. The group is comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experience related to prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery and support and law enforcement. By the end of May, the group will submit a statewide strategy to combat opioid addiction and curb overdose deaths. “In 2013, there were 978 opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts—that’s a 46 percent jump from the previous year,” said Dr. Monica Bharel, commissioner of the Department of Public Health who is also a member of the group. “The answer will not be simple. But we must assemble the best thinking on this quickly and act swiftly to avoid further loss of life.” “We have mobilized and created an enormous amount of awareness about this issue in our region,” said Franklin County Sheriff Chris Donelan who serves as co-chair of the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region. “But we cannot let our guard down or rest thinking we have succeeded. This is still a crisis. We look forward to collaborating with the Governor’s Working Group to build upon and bolster our local efforts.” About 400 people turned out for the first public dialogue held in Worcester on March 10. After the Greenfield event, See Opiod Group, Page 3
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BOSTON – Yesterday, Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg named the following people to the Financial Literacy Trust Fund Board highlighting her efforts to enhance the Board’s impact throughout the Commonwealth. Treasurer Goldberg announced these appointments following a roundtable discussion with students at Worcester Technical High School. “We are building a robust agenda with the goal of funding and expanding the Financial Literacy Trust Fund to leverage private sector and philanthropic money,” said Goldberg. “These new board members will help me ensure that financial literacy education is reaching citizens in every corner of the Commonwealth.” On day one, Goldberg created an Office of Economic Empowerment led by a deputy treasurer with the deliberate goal of vastly expanding the capacity of this fund to incorporate a range of initiatives, including financial literacy, college affordability, and programming to support wage equality. Created in 2009, The Financial Literacy Trust Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to encourage financial literacy and education for residents, institutions, community organizations and entities that will promote financial literacy. The following people were appointed to the Board of the Financial Literacy Trust Fund. They will be sworn in at the Fund’s next meeting on March 30.
By SUSAN HAIGH Associated Press HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The leaders of Connecticut’s two federally recognized Indian tribes made a united pitch yesterday to open at least one, jointly-owned casino, warning lawmakers the state could lose 18,000 jobs once a casino in Springfield opens in 2½ years. That figure includes both jobs at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino, as well as hundreds of vendors and other affected businesses across the state. Kevin Brown, chairman of the Mohegan Tribe, said his appearance at yesterday’s Public Safety Committee hearing with Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, underscores the gravity of the situation. “Even though our tribes have a long history of fierce competition and even though we are competitors in business today, this threat is serious,” Brown told the legislators. “It creates a common ground, for everyone in this room, Democrat and Republican, sovereign tribe to sovereign state, tribe to tribe, union to nonunion. There is a common denominator, and it is the jobs that stand to be lost.” The committee is considering legislation that would ultimately authorize the tribes to open up to three new gambling facilities in the state. The tribes want to build a casino as soon as possible along the Interstate 91 corridor in northern Connecticut to blunt the competition from the new $600 million MGM Resorts International facility planned in Springfield. “As clearly demonstrated with the expansion in Rhode Island and New York, it has cost Connecticut thousands of jobs. Unless addressed, the advent of casino gaming in Massachusetts will cost Connecticut thousands more,” Butler warned. About 100 casino workers, including unionized employees at Foxwoods, rallied outside the state Capitol in support of the proposal. Existing gambling enterprises expressed concern about the tribes’ proposal. Anne Noble, president and CEO of the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, said she worries about the possible “cannibalization of lottery sales” if expanded casino gambling is allowed. Ted Taylor, president of Sportech Venues, said he fears