Page 18 (A “Yes” vote is for the budget. A BEACON | FROM PAGE 17 “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Paul Donato Rep. Steven Ultrino 3800) House 5-152, rejected an amendment that would eliminate Yes Yes LEGISLATORS’ SALARIES (H THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 3, 2019 the current system under which some 100 of the 160 representatives are paid stipends in addition to their base $66,256 base salary. These current stipends range from $15,000 to $80,000 for their service in Democratic or Republican leadership positions, as committee chairs or vice chairs and as the ranking Republican on some committees. ~ LEGAL NOTICE ~ COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Division 208 Cambridge Street Cambridge, MA 02141 Docket No. MI19P1206EA Estate of: Jean A. Trabucco Also Known As: Jean Trabucco Date of Death: 01/24/2019 NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner Deborah J. Burke of Malden, MA a Will has been admitted to informal probate. Deborah J. Burke of Malden, MA has been infomally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition can be obtained from the Petitioner. May 3, 2019 Advocate 1. On May 4, 1791, what U.S. state became the 14th? (Hint: most covered bridges per square mile.) 2. Who was the star of “Dr. Kildare”? 3. When was the first Kentucky Derby: 1855, 1875 or 1920? 4. What is missing from a fillet? 5. Whose first novel was “The Time Machine”? 6. On May 6, 1992, what star of “The Blue Angel” died? 7. What U.S. city is thought to have the world’s largest Cinco de Mayo celebration? 8. What game’s name involves water fowl? 9. In 1926 American Gertrude Ederle became the first female swimmer of what feat? 10. What instrument did Sherlock Holmes play? 11. On May 7, 1833, what composer was born? (Hint: lullaby.) 12. In what game would you find a shuttlecock? 13. In what New York State resort was the potato chip invented? 14. In what city is Churchill Downs? 15. How are the words chizu, fromage and ost similar? 16. Frederic Remington specialized in portrayin g what American subject? 17. What has the nickname “The Run for the Roses”? 18. What painter of 19thcentury Paris was a chef and gourmand? 19. Who wrote Sonnet 18, which includes the phrase “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May”? 20. On May 9, 1754, Benjamin Franklin published the colonies’ first political cartoon, which urged them to unite during what war? Answers on page 20 The amendment would reduce the stipend for the Senate president and speaker from $80,000 to $50,000; Senate and House Ways and Means Chairs from $65,000 to $35,000; Senate and House Majority Leaders from $60,000 to $30,000; and House speaker Pro Tempore and Senate Pro Tempore from $50,000 to $25,000. All other 152 members of the House would receive a stipend of $15,000. The amendment also reduces the current annual general expense allowance for each legislator from $15,000 to $12,500 for members whose districts are within a 50-mile radius of the Statehouse and from $20,000 to $17,500 for districts located outside of that radius. This allowance is used at the discretion of individual legislators to support a variety of costs including the renting of a district offi ce, contributions to local civic groups and the printing and mailing of newsletters. Legislators are issued a 1099 from the state and are required to report the allowance as income but are not required to submit an accounting of how they spend it. Amendment supporters noted the proposal is based on the pay structure for the U.S. Congress where only a few positions have higher salaries and is designed to eliminate the pay inequity for representatives. “Every two years, representatives arrive as a group of peers to the Statehouse that are elected from across the commonwealth,” said the amendment’s sponsor Rep. Russell Holmes (D-Boston). “We arrive as equals. That equality, under the current system, evaporates quickly upon the election of the speaker. Unfortunately, the speaker uses the authority of the naming of committee assignments and selecting a leadership team to manipulate the members for his causes and to work against one another. The amendment’s goal is to level the playing fi eld and begin to end that manipulation.” Opponents said the speaker and representatives in the leadership and committee chairs have a much heavier workload and deserve a higher salary. They noted that the current pay structure is based on a 2014 report of a bipartisan special commission set up to review the compensation of the state government and its bodies. The salary was determined to be inadequate to attract people to this job. They noted some additional increases in the bonus pay were given by the Legislature in January 2017 when it overrode Gov. Baker’s veto of the hikes. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Paul Donato Rep. Steven Ultrino No No EDUCATION AND LOCAL AID (H 3800) House 158-0, approved a consolidated amendment to fund education and local aid. Education Committee chair Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) said the consolidated amendment contains increases over last year for many important items including $15.4 million for the Children’s Trust Fund; $2 million for Early College; $11.8 million for regional libraries; $3.1 million for Recovery High Schools; and $1 million for a new civic education grant program. “The amendment adds to a Ways and Means budget that demonstrated a strong commitment to all sectors of public, birth through [Grade] 12 education throughout the commonwealth,” said Peisch. “The budget overall includes signifi cant increases to Chapter 70, charter school reimbursement and early education, with an explicit commitment to low income students via the Chapter 70 reserve account … It also includes additional funds for libraries, the early college program and civics education programs.” Peisch said the entire budget reflects the leadership’s ongoing dedication to educational improvement for all students to close the achievement and opportunity gaps. (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Rep. Paul Donato Rep. Steven Ultrino Yes Yes SOCIAL SERVICES AND VETS (H 3800) House 160-0, approved a consolidated amendment on veterans and social services. Veterans Committee chair Linda Campbell (D-Methuen) said the consolidated amendment contains increases over last year for many important programs. She pointed out funding for some key items including $100,000 to help the Vietnam Veterans of America in Massachusetts with the processing of VA claims; $85,000 to the NEADS program that trains service dogs to assist veterans; $124,000 for funding for additional housing for women veterans; and $550,000 to the Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base program to provide clinical care, education and training to address veterans’ physical and behavioral health issues to include PTSD, traumatic brain injury, substance use disorder and suicide prevention. “In the consolidated amendment, the House provides additional funding for veterans programs in the commonwealth over and above last year’s budget and the governor’s budget,” said Campbell. “I am proud that my colleagues in the House have once again demonstrated their support for critical programs and organizations that are providing the care that our veterans and their families deserve. Veterans can face a number of hardships as a result of their service, from PTSD to homelessness to substance abuse, and this increased investment will ensure our veterans can receive needed services within their own communities.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Rep. Paul Donato Rep. Steven Ultrino Yes Yes HOUSING AND MENTAL HEALTH (H 3800) House 160-0, approved a consolidated amendment on housing and mental health. Rep. Kevin Honan (D-Boston) the chair of the Committee on Housing said the consolidated amendment includes a $400,000 increase in funding for the Alternative Housing Voucher Program; a $250,000 increase in funding for Housing Consumer Education Centers; $300,000 for the Home Works Program; $50,000 for a computer technology center for Commonwealth Housing; funding for individual communities across the state including $65,000 for a shelter in Haverhill and $50,000 for mobility access enhancements and renovations in Brockton. “I am a strong supporter of the Housing Budget released by House Ways and Means for fi scal 2020,” said Honan. “It increases critical funding for programs such as the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, Rental Assistance for Families in Transition and funding for public housing. The budget was strengthened even further through an additional $1.735 million in funding through consolidated earmarks for local housing programs—including my amendment for a $250,000 increase in funding for Housing Consumer Education Centers.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Rep. Paul Donato Rep. Steven Ultrino Yes Yes CAP ON WELFARE BENEFITS FOR KIDS (S 2186) Senate 37-3, overrode Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of a bill that repeals the current law that denies an additional $100 in welfare benefits to children conceived while—or soon after—the family began receiving welfare benefi ts or, if they had received family welfare benefi ts in the past. The law was adopted in 1995 as part of a welfare reform package that was aimed at discouraging families already receiving public support from having more children. The House overrode the veto on April 10 and with the Senate override, the bill now becomes law. Supporters of the repeal said that there are some 8,700 children who currently fall under the cap in the Bay State. These families are barred from receiving an additional $100 a month to help support that child. They said there are no facts to back up the charge that families are having more children in order to get the additional $100. “Eliminating the family cap should be accompanied by other reforms to the [welfare] program designed to align the eligibility determination with federal standards and support recipients as they return to work,” said Baker in his veto message. The governor added that under his proposal, “homeless families would no longer see a benefi t reduction for accessing temporary shelter.” “We are thrilled that our commonwealth has repealed the cruel and unjust family cap,” said Jacquelynne Bowman, Executive Director of Greater Boston Legal Services. “This is an important step in helping Massachusetts act on the promise of supporting very lowincome families to meet their children’s basic needs.” “Lifting the Cap on Kids will make a critical diff erence in the lives of 8,700 of the lowest income children in Massachusetts,” said Deborah Harris of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. “With today’s vote, Massachusetts has affi rmed the dignity and humanity of every child.” (A “Yes” vote is for repealing the cap. A “No” vote is against repealing it.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes GENDER X (S 2203) BEACON | SEE PAGE 19
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