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Moore’s funding priorities for district projects and programs
included in Legislature’s spending plan
July 3, 2008 ... Today, as many residents kicked off their Independence Day festivities, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, and his Senate colleagues gave the residents of the Worcester and Norfolk district some more celebratory news. Senators filed into the chambers to adopt a $28.22 billion Fiscal Year 2009 budget plan that included many items that will directly benefit the people of the Worcester and Norfolk District.
“Today, with the steadfast support from my colleagues in the House and solid understanding from legislative leaders, we have worked diligently to present a balanced and responsible budget,” said Moore. “This final compromise reached between the two branches includes a variety of proposals to fund local projects and programs as well as make significant increases in statewide health care services.”
Moore gave special credit to Representatives George Peterson, R-Grafton; Paul Kujawski, D-Webster; Paul Frost, R-Auburn; Geraldo Alicea, D-Charlton; John V. Fernandes, D-Milford and Jennifer Callahan, D-Sutton, for their joint efforts to gain approval of the long list of items contained in the final budget document.
Among Senator Moore’s district budget priorities that were included in the conference committee report were:
- Blackstone Valley Tech Nursing Program. $100,000 for the planning and implementation of a post-secondary nursing program in response to the critical nursing shortage. The program would be conducted in partnership with Milford Regional Medical Center and Quinsigamond Community College.
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- North Pond Dam/Lake Maspenock Dam. $100,000 for the repair of the North Pond/Lake Maspenock Dam located in the towns of Hopkinton, Milford, and Upton.
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- Dudley Police Patrols. This $100,000 in funding is a continuation of a policing grant initiated last year for the town of Dudley.
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- Violence and Hate Crimes Prevention Program in Southbridge.
$150,000 in continued funding from last year for a pilot program in Southbridge for preventing violence and hate crimes in grades K-12.
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- Draper Re-use Committee Development Planning Grant. $15,000 for the continuation of a planning grant from last year to assist the Draper Mill Re-Use Committee develop and execute a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the Draper Mill Complex – a sprawling 21 acre vacant mill complex in the center of Hopedale. The mill has been vacant for over 20 years and presently possesses a significant safety threat. Furthermore, the sheer size of the property means that any redevelopment will have dramatic impacts on all facets of town life.
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- Webster Lake Sediment Control. Provides $168,000 for sediment control in Webster Lake. Funding will be used to bring the drainage areas surrounding the lake up to today’s standards. This is the continuation of a long-term sediment control program for Webster Lake.
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- Boys and Girls Clubs. $3.3 million for the Massachusetts Alliance for Boys and Girls Clubs to help fund programs at the Blackstone Valley and Webster-Dudley clubs. This earmark is distributed equitably to all Boys and Girls Clubs across the state and supports vital programs for our youth.
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- Milford Youth Center. $35,000 for the continuation of a matching grant for the Milford Youth Center from the United Way of Massachusetts. The grant would be used to meet programming needs.
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- Teen Pregnancy Prevention. $50,000 for the continuation and expansion of teen pregnancy prevention programs in Southbridge.
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- Uxbridge Youth Center. $50,000 for programs at the Uxbridge Youth Center.
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- Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra. $50,000 for the continuation of a grant from last year to the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra in Milford.
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- Fino Field Complex. $100,000 for the refurbishment renovation of the Fino Field Complex in Milford.
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- South County Quinsigamond Community College. $100,000 to support the development of a South County Quinsigamond Community College satellite campus.
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- Millville Emergency Preparedness Program. $25,000 for an emergency preparedness program in Millville.
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- Uxbridge Safety Grant. $50,000 for a public safety grant to the town of Uxbridge.
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- Lake Singletary Water Quality Management.
$50,000 for the ongoing work to ensure safe water quality and water levels around this major recreational lake in Sutton. In particular, these funds will be targeted for the controlling of major fluctuations in the lake’s water levels that contribute to poor water quality and increased problems related to surface recreational hazards.
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- Hopedale Police Department. $17,100 for new technology in the Hopedale Police Department.
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- Camp Marion. $250,000 in funding for a major recreational enhancement initiative for the historic park situated on Lake Singletary in Sutton. This money will be used to do a feasibility study and design for facility enhancement at Camp Marion for community and youth services.
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Sen. Moore also secured several provisions for the state, including:
- Pharmacy Outreach Program. $600,000 for the operation of the pharmacy outreach program.
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- Betsy Lehman Center. $14,709,996 for the promotion of health and disease prevention including, but not limited to, the Betsy Lehman Center for patient safety.
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- Nursing and Allied Health Initiative.
$2 million in funding to help to continue work of ensuring that Massachusetts has enough highly qualified nurses to care for its population.
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- Mass Family Networks. $5,395,694 shall be expended for the Mass Family Networks program, including programs in Southbridge.
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- Health Care Cost and Quality Council.
$1,888,616 for the operation of a health care cost and quality council.
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- Health Services. $17,457,134 for school health services and school-based health centers in pubic and non-public schools, including a Wellness Center at Blackstone Valley Tech.
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- Commonwealth Care Outreach. $3.5 million in funding to enable community organizations, hospitals and health centers to provide much-needed educational and enrollment services for the Commonwealth's new health care reform law.
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- Regional Transit Authority. $57,888,391 for regional transit authorities, which funds ElderBus and Worcester Regional Transit in South County area.
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- Pharmacy Outreach. $600,000 for the MassMedline program, operated under a contract with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences that helps to enroll eligible seniors in Prescription Advantage and assists those who call the toll-free phone number with gaining access to free or low cost prescription drugs that are available from pharmaceutical company community benefit programs. Since its inception, it has saved consumers tens of millions of dollars.
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- Old Provincial State House. $150,000 for the Old Provincial State House.
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- Old Provincial State House. $500,000 for stabilization and renovation of the Old Provincial State House.
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- Mass BioTeach Program. $750,000 to fund the Mass BioTeach Program, a collaborative program between the Commonwealth Corporation and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council to outfit every high school in the Commonwealth with bio-technology lab equipment by 2010. This will also help programs in Bellingham.
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- Pediatric Palliative Care. $1 million for the pediatric palliative care program to continue serving children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
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- U Mass Medical School. $1.5 million for the University of Massachusetts Medical School to enhance efforts to increase the number of graduating medical students in primary care specialties.
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- SAFE Program. $1.2 million to support and expand the Commonwealth's Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program to include outreach and education to prevent falls in the senior citizen community. Many of the causes of falls are also hazards in the event of a fire or other emergency. In FY 2005, the SAFE program began making grants available for elder fire-safety education. This amendment would require that these grants also incorporate falls prevention initiatives.
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The final version of the budget now goes to the Governor for his consideration.
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