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State
Representative Rosemary Sandlin
29 Southwick Street
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
413-786-7600
State House, Room 134
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-2400
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March 2009 Newsletter |
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“I am opposed to any
increase in the gas tax.” -
Representative Rosemary
Sandlin
Raising the gas tax would be unfair to the people of my district who do not
enjoy the same level of service from the Pike and bridges and tunnels as
people in the greater Boston area. The Commonwealth is facing a $15 – 20
billion shortfall in transportation over the next twenty years. I believe
we need to look at a wide range of reforms and more equitable funding
sources instead of raising the gas tax. In the next few months, the
Legislature will consider alternatives including raising the tolls on the
Pike, the Callahan and Ted Williams tunnels and Tobin bridge, and new tolls
on other interstate highways. We need to look at savings that would be
created by combining state highway agencies.
In Massachusetts our income tax revenue is down, capital gains tax revenue
has decreased, and sales tax revenue is down.
According
to leading economists, the Commonwealth could face a $4 billion deficit in
the fiscal year that begins on July 1st. With this grim forecast, our
options for a balanced budget are raising revenue or cutting services. If
our state’s revenues continue to decline, we could be faced with making more
hard choices next year as well. I
will keep you informed as the process moves along, and many alternatives
solutions are considered. Meanwhile, I believe that reforming the
transportation systems in the state should be the first step, rather than
raising the gas tax. |
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Economic Stimulus Package
Massachusetts expects to receive between $6 and $9 billion. These funds are
projected to create approximately 80,000 jobs and protect essential state
services. Over the next two years, the Commonwealth is expected to receive
$1.8 billion in funding for education.
 The
Patrick Administration has announced the first eight “shovel-ready”
transportation
projects to receive funding
from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In addition to highway
projects, money from the federal stimulus funds will be invested in schools,
housing, rail and other transportation needs, clean and efficient energy,
information technology, broadband access and more.
Massachusetts
residents currently receiving unemployment benefits will collect an
additional $25 in weekly compensation thanks to the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act. The additional compensation will begin Monday, March 23rd,
and is retroactive from February 22, 2009. If you are currently receiving
benefits, you do not need to file an additional claim. For more information,
visit
www.mass.gov/dua.
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Agriculture Day at the State House
Mary Woodger from Granville recently celebrated "Ag
Day" by giving ice cream to legislators
and their staffs to raise awareness of agricultural issues in the
Commonwealth.
* More than 80 percent of Massachusetts' farms are family-owned. Over 93
percent fit the
category of "small farms" according to the USDA definition of sales below
$250,000.
* Massachusetts ranks 13th nationwide in organic sales with 129 farms
totaling $7.5 million in
sales.
* Massachusetts agricultural
exports totaled $167 million and support over 3,000 jobs.
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Oral Health
Oral
health is an essential part of overall health. Dental decay is caused by a
bacterial infection and is the most common chronic childhood disease.
Dental disease can interfere with eating, speaking, learning and working.
Children miss millions of school hours due
to dental related illness. Dental disease causes pain and suffering, loss
of learning time, loss of work time, and results in costly services in
emergency and inpatient hospital facilities. In adults, dental disease has
been linked to health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and
low-birth weight. In the United States, dental disease is almost entirely
preventable.
Providing greater access to prevention of
tooth decay and oral disease is the goal of several bills filed in the
legislature this year. One bill would require insurance companies to
include coverage for fluoride varnish applications delivered by medical
providers. If enacted, the measure would increase access to preventive
dental care to improve the oral health and overall health of vulnerable
populations, such as persons with special health care needs. Another bill
would require “whole body health coverage” which includes dental coverage in
all Commonwealth Care plans. At this time, dental coverage is included for
individuals with incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level.
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If you have a family of four and your
family’s income was $63,600 or less in 2008, you may be eligible for
Commonwealth Care but that coverage does not include dental benefits. If
you have a family of four and your income was less than $21,200, you may be
eligible for Commonwealth Care which includes dental benefits.
Another bill
filed this session would raise the reimbursement rates for dental providers
to encourage more dentists to accept MassHealth patients. To find a dental
provider,
click here.
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Family
Size |
Income Limit
for Dental Coverage |
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1 |
$10,404 |
| 2 |
$14,004 |
| 3 |
$17,604 |
| 4 |
$21,204 |
| 5 |
$24,804 |
Call the Health Hotline for more information on eligibility
1-800-272-4232.
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You
can still make a donation to the Agawam Fuel Assistance Program.
This winter we have experienced
sub-freezing weather and at the
same time, more families are struggling to
meet their basic expenses.
It’s never too late to make a donation by
sending a check to the Fuel Assistance Fund. Please send your donation to:
Agawam Fuel Assistance Program
Agawam Town Hall
36 Main Street
Agawam, MA 01001
Representative Rosemary Sandlin with Mayor
Susan Dawson.
Donations to the Fuel Assistance
Fund are accepted all year.
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Tax Amnesty
Program Announced
The Commissioner of Revenue has
announced that the 2009 tax amnesty program will begin March 1, 2009 and end
April 30, 2009. The program will allow taxpayers to pay previous unpaid
taxes and interest, and the penalties will be waived. Eligible
taxpayers will be notified by the Department of Revenue. If you have unpaid personal
income tax, personal use tax and/or cigarette excise tax (for individual
consumption), you can call toll-free 1-800-392-6089 or visit
www.mass.gov/dor for more information
on this limited tax amnesty program.
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Did you know you can now perform many Registry
transactions online?
Check out the Registry's
website.
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College Financial Aid
The Education
Resource Institute (TERI) is a free resource that helps
navigate
the complex process of applying for financial aid.
Call toll-free 1-877-332-4348 |
Police
Officer/State Trooper Exam
This examination is being held to
establish an eligibility list from which to fill Police Officer vacancies in
civil service cities & towns and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation
Authority (MBTA), and in non-civil service State Trooper
positions in the Massachusetts State Police Department. The eligibility list
may also be used to fill police officer vacancies in non-civil service
jurisdictions. The exam date is April 25, 2009.
Find out more
about the examination, the application fee, the application deadline, and
how to apply, as well as other important information.
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