Pollard renovations approved by Town Meeting

Published by The Boston Globe

Town Meeting members last night approved spending $325,000 for repairs to modular classrooms at the Pollard Middle School which would house Kindergarten students and pre-schoolers from the Newman Elementary school while the Newman undergoes renovations.

But members rejected $875,000 for a new parking lot and access road at the Pollard.

Town meeting members also approved a measure to swap the town-owned Hersey parking lot on the corner of Great Plain Avenue and Broad Meadow Road for the MBTA-owned Needham Heights lot on West. St. The Needham Heights lot is the location selectmen have endorsed for a new senior center.

A vote to provide funds for the design of a senior center on the Needham Heights lot is expected when Town Meeting resumes tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Newman School.

Town Meeting last night also approved a measure revising dog regulation bylaws, allowing for better enforcement of a law that bans dogs on Memorial Field on Rosemary Street and DeFazio Field on Dedham Avenue.

The debate over the Pollard School renovations was the longest last night.

Marianne Cooley, vice-chair of the Needham School Committee, said the proposed parking lot and access road off Dedham Avenue would provide spaces for parents to safely drop off their children. Some staff at Pollard and those staff members coming from the Newman will park on the street, she said.

But Town meeting members expressed doubt that the boards involved with planning the Pollard project were thorough enough in examining all possible options for additional parking spaces.

“We’ve heard a good case for why the modulers should be fixed for the kids coming in September,” said Ron Ruth, from precinct E. “I don’t think we’ve heard a case for why 60 additional parking spaces are necessary for 170 Kindergarten kids.”

Several Town Meeting members asked how many site options were considered for the parking lot and why details on the plan were not documented along with the Newman School renovations.

George Kent, chairman of the Permanent Public Building Committee, said the town hired an architect to choose a site for the new parking. He said a lot could not go behind the school because of the athletic fields, and the lot could not go on the east side of the school because the road would not be easily accessible.

“In my opinion, Town Meeting is not the place to do design,” said Kent. “It restricts the process.”

But Ruth submitted a motion to separate the funds for modulars from the funds for parking and the motion passed.

Then, at the urging of selectmen, Town Meeting voted to expedite the appropriation of the money for renovating the modulars so that the Newman School project would not be delayed.

Garlick wins in 13th Norfolk House District

Published by The Boston Globe

Democrat Denise Garlick beat out Republican John O’Leary for state
representative in the 13th Norfolk district, which covers Needham,
Dover and Medfield.

Garlick will replace Democrat Lida Harkins, who is leaving the seat
after 22 years.

Garlick received 10,642 total votes to O’Leary's 8,589 votes, according to unofficial results.


“I believe the voters trusted me,” said Garlick. “I feel like these
are most serious challenging times we’ve faced as a Commonwealth in
several generations, and there’s important work to be done.”

O'Leary conceded around 8:45 p.m., less than an hour after the polls closed.

“I commend Denise Garlick and I wish her the best representing the
towns of Needham, Dover and Medfield, and thanks to all who supported
my candidacy,” he said.

According to the results provided by Garlick's campaign, Garlick won every precinct in Needham with 8,271 votes while O’Leary received 5,433 votes.

In, Medfield Garlick won precinct 1 but lost precinct 2. She took a total of 1,367 votes in Medfield. O’Leary picked up 1,435.

Garlick lost in Dover, however, with 1,004 votes. O’Leary received 1,721.

Garlick is a nurse at Wellesley College and a Needham Selectwoman. She
has advocated for protecting local aid and social services, especially
for seniors and education. She has also said she would promote green
technologies as a way to improve the economy and fight climate change.

O’Leary is a researcher at Harvard University who worked for three
state agencies under former Gov. Mitt Romney. He has argued throughout
his campaign that Beacon Hill is inefficient because Democrats enjoy
special interests as an overwhelming majority. He has promised to make
the state more efficient and cut the income tax to 5 percent.

The last time a Republican was elected to the seat was in 1986 when Ellen
M. Canavan of Needham was elected, said Brian McNiff, communications
director for the Secretary of State. She was the state representative
right before Harkins.

Both candidates named creating jobs, improving the economy and
containing healthcare costs as top priorities.

O’Leary voiced support for casinos, provided that the town
where the casino is built welcomes the development, and he is in favor
of charter schools.

Garlick has argued against both, stating that casinos hurt local
business and charter schools drain resources from the public school
system.

Garlick, O'Leary run for state rep

Published by The Boston Globe

Needham residents Denise Garlick and John O’Leary will be on the ballot for state representative in the 13th Norfolk district, which includes Needham, Dover and parts of Medfield, on Tuesday.

Garlick, a Democrat, is a Needham Selectwoman and a nurse at Wellesley College. O’Leary, Republican, is a researcher at Harvard University and former bureaucrat for former Gov. Mitt Romney.

Democrat Lida Harkins is leaving the seat after 22 years after an unsuccessful bid to replace U.S. Senator Scott Brown, a Republican, as state senator.



Republican Richard Ross, who defeated Harkins, is running for re-election unopposed.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in all three towns. Needham will have polls in three locations. To find your precinct, click here.

Voting in Dover will happen at the Town House in the Great Hall at 5 Springdale Ave.

Medfield polls will be at the Adult Community Center at 1 Ice House Rd.

The general election also includes the gubernatorial race between Democratic incumbent Gov. Deval Patrick, Republican Charles Baker, Independent Timothy Cahill and Green-Rainbow candidate Jill Stein.

For Attorney General, James McKenna, Republican, will challenge incumbent Martha Coakley, a Democrat.

Stephen Lynch is running as a Democrat for re-election to Congressional Representative for the Ninth District against Republican Vernon Harrison and Philip Dunkelbarger, an Independent.

A Needham resident, Democrat John Coffey, is running for District Attorney in the Norfolk District against Independent Michael Morrissey.

Ballot questions this year will address eliminating the sales tax on alcohol, Question 1, changing the permit process for affordable housing which currently encourages affordable housing in wealthier areas, Question 2, and reducing the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent, Question 3.

There is also a non-binding fourth question on marijuana regulation.

For more information on the candidates running and ballot questions, visit the Elections Division website at www.sec.state.ma.us.

Garlick outspends O'Leary in state rep race

Published by The Boston Globe

Democrat Denise Garlick has outspent her Republican opponant John O'Leary in the race to succeed state Rep. Lida Harkins in the 13th Norfolk District, which covers Needham, Dover and parts of Medfield.

According to reports filed Monday with the state, Garlick has spent $22,537 on her general election campaign compared to $14,162 for O'Leary. As of Oct. 15 she had $4,452 left to spend. O'Leary had $12,452.

Garlick started the general elction campaign with with $6,778 leftover from the September primary election. She raised $20,211 in additional funds from the end of August to Oct. 15.


O’Leary had $7,235 on hand after the election and raised an additional $19,380 through September and October.

The state Democratic Party did not provide Garlick with money, but state Republicans offered O'Leary $2,999 in in-kind donations for printing and mailings. He also received a $200 in-kind donation for a database from the Scott Brown for US Senate Committee. Brown, a Republican, won his Senate seat in a stunning upset earlier this year.

O'Leary's total in-kinds, which also include shared space at the Needham Harvest Fair with the Needham Republican Town Committee and $500 worth of GOTV advertising, are worth $4,303.

Garlick had $132 total in-kinds for a Medfield event and primary night supplies.

Garlick’s major expenses include postage, advertisements, printing, and food and beverages for rallies.

Most of O’Leary’s expenditures were for printing, mailing, and party supplies. He also spent $3,275 on a campaign event at the Charles River Country Club and $352 on books from Amazon.

Garlick loaned her campaign $3,000 in the reporting period on top of a $5,000 loan she made to her campaign in March.

O’Leary did not make any loans to himself this time, although he did loan $3,293 to his campaign in August.

O'Leary received $500 from the Massachusetts Republican House PAC and $250 from the National Federation of Independent Business of Massachusetts PAC. He has also received $100 from Republican State Senator Richard Ross.

Other major donations include $500 each from Associated Builders and Contractors; Michael Choe of Private Equity Charlesbank Capital Partners; Peter Brine, a retiree; David Cowles, an insurance broker; attorney Charles Long from Dover; attorney Paul Popeo from Needham; Margaret Royston, an advertising executive, and Ray Stata, chairman of Analog Devices.

Garlick received $500 each from 1199 SEIU MA PAC, the American Federation of Teachers, the Professional Firefighters of Massachuetts People's Committee and the Massachusetts State Labor Council Political Action Committee.

She also received $150 each from the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties People's Committee and Painters District Council #35 PAC and $100 from UFCW Local 1459 People's Committee.

Garlick also received $250 from Harkins and from $250 from Maria McTernan, director of development at the Charles River Center in Needham. She also got $200 each from Teana Gilinson, a registered nurse at Brigham and Women’s and Susan Wright Thomas, a registered nurse at Cambridge Hospital.

Several teachers gave small donations to Garlick, and she received $400 from Stephen McKnight, a Northeastern University professor and $300 from John Burns, a Boston College administrator.

State rep candidates debate in Needham for final time

Published by The Boston Globe


Candidates for state representative in the 13th Norfolk District traded charges in heated exchanges last night during the third and final debate in the campaign to replace state Rep. Lida Harkins.

Democrat Denise Garlick fended off accusations from John O’Leary, the Republican candidate, that Garlick enjoys the support of special interests groups. He claims her ties to these groups would prevent meaningful change at the Statehouse.

Garlick, meanwhile, asked O’Leary to explain why he would not support local aid for seniors and other social services and why he denounced hard-working unions.

Both candidates are from Needham and are running to take the place of Harkins, who is leaving the Legislature after 22 years. The election is next Tuesday. The district includes Needham, Dover and parts of Medfield. Harkins was in the audience of about 100 people at the debate, which was hosted by the League of Women Voters of Needham at the Broadmeadow Elementary School in Needham.



In the debate, both candidates agreed that most voters have lost trust public officials and change is necessary to fix the state’s economy.

"The air is full of criticism.” said Garlick, a Needham selectwomen, in her opening statement. She asserted, however, that she will make independent decisions that are best for her constituents.

But O'Leary questioned whether Garlick could act independently. “My opponent Mrs. Garlick is a wonderful person who has done a lot for the town,” said O’Leary in his opening statement. But he said that Garlick, "shares the same philosophy that has governed our state'' in recent years.

O’Leary, a researcher at Harvard University, said he is very concerned about the budget shortfall for next year, and he would take legislators off the pension system, repeal a law that prevents state offices from outsourcing more efficient services and reform the civil service system.

“Unions oppose those reforms, and those organizations endorsed Denise,” said O’Leary. “Unions act in own best interests.”

Garlick, a nurse at Wellesely College, responded that she was proud to have endorsements from teachers and nurses unions, as well as endorsements from nonunion workers.

“I’m working hard to represent people who have no jobs at all,” she said. “You can’t say jobs are important but disparage workers who do that work.”

Two years after the presidential debates made “Joe the plumber” famous, the sparring over unions and government workers by O'Leary and Garliock came down to a nameless unionized janitor. O’Leary said while he was working at a government agency, a janitor had a two-day hearing for a three-day suspension. He called the process “ridiculous.”

Garlick said anyone facing suspension should have a fair hearing, but O’Leary said the union grievances available to the janitor were sufficient and a long hearing was wasteful.

Moving on to healthcare cost containment, both candidates admitted the problem was too complicated for anyone to know the right solution. Garlick, however, said direct care providers had to be part of the conversation. She said she would make sure 90 percent of funds go to direct care if a provider raised rates, and she would protect local hospitals.

O’Leary said he would remove municipal healthcare plans from collective bargaining, make prices transparent and separate insurance from employment.

The candidates were much less in agreement on topics related to education. For example, O’Leary supports charter schools in communities that need them, while Garlick thinks they are a drain on the public school system.

O’Leary expressed concern with the newly adopted national education standards, which he thinks are too low, while Garlick said the national standards were based on those proven successful in Massachusetts.

O’Leary, who is a member of the Needham School Committee, said Needham schools decided to forgo its share of federal education funds because the paperwork was too expensive.

“This is a pattern with federal government,” said O’Leary. “Massachusetts had a pretty good thing going with its [education] reform, and now it’s at risk.”

Garlick said federal education funds would stabilize school budgets and help close the achievement gap.

“I’m shocked we would forgo $40,000 because there was too much paperwork,” said Garlick. “Every dollar counts.”

Before the forum closed, the candidates came back to a discussion on aid and social services. In response to a question asking what the candidates would do for seniors, O’Leary said government is spending and providing more services than it can afford.

“We don’t have the resources to play Santa Claus anymore,” he said. “This isn’t something like, this mean Republican guy doesn’t want to give nice things to people. There’s no money there, people.”

Garlick requested a rebuttal, arguing that social services are funded by tax dollars and citizens decide how to spend that money.

“The money we spend on children in our system on education and human services, individuals with disabilities and seniors are not gifts from Santa Claus,” she said. “We decide where we’re going to cut.”

O'Leary, Garlick debate issues, records in run for State House

Published by The Boston Globe

Candidates for state representative Denise Garlick and John O’Leary squared off Thursday night in the first of three debates in the race for the 13th Norfolk seat, which represents Needham, Dover and Medfield.

O’Leary, a Republican who held several posts during Mitt Romney’s administration, and Garlick, a Democrat who serves on Needham’s Board of Selectmen, met at the the Dover Town House for a forum with panelists from YourTown Needham, the Community Newspaper Company, and Needham Patch.


In their opening and closing statements, the candidates reemphasized their commitment to improving the state’s economy, creating jobs and improving education. O’Leary, a researcher at Harvard University, promised to correct what he called corruption and inefficiency in the State House. Garlick, a nurse at Wellesley College, pledged to maintain local aid.

When asked about closing the achievement gap in Massachusetts schools, O’Leary proposed charter schools as a solution. He did not talk about charter schools in the primary race against Joshua Levy.

“A holistic approach to education is helpful, but I’d recommend in a lot of places that the parents are the first line of defense,” said O’Leary. “Challenges in schools come from problems in the home.”

Garlick praised the recent switch to national core education standards in Massachusetts and the receipt of federal funds, saying the aid would help train teachers and alleviate strain on school budgets.

Garlick also said affordable housing is necessary for closing the achievement gap, and would not support ballot Question 2, which would repeal the state’s affordable housing law known as Chapter 40B.

“It’s a very powerful tool to use to increase diversity,” said Garlick. “It’s a strength for all communities.”

Chapter 40B gives extra muscle to developers trying to build housing in towns where less than 10 percent of the housing stock is considered affordable. It allows builders to bypass many local zoning rules and boards in a streamlined approval process.

O’Leary agreed that Chapter 40B should remain, but only because there would be no more efficient law to replace it that would encourage affordable housing. He said the law is flawed because the limits on developers’ profits are not enforced.

Both candidates said they supported the recent legislation that requires public schools in Massachusetts to create anti-bullying policies, citing work in Needham schools to craft an anti-bullying plan as important.

Asked about handling adversity on Beacon Hill, O’Leary said he had the courage to vote as a member of the Needham School Committee against an override that included funds for the construction of the High Rock Middle School, a difficult decision given the priority Needham families give to their schools.

Garlick pointed out that O’Leary abstained from the override vote rather than voting no, but O’Leary said that abstaining sent a strong message of disagreement with unnecessary spending.

O’Leary also asserted that Garlick voted against a referendum allowing towns to change healthcare plans because of special interests.

“The Statehouse is 90 percent Democratic,” said O’Leary. “They enjoy their support.”

Garlick said the referendum included other parts she did not agree with, and she worked to compromise on a rate-saving healthcare plan.

“For all present and future needs, I will stand up to make those changes,” said Garlick. “You have to find people who will work with you.”

Both candidates agreed that healthcare costs in Massachusetts need containment. Garlick said she would look at waste in the system and make sure payments go directly to care and not to insurance companies.

O’Leary said Massachusetts will need to make costs transparent, reform tort laws, and break the link between healthcare and employment.

Both candidates opposed ballot Questions 1 and 3, which would eliminate the tax on alcohol and decrease the sales tax from 6 percent to 3 percent. O’Leary said he would rather focus on cutting income taxes to 5 percent to boost the economy, and both candidates agreed the state would lose vital revenue streams if those taxes were repealed or decreased.

“To lower the sales tax to 3 percent is too far to go given the economic realities and budget challenge,” he said.

Asked about improving public transportation, O’Leary suggested a tax on gasoline as an incentive for people to use public transit, drive less, and use more efficient cars. O’Leary said he did not support building more transportation infrastructure or promoting clean energy and other sustainable technologies because he does not believe the state can afford such projects and should not focus on addressing climate change.

Garlick, however, said that constant commuter rail delays underline the need for revenue, especially for the MBTA. She also said that green technologies are a good way to create jobs in Massachusetts and are necessary to address climate change.

“There’s a great synergy between concerns for climate change and what Massachusetts is trying to do in terms of jobs and economic development,” said Garlick. “It can only help us to heal the planet.”

The candidates will debate again today at 1 p.m. at the Needham Senior Center at 83 Pickering St. They will also meet at a forum sponsored by the Women’s League of Voters of Needham on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Broadmeadow School, 120 Broad Meadow Rd. in Needham.

State House candidates debate Thursday

Published by The Boston Globe

As the campaign to replace longtime state Rep. Lida Harkins in the 13th Norfolk District enters its final weeks, the candidates will square off in three debates - one in Dover and two in Needham.

Democrat Denise Garlick and Republican John O’Leary will debate on Oct. 21 at the Dover Town House. The session will begin at 7:30 p.m. and last one hour. Former Dover selectman David Heinlein will moderate and media representatives from Boston.com/needham, Needham patch, and the Community Newspaper Company will form the panel that will question the candidates.

The debate is being sponsored by the Dover Republican and Democratic Town Committees and the Dover Board of Library Trustees.


The candidates will also debate at the Broadmeadow School at 120 Broad Meadow Rd. in Needham on Oct. 25 in a forum hosted by the Needham League of Women’s Voters. The session starts at 7 p.m. The Needham Council on Aging will also host a forum at the Senior Center at 83 Pickering St. on Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.

The candidates are competing in the Nov. 2 election to fill the post occupied for 22 years by Harkins, who is stepping down this year.

Both parties predict victory.

Democrats believe they can win again in the district, which covers Needham, Dover and part of Medfield.

“When someone like Lida makes the decision to move on, it creates a hole,” said John Walsh, chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. “Denise brings a unique combination of experience, a pattern of very hard work for the things she cares about and a level of political courage.”

Republicans hope to ride a wave of anti-incumbent feeling this year to gain a spot in a state Legislature that is overhwelmingly Democratic.

“There’s definitely an appetite for some new leadership,” Jennifer Nassour, chairman for Massachusetts Republican Party,. “O’Leary is an amazing person … a great man who’s working really hard, is incredibly smart and would be a great asset to the legislature.”

O’Leary, 48, has been endorsed by U.S. Senator Scott Brown, whose upset victory earlier this year has turned him into a national polictical celebrity.

O’Leary, a Harvard University researcher, has campaigned on the promise of improving government efficiency and creating jobs by cutting taxes and streamlining regulation. He is emphasizing his experience in local and state government—he has worked at three different state agencies under former Governor Mitt Romney and has served on the Needham School Committee for the past three and a half years.

He recently wrote If We Can Put a Man on the Moon: Getting Big Things Done in Government, which analyzes how business management concepts could help improve the success of government projects. He has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business.

O’Leary said his first priority is improving the business climate in Massachusetts. He also pledged to cut waste on Beacon Hill, address the growing state debt and reduce the state income tax to 5 percent.

Garlick, 56, a nurse at Wellesley College and a Needham selectwoman, has emphasized containing health care costs and maintaining funding for education and social services. She has said she would create jobs through better business infrastructure, streamlining regulation and creating incentives. She has been endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts and the Sierra Club.

Garlick is finishing her first two-year term as a selectwoman and recently completed her job as a co-chair of the Senior Center Exploratory Committee by recommending new senior center locations to selectmen. She has served for the Government Affairs Council and was the president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, whose endorsement she has received. She has also been endorsed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

Garlick said, if elected, one of her first acts as state representative would be to streamline healthcare forms, suggesting a common application similar to the Common Application for colleges. She said voters don’t want a “career politician” but someone who understands their concerns.

Needham Selectman Dan Matthews, who is managing Garlick’s campaign, said Garlick has been campaigning door-to-door and meeting with residents. She is holding a rally Sunday at the Needham VFW Post 2498 at 20 Junction St. at 6 p.m.

Garlick has also been attending public events, distributing literature, sending out mailings, posting lawn signs and making phone calls, said Matthews.

Charles Chieppo, a spokesman for O’Leary’s campaign, said O’Leary has visited residents door-to-door and met with small groups of voters over coffee. The campaign plans to send out mail and make phone calls closer to Election Day, he said.

The next round of campaign finance reports is not due until Oct. 25, but at the end of the pre-primary report period ending Aug. 27, Garlick spent $26,032, leaving her with about $6,159, according to state campaign finance records.

At the time of filing his report, O’Leary had spent $9,180, leaving him with about $6,878.

Praying by pupils at mosque decried

Published by The Boston Globe

By Erica Noonan and Katrina Ballard

WELLESLEY — Wellesley’s school superintendent apologized yesterday for allowing middle school pupils to participate in a prayer service during a field trip to a Roxbury mosque last spring.

The apology to parents was made after a group that has been critical of Islamic Society of Boston Community Center — New England’s largest mosque and Muslim cultural center — released a 10-minute video featuring footage of Wellesley pupils bowing their heads during a prayer service.

The group, Americans for Peace and Tolerance, received the footage from a mother of one of the pupils, its director, Dennis Hale, said yesterday. The woman, whom they would not identify, went on the May 27 trip as a chaperone for her son’s sixth-grade class, he said.



Superintendent Bella Wong said yesterday that allowing the children to participate in the prayer service was a mistake, and apologized to parents in a letter.

Five middle schoolers participated in the Muslim midday prayer at the mosque, she said. Some can be seen in the video imitating some of the movements.

“It was not the intent for students to be able to participate in any of the religious practices,’’ Wong said. “The fact that any students were allowed to do so in this case was an error.’’

A community center spokesman said no one from the organization asked the pupils to participate in the prayers.

“Certainly in our tours we do not invite kids to take part, but if someone wants to come pray and take part, we shouldn’t prevent them,’’ said Bilal Kaleem, president of the Muslim American Society of Boston, which manages and runs the cultural center. “It’s more an issue with the school.’’

Kaleem said that the cultural center offers tours and that Wellesley educators had set up the field trip.

Wong said the mosque visit took place as part of the sixth-grade social studies course, “Enduring Beliefs in the World Today,’’ which includes lessons on Judaism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. As part of the class, pupils also visit a synagogue, attend a gospel musical performance, and meet with Hindu religious representatives, she said.

“I extend my sincere apologies for the error that occurred and regret the offense it may have caused,’’ Wong said in the letter to parents.

In the future, Wong wrote, teachers will provide “more clear guidance to students to better define what is allowed to fulfill the purpose of observation.’’

Hale said the Wellesley mother disturbed by the trip gave the video to his group because it was the main voice against the mosque when it opened in 2009.

Hale said that he and his co-directors, Dr. Charles Jacobs, a Jewish activist, and Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Mansour, an Egyptian refugee, oppose the mosque because of its affiliation with the Muslim American Society.

Hale said Wellesley officials should have prevented students from participating in prayers.

Tweet 2 people Tweeted thisSubmit to DiggdiggsdiggYahoo! Buzz ShareThis “If a Catholic priest took school kids to a church and said, ‘Let’s teach them about Catholicism,’ and the kids kneeled before the altar, took wine, and the Host, the furor would be visible from outer space,’’ he said.

But Kate Badertscher, a Wellesley parent whose son attended the field trip, had a different perspective.

“Speaking as a parent, I thought it was a terrific field trip for him to go on,’’ Badertscher, a member of the Wellesley Middle School Parent Teacher Organization, said when contacted by the Globe.

“So much of what kids read and hear about Islam today doesn’t give them the full picture. I think the school was trying to broaden horizons, and that’s a good thing.’’

The 10-minute video, which weaves the words of a narrator and video of activities at the center, says that during the field trip, girls and women were instructed to stay at the back of the room during the prayer service — as per Muslim custom — and the boys were allowed to stand side by side with mosque members during prayers.

The children, visible from the back on film, are not identified.

Hale’s video also criticized a nonprofit education curriculum company, Primary Source, for encouraging public school visits to mosques. Reached yesterday, the executive director of the Watertown-based business, Julia de la Torre, said her company did not plan the Wellesley field trip.

Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, said her organization will investigate what happened with the Wellesley schoolchildren.

“If, as the video produced by this organization purports to show, public school children were indeed asked to take part in or observe a prayer service at a mosque, it would be deeply problematic, as would any invitation to public school children to participate in a prayer service at any church, temple, or other religious house of worship,’’ Rose said in a statement last night.

Noting that the field trip took place this past spring, Kaleem asserted that Americans for Peace and Tolerance was sensationalizing the incident because of the current controversy in New York City over locating a Muslim community center near ground zero of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

“They make it their business to go after mosques,’’ Kaleem said. “They’ve never come to the center, never agreed to meet and talk about their concern.’’

A leader of another local Islamic group, the Wayland-based Islamic Society of Boston, said his mosque frequently offers tours and allows visitors to attend prayer services.

But to truly pray as a Muslim, a supplicant needs to undergo ritual ablutions, something few non-Muslim visitors ever do, said Dr. Abdul Cader Asmal, a board member and former president of the Wayland mosque, which is independent from the Roxbury center visited by the Wellesley students.

“It is so unfortunate,’’ Asmal said of the controversy, “when we have an opportunity to help encourage good relations and people with an agenda wreck the understanding we are trying to create.’’

Globe correspondent Sarah Thomas contributed to this report.

It's O'Leary vs. Garlick for state representative

Published by The Boston Globe

Needham Selectman Denise Garlick won the Democratic nomination and will face off against Republican winner John O'Leary in November to fill the state House of Representatives seat in the 13th Norfolk District, which is being vacated by state Rep. Lida Harkins.

Harkins, a Democrat, is stepping down after 22 years.


According to unofficial returns, Garlick had 2,798 votes to 2,570 for Needham Selectman Jerry Wasserman and 653 for sales executive Gary McNeill. Garlick is a community outreach educator for Wellesley College and a former president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

O'Leary, a Harvard University research fellow who was endorsed by U.S. Senator Scott Brown, defeated medical researcher Joshua Levy 1,690 to 652. O'Leary served in a number of high profile posts in the administration of former Gov. Mitt Romney.

The district covers Needham, Dover and parts of Medfield.

Garlick narrowly lost to Wasserman in Needham but made up for it in Dover and Medfield.

" I think the people who work in my campaign earned this result tonight,” said Garlick. “The work we began in the spring continues all the way, every day, to November 2.”

O'Leary swept to victory in all three towns.

"I think it's going to be very competitive. There are two good candidates out there," said O’Leary. "There are clear differences; for people looking to change the climate on Beacon Hill, I think they’re going to be looking at getting someone with fresh ideas."

Garlick, 56, has been running on the premise that she will address problems with the economy, healthcare and education.

She said her experience as a registered nurse has shown her the necessity of containing health-care costs. Garlick also said she would create jobs by promoting infrastructure projects, and pointed to her work revitalizing the Needham Business Park near Interstate 95.

She is cochairwoman of the Senior Center Exploratory Committee, which is seeking a site for a proposed new center, a former chairwoman on the Needham Board of Health and founder of the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention.

O’Leary has said he thinks Beacon Hill is inefficient partially because of the Democratic majority. He has said bipartisanship is necessary to create new ideas and represent different positions.

O’Leary led the Division of Unemployment Assistance, chaired the Civil Service Commission, and served as chief human resources officer under Romney, who was governor from 2003 to 2007. He has been on the Needham School Committee for 3 1/2 years.

O’Leary, 48, recently coauthored “If We Can Put a Man on the Moon: Getting Big Things Done in Government,’’ a book that analyzes how business management concepts could help improve government operations. He currently is a research fellow at the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The Republican candidate said he would streamline the state’s regulatory system, and eliminate waste by overhauling or eliminating laws that prevent state agencies from outsourcing work to private companies. He also said he would seek to cut the state income tax from 5.3 percent to 5 percent.

According to state campaign finance records, Garlick raised $32,191 this year through Aug. 27. She spent $26,032, leaving her with about $6,159.

O’Leary had raised $16,058 and spent $9,180, leaving him with about $6,878.

Candidates for state rep debate in Needham

Published by The Boston Globe


Democrats pressed the need to generate more revenue and create jobs and Republicans called for a more bipartisan approach to governing on Beacon Hill and greater efforts at government efficiency as the five candidates for state representative from the 13th Norfolk District debated the issues in Needham Thursday night.

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the evening was split into two debates - one for the three Democratic candidates, Needham Selectmen Denise Garlick and Jerry Wasserman and sales executive Gary McNeill; the other for the Republicans, John O’Leary, a former Romney administration official and a research fellow at Harvard University, and Joshua Levy, a medical researcher.


Just under 200 people attended the Democratic portion, while about 70 people watched the Republican forum. Most audience members were from Needham, but the district also covers Dover and parts of Medfield.


The Democratic candidates focused many of their answers on increasing revenue for the state with Garlick saying that developing revenue and creating jobs would be her most important goal, if elected.

“Everything depends on the ability to generate state revenue,” she said. “We must work together regardless of our viewpoints.”

Wasserman said he agreed jobs are important, but he said he would not focus on a single goal but work to improve healthcare, education and infrastructure, as well to attract business. He argued throughout the debate that he has a record of achievements in his years of service as a selectman and chairman of the Suburban Coalition proving he can accomplish his goals.

Garlick, a former president of the Massachusetts Nurse Association, said it is important to contain health costs She also said that the state needs to invest more money in job-creating infrastructure projects and developing and maintaining an educated workforce.

McNeill argued that he can best represent constituents because he is not a politician and has no vested interests. He was the only Democratic candidate to support casinos as a badly-needed source of revenue and jobs.

Garlick and Wasserman both said the potential revenue from casinos in the state would not be worth the costs of building them and the social consequences.

“I don’t believe the income projections will be anything close to what they’re saying,” said Wasserman. “They’re not good, long-lasting jobs, and the competition is not good for communities.”

McNeill was the only Democrat to say green technology was not one of his highest priorities.

“The financial factor burdens us from enacting changes,” he said. “People choose alternatives that are more cost-efficient.”

Garlick and Wasserman both said incentives for green technologies are crucial, and making Needham energy-efficient has been a priority for them. Wasserman said Massachusetts can give technology advice and towns can help show what works in terms of wind or solar energy.

On the Republican side, both candidates emphasized the need for more GOP representation on Beacon Hill, where Democrats overwhelmingly dominate the Legislature.

“If you like how the government is serving today, vote for the other party,” said O’Leary. “If you want to see change, consider Joshua or myself.”

Levy said that, if elected, he would endeavor to work with Democrats to forge bipartisan solutions to the state’s problems. O’Leary agreed that bipartisanship is a good course, saying: “I want to be an articulator on a different set of positions.”

Both candidates emphasized the need to correct government inefficiencies and to lower taxes to attract businesses and create jobs. O’Leary said lowering taxes, establishing “reasonable” regulation and improving education was the secret to creating jobs and improving the economy.

The Republican candidates also agreed casinos might help bring in revenue for Massachusetts.

They disagreed on establishing climate change legislation as a priority. O’Leary said the Federal government should worry about its debt before trying to tackle climate change, but Levy said wind and solar power are important parts to making the state sustainable.

“We really do need to make sure climate change, global warming and our environment are in a condition we can live in,” said Levy.

O’Leary said that he would support behavior-changing legislation such as a tax on gas and oil or adding a 5-cent deposit to non-carbonated bottled drinks to create incentives for people to drive less, as long as income taxes were reduced at the same time.

Garlick falsely claims NARAL endorsement

Published by The Boston Globe

Democratic candidate for state representative Denise Garlick of Needham issued an apology over the weekend for distributing campaign literature falsely claming the endorsement of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts.

Garlick’s campaign dropped off flyers to homes in Needham on Saturday listing NARAL with other organizations who have endorsed Garlick. The organization, however, has decided to remain neutral in the race for the seat now held by state Rep. Lida Harkins, who is stepping aside. The district covers Needham, Dover and Medfield.


“Obviously, while we played no part in the error, it is deeply disturbing if voters are left with a misimpression,” said Andrea Miller, executive director of NARAL. “We take our endorsement process very seriously, and we are very concerned.”

Miller said the campaign for Democratic candidate Jerry Wasserman called NARAL on Saturday to alert the organization to the error, and NARAL called Garlick’s campaign and asked the candidate to fix the error.

Garlick’s campaign stopped distributing the flyer on Saturday and printed a new version without NARAL, which was distributed to homes on Sunday, said Alex Garlick, communications director for Garlick’s campaign.

A statement posted on Garlick’s website notes that Garlick is listed as a pro-choice candidate on NARAL’s website, but admits that NARAL has not endorsed a candidate for the 13th Norfolk primary.

“Due to a misunderstanding, the Garlick campaign listed NARAL’s endorsement on a single piece of campaign literature, hand-delivered to some Needham homes on September 11, 2010 and apologizes for the error,” said the statement.

A statement issued by Wasserman’s campaign said he has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, and he has worked on women’s and reproductive rights throughout his career.

"It's unfortunate when a campaign feels the need to invent an endorsement in order to give the appearance of support that they don't have," said Wasserman in the statement. "When voters care deeply about a particular issue, endorsements can be very important in influencing their vote.

In race to replace Harkins, Democrats raise more money

Published by The Boston Globe

In the race to replace state Rep. Lida Harkins, Democratic candidates have raised more money than their Republican counterparts as the campaign heads toward primary elections Tuesday in the district that includes Needham, Dover and parts of Medfield.

According to campaign finance reports filed this week, covering the calendar year up to Aug. 27, Needham Selectman Jerry Wasserman, a management consultant and a Democrat, has raised $32,275. That includes a $10,000 loan from Wasserman to his campaign and a $500 donation from the candidate. His wife, Joan, a business analyst for Thomson Reuters, has loaned the campaign $6,500. Wasserman has spent a total of $25,220.


Needham Selectman Denise Garlick, a registered nurse at Wellesley College and a Democrat, has raised $32,191. She has loaned her campaign $5,000 and spent $26,032.

Sales executive Gary McNeill, also of Needham, the third Democrat, has raised $24,630, all of which is reported as donations. He has spent $24,075.

On the Republican side, candidate John O’Leary of Needham, a researcher at Harvard University, has raised $16,058, including $3,293 he loaned to his campaign. O’Leary, who served in the administration of former Gov. Mitt Romney, has spent $9,180

Joshua Levy, a medical researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston University, has brought in $3,310, including $1,060 he has loaned to his campaign. Levy, of Needham, has spent $1,280.

Wasserman received $500 donations, the maximum amount from one source, from the Boston Teachers Union, the American Federation of Teachers in Massachusetts and the National Association of Social Workers in Massachusetts. Two college professors—Samuel Graves from Boston College and Stephen McKnight from Northeastern University— donated $500 each to Wasserman. Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, gave $200 to Wasserman’s campaign.

Garlick got $500 donations from the Electrical Workers Union; Thomas Breslin, associate director of the Massachusetts Nurses Association; Karen Higgins, a nurse at Boston Medical Center and Nancy Gilman, a nurse at Tufts University. The Massachusetts Nurses Association, for which Garlick served as president, also donated food for a fundraiser worth about $300. She has also received donations of $500 each from Bill Tilburg, co-chair of the Needham 300 Committee and Needham Selectman Dan Matthews. Maria McTernan, development director of the Charles River Center, donated $250 to Garlick’s campaign. Garlick has previously worked as a nurse at the center.

McNeill had $500 contributions from Robert Curatola, president of Rockwood Colonials Realty in Cohasset; Francis Mahoney, a partner at Ernst & Young in Medfield; attorney James McNeill, Alfred Pace, president of Pace Builders; Hope and Michael Pascucci, principals at Rosegrove Capital; Daniel Passacantelli, president of bftelecom; Steve Schernecker, president of SPS Inc.; and Joseph Zink, president of Atlantic Management.

Republican O’Leary received $500 each from John Chisholm, CIO of Acadian Asset Management; homemakers Germaine Choe and MaryEllen Costello, retiree Edmund Costello, William Eggers, director of Deloitte, C. Bruce Johnstone of Fidelity Investments and banker Stephen Mahoney.

Levy received $500 from retiree Naomi Levy of Needham. He also got contributions from three doctors: $250 each from Daniel Levy of Greatneck and Melvyn Lurie of Weston and $200 from Neil Feldman of Worcester,

Harkins is leaving the Legislature after 22 years. She ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate earlier this year.

GOP pushing to capture Harkins seat

Published by The Boston Globe

Five candidates — three Democrats and two Republicans — are locked in primary races to decide who takes the place of state Representative Lida Harkins of Needham, who is leaving the Legislature after 22 years.

In a year of political surprises and voter discontent, Republicans are hoping to take the 13th Norfolk District, which covers Needham, Dover, and part of Medfield. But Democrats say they are confident they can head off a GOP gain by retaining the seat.

Harkins, a Democrat, tried unsuccessfully to win Republican Scott Brown’s state Senate seat, which became vacant after his upset victory in the US Senate race to replace the late Edward Kennedy. She was defeated in a bruising primary by a fellow Needham resident, emergency room physician Peter Smulowitz, who then lost the special election to Republican state Representative Richard Ross of Wrentham.

Despite the emphasis this year on outsider candidates, only two of the five people running in the 13th Norfolk primaries on Sept. 14 are political newcomers; all of them are from Needham. Two are selectmen in town, and one of the Republican candidates held positions in the Romney administration. The issues raised in both party races have centered on the economy, health care, and education.


The candidates for the Democratic nomination are fellow board members Jerry Wasserman and Denise Garlick, and Gary McNeill, a sales executive.

The Republican candidates are Joshua Levy, a medical researcher, and John O’Leary, a research fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, who worked in three state agencies under Governor Mitt Romney.

The candidates have campaigned door to door and by telephone, have posted signs, and have promoted their agendas at community forums. Needham’s League of Women Voters chapter will host two debates for the candidates, split by party affiliation, tonight starting at 7 at Broadmeadow Elementary School, 120 Broadmeadow Road, Needham.

Brown has injected himself in the race by endorsing O’Leary and sponsoring a fund-raiser for him, hoping in a year of electoral dissatisfaction to help their party gain a seat long held by Democrats.

Harkins said she thinks Brown’s endorsement may have some effect on the primary, but she’s not sure it will sway voters in the general election in November. She said Needham residents, the largest bloc in the district, tend to favor Democrats, but have switched to the other party in gubernatorial races.

As chairwoman of the Needham Democratic Committee, she said she couldn’t take sides in the primary, but all of her party’s contenders are “very good candidates, very qualified candidates.’’

Tarah Breed, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Republican Party, pointed out that Ross won 51.8 percent of the vote in Needham for the special election to replace Brown this spring.

“I think there’s a strong chance’’ for the Republicans to pick up the 13th Norfolk seat, she said.

But John Walsh, chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, said he does not think that Ross winning the state Senate seat indicates how voters will choose their state representative. He said he believes that Democrats can keep their seat, and added that the Democratic primary race has created a good discussion and helped voters understand the issues.

“This is the district very well served by Lida Harkins in the House of Representatives for many years,’’ he said. “Right now, Democrats are in a very good position to have a number of good candidates to choose from.’’

In the primary campaigning on the Republican side, O’Leary, 48, is emphasizing his experience in local and state government and promising to make Massachusetts run more efficiently. He ran the Division of Unemployment Assistance, chaired the Civil Service Commission, and served as chief human resources officer under Romney, who was governor from 2003 to 2007. He has been on the Needham School Committee for 3 1/2 years.

O’Leary recently coauthored “If We Can Put a Man on the Moon: Getting Big Things Done in Government,’’ a book that analyzes how business management concepts could help improve government operations.

Levy, 23, a researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston University, says his policy research has helped him understand the most effective methods of government. Levy said his limited political experience, as a Town Meeting member, and his youth give him a different perspective.

“I’m not seeking to diminish its impact for me,’’ said Levy. “I think it’s an advantage because I see things differently.’’

O’Leary and Levy said they would work to cut state debt and make more cost-effective choices when spending state funds.

O’Leary said he would streamline the state’s regulatory system, and eliminate waste by overhauling or eliminating laws that prevent state agencies from outsourcing work to private companies. He also said he would seek to cut the state income tax from 5.3 percent to 5 percent.

The state is “cutting local aid to balance its budget,’’ said O’Leary. “The state should have to make changes on its operation,’’ he said, and not “directly or indirectly take money away from what should be priorities.’’

Levy said he would help reform the state pension system, possibly by changing the retirement age, making cuts across the board, and eliminating unnecessary programs. He cited a program that requires hospitals to secure approval from the state before purchasing necessary equipment as an example of inefficient government.

Both Republican and Democratic candidates agree that job creation and education funding are top priorities. All candidates said they would work to get more state funding for education, but Levy said he was the only candidate to pledge more funds for charter schools in response to rising demand.

On the Democratic side, Wasserman, 63, an independent management consultant, said the state is working its way up to a funding floor for public schools that he established while chairing the Suburban Coalition. In addition to his statewide experience, Wasserman said, he has been a Needham selectman for 11 years, and served on the town’s School Committee for nine years. Wasserman is also a member of Green Needham, a community-based energy conservation group, and helped promote a test wind turbine proposed for town that has won zoning approval.

Wasserman mentioned green technology as one of the most important issues. He said he would work to create a market for alternative energy by offering grants or low-interest loans to companies and municipalities, and help neighboring communities make joint purchases to switch over to clean energy.

“To municipalities, it’s a win-win because we get ourselves less dependent on fossil fuels, but we also help the environment,’’ he said.

Wasserman has been endorsed by various environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club, and by the American Federation of Teachers.

Garlick, 56, a community outreach educator at Wellesley College, is finishing her first two-year term as a selectwoman, and is also cochairwoman of the Senior Center Exploratory Committee, which is seeking a site for a proposed new center. A former president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, she has been endorsed by the organization and by the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

Garlick, a former chairwoman on the Needham Board of Health and founder of the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention, said her experience as a registered nurse has shown her the necessity of containing health-care costs. One of her first acts as state representative would be to streamline health insurance forms, suggesting a common application similar to the one now in use by many colleges, she said.

Garlick also said she would create jobs by promoting infrastructure projects, and pointed to her work revitalizing the Needham Business Park near Interstate 95. She said voters don’t want a “career politician’’ but someone who understands their concerns

“What they want is a sense of independence in a state representative who will decide issues on the basis of the issue, and that their state rep will have the courage to change things,’’ she said.

McNeill, founder of Environmental Safety Products and Services, said being an outsider would allow him to independently represent voters.

“I have no vested interest, no counterparts,’’ said McNeill, 47.

McNeill said his business experience would help him balance a budget and attract small business growth. He said he would offer tax credits for job creation and job training grants for certain industries. He also pledged to form a working group on health care involving all sides of the issue.

McNeill said voters not just in his local communities but across the state are looking for a candidate who can best handle the economy, health care, and education. He also said he wants to make living in the area more affordable.

“Some people are struggling to stay in this community, and it’s not right,’’ he said. “I want to make this a better place for me, my kids, and everyone else."

Sierra Club endorses Wasserman for state rep

Published by The Boston Globe

The Massachusetts Sierra Club is endorsing Democrat Jerry Wasserman for state representative in the 13th Norfolk District, which covers Needham, Dover and Medfield.

In a press release last week, the club, an environmental advocacy group, said they are supporting Wasserman because he has a record of protecting the environment.



“His focus on environmental issues has demonstrated his commitment to protecting our wildlife, ushering in a new era of green technology, and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Phillip Sego, political chair of the Massachusetts Sierra Club. “He will be an unwavering advocate for environmental protection in the State House.”

Wasserman has been a Needham selectman for 11 years and is a member of Green Needham, a local group working to make the town sustainable, according to the press release. He has brought renewable energy to Needham and worked to get hybrids for town transportation, the release said.

“I have always greatly respected the work of the Sierra Club and I am thrilled to have their support,” Wasserman said in the release. “I believe that this endorsement is recognition of the work have I done and will continue to do on environmental issues.”

Wasserman is running for the Democratic nomination against Selectman Denise Garlick and Gary McNeill in the primary on Sept. 14.

Brown endorses state House candidate

Published by The Boston Globe

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown has endorsed a former Romney administration official for state representative in the 13th Norfolk District and will host a fundraiser for the candidate at the home of a retired Needham car dealer whose appearance in a recent parade wearing a Native American costume drew controversy.

Brown has thrown his support behind John O’Leary of Needham in the district, which includes Needham, Dover and Medfield.



O’Leary’s campaign said Brown will host a fundraiser for O’Leary on Sept. 10 at the Dover home of Fred Muzi.

Muzi, the retired owner of Muzi Ford in Needham, has recently been the center of a controversy over his representation of a Native American in the Needham Fourth of July parade. Though several residents have voiced support for Muzi, some have said they were offended by his appearance, which they consider insensitive to Native Americans. Muzi, who has ridden in the parade as a Native American for over 50 years, has said he respects the Native American culture and his parade portrayal is meant as a tribute.

Brown’s press director, Gail Gitcho, referred questions on the fund-raising event to O’Leary’s campaign.

Brown said in a press release that he is endorsing O’Leary for his four years of experience in state government under former Governor Mitt Romney, heading three different agencies.

“John O’Leary has the skills and experience that we need now on Beacon Hill,” said Brown. “Governor Romney continued to promote John into roles of increasing responsibility because of John’s outstanding skills as a public sector manager.”

In a statement, O’Leary said he was “proud to receive Senator Brown's endorsement, because this race is about controlling spending and getting the economy moving again.”

O’Leary’s campaign manager Ted Owens said Muzi offered his home in June. Owens said Muzi has held many fund-raising events for candidates in the past, and Muzi’s home is a convenient location in the middle of the district.

“Fred’s living room is the size of a hotel function room and was designed for parties,” said Owens. “The controversy surrounding Fred Muzi and the Fourth of July parade will not affect this event.”

Muzi could not be reached for this story.

O’Leary is a Republican running against Joshua Levy, a researcher at Masachusetts General Hospital and Boston University, in the primary on Sept. 14. Levy declined comment.

You betcha!

PUBLISHED by Boston Metro

When Curtis K. Hughes watched the vice presidential debates last year, Palin and Biden’s amusing personalities and musical voices inspired him to compose a full-fledged opera he called “Say It Ain’t So, Joe.”


“Sarah Palin is melodious,” says Hughes. “Biden just drones on and on and on in one or two notes, or gets incredibly dynamic and wide ranging, then seems to exhaust himself and go back to the drone.”

The production, currently being staged by Guerilla Opera, aims to stay politically neutral, says Aliana de la Guardia, who acts as Diane Sawyer and Palin.

“A message is definitely that people should think for themselves and be aware of the media and how it works,” she says.
Most of the opera’s lyrics come straight from the text of the debate.

“I came out of it feeling like there were really no purely heroic figures in any of this,” says Hughes.

“If there’s any kind of evil character, it’s probably the media itself. I was just continuously dumbfounded by the really stupid things the media had to say and ask.”

‘Say It Ain’t So, Joe’
Through Sunday
Boston Conservatory
8 The Fenway, Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Hynes
$7-$12, 617-912-9222

Abducted activists "rescued" from the Common

BOSTON—Over one thousand activists representing abducted African children were “rescued” from the Boston Common Saturday evening when three Massachusetts politicians pledged their support for saving child soldiers.

The Rescue took place in over 100 cities in 10 countries on Saturday to raise awareness about the conditions of child soldiers in Africa. The movement was sponsored by Invisible Children, a political group founded to save children kidnapped by Joseph Kony, a rebel leader in Africa, said Lydia Natoolo, an Invisible Children volunteer.


“Thousands are being kidnapped—200,000 young children kidnapped from their homes,” said Natoolo. “We’re abducting ourselves, and we want to make political leaders rescue us.”

Participants in Boston gathered on the Common in front of the State House and wrote letters to members of Congress, then waited for a politician, celebrity or other “mogul” to arrive and acknowledge the cause. Ed Birce, a representative from Sen. John Kerry’s office, was the first rescuer. Birce arrived to read a letter signed by Kerry, Sen. Edward Kenndey and Rep. James McGovern at 5:30 p.m., just a half an hour after the event began.

“This is awesome,” said Nate Henn, an Invisible Children representative. “We knew Boston would be a top city, but this is an amazing response. This letter shows [the politicians] know what’s going on.”

The letter thanked the participants for raising awareness about Kony, who has killed over 1,000 people in Africa since he backed out of a UN peace process in September.

“Together, we will work toward peace in Africa and end this tragic crisis as soon as possible,” the letter said.

The Boston participants were rescued second in the country, after those in Burlington, Vt. Representatives from both cities then drove to Harrisburg, Pa., which is the closest site still waiting for a politician or celebrity to arrive, said Henn. The “Rescue Riders” will keep moving until all the cities are rescued, said Henn.

“We’re 100 percent committed,” he said. “We’ll go into next week if we have to.”

Henn said over 1,500 people signed up to join the Boston site, and some people came who were not registered.

People Helping People, a student group from Eastern Connecticut State University, drove to Riverside Station and took the Commuter Rail to The Rescue in Boston because it was the nearest location, said Chairman Liz Hesterberg. She said the 21 group members who came wrote about the cause in letters to Connecticut senators.

“We think it’s important to give a voice to people who don’t have a voice, and get the knowledge out there,” said Hesterberg, a sophomore from Harwinton, Conn.

People Helping People member Christopher Brechlin said he thought The Rescue was well organized, and the site leaders periodically updated everyone about the rest of the sites and plans for the evening to keep their energy up.

“This is a really motivational event,” Brechlin, a senior from Connecticut, said. “It’s nice to see how much energy people have. Everyone’s doing something.”

Caroline Altreuter, a transfer student from Smith College, said she came to The Rescue alone because she would get an opportunity to meet others interested in the issue. She said she heard about Invisible Children at her former school, SUNY Geneseo, and her fellow students at Smith do not know about the war in Africa.

“I’m really encouraged because people here are so young, and families are here, too,” Altreuter said. “It’s great because it’s something people should care about.”

Altreuter said she was “annoyed” the senators and representative did not come themselves to show their support, but she thought their letter was sincere.

Alan Willis, a graduate student at New England Conservatory, said he thought the letter was “corny,” and politicians in Boston might not be as aggressive as they should in fighting for peace negotiations in Africa.

“What are they doing that they couldn’t come?” Willis said. “Did you really write this letter or did you just sign it?”

Kony has been kidnapping children from Uganda for his rebel army, stationed in southern Sudan, for 22 years, said Invisible Children’s Natoolo. The International Criminal Court has indicted Kony on war crime charges, and the UN has been negotiating peace terms with him, but he is currently hiding in the forests of the Congo and refuses to continue dialogue, said Natoolo.

“The atrocities done to the kids in the rebel army are unbelievable,” she said. “He has 4,000 kids in camps right now … we want these kids to come back home.”

Participants in all 100 cities were writing about 200,000 letters to politicians, urging their support for negotiating peace with Kony, said Zach Barrows, Invisible Children’s Schools for Schools director. Invisible Children has lobbied in Washington, D.C. for continued negotiations in the past and will go to the capital again in June, said Barrows.

“The only reason this is continuing is because we don’t take the time to do anything about it,” he said.

Invisible Children hopes to put enough pressure on world leaders to find Kony and stop him, said Barrows. The global community has enough resources to end Kony’s crimes, but because Uganda offers nothing economically to the United States, interference from Washington would be on moral grounds, he said.

“This shouldn’t be going on today,” said Barrows. “If the world really cared about what one guy was doing, it would be stopped.”

Sen. Murray advocates "reform before revenue"

BOSTON—Massachusetts government should make internal reforms before asking its taxpayers for more revenue to close a widening budget gap, said Senate President Therese Murray to the Great Boston Chamber of Commerce this morning.

Because of growing revenue shortfalls, federal stimulus money will not be enough to meet the bottom line, and tax revenues will need to be adjusted, said Murray.


Tax revenues have already fallen $2 billion short this fiscal year, and revenues are $157 million below the benchmark for the rest of the year and will continue falling, said Murray. Next year’s budget is projected to have a $4 billion gap, she said.

“For all the good the federal stimulus will do, it’s not the cure for our economic problems,” said Murray. “We don’t want to create an expectation that is unattainable when the stimulus money runs out.”

The Senate’s transportation reform bill will be submitted today to Gov. Deval Patrick, and a Senate commission on pension reform will submit a bill by Sept. 1 this year, said Murray. The transportation reform bill will consolidate transit agencies into a single authority to save a predicted $6.5 billion over 20 years, she said. The Senate version of the bill requires more reform and cuts than the House version, said Murray.

“Our transportation system is failing,” said Murray. “It needs to be fixed before we ask taxpayers for more money. We addressed the MBTA because it’s a huge problem.”

Murray said the House and Senate are also working on a municipal relief package that will support more local options, such as giving cities and towns more authority to tax. The Senate is pushing for municipalities to change their workers’ healthcare coverage to Group Insurance Commission (GIC) because it is cheaper than the current system, and city employees are older and sicker than state employees, Murray said.

“It’s an understanding that we can’t put further burdens on people who have already lost their jobs and their cars,” said Murray. “Tackling hard reforms now will create a leaner, stronger, more efficient and trustworthy government for our future.”

The Senate will also create a bill to legalize gambling in the fall because Massachusetts casinos could gather at least $7 million in revenue from residents who travel to Connecticut and Rhode Island to gamble, said Murray.

“My staff is going to hate me for doing this, but cha-ching!” said Murray when the audience asked her about casinos.

Though Murray said she has been behind legalizing gambling since last year, the state first must manage its debt and pay mandated costs, then establish a safety net for low-income residents who rely on the state, she said.

“It’s depressing to see how much we have to cut in services, but we can’t print money,” she said. “We can’t skip on things for economic development. We need to market the Commonwealth.”

Massachusetts will be ahead of many other states in implementing federally funded reforms like healthcare and renewable energy because the state has already allotted funds and research to these areas, said Murray. The federal government will contribute five times the amount states have spent in sectors such as electronic health records and renewable energy, she said.

Massachusetts has spent $15 million to control costs of healthcare by researching electronic record systems, and the state will help doctors and hospitals choose the highest quality systems, said Murray. The federal government will invest an additional $90 million for the project to match the funds already spent, and Massachusetts will receive $500 million in stimulus money for healthcare providers as an incentive to implement electronic records, she said.

The federal government aims to convert all medical records in the country to electronic format by 2014, said Murray.

The state has also received $482 million in grants for energy renewal, and some municipalities have already started evaluating the environmental status of their public facilities because of the Green Community Act, she said.

New investments in Massachusetts are a sign that the state can recover, said Murray. She cited two movie studios being built in Plymouth and Weymouth and two research centers creating new jobs, EMD Sorono in Cambridge and the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.

“We have a history of facing adversity and rising above circumstances to make Massachusetts a better place,” said Murray. “Each economic downturn we’ve encountered has only provided us with a stronger platform to bounce back.”

Melissa Walsh, chief operating officer of Massachusetts Life Science Center, said wise investments in science and research are important to help the state recover, and Murray’s speech showed strong support for the Center’s approach.

The Center’s investment of $10 million in the Marine Biology Lab in Woods Hole could create 200 construction jobs and 50 biotech jobs, according to Murray’s speech.

Bill Rennie, vice president of the Retail Association of Massachusetts, said Murray’s leadership is needed during the financial crisis, and he supports her reform initiatives.

“We need to rebuild the public confidence in state government,” Rennie said. “People and businesses want to see the government get their own house in order before they ask for revenue.”

Murray did not reveal enough about how taxes will be affected as the Senate tries to close the budget gap, said Mary Jo Meisner, vice president of The Boston Foundation, which manages donations to Boston non-profits. Still, Meisner said she agrees with Murray’s advocacy for local options taxes and moving employees to GIC healthcare.

“She’s taken on issues that haven’t been talked about,” Meisner said. “They’ve been around for a long time, but there’s been an unwillingness to tackle the hard issues.”

At the end of her speech, Murray told the Chamber of Commerce there were not enough women leading their firms. She said that only 13 of the Fortune 500 companies have female CEOs, and only 26 percent of the Massachusetts legislature is female, though the state is 52 percent female.

“We can do better,” she said. “When I come back next year, I’m sure there will be some changes.”

Gov. Patrick announces second round of stimulus money to Mass. schools

BOSTON—High-poverty Massachusetts schools will be receiving $163 million as part of the second phase of federal stimulus money for education, Gov. Deval Patrick announced Thursday.

The distribution of funds among districts was based on the proportion of low-income students in the district’s total population, said Jonathan Palumbo, spokesperson for Patrick’s office. Districts can decide how to use the money as long as they meet certain requirements, such as saving teaching jobs, said Palumbo.


“If we want to build sustainability into the school system, maintain the level of services and make progress towards the goal of student achievement at all levels, the government made the case that we needed to do everything we could that education was properly funded,” he said.

Massachusetts will receive a total of $1.88 billion in stimulus money for education over the next two years, said Palumbo. The funds announced last week are being dispersed under Title 1, a 40-year-old federal program for low-income school districts, he said. Schools will receive the first half in July and the second half in the fall.

Massachusetts schools have never received this much government funding before, said Colleen Coburn, policy advisor for Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry. The inclusion of education in the stimulus package is due in part to advocacy from politicians like Sen. Kerry and Gov. Patrick, she said.

“The money through the Recovery Act just going out now is more that has gone to education in almost every single category in the entire last year combined,” said Coburn.

The stimulus package also breaks new ground in transparency, because schools have to apply for the funds, specify their use and report how they were allocated on a set timeline, said Coburn.

“People think the federal government is just sending out checks,” said Coburn. “A goal of the [Obama] administration is to hold people more accountable and make transactions transparent. We want all this to be public information.”

The first round of stimulus money was for state stabilization, and the federal government mandated that 82 percent of these funds go to education to meet district budget gaps, said Coburn. The state could decide how the remaining 18 percent will be spent on government services. Boston Public Schools did not receive funds in the first round, said Coburn.
The third and final round of federal education funding will be allocated for special needs education under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), she said.

Boston Public Schools will receive about $20.8 million in Title 1 stimulus funds, which is $3.8 million more than Superintendent Carol Johnson expected when she approved the 2010 budget last month, said Chris Horan, spokesperson for the district. In that budget, Johnson recommended areas that could use additional funding if BPS received more money, he said.

Johnson’s recommendations included $1.4 million for students with disabilities, because BPS did not receive enough IDEA funds, said Horan. The federal government requires the rest of the money to be split evenly between protecting teaching jobs and investments such as textbooks and teacher training, he said.

Horan said Mayor Thomas Menino promised to restore all teaching positions if the Boston Teachers Union agrees to a one-year wage freeze, which would save the district an estimated $30 million.

Wage freezes have already saved 200 jobs, and continued negotiations with unions to freeze wages are likely to save most teaching jobs, said Coburn.

Springfield Public School District is receiving $8.6 billion from Title 1, the most of any district in Massachusetts other than Boston, according to the Massachusetts State website. Worcester is next, receiving $3.9 billion. Holyoke and Lawrence are receiving $3.1 million each.

Schools must remember to budget each lump sum for the next two fiscal years, said Coburn. In addition, a district’s financial status may change from year to year and receive more or less funding through Title 1, she said.

“A lot of people think all the money should go into schools now, but in reality, the government is anticipating a gap,” said Coburn. “What schools need is going to be even bigger a year from now.”

Because federal stimulus money from the Recovery and Reinvestment Act has not been distributed yet, the stimulus package’s success is still unmeasured, said Cindy Roy, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Office of Administration and Finance. Massachusetts must track every dollar being spent to show taxpayers where there money is going, she said.

“It’s a $700 billion bill. It is going to be complicated,” said Roy. “But were communicating with the federal government, they’re communicating with us … as we get further into the process it, will get easier for everybody.”

Split on health care

PUBLISHED by The Daily Free Press

Health care policy is no less controversial at Boston University than throughout the rest of the nation, and students are divided on which candidate offers the better plan.

In a survey of 105 randomly selected BU students, 57 students said they supported Obama’s health care plan, 40 students said they supported McCain’s plan, five students did not support either plan and three supported parts of both plans.



In another survey of an American government lecture yielding 56 responses, 38 students said they supported Obama’s health care plan, 14 said they supported McCain’s, three did not answer and one did not support either plan.

Health care is the policy with the biggest difference between candidates, strategy and policy professor in the School of Management Jim Post said. More than 40 million Americans are uninsured, and that number is likely to rise as unemployment worsens, he said.

Similar to the candidates’ approaches for addressing the economic crisis, Obama’s health care plan is “comprehensive” and focuses on problems with the system while McCain’s plan takes a “narrower” view, Post said.

“McCain has this idea that a tax credit could be a good device for the freedom to choose health coverage and also money to do it,” Post said. “McCain cannot guarantee $5,000 will be enough for people to buy the coverage they need. The fear is that insurance companies will simply raise prices.”

But the effectiveness of either policy cannot be truly evaluated until they are actually implemented. Obama’s plan has a greater chance of working, but funding is still a question, Post said.

“The difference is that these two candidates have a fundamentally different view about the role of government in modern society,” he said.

“McCain’s view is generally a preference for a smaller government role –– use it when you absolutely have to. Obama’s philosophy is that government is integral to providing a social and economic well-being . . . there’s always a job for government.”

Ian Clark, a College of General Studies sophomore, said he chose Obama’s plan over McCain’s because Obama plans to offer tax credits for health care to small businesses, relieving strain on employers who are having to deal with increasing the minimum wage.

“A tax credit would create an incentive to offer better health care instead of cutting corners to try to stay above bankruptcy,” Clark, who is a politics student, said.

Clark said McCain’s plan to give $5,000 tax credits for health care to families and individuals makes less sense because health care plans usually cost four times that amount.

Eric Leist, a College of Communication sophomore, supports McCain’s plan because it gives people more power.

"I believe that people should have a choice as to what health care plan they get, and it shouldn’t be a mandated thing the way Obama wants it to be,” Leist said. “I don’t know if it would work or not, but in theory, [McCain’s] idea to give everyone a credit toward a health care plan … is a better idea than Obama’s."

Meaghen Hamill, a College of Arts and Sciences junior, said she thinks Obama’s plan is better because it puts responsibility on businesses.

“Who knows what people would do with [McCain’s tax credit] money?” Hamill, who is also a government student, said.