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Governor Romney’s fiscal cuts dismay Senator Moore, colleagues 

December 14, 2006...Senator Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge) recently joined Senate President Robert E. Travaglini (D-East Boston) and Senator Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) in expressing concerns with Governor Romney’s fiscal reductions. In a letter to Senate leaders, Moore noted that these deep cuts will not only affect the implementation of the new health care reform plan, but will cut funding to the state’s core services and affect the community projects that have already been approved. 

“Cutting $425 million in crucial investments statewide is mean-spirited and damaging to many communities and important social programs,” said Moore. “I am particularly pleased with the Senate President and Senator Murray in communicating the Senate’s discontent with Governor Romney’s actions and I’m certain we will not let his shortsightedness unnecessarily harm the people of the Commonwealth.”

Senator Moore, who was a principal architect of the landmark Massachusetts Health Care Reform law and is chairman of the Legislature’s Committee on Health Care Financing, expressed in the letter that “over the past session, the Legislature has worked tirelessly to stimulate Massachusetts’s economy, improve safety, access and affordability of its health care system, enhance our colleges and universities, and sure that every student in our state hast the opportunity to learn and succeed in our public schools.” 

Moore continued to write that the governor’s 9C reductions undercut the progress the Legislature has made on these important policy fronts and demonstrate a blatant disregard for both the employees and clients of some of Massachusetts’s most important social programs. 

Governor’s cuts affecting local projects include:

  • $15,000 – Blackstone Water Contamination Reimbursements to assist the town in recovering from an act of vandalism on its water supply.
  • $10,000 – Wheelocksville Playground renovations in the town of Uxbridge
  • $3,000,000 – Alliance for Boys and Girls Clubs, $120,000 of which was slated for the Worcester & Norfolk District
  • $25,000 – Transportation Pilot Program in Hopedale
  • $30,000 – Highway Traffic Study in Mendon
  • $75,000 – Millville Business Retention Grant to help one of Massachusetts’s smallest towns develop an economic re-development plan
  • $25,000 - Draper Reuse Committee Grant to assist the town of Hopedale in developing re-use plans for a 1.2 million square foot vacant mill
  • $50,000 – Claflin Hill Orchestra
  • $100,000 – Clara Barton Museum
  • $100,000 – Dudley Public Safety
  • $35,000 – Bellingham Historical Commission Renovation Program
  • $25,000 – Rt16/Hopedale Street Public Safety

Additionally, while Moore commended the Senate President and Senator Murray for their strong opposition for the Governor’s actions, he urges the Senate to continue to work with the incoming administration to restore the cuts.

For more information on Senator Moore’s work in the Senate, please visit his website at www.senatormoore.com

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