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Home My WebLink About2009-01-17 Board of Selectmen Packet--may,-..c 4 ' Reading Public Library 64 Middlesex Avenue, Reading, MA 01867 Board of Library Trustees Susan Hopkins Axelson, Chair David Hutchinson, Vice Chair Victoria Yablonsky, Secretary Richard H. Curtis Cherrie Dubois Karyn A. Storti January 14, 2009 TO: Reading Board of Selectmen, Peter Hechenbleikner, Bob LeLacheur We understand the difficulty we all face together to prepare a new budget for the Town in FY2010 with the uncertainty of state aid and revenues. The Trustees of the Library know that everyone involved in this process is working diligently to preserve town services and at the same time, grapple with hard choices and tough decisions. There is no doubt that there will be changes in services that Reading residents will feel to varying extents. The Trustees are committed, as we know you are, to making the best and most prudent use of the limited resources available next year, and possibly the following year, to provide optimum services in a challenging environment. We also understand that there are certain givens that are outside of our control, and we would like to apprise you of several variables that may affect the library's budget specifically, beyond the unpredictability of town wide budgeting. As you know, the library has built a substantial proportion of its annual budget for as long as anyone can remember on revenue sources in addition to municipal funds. State Aid, trust income, gifts, grants, and support from Reading Public Library Foundation and Friends of the Reading Public Library have become crucial parts of the library's budget. In the past three vears alone, those additions to the library budget average $75,414 or 6.6% of the annual oneratinR budget of roughly $1.2 million. Last week we distributed a chart to you showing the distribution of the State Aid portion of these funds. Gifts, grants, and state aid have contributed to essentials such as books, computers, shelving, children's programs, staff training, author visits, benches, and furnishings. Fundraising and Rifts make uD the entire budRet for the summer reading prouain, magazines. annual staff develobment dav, all children's, teen and adult programs. While we understand that other departments have other problems and constraints, we feel obliged to describe all the potential budgetary problems the library may encounter in unpredictable financial times. Following is a description that summarizes the results of the Library Trustees discussion on Monday, January 12, 2009. to Potential Areas for Cost Reduction • Close Saturdays in the summer and reduce summer schedules of part time staff $10,000 • Close Library at 3 p.m. on Fridays: lay off one part-time librarian, one part time circulation technician, and reduce schedule of second part-time librarian $16,000 • Delay morning open until 10 a.m. five days : lay off one part-time librarian and two part- time circulation technicians $19,000 • Close half-day on Saturdays and lay off one part time librarian, reduce second part-time librarian, and lay off two part-time circulation technicians $29,000 • Reduce reference and children's services on Sundays - layoff Sunday librarians $10,000 • Lay off five high school library pages $12,617 • Keep Technology Librarian position vacant indefinitely - defer repairing and improving public computing; discontinue technology training $35,000 Potential Areas for Revenue Increase: Increase fee for library card replacement from $1 to $2 Increase fee for meeting room use: currently town-wide policy is a $10 fee. School department charges differ: some rooms and some groups pay $20 per hour, some are $12.50 per hour with $50 minimum, etc. Additional Points to Consider: • There is no line item in Library Budget for Programs. All RPL Programs (this includes all Summer Reading Programs, all Children's Programs, Author visits, etc.) are paid for by Friends or Foundation, whose ability to give will be markedly decreased • Direct Library State Aid ($31,000 approximately) is threatened: currently, the Reading Public Library has received only a partial payment for FY 09. ($16)000) • State Aid requirements are meant to be minimum standards for libraries. not a goal. • Meeting MBLC requirements is imperative. We cannot afford to lose our State Aid. Decertification means we would lose interlibrary loan privileges, network offsets, staff training, and many other essential benefits. State Aid requirements: • Municipal appropriation level (102.5% of three prior year average) must be met first • Level funding may not affect the Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR) during the first year of level funding, but may start to affect the library's ability to meet the requirement in subsequent years • There is a waiver process through the MBLC: Accommodation up to 85% (possibly 80%) for reduction of materials (15%) or hours (50 p/w) if necessary • Option to apply for a waiver is unavailable if the library receives a disproportionate decrease in relation to other town departments I do hope this memo serves to clarify the Trustees priorities in this difficult financial climate. Sincerely, Suzy Axelson Chairman, Library Trustees suzyaxelson@verizon.net TOWN OF READING ~ 16 L LL STREET ° y = READING, 01867-2693 1NCOR4 FAX: 781-942-9037 January 13, 2009 Mr. Peter I. Hechenbleilmer Reading Town Hall 16 Lowell Street Reading, MA 01867 Dear Peter, BOARD OF ASSESSORS 781-942-9027 Pursuant to your verbal request on Friday January 09, 2009, please be advised the Assessors, at their 01/13/2009 meeting, released as surplus from the overlay accounts a total amount of $392,114.18. This sum total has been released from each of the respective overlay accounts as follows: FY2006 Released $ 193,034.18-remaining unpaid committed bills/exposure $ 56,709.56 FY2007 Released $ 199,080.00-remaining unpaid committed bills/exposure $ 95,189.97 TOTAL $392,114.18 Sincerel , Deborah A. Jackson Appraiser Cc : Reading Board of Assessors Cc: Gail LaPointe, Town Accountant Cc: Robert LeLacheur, Assistant Town Manager/ finance Director Ib finance and Accounting Departments FY10 Budget Overview • Year #2 of a 3-year Technology implementation schedule Unknown collections environment • Some old costs won't repeat o Less elections than in FY09 o Eliminate central professional development • Some new costs will appear o More resident communication (offset by higher Demand Fees) o Tax title expenses expected to double o Banking fees expected to almost double o Assessor's prepare for revaluation year (FYI 1) • Wage costs projected at flat o Reduction in OT o Water/Sewer formula for offsets Planned or possible expense reductions not listed above o Professional development to memberships, dues and required o H.R advertising & employee physicals o Slow PC replacement cycle (now 4 years)?? o Resident communication?? o Banking?? • Planned or possible wage reductions o. Share tasks from other departments?? o Technology implementation schedule?? o Hours of service to the public?? L Ck DRAFT Board of Selectmen - January 17, 2009 Department of Public Works' FY2010 Budget Potential Reductions Professional Development - Provide training related only to maintaining licenses and certificates. En,aineerine Aide - Eliminate the position. Part time High School or college student. Examples of work - Scan plans into electronic files; cover office during construction season; assist in field to layout projects Hi2hwav Short-Term Seasonal Laborers - Eliminate two (2) positions. These employees work late June to mid-August. Assist fall-time staff with paving, roadway patching, street sign installation. Important during staff vacations. Line Painting - Paint street lines and crosswalks once per year. This would eliminate repainting areas in the Spring. Street Sweeping - eliminate contractual sweeper and complete with DPW sweeper and staff. The last time we did this the "Spring Clean-up" was completed in September. Parks Lone-Term Seasonal Laborers - Eliminate two (2) positions. These employees work April through November. By eliminating these positions, some of these projects would be greatly affected or delayed: Spring clean-up of parks, tot lots, commons and town buildings; preparation of athletic fields and courts; Fall leaf removal from parks, commons, schools, etc. Trash is a major problem, especially in the athletic facilities. We should consider removing trash receptacles and adopt a "Carry-in-Carry-out policy. During the growing season, following the mowing operation, it would not be possible to weedwack in the parks, commons or municipal buildings on a regular basis. Shade Tree Program - put it on hold for a year. If homeowners are willing to purchase the shade trees, we will plant them. Forestry Laborer - This position is presently vacant. This is a necessary position as the 3' worker on the crew and is necessary for safety reasons. Rubbish/Recvcling - Evaluate recent levels of disposal tonnage as there may be a potential to reduce in FYI 0. Consider a Pay-As-You-Throw Program for rubbish. This will increase recycling and reduce the cost for rubbish disposal. J~ ~ Curbside Leaf Collection - Eliminate 4-week program. This will result in more homeowners bringing leaves to the Compost Area or will require hiring private contractors to dispose of their leaves. Snow & Ice - Commercial Area - Eliminate plowing sidewalks. Commercial business owners/tenants will be responsible to remove snow/ice from sidewalks adjacent to their properties. Recommend a By-Law to require this. The Town will clear the handicap ramps and the sidewalks adjacent to Town property. Snow & Ice - Discontinue plowing church parking lots and the adjacent sidewalks. 1488 Main Street Cabin - Demolish the structure. The heating system has failed twice, recently resulting in frozen and broken water pipes. The floors are buckled from the water and need to be replaced.. We have an estimate of approximately $6,000 to replace the heating system, only. Water pipes also need repairing, the structure needs a sewer connection or septic system and one toilet needs to be made handicap accessible $15,000). idz Town Manager's Office - 2010 Budget Reductions • Reduce PT position by 20% • Reduce Property and Casualty Insurance - to 0% increase (requires 2 year commitment) - This is an Accommodated Cost • Reduce Retreat line item 50% • Reduce Selectmen's budget 19% • Reduce Town Manager office OT - 17% 1 -42- 3 Year History of Municipal Budgets Town of Reading MA General Fund 'April TM Budget* Budget Actual TOTAL FY09 FY08 FY07 Accounting $ 124,189 $ 133,027 $ 116,940 6% Finance $ 1,222,459 1,134,522 $ 1,100,713 11% Library $ 1,203,906 $ 1,105,119 $ 1,018,596 18% Town Mgr Office $ 692,818 $ 679,266 $ 630,649 10% Community Svc $ 927,231 $ 902,792 $ 824,536 12% DPW $ 2,662,249 $ 2,558,409 $ 2,427,432 10% Police $ 3,756,641 $ 3,557,468 $ 3,407,989 10% Fire $ 3,388,437 $ 3,263,369 $ 3,169,992 7% Dispatch $ 477,804 $ 430,293 $ 408,241 17% TOTAL $ 14,455,734 $ 13,764,265 $ 13,105,088 10% Budget* Budget Actual Wages FY09 FY08 FY07 Accounting $ 122,917 $ .131,755 $ 115,712 6% Finance $ 848,496 $ 801,724 $ 790,175 7% Library $ 944,055 $ 872,976 $ 816,913 16% Town Mgr Office $ 180,643 $ 175,170 $ 173,616 4% Community Svc $ 777,956 $ 755,177 $ 659,226 18% DPW $ 1,981,924 $ 1,899,249 $ 1,727,956 15% Police $ 3,543,356 $ 3,363,360 $ 3,220,653 10% Fire $ 3,284,507 $ 3,166,770 $ 3,079,582 7% Dispatch $ 436,164 $ 389,467 $ 379,257 15% TOTAL $ 12,120,018 $ 11,555,648 $ 10,963,090 11% Budget* Budget Actual Expenses FY09 FY08 FY07 Accounting $ 1,272 $ 1,272 $ 1,228 4% Finance $ 373,963 $ 332,798 $ 310,538 20% Library $ 259,851 $ 232,143 $ 201,683 29% Town Mgr Office $ 512,175 $ 504,096 $ 457,033 12% Community Svc $ 149,275 $ 147,615 $ 165,310 -10% DPW $ 680,325 $ 659,160 $ 699,476 -3% Police $ 213,285 $ 194,108 $ 187,336 14% Fire $ 103,930 $ 96,599 $ 90,410 15% Dispatch $ 41,640 $ 40,826 $ 28,984 44% TOTAL $ 2,335,716 $ 2,208,617 $ 2,141,998 9% 1/16/2009 1 ~N OFREgO HEADQUARTERS READING FIRE DEPARTMENT F~ two Reading, Massachusetts 01867 1N60R~ GREGORY J. BURNS, Chief 757 Main Street BUS. Phone: 781-942-9181 STA. Phone: 781-944-3132 Fax: 781-942-9114 TO: Mr. Peter I. Hechenbleikner, Town Manager FROM: Chief Gregory J. Burns DATE: January 7, 2009 RE: Regional Efforts The Reading Fire Department is participating in several regional projects to provide or explore the provision of specialized services on a regional level. The projects are as follows: • Mystic Region Local Emergency Planning Committee. Reading is part of a 16 community effort to pool resources to meet Federal Right to Know Legislation and Emergency Planning. This REPC has become a model for the State in meeting the Federal requirements on a regional basis. • Essex County Fire Chief's Technical Rescue Team. Reading is part of multi-community effort engaged in the creation of a regional technical rescue team. The Team is expected to be operational in 2009 and will consist of Firefighters who have received specialized training in responding to trench collapses, building collapse, high angle rescue and other technical rescue incidents. • Regional Dispatch Center. Reading is part of a multi-community effort that is currently exploring the feasibility of providing a regional 9-1-1 dispatch center. The dispatch center is intended to provide a centralized 9-1-1 public answering point and provide dispatch services to fire, police and emergency medical dispatch for several communities. We're Your Friends for Life Z.. S Communitv Services - Regionalization Health inspections Building inspections Police & Dispatch - Regionalization POLICE: NEMLEC (Northeast MA Law Enforcement Council) 50 member agencies - resource and personnel multiplier. Includes such things as: o SWAT o Cyber Crime expertise o STARS - School Threat Assessment Response System o Internal Affairs expertise o Command Vehicle with accompanying communication capabilities BAPERN (Boston Area Police Emergency Radio Network) - radio communication with most police agencies in eastern MA DISPATCH: • Exploring regional dispatch. Currently have a feasibility grant application filed, awaiting approval. Public Works - Regionalization Cooperative/Regional efforts presently in place: • MWRA Water Supply • MWRA Sewer Service • Recreation/ Adult Ed Program Brochures (3) • Travel Basketball Program • Recreation Trips with other communities • Reading/North Reading Volleyball Jamboree • Salt/Calcium Chloride Bid (10 communities) • Gasoline/Diesel Fuel (12 communities) • Household Hazardous Waste Day (2x /year with Wakefield) • Waste Oil Collection (in Reading with Wakefield and Stoneham) • Rubbish Disposal Potential Cooperative/Regional efforts: • Recycling Coordinator • Street Sweeping • Vehicle Maintenance Regionalization in the Town of Reading Finance Department Several initiatives have been undertaken in the Finance Department during the past three years. At the root of these initiatives are these common objectives: ➢ standardize; ➢ integrate & communicate; ➢ focus creativity more productively. In designing the "municipal finance department of the future", we sought to build a model that would be scalable to other communities, since much of the work of a finance department is common, and would also respond to the unique needs of Reading as a leading-edge community. We also sought to build our systems to recognize that regionalization would more likely consist of unique efforts to join only small pieces of a finance department together across borders at first, before any broader effort was made that might strike at the heart of `fragmented' New England local government. The first task was to make sure we had systems and procedures that were standardized. This has involved removing many of the nooks and crannies that home-grown efforts often create. Every policy and procedure has been investigated from as many angles as possible, with the constant questions such as `why do we do this? what else should we be doing?' During the past year we have begun the process of transitioning the best features of the past into a more regimented and efficient set of systems and procedures for the future. About two more years of implementation work in our new financial system, our website and document storage should complete these efforts. {The Assessor's are also examining their systems and procedures, and may also seek to join our broader efforts as outlined abovel. The second task was to make sure the set -of standardized systems and procedures would integrate well - with each other and with any other external vehicles - in order to foster communication. This is where the unique character of Reading is significantly different from many other communities in the Commonwealth, where a confluence of historic, financial and cultural reasons have led to a lack of integration among many town government functions. This complicated our search for integrated solutions, but helped us focus on what mattered the most. The completion of the wide area network - complete with a high level of security - has allowed for the beginnings of very strong communication in our various systems across the municipal government, the school department, and the light department. The third task - and the real objective - was to recognize that limited resources in municipal government must be directed in the most productive manner as possible towards creative solutions to problems. There is no need for heroic efforts to gather data, when it leaves no time for analysis. There is no point in expending all of one's creativity to understand the real problem at hand, only to come up short on any solutions. Once we complete the first two tasks presented above, we will be in a position to give decision makers ample information to solve problems. Residents as decision makers will be better able to help themselves - and when they cannot, we should have substantially shortened the distance from their request to a solution offered by the town 2-3 None of these efforts taken alone will necessarily save much money for Reading. Better information and decision making should result, and indirectly there may be savings in specific examples. As more capabilities to conduct business electronically arise and become legal in the Commonwealth, it is probable that less clerical staff and middle management positions may be required - although the town is hardly flush in those areas today. Actual money savings is more likely to come from some of the items in the lists below, where either the town can have a broader purchasing power in a larger group or the town can be in a position to charge other communities as they outsource portions of their local government more cheaply than they can do for themselves (or perhaps we can pay them to outsource certain functions that we do): Most likely small regionalization efforts in the next 2-5 years: ➢ GIS flyover co-ordination & GIS broad services (our GIS co-coordinator is acclaimed state-wide, and has worked in nearby communities); ➢ Network communication & security (our network co-coordinator consults with other municipalities); ➢ Assessment standardization efforts (our Assessor & members of the Board have worked in other municipalities with other systems. The telecomm issue has served to unify and regionalize the profession - to a degree); ➢ Possible technology consolidation among the municipal government, schools, and RMLD; Less likely large regionalization efforts in the distance (5-10 years): ➢ Group purchasing behavior in the financial services industry (banking, financial debt advising, investments); ➢ Legal consortiums (issue joint debt to fund common projects); ➢ Explicit sharing of resources across town borders (outsourcing functions to other towns, such as payroll); ➢ Full-blown mergers of communities (highly likely in the next twenty years). 2r TOWN OF SUDBURY Oflce of the Town Manager www.sudbury.ma.us Maureen G. Valente Town Manager December 12, 2008 Hon. Stanley Rosenberg, Senate Chair Hon, Paul Donato, House Chair Special Municipal Relief Commission State House Boston MA 02133 278 Old Sudbury Road Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776-1843 Tel: (978) 639-3381 Fax: (978) 443-0756 E-mail: townmanager@town.sudbury.ma.us Dear Senator Rosenberg, Representative Donato, and Members of the Commission: Enclosed is the report from the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association (MMMA) referenced during my testimony last week. In this report, I have provided information supporting, and in some areas adding to; the recommendations my colleague John Petrin, Town Manager of Ashland, and I made at that time. On December 11, 2008, the Executive Committee of the MMMA voted to endorse this report and the recommendations contained herein, and ask that each of these recommendations be studied carefully and included in your commission's final report. We are confident that, if these reforms are enacted into law, they will greatly benefit taxpayers in the Commonwealth's communities. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions on this supplemental report, and thank you very much for the opportunity to present our recommendations to you. Sincerely, Maureen G. Valente /Town Manager, Sudbury President, Massachusetts Municipal Management Association cc: Geoffrey Beckwith, Executive Director, Massachusetts Municipal Association Enclosures: Supplemental Report to Testimony of the MMMA, 12-12-08 Original Testimony of the MMMA,12-3-08 Printed an Recycled Paper !7 o MMMA Supplemental Report and Testimony ~~~Gsoi „onoJ, ~ L 1 0 ~ v ~j. MMMA DEMC.1TO TO THE WPROWMENT OF I(CAI rOVER"WENT Supplemental Report and Testimony of the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association (MMMA) Hon. Stanley Rosenberg, Senate Chair Hon. Paul Donato, House Chair Special Municipal Relief Commission December 12, 2008 December 12, 2008 Page 1 z,:--G MMMA Supplemental Report and Testimony Recommendation One: Improve municipalities' ability to effectively and efficiently manage our human resources. The MMMA focused on issues that cost cities and towns monetarily in terms of direct financial costs and administratively in terms of staff time dealing with overly restrictive and out-dated regulations and laws. In many instances, the State has exempted itself from these requirements, and as a result it has the ability to act more efficiently. In others, arcane and outdated laws and requirements have remained in effect for many decades, severely hamstringing the effective delivery of municipal human resource services and operations. Our specific legislative initiatives in this area are the following. A. Abilitv to modernize municipal health plans. Through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), the State has the ability to alter group health insurance plan design and change the terms of the plans being offered in order to help control costs without requiring the need to impact or collectively bargain with unionized employee groups. Municipalities, on the other hand, must impact and collectively bargain all plan design changes and offerings, regardless of the effect these plans may be having on a community's budget. In many cities and towns, annual increases in health insurance costs have reached and exceeded the 2.5% tax levy increase allowed by Proposition 2'/2 . 1. Cities and towns could better manage these costs if they could make the same type of plan design changes the State is able to implement, such as adjustment to co-pays for visits to doctor's offices. -2. Cities and towns should be allowed to join the GIC without having to negotiate with collective bargaining units. The decision for a community to join the GIC should be made by vote of the chief executive body. 3. A state panel should be created that would certify those preferred provider organization plans (PPOs) that qualify as indemnity plans, thereby allowing towns to remove indemnity plan offerings without having to bargain with employees. For those communities that still offer indemnity plans, this would likely lead to immediate savings in health insurance costs. If health insurance costs continue to rise as substantially as they have in the past, the State should carry this idea further and simply require that cities and towns only offer certain health maintenance organization plans (HMOs/EPOs) off a list previously approved by the State. Finally, consideration should be given to exempting health insurance increases from the limits of Proposition 2'/Z. 4. The State should require all eligible municipal employees to sign up for Medicare B benefits without the additional hurdle of Town Meeting approval and without a requirement to impact bargain over the change in future benefits. 5. Chapter 328 currently mandates that any employee who regularly works 20 hours per week is eligible for health insurance. This law should be changed to allow the municipality's contribution for new hires to be pro-rated. A community pays the same amount for health insurance for a 20-hour per week employee as it does a 40-hour per week employee. This benefit can be as high as $15,000 for a family in some communities. In most non municipal businesses, health insurance is prorated based on the amount of hours that an employee works. 6. Finally, the State should conduct a complete study of c.32B, most of which was enacted more than 50 years ago. During this period, no other municipal cost center has increased as much or caused as many budget difficulties statewide as health insurance. , Since FY00, a majority of communities report increases in their health insurance budgets of over 180%, as compared to total operating budgets which grew in the range of 50%-60% over the same period. December 12, 2008 Page 2 Z-7 MMMA Supplemental Report and Testimony B. Abilitv to hire and manaae personnel efficiently by reformina or eliminatina Civil Service No other laws and regulations in Massachusetts are as antiquated and cumbersome as those found in Civil Service. Many of these procedures were implemented decades ago in order to prevent nepotism, require public procedures in filling vacancies, and reduce political influence on employee hires and personnel actions, including discipline and discharge. Proper personnel practices, especially concerning the filling of vacancies, are now commonplace in municipalities, and virtually all employees currently in. Civil Service are also covered and protected by local collective bargaining agreements. Furthermore, legally enforceable personnel practices grounded in court and administrative rulings have been established that provide additional protection for employees, regardless of Civil Service status. The State would save millions of dollars by eliminating Civil Service, and communities would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in avoiding frivolous appeals of personnel decisions and actions, including bypass hearings, promotional appointments, and disciplinary actions. In addition, it should be pointed out that virtually every city and town in the Commonwealth has numerous, non-Civil Service positions they fill through standard, public procedures in a much shorter, more effective timeframe than through Civil Service. In our experience, these search efforts are eminently fair, comprehensive, and lead to more qualified and better hires than Civil Service procedures. If outright elimination of Civil Service is not possible, major reforms are needed. Recommended reforms include: 1. Eliminate Civil Service coverage for all non-public safety departments and positions. 2. Exempt Department head positions within Police and Fire Departments from being part of Civil Service. 3. The only role for a reformed Civil Service should be the testing of entry level applicants for police officer and firefighter positions, and the use of Civil Service for this should be local option. C. Abilitv to effectively manaae iniured public safetv personnel by transitionina police and fire personnel into the workers' compensation svstem and eliminatina the reauirements of M.G.L.111 F. The laws that govern 111 F coverage for police and fire personnel require municipalities to provide 100% of the employee's regular pay, tax free, while a public safety employee is absent after being injured on the job. This makes it difficult to motivate injured public safety employees to return to work compared to non-public safety employees covered by workers' compensation. The rules that apply to all other employees through workers' compensation laws are fair and sufficient. In addition, the process for appealing an insurance company's decision or determining if an employee is actually injured is more straightforward and takes less time. If outright elimination of 111 F is not possible, major reforms are needed. These reforms would include: 1. Light duty provisions should be added to provide municipalities more options in dealing with these absences. 2. If an employee is clearly not able to fully return to work, a more expedited process should be established to at least allow cities and towns to proceed with hiring a replacement, thereby reducing the overtime expenses needed to cover the injured employee's shift. 3. Employees out on extended 111F absences should also be monitored to make sure they are not performing activities that clearly indicate they could be working. D. Abilitv to impose reasonable drua and alcohol testina for all public safetv employees. Whether a part of c.150E or separate legislation, all public safety personnel should be subject to random drug & alcohol testing as a condition of employment. The testing requirements should generally be in line with those mandated for other municipal employees required to possess a CDL license (i.e., public works, senior center, and school bus drivers). Recent events in Massachusetts highlight how important this testing has become. E. Alternative to towns and cities oavina for Dre-emplovment trainina of Dublic safety staff. Public safety applicants and potential employees should possess all State-required training December 12, 2008 Page 3 2.'' 8r MMMA Supplemental Report and Testimony prior to applying for openings, and this training should be paid for by the applicant/employee. No other category of municipal employees receives this type of benefit or requires such a large municipal expense when initially hired. In addition to the cost to attend the academy, municipalities must often use overtime funds to cover the shift the employee would be working if they were previously trained and certified. Non-public safety employees are expected to possess the proper qualifications in terms of education, training; and work experience prior to applying for vacancies. In all cases except public safety, these efforts are completed at the employee's own expense. This requested revision applies.to required State academies and training only, not the local training that municipal departments provide once the State requirements are completed, or the efforts needed to maintain and improve existing certifications once an employee is hired. These efforts would still be the responsibility and expense of the municipality. Note: In many states, the training for entry level Police and Firefighters is done through the state's community college program whereby the candidates may get not only their professional education required for entry level Police Officers or Firefighters, but they may earn college credits at the same time. F. Modernization of Chapter 150E Collective Baraainina. The MMMA fully recognizes the right of employees to organize as collective bargaining units. However, the methodology and rationale used in 2008 to establish and certify as well as retain existing labor groups is due for an in-depth review and adjustment(s) where appropriate. The following are suggested topics for consideration: 1. Bargaining unit makeup: The practice of allowing all levels of line-supervision and management to be included in the same bargaining unit is inefficient at best, and perhaps dangerous at worst. Supervisors who are expected to manage and, when necessary, discipline subordinates will often avoid that responsibility when it means taking action against fellow bargaining unit members. In such cases, corrective action that is essential for the efficient and effective operations of agencies does not occur. In the case of the Fire Service, all members, from line firefighter to, in some cases, Deputy Chiefs are often in the same unit. While it is not the intention to prevent most positions of rank from being part of a bargaining unit, it is suggested that a legislated separation occur between line-privates and officers whereby separate bargaining units are employed. 2. Command level staff: The rank of Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, and Battalion Chief in any fire or police department should be held as non-union, non-civil service management positions. 3. The establishment of policies and procedures should remain the right of management. The requirement that city and town leaders negotiate policy and procedure changes with labor is antiquated and inefficient. Management is charged with the provision of safe, efficient, and effective services. Labor represents the needs and wants of employees, a function that is often inconsistent with operational demands. This concept also applies to the establishment of class sizes in municipal school systems. Given the constraints of Proposition 2 %2 , the determining factor for class size is often available funding, with priorities established by the local School Committee. In this regard, Chapter 150E Section 6 is in need of revision to reflect the obligation to bargain in good faith with respect to wages and working conditions related to employee safety. G. Revisit Automatic Public Safetv Health Condition Presumptions. Another area where State laws have been enacted to specifically benefit public safety personnel at the expense of municipal budgets is the so-called Heart / Lung Bill, which automatically presumes certain heart and lung conditions are work-related for public safety personnel. These regulations put the burden on municipalities to prove certain ailments were not contracted through work- related activities, rather than requiring employees to prove they contracted the illness through work. Certification from a physician should be required stating that an illness or injury directly occurred as a result of work activities for heart and lung coverages to apply. These December 12, 2008 Page 4 li.•~ MMMA Supplemental Report and Testimony presumptions should be eliminated, and the employee should have to undergo the normal process to have a job-related injury approved, either through the existing 111 F process or, preferably, through workers' compensation. Recommendation Two: Modernize purchasing and procurement laws. In developing the items listed below, the MMMA focused on issues that cost cities and towns monetarily in terms of direct financial costs and administratively in terms of staff time dealing with overly restrictive and out-dated regulations and laws. Our specific legislative initiatives in this area are the following. A. Standardize all purchasing laws to the thresholds included in Chapter 308. Raise the threshold in Chapter 149 requiring 3 writt en quotes for procuring goods and services from $1 to $5,000, with sound business practices for procurements under $5,000. B. Raise the threshold in Chapter 149 and 30 requiring payment bonds for repair and construction projects from $2,000 to $50,000. C. As recommended by the Inspector General several years ago, raise all of the bid thresholds, and then index these thresholds so that the legislature does not need to revisit the issue every 20 years when the old thresholds become outdated. D. Allow long-term leases to extend more than 10 years upon vote of the local legislative body. The MMMA suggests the limit be changed to 99 years. E. Create a prevailing wage exemption by implementing a lower limit of $1,000,000 before the prevailing wage rates apply. F. Amend Chapter 149 to eliminate the requirement for filed sub-bids. Recommendation Three: Increase options for municipal decision making, financing and organization In developing the items listed below, the MMMA focused on issues that would provide the potential for greater efficiencies for communities as well as areas of current law and regulations with consequences that need to be addressed. Our specific legislative initiatives in this area are the following. A. Authorize Joint Powers Authorities. The Commonwealth must encourage collaboration among communities in order to attain efficiencies in operations. The form that this encouragement will take is likely to be different for each community and region in the State. One size does not fit all. We propose that this issue be studied further with the intent to implement techniques that would make it financially feasible for communities to seek these efficiencies. In order to allow this to happen, changes are needed in the law as well as operating regulations issued by various State agencies. As a first needed change, the MMMA proposes that the State look to implement a process that is effectively used in other states allowing for a Joint Powers Authority or similar procedure. Massachusetts law allowing for Districts does not meet the needs of communities seeking to collaborate on providing joint services. Developing a more encompassing legislation that encourages this process will be more effective than the continued reliance on home-rule petitions. In addition, other areas that need to be addressed in such an all-encompassing review include the ability to impact- bargain workforce changes rather than requiring decision bargaining; providing incentives for regionalizing and/or collaborating such as grants or bonus provisions in formula aid; and creating opportunities for creative financing options. We see an extraordinary opportunity for creating efficiencies through collaboration with a different mix of neighboring towns for different services. Communities seek the right of self- determination on the appropriate governance structure needed to implement service consolidation and the ability to choose which of these services would meet community goals and expectations. This is a large issue with enormous potential requiring broad flexibility. December 12, 2008 Page 5 2"1a MMMA Supplemental Report and Testimony B. Provide state leadership for communitv collaboration. Communities are often faced with dealing with different State agencies for municipal affairs. At times, we are faced with conflicting priorities from agencies. The State once had a cabinet level position for communities (Executive Office of Communities and Development). We propose that some consideration be given to development of a central coordinating official that has the capability of providing overall direction for state and community relations. C. Allow Impact Fees to be Assessed. The state needs to develop a fair system of assessing the cost of new developments on municipalities and allowing them to recoup some of these costs from developers. D. Fix the Charter Schools financina ineauitv issue. Charter school financing is increasingly becoming a burden on communities. The issue of equity as to the difference between school choice financing and charter school financing needs to be addressed. The MMMA supports the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents' (MASS) plan to cap the local contribution at $5,000 (the school choice cap) with any additional payments to charter schools made from other sources. Communities are charging extraordinary fees to school children to maintain transportation, athletics and other programs. This inequity needs to be addressed. E. Eliminate or modifv the librarv aid penalty. Municipalities receive aid from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. This aid is reflected in a community's cherry sheet. The Board of Library Commissioners has implemented rules that a community can only make cuts to local libraries comparable to cuts made to other departments. If their guidelines are violated, communities may lose a portion or all of the local aid assigned to their local library. In addition, communities may be penalized with forfeiting rights of their citizens to access regional library lending groups. This penalty is draconian. If a community determines to reduce fire services, it is not penalized with forfeiting rights to mutual aid. In no other service area is a community penalized in this nature for prioritizing its services. Studv Pavment in Lieu of Taxes. Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) programs should be reviewed and addressed. The MMMA appreciates the efforts the State has made in recent years to fund many aspects of this program with regard to state owned properties. There are still areas that need to be addressed including the fact that certain former county agencies (prisons) do not qualify for payments at this time. Further, there are agencies (META, etc.) that could participate in PILOT payments to communities, as well as for profit entities on state owned land. G. Tax Increment Financina. Revise TIF legislation to allow municipalities to negotiate the personal property tax percentage relieved instead of being required to relieve 100% of that tax, as is currently required by law. The tools offered by Tax Increment Financing have been invaluable to communities; however these could be further enhanced by allowing municipalities to negotiate the amount of personal property tax relief instead of requiring municipalities to relieve 100% of that tax, as is currently mandated by statute. This additional flexibility, as provided by the proposed legislation, would benefit both municipalities and businesses and would enable communities to more easily tailor economic incentives that are more equitable in sharing the burden of lost revenue. In many cases, especially with high technology firms, the value of the personal property tax revenues is more significant than that of the local property taxes. See S1788 filed in 2007 and S1701 filed in 2006 by Senator Pam Resor for sample statutory language. December 12, 2008 Page 6 '2,'1 1 MMMA Supplemental Report and Testimony H. Develop new Business Imorovement District reaulations. The current BID regulations have only been used in 1 or 2 communities in the state. Specifically, the regulations should be modified to amend Chapter 400, Sec. 3 & 4 to eliminate the opt-out and non-participation language. These sections allow a situation where some landlords opt-out and undermine a BID by taking a sizable percentage of the revenue away yet remain able to benefit from some aspects of the BID such as sidewalk cleaning, beautification efforts, and collective advertising. This circumstance creates a scenario where other owners perceive they are paying for those who have opted-out and leading to additional landlords to follow the lead and opt-out. These sections are the primary reason there have been so few BID's adopted in Massachusetts. Most states do not have opt-out or non-participation provisions in their BID enabling laws. Allow for the creation of stormwater enterprise funds under M.G.L. Ch. 44, section 53F'/2 and allow municipalities to establish appropriate stormwater management fees to finance the cost of stormwater improvements newly required by State and Federal law. At the current time, the Attorney General and the Department of Revenue have taken the position that the statutory references to G.L. c. 40, section 1A and c. 83, section 16 are obscure and inappropriate and, therefore, stormwater management fees and enterprise funds are not permissible. December 12, 2008 Page 7 Page 1 of 1 Hechenbleikner, Peter From: Kowalski, Carol Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 5:11 PM To: Hechenbleikner, Peter Subject: FW: Social Worker's assistance increased $05 1 1 c Peter, In response to a question from a member of the Board of Selectmen during the 1/10 budget meeting, please see below. Carol From: Folopoulos, Dawn Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 11:09 AM To: Kowalski, Carol Subject: Social Worker's assistance increased Hi Carol, In reference to our conversation yesterday... The number of residents requesting the Social Worker's assistance increased by 20% from 2007 to 2008. Please let me know if you need any additional information. Dawn Dawn Folopoulos [:Ider/Human Services Administrator Town of Reading 16 Lowell Street . Reading, MA 01867 Phone: 781-942-6658 Fax: 781.-942-9071 Please, consider the environment and don't print this e-mail unless you must. 1/14/2009 Page 1 of 2 Schena, Paula From: Hechenbleikner, Peter Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:38 AM To: Reading - Selectmen Cc: Schena, Paula Subject: FW: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JONES: GOVERNOR NEEDS TO SHOW DETAILED PLAN BEFORE GETTING EXPANDED 9C POWERS Attachments: image001.png; image002.png Copy for 1-20-09 meeting From: Oldfield, Cynthia (HOU) [mailto:Cynthia.Oldfield@state.ma.us] Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 3:50 PM To: Balukonis, Greg; Gustus, Bill; Hechenbleikner, Peter; Singer, Ira Subject: FW: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JONES: GOVERNOR NEEDS TO SHOW DETAILED PLAN BEFORE GETTING EXPANDED 9C POWERS FYI Cynthia E. Oldfield Office of the House Minority Leader Representative Bradley H. Jones, Jr. 617-722-2100 may„ 9ie Commonwealth of Massachusetts Y' House of Representatives T State House, Boston, MA 02133-1054 y BRADLEY H. JONES, JR. 20TH MIDDLESE) STATE REPRESENTATIVE HEADING • NORT LYNNFIELD • MI MINORITY LEADER ROOM 1 TEL. (617) 7f Rep. BradleyJones www. bradjonesc FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Sarah Scalese January 12, 2009 617-722-2100 JONES: GOVERNOR NEEDS TO SHOW DETAILED PLAN BEFORE GETTING EXPANDED 9C POWERS 1/14/2009 Page 2 of 2 Boston- House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr., on behalf of the entire Republican Caucus, is calling on Governor Patrick to release a detailed plan, laying out how he intends to use expanded 9C powers. Given the fiscal crisis the Commonwealth is currently facing, the Governor has requested the expanded powers in order to make cuts which the Caucus believes are necessary in order to stabilize our state's financial footing. However, we stand adamantly against cuts to local aid, as we feel any mid-year cuts would be devastating to our communities across the state. "To be in the situation we are in today is incredibly discouraging and disappointing," said Representative Jones. "When the budget passed last year, it was us in the Republican Caucus urging the Majority to live within our means. Unfortunately, those warnings went unheeded and this unsustainable budget was passed and signed into law." Last October, the Governor made $625 million worth of 9C cuts, The members of the Republican caucus urged the Governor to cut more then, so we wouldn't be where we are now. "Had more cuts been made in July or October, the severity of the upcoming cuts wouldn't sting so deep. Municipalities are still recovering from the last time their aid was cut. We cannot in good faith allow the Governor to make cuts without informing the Legislature of his intentions. We are still not certain that his priorities are in the right place, given the fact that a paid volunteer program is still being fully funded." Cutting local aid is not the only option though the Governor would like the public to believe it is. In fact, the Republican Caucus believes alternatives exist to ensure there are no local aid cuts for FY09. We suggest filing legislation which specifically outlines appropriations' reductions. Additionally, it is time for the Patrick Administration to examine its priorities. Recently, the Republican Caucus asked the Governor to make cuts to Commonwealth Corps, a volunteer program in which people are paid to volunteer. Cutting the funding for this program would save the state around $3 million. That is money that could be better spent balancing the budget. Z, 15' 1/14/2009 SUMMARY: AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT The economy is in a crisis not seen since the Great Depression. Credit is frozen, consumer purchasing power is in decline, in the last four months the country has lost 2 million jobs and we are expected to lose another 3 'to 5 million in the next year. Conservative economist Mark Zandi was blunt: "the economy is shutting down." In the next two weeks, the Congress will be considering the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009. This package is the first crucial step in a concerted effort to create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, jumpstart our economy, and begin the process of transforming it for the 21St century with $275 billion in economic recovery tax cuts and $550 billion in thoughtful and carefully targeted priority investments with unprecedented accountability measures built in. The package contains targeted efforts in: • • Clean, Efficient, American Energy • • Transforming our Economy with Science and Technology • • Modernizing Roads, Bridges, Transit and Waterways • • Education for the 215` Century • • Tax Cuts to Make Work Pay and Create Jobs • • Lowering Healthcare Costs • • Helping Workers Hurt by the Economy • • Saving Public Sector Jobs and Protect Vital Services The economy is in such trouble that, even with passage of this package, unemployment rates are expected to rise to between eight and nine percent this year. Without this package, we are warned that unemployment could explode to near twelve percent. With passage of this package, we will face a large deficit for years to come. Without it, those deficits will be devastating and we face the risk of economic chaos. Tough choices have been made in this legislation and fiscal discipline will demand more tough choices in years to come. Since 2001, as worker productivity went up, 96% of the income growth in this country went to the wealthiest 10% of society. While they were benefitting from record high worker productivity, the remaining 90% of Americans were struggling to sustain their standard of living. They sustained it by borrowing... and borrowing... and borrowing, and when they couldn't borrow anymore, the bottom fell out. This plan will strengthen the middle class, not just Wall Street CEOs and special interests in Washington. Our short term task is to try to prevent the loss of millions of jobs and get our economy moving. The long tern task is to make the needed investments that restore the ability of 24 average middle income families to increase their income and build a decent future for their children. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Unprecedented Accountability: A historic level of transparency, oversight and accountability will help guarantee taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and Americans can see results for their investment. • • In many instances funds are distributed through existing formulas to programs with proven track records and accountability measures already in place. • • How funds are spent, all announcements of contract and grant competitions and awards, and formula grant allocations must be posted on a special .website created by the President. Program managers will also be listed so the public knows who to hold accountable. • • Public notification of funding must include a description of the investment funded, the purpose, the total cost and why the activity should be funded with recovery dollars. Governors, mayors or others making funding decisions must personally certify that the investment has been fully vetted and is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. This will also be placed on the recovery website. • • A Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board will be created to review management of recovery dollars and provide early warning of problems. The seven member board includes Inspectors General and Deputy Cabinet secretaries. • • The Government Accountability Office and the Inspectors General are provided additional funding and access for special review of recovery funding. • • Federal and state whistleblowers who report fraud and abuse are protected. • • There are no earmarks in this package. This plan targets investments to key areas that will create and preserve good jobs at the same time as it is strengthening the ability of this economy to become more efficient and produce more opportunities for employment. Clean, Efficient, American Energy: To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we will strengthen efforts directed at doubling renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. • • $32 billion to transform the nation's energy transmission, distribution, and production systems by allowing for a smarter and better grid and focusing investment in renewable technology. • • $16 billion to repair public housing and make key energy efficiency retrofits. • • $6 billion to weatherize modest-income homes. Transform our Economy with Science and Technology: We need to put scientists to work, looking for the next great discovery, creating jobs in cutting-edge-technologies, and making smart investments that will help businesses in every community succeed in a 2„--i global economy. For every dollar invested in broadband the economy sees a ten-fold return on that investment. • $10 billion for science facilities, research, and instrumentation. • • $6 billion to expand broadband internet access so businesses in rural and other underserved areas can link up to the global economy. Modernize Roads, Bridges, Transit and Waterways: To build a 21St century economy, we must engage contractors across the-nation to create jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads, and bridges, modernize public buildings, and put people to work cleaning our air, water and land. • • $30 billion for highway construction; • • $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure with investments that lead to long term energy cost savings; • • $19 billion for clean water, flood control, and environmental restoration investments; • • $10 billion for transit and rail to reduce traffic congestion and gas consumption. Education for the 21st Century: To enable more children to learn in 21St century classrooms, labs, and libraries to help our kids compete with any worker in the world, this package provides: • • $41 billion to local school districts through Title I ($13 billion), IDEA ($13 billion), a new School Modernization and Repair Program ($14 billion), and the Education Technology program ($1 billion). • • $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cutbacks to key services, including $39 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities distributed through existing state and federal formulas, $15 billion to states as bonus grants as a reward for meeting key performance measures, and $25 billion to states for other high priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education. • $15.6 billion to increase the Pell grant by $500. • • $6 billion for higher education modernization. Tax Cuts to Make Work Pay and Create Jobs: We will provide direct tax relief to 95 percent of American workers, and spur investment and job growth for American Businesses. [marked up by the Ways and Means Committee] Lower Healthcare Costs: To save not only jobs, but money and lives, we will update and computerize our healthcare system to cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help reduce healthcare costs by billions of dollars each year. • • $20 billion for health information technology to prevent medical mistakes, provide better care to patients and introduce cost-saving efficiencies. • $4.1 billion to provide for preventative care and to evaluate the most effective healthcare treatments. 2,,,/ ~ Help Workers Hurt by the Economy: High unemployment and rising costs have outpaced Americans' paychecks. We will help workers train and find jobs, and help struggling families make ends meet. • • $43 billion for increased unemployment benefits and job training. • • $39 billion to support those who lose their jobs by helping them to pay the cost of keeping their employer provided healthcare under COBRA and providing short-term options to be covered by Medicaid. • • $20 billion to increase the food stamp benefit by over 13% in order to help defray rising food costs. Save Public Sector Jobs and Protect Vital Services: We will provide relief to states, so they can continue to employ teachers, firefighters and police officers and provide vital services without having to unnecessarily raise middle class taxes. • • $87 billion for a temporary increase in the Medicaid matching rate. • • $4 billion for state and local law enforcement funding. DETAILED SUMMARY CREATE JOBS WITH CLEAN, EFFICIENT, AMERICAN ENERGY To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we will make investments aimed at doubling renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. America's energy shortcomings present a huge opportunity to put people to work in ways that will transform our economy. • • Reliable, Efficient Electricity Grid: $11 billion for research and development, pilot projects, and federal matching funds for the Smart Grid Investment Program to modernize the electricity grid making it more efficient, secure, and reliable and build new power lines to transmit clean, renewable energy from sources throughout the nation. • • Renewable Energy Loan Guarantees: $8 billion for loans for renewable energy power generation and transmission projects. • • GSA Federal Buildings: $6.7 billion for renovations and repairs to federal buildings including at least $6 billion focused on increasing energy efficiency and conservation. Projects are selected based on GSA's ready-to-go priority list. • • Local Government Energy Efficiency Block Grants: $6.9 billion to help state and local governments make investments that make them more energy efficient and reduce carbon emissions. • • Energy Efficiency Housing Retrofits: $2.5 billion for a new program to upgrade HUD sponsored low-income housing to increase energy efficiency, including new insulation, windows, and furnaces. Funds will be competitively awarded. • • Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Research: $2 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities to foster energy independence, reduce carbon emissions, and cut utility bills. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis to universities, companies, and national laboratories. • • Advanced Battery Loans and Grants: $2 billion for the Advanced Battery Loan Guarantee and Grants Program, to support U.S. manufacturers of advanced vehicle batteries and battery systems. America should lead, the world in transforming the way automobiles are powered. • • Energy Efficiency Grants and Loans for Institutions: $1.5 billion for energy sustainability and efficiency grants and loans to help school districts, institutes of higher education, local governments, and municipal utilities implement projects that will make them more energy efficient. • • Home Weatherization: $6.2 billion to help low-income families reduce their energy costs by weatherizing their homes and make our country more energy efficient. • • Smart Appliances: $300 million to provide consumers with rebates for buying energy efficient Energy Star products to replace old appliances, which will lower energy bills. • • GSA Federal Fleet: $600 million to replace older vehicles owned by the federal government with alternative fuel automobiles that will save on fuel costs and reduce carbon emissions. • • Electric Transportation: $200 million for a new grant program to encourage electric vehicle technologies. • • Cleaning Fossil Energy: $2.4 billion for carbon capture and sequestration technology demonstration projects. This funding will provide valuable information necessary to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere from industrial facilities and fossil fuel power plants. • • Department of Defense Research: $350 million for research into using renewable energy to power weapons systems and military bases. • • Alternative Buses and Trucks: $400 million to help state and local governments purchase efficient alternative fuel vehicles to reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions. • • Industrial Energy Efficiency: $500 million for energy efficient manufacturing demonstration projects. Diesel Emissions Reduction: $300 million for grants and loans to state and local governments for projects that reduce diesel emissions, benefiting public health and reducing global warming. This includes technologies to retrofit emission exhaust systems on school buses, replace engines and vehicles, and establish anti-idling programs. 70% of the funds go to competitive grants and 30% funds grants to states with approved programs. Last year EPA was able to fund only 27% of the applications received. TRANSFORMING OUR ECONOMY WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY We need to put scientists to work looking for the next great discovery, creating jobs in cutting-edge technologies and making smart investments that will help businesses in every community succeed in a global economy. ,Lim Broadband to Give Every Community Access to the Global Economy • • Wireless and Broadband Grants: $6 billion for broadband and wireless services in underserved areas to strengthen the economy and provide business and job opportunities in every section of America with benefits to e-commerce, education, and healthcare. For every dollar invested in broadband the economy sees a ten-fold return on that investment. Scientific Research • • National Science Foundation: $3 billion, including $2 billion for expanding employment opportunities in fundamental science and engineering to meet environmental challenges and to improve global economic competitiveness, $400 million to build major research facilities that perform cutting edge science, $300 million for major research equipment shared by institutions of higher education and .other scientists, $200 million to repair and modernize science and engineering research facilities at the nation's institutions of higher education and other science labs, and $100 million is also included to improve instruction in science, math and engineering. • • National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research: $2 billion, including $1.5 billion for expanding good jobs in biomedical research to study diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, and heart disease - NIH is currently able to fund less than 20% of approved applications - and $500 million to implement the repair and improvement strategic plan developed by the NIH for its campuses. • • University Research Facilities: $1.5 billion for NIH to renovate university research facilities and help them compete for biomedical research grants. The National Science Foundation estimates a maintenance backlog of $3.9 billion in biological science research space. Funds are awarded competitively. • • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: $462 million to enable CDC to complete its Buildings and Facilities Master Plan, as well as renovations and construction needs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. • • Department of Energy: $1.9 billion for basic research into the physical sciences including high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and fusion energy sciences and improvements to DOE laboratories and scientific facilities. $400 million is for the Advanced Research Project Agency - Energy to support high-risk, high-payoff research into energy sources and energy efficiency. • • NASA: $600 million, including $400 million to put more scientists to work doing climate change research, including Earth science research recommended by the National Academies, satellite sensors that measure solar radiation critical to understanding climate change, and a thermal infrared sensor to the Landsat Continuing Mapper necessary for water management, particularly in the western states; $150 million for research, development, and demonstration to improve aviation safety and Next Generation air traffic control (NextGen); and $50 million to repair NASA centers damaged by hurricanes and floods last year. • . • Biomedical Advanced Research and Development, Pandemic Flu, and Cyber Security: $900 million to prepare for a pandemic influenza, support advanced development of medical countermeasures for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and for cyber security protections at HHS. • • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Satellites and Sensors: $600 million for satellite development and acquisitions, including climate sensors and climate modeling. • • National Institute of Standards and Technology: $300 million for competitive construction grants for research science buildings at colleges, universities, and other research organizations and $100 million to coordinate research efforts of laboratories and national research facilities by setting interoperability standards for manufacturing. • • Agricultural Research Service: $209 million for agricultural research facilities across the country. ARS has a list of deferred maintenance work at facilities of roughly $315 million. • • U.S. Geological Survey: $200 million to repair and modernize U.S.G.S. science facilities and equipment, including improvements to laboratories, earthquake monitoring systems, and computing capacity. Creating Small Business Opportunity • • Small Business Credit: $430 million for new direct lending and loan guarantee authorities to make loans more attractive to lenders and free up capital. The number of loans guaranteed under the SBA's 7(a) business loan program was down 57% in the first quarter of this year compared to last. • • Rural Business-Cooperative Service: $100 million for rural business grants and loans to guarantee $2 billion in loans for rural businesses at a time of unprecedented demand due to the credit crunch. Private sector lenders are increasingly turning to this program to help businesses get access to capital. • • Industrial Technology Services: $100 million, including $70 million for the Technology Innovation Program to accelerate research in potentially revolutionary technologies with high job growth potential, and $30 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnerships to help small and mid-size manufacturers compete globally by providing them with access to technology. • • Economic Development Assistance: $250 million to address long-term economic distress in urban industrial cores and rural areas distributed based on need and ability to create jobs and attract private investment. EDA leverages $10 in private investments for $1 in federal funds. DTV Conversion Coupons: $650 million to continue the coupon program to enable American households to convert from analog television transmission to digital transmission. MODERNIZE ROADS, BRIDGES, TRANSIT AND WATERWAYS To build a 21" century economy, we must engage contractors across the nation to create jobs - rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, modernizing public buildings, and putting people to work cleaning our air, water, and land. Highway Infrastructure: $30 billion for highway and bridge construction projects. It is estimated that states have over 5,100 projects totaling over $64 billion that could be 2,-2 ~ awarded within 180 days. These projects create jobs in the short term while saving commuters time and money in the long term. In 2006, the Department of Transportation estimated $8.5 billion was needed to maintain current systems and $61.4 billion was needed to improve highways and bridges. Transit: Public transportation saves Americans time and money, saving as much as 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline and reducing carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons each year. • • New Construction: $1 billion for Capital Investment Grants for new commuter rail or other light rail systems to increase public use of mass transit and to speed projects already in construction. The Federal Transit Administration has $2.4 billion in pre-approved projects. • • Upgrades and Repair: $2 billion to modernize existing transit systems, including renovations to stations, security systems, computers, equipment, structures, signals, and communications. Funds will be distributed through the existing formula. The repair backlog is nearly $50 billion. • • Transit Capital Assistance: $6 billion to purchase buses and equipment needed to increase public transportation and improve intermodal and transit facilities. The Department of Transportation estimates a $3.2 billion maintenance backlog and $9.2 billion in needed improvements. The American Public Transportation Association identified 787 ready-to-go transit projects totaling $15.5 billion. Funds will be distributed through the existing formulas. Amtrak and Intercity Passenger Rail Construction Grants: $1.1 billion to improve the speed and capacity of intercity passenger rail service. The Department of Transportation's Inspector General estimates the North East Corridor alone has a backlog of over $10 billion. Airport Improvement Grants: $3 billion for airport improvement projects that will improve safety and reduce congestion. An estimated $41 billion in eligible airport infrastructure projects are needed between 2007-2011. Transportation Security Administration Explosive Detection Systems: $500 million to install Aviation Explosive Detection Systems in the nation's airports, improving security, and making life easier on travelers by speeding security lines. Funds are competitively awarded based on security risk. Coast Guard Bridges: $150 million for ready-to-go investments to repair or remove bridges deemed hazardous to marine navigation, thereby removing obstructions and improving the safety of marine navigation. Technology Improvements for a More Efficient and Secure Government • • Social Security Administration Modernization: $400 million to replace the 30 year old Social Security Administration's National Computer Center to meet growing needs for processing retirement and disability claims and records storage. .Z,. Z3 • • Farm Service Agency: $245 million for critical IT improvements to systems that have been unable to handle workload increases. • • State Department Technology: $276 million to upgrade and modernize information technology platforms for the Department to meet security requirements post-9/11. • • Department of Agriculture: $44 million for repairs and security improvements at USDA's headquarters. Department of Defense Facilities • • Medical Facilities: $3.75 billion for new construction of hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, and $455 million in renovations to provide state-of-the- art medical care to service members and their families. • • Facilities Renovations: $2.1 billion to address needed repairs to military facilities. • • Troop Housing: $1.2 billion for new construction and $154 million for renovations to improve housing for our troops. • • Child Development Center: $360 million for new child development centers. • • Guard and Reserve: $400 million for new construction to support Guard and Reserve units across the country with operations and training facilities and utilities infrastructure. Veterans Administration Facilities • • Veterans Medical Facilities: $950 million for veterans' medical facilities. The Department has identified a $5 billion backlog in needed repairs, including energy efficiency projects, at its 153 medical facilities. • • Veterans Cemeteries: $50 million to put people to work making monument and memorial repairs at cemeteries for American heroes. Border Ports of Entry: $1.15 billion to construct GSA and Customs and Border Patrol land ports of entry to improve border security, make trade and travel easier and reduce wait times, and to procure non-intrusive inspection technology at sea ports of entry, which is used to scan cargo containers to reduce the risk that containers can be used to smuggle weapons of mass destruction. Job Corps Facilities: $300 million to upgrade job training facilities serving at-risk youth while improving energy efficiency. Construction on Public Lands and Parks: $3.1 billion for infrastructure projects on federal lands including improvements to visitor facilities, road and trail restoration, preservation of buildings of cultural and historic importance, rehabilitation of abandoned mines and oil fields, and environmental cleanup projects. This includes $1.8 billion for the National Park Service, $325 million for the Bureau of Land Management, $300 million for the National Wildlife Refuges and National Fish Hatcheries, and $650 million for the Forest Service. 2-zK National Treasures: $400 million, including $200 million to address the deterioration of the National Mall, such as repair of the Jefferson Memorial's collapsing Tidal Basin walls; $150 million to address the repair backlog at the Smithsonian; and $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. Clean Water • • Clean Water State Revolving Fund: $6 billion for loans to help communities upgrade wastewater treatment systems. EPA estimates a $388 billion funding gap. The Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators found that 26 states have $10 billion in approved water projects. • • Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $2 billion for loans for drinking water infrastructure. EPA estimates there is a $274 billion funding gap. The National Governors Association reported that there are $6 billion in ready-to-go projects, which could quickly be obligated. • • Rural Water and Waste Disposal: $1.5 billion to support $3,8 billion in grants and loans to help communities fund drinking water and wastewater treatment systems. In 2008, there were $2.4 billion in requests for water and waste loans and $990 million for water and waste grants went unfunded. Water Resources • • Corps of Engineers: $4.5 billion for environmental restoration, flood protection, hydropower, and navigation infrastructure critical to the economy. The Corps has a construction backlog of $61 billion. • • Bureau of Reclamation: $500 million to provide clean, reliable drinking water to rural areas and to ensure adequate water supply to western localities impacted by drought. The Bureau has backlogs of more than $1 billion in rural water projects and water reuse and recycling projects. • • Watershed Infrastructure: $400 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service watershed improvement programs to design and build flood protection and water quality projects, repair aging dams, and purchase and restore conservation easements in river flood zones. • • International Boundary and Water Commission: $224 million to repair flood control systems along the international segment of the Rio Grande damaged by hurricane Katrina and other serious storms. Environmental Cleanup • • Superfund Hazardous Waste Cleanup: $800 million to clean up hazardous and toxic waste sites that threaten health and the environment. EPA has 1,255 sites on its National Priority List, selected based on a hazard ranking system. There are many Superfund sites ready for construction, but not funded due to budget shortfalls and over 600 sites with ongoing construction that could be accelerated. • • Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: $200 million for enforcement and cleanup of petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks at approximately 1,600 additional sites. There are an estimated 116,000 sites with the potential to contaminate important water supplies. Z' 2, • • Nuclear Waste Cleanup: $500 million for nuclear waste cleanup at sites contaminated as a result of the nation's past nuclear activities. Accelerating the completion of projects will reduce long-term costs. • • Closed Military Bases: $300 million for cleanup activities at closed military installations allowing local communities to redevelop these properties for productive use. The Department estimates that there is a $3.5 billion environmental cleanup backlog at bases closed during previous BRAC rounds. • • NOAA Habitat Restoration: $400 million for ready-to-go habitat restoration projects. • • Brownfields: $100 million for competitive grants for evaluation and cleanup of former industrial and commercial sites - turning them from problem properties to productive community use. Last year EPA was only able to fund 37% of Brownfields applications. Reducing Wildfires Threats: $850 million for hazardous fuels removal and other efforts to prevent wildfires on public lands. Malting these investments today will create jobs in the short run, but also save long tenn costs of fighting fires in the future. • • State and Private Forest Service Wildfire: $550 million for state and local volunteer programs and hazardous fuels reduction efforts which states and communities have determined are of the highest priority. • • Federal Forest Service Wildfire: $300 million for urgently needed hazard reduction on federal lands. Bureau of Indian Affairs: $500 million to address maintenance backlogs at schools, dams, detention and law enforcement facilities, and over 24,000 miles of roads. BIA schools alone have an over $1 billion construction and maintenance backlog including shamefully unsafe conditions. EDUCATION FOR THE 21St CENTURY We will put people to work building 20 century classrooms, labs, and libraries to help our kids compete with any worker in the world. 21St Century Classrooms • School Construction: $20 billion, including $14 billion for K-12 and $6 billion for higher education, for renovation and modernization, including technology upgrades and energy efficiency improvements. Also includes $100 million for school construction in communities that lack a local property tax base because they contain non-taxable federal lands such as military bases or Indian reservations, and $25 million to help charter schools build, obtain, and repair schools. • Education Technology: $1 billion for 21" century classrooms, including computer and science labs and teacher technology training. 21 Z. 4 Higher Education: Tuition is up, unemployment is up, and as a result more people are choosing to go to school to upgrade their skills and more of these students need student aid. This investment addresses those short term needs while investing in our nation's future economic strength. • • Pell Grants: $15.6 billion to increase the maximum Pell Grant by $500, from $4,850 to $5,350. • • College Work-Study: $490 million to support undergraduate and graduate students who work. • • Student Loan Limit Increase: Increases limits on unsubsidized Stafford loans by $2,000. • • Student Aid Administration: $50 million to help the Department of Education administer surging student aid programs while navigating the changing student loan environment. K-12 Education: As states begin tackling a projected $350 billion in budget shortfalls these investments will prevent cuts to critical education programs and services. • • IDEA Special Education: $13 billion for formula grants to increase the federal share of special education costs and prevent these mandatory costs from forcing states to cut other areas of education. • • Title I Help for Disadvantaged Kids: $13 billion for grants to help disadvantaged kids in nearly every school district and more than half of all public schools reach high academic standards. • • Statewide Data Systems: $250 million for competitive grants to states to design and develop data systems that analyze individual student data to find ways to improve student achievement, providing teachers and administrators with effective tools. • • Education for Homeless Children and Youth: $66 million for formula grants to states to provide services to homeless children including meals and transportation when high unemployment and home foreclosures have created an influx of homeless kids. • • Improving Teacher Quality: $300 million, including $200 million for competitive grants to school districts and states to provide financial incentives for teachers and principals who raise student achievement and close the achievement gaps in high-need schools and $100 million for competitive grants to states to address teacher shortages and modernize the teaching workforce. Early Childhood Development • • Child Care Development Block Grant: $2 billion to provide child care services for an additional 300,000 children in low-income families while their parents go to work. Today only one out of seven eligible children receives care. • • Head Start: $2.1 billion to provide comprehensive development services to help 110,000 additional children succeed in school. Funds are distributed based on need. Only about half of all eligible preschoolers and less than 3 percent of eligible infants and toddlers participate in Head Start. Z't • • IDEA Infants and Families: $600 million for formula grants to help states serve children with disabilities age 2 and younger. LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS To save not only jobs, but money and lives, we will update and computerize our healthcare system to cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help reduce healthcare costs by billions of dollars each year. • • Health Information Technology: $20 billion to jumpstart efforts to computerize health records to cut costs and reduce medical errors. • • Prevention and Wellness Fund: $3 billion to fight preventable chronic diseases, the leading cause of deaths in the U.S., and infectious diseases. Preventing disease rather than treating illnesses is the most effective way to reduce healthcare costs. This includes hospital infection prevention, Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grants for state and local public health departments, immunization programs, and evidence-based disease prevention. • • Healthcare Effectiveness Research: $1.1 billion for Healthcare Research and Quality programs to compare the effectiveness of different medical treatments funded by Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP. Finding out what works best and educating patients and doctors will improve treatment and save taxpayers money. • • Community Health Centers: $1.5 billion, including $500 million to increase the number of uninsured Americans who receive quality healthcare and $1 billion to renovate clinics and make health information technology improvements. More than 400 applications submitted earlier this year for new or expanded CHC sites remain unfunded. • • Training Primary Care Providers: $600 million to address shortages and prepare our country for universal healthcare by training primary healthcare providers including doctors, dentists, and nurses as well as helping pay medical school expenses for students who agree to practice in underserved communities through the National Health Service Corps. • • Indian Health Service Facilities: $550 million to modernize aging hospitals and health clinics and make healthcare technology upgrades to improve healthcare for underserved rural populations. HELP WORKERS HURT BY THE ECONOMY High unemployment and rising costs have outpaced Americans' paychecks. We will help workers train and find jobs, and help struggling families make ends meet. Helping Workers Find Jobs • • Training and Employment Services: $4 billion for job training including formula grants for adult, dislocated worker, and youth services (including $1.2 billion to create up to one million summer jobs for youth). The needs of workers also will be met through dislocated worker national emergency.grants, new competitive grants for worker training in high growth and emerging industry sectors (with priority consideration to "green" jobs and healthcare), and increased funds for the YouthBuild 2-'2s program. Green jobs training will include preparing workers for activities supported by other economic recovery funds, such as retrofitting of buildings, green construction, and the production of renewable electric power. • • Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants: $500 million for state formula grants for construction and rehabilitation of facilities to help persons with disabilities prepare for gainful employment. • • Employment Services Grants: $500 million to match unemployed individuals to job openings through state employment service agencies and allow states to provide customized services. Funds are targeted to states with the greatest need based on labor force, unemployment, and long-term unemployed rates. • • Community Service Employment for Older. Americans: $120 million to provide subsidized community service jobs to an additional 24,000 low-income older Americans. Unemployment Insurance Benefits • • Benefits Extension: $27 billion to continue the current extended unemployment benefits program - which provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits - through December 31, 2009 given rising unemployment. • • Increased Benefits: $9 billion to increase the current average unemployment insurance benefit from roughly $300 per week, paid out of State trust fiends, by $25 per week using Federal funds, through December 2009. There are currently 5.3 million workers receiving regular UI and an additional 1.9 million receiving extended benefits. • • Unemployment Insurance Modernization: Provides funds to states though a "Reed Act" distribution, tied to states' meeting specific reforms to increase unemployment insurance coverage for low-wage, part-time, and other jobless workers. COBRA Healthcare for the Unemployed: $30.3 billion to extend health insurance coverage to the unemployed, extending the period of COBRA coverage for older and tenured workers beyond the 18 months provided under current law. Specifically, workers 55 and older, and workers who have worked for an employer for 10 or more years will be able to retain their COBRA coverage until they become Medicare eligible or secure coverage through a subsequent employer. In addition, subsidizing the first 12 months of COBRA coverage for eligible persons who have lost their jobs on or after September 1, 2008 at a 65 percent subsidy rate, the same rate provided under the Health Care Tax Credit for unemployed workers under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. [Ways and Means] Medicaid Coverage for the Unemployed: $8.6 billion to provide 100 percent Federal funding through 2010 for optional State Medicaid coverage of individuals (and their dependents) who are involuntarily unemployed and whose family income does not exceed a State-determined level, but is no higher than 200 percent of poverty, or who are receiving food stamps. Attacking the Housing Crisis Zi C.~ 7 • Public Housing Capital Fund: $5 billion for building repair and modernization, including critical safety repairs. Every dollar of Capital Fund expenditures produces $2.12 in economic return. $4 billion of the funds will be distributed to public housing authorities through the existing formula and $1 billion will be awarded through a competitive process for projects that improve energy efficiency. • • HOME Investment Partnerships: $1.5 billion to help local communities build and rehabilitate low-income housing using green technologies. Thousands of ready- to-go housing projects have been stalled by the credit crunch. Funds are distributed by formula. • • Native American Housing Block Grants: $500 million to rehabilitate and improve energy efficiency at some of the over 42,000 housing units maintained by Native American housing programs. Half of the funding will be distributed by formula and half will be competitively awarded to projects that can be started quickly. • • Neighborhood Stabilization: $4.2 billion to help communities purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed, vacant properties in order to create more affordable housing and reduce neighborhood blight. • • Homeless Assistance Grants: $1.5 billion for the Emergency Shelter Grant program to provide short term rental assistance, housing relocation, and stabilization services for families during the economic crisis. Funds are distributed by formula. • • Rural Housing Insurance Fund: $500 million to support $22 billion in direct loans and loan guarantees to help rural families and individuals buy homes during the credit crunch. Last year these programs received $13.4 billion more in applications than they could fund. • • Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Program: $10 million for rural, high- need areas to undertake projects using sustainable and energy-efficient building and rehabilitation practices. Funds will be awarded by competition to projects that can begin quickly. • Lead Paint: $100 million for competitive grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to remove lead-based paint hazards in low-income housing. • • Rural Community Facilities: $200 million to support $1.2 billion in grants and loans to rural areas for critical community facilities, such as for healthcare, education, fire and rescue, day care, community centers, and libraries. There are over $1.2 billion in applications pending. Alleviating Hunger • • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance: $20 billion to provide nutrition assistance to modest-income families and to lift restrictions that limit the amount of time individuals can receive food stamps. • • Senior Nutrition Programs: $200 million for formula grants to states for elderly nutrition services including Meals on Wheels and Congregate Meals. • • Afterschool Meals: $726 million to increase the number of states that provide free dinners to children and to encourage participation by new institutions by increasing snack reimbursement rates. • • Supplemental Nutrition Program Information Systems: $100 million to improve state management information systems for the WIC program. Z.'3 v Payments to Disabled and Elderly: $4.2 billion to help 7.5 million low-income disabled and elderly individuals with rising costs by providing an additional SSI payment in 2009 equal to the average monthly federal payment under the program (approximately $450 for an individual and $630 for a couple). This one-time payment will serve as an immediate economic stimulus as half of SSI recipients have no other form of income and the other half average outside income of less than $450 per month. Community Services Block Grant: $1 billion for grants to local communities to support employment, food, housing, and healthcare efforts serving those hardest hit by the recession. Community action agencies have seen dramatic increases in requests for their assistance due to rising unemployment, housing foreclosures, and high food and fuel prices. Community Development Block Grants: $1 billion for community and economic development projects including housing and services for those hit hard by tough economic times. Emergency Food and Shelter: $200 million to help local community organizations provide food, shelter, and support services to the nation's hungry, homeless, and people in economic crisis including one-month utility payments to prevent service cut-off and one-month rent or mortgage assistance to prevent evictions or help people leave shelters. Funds are distributed by formula based on unemployment and poverty rates. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance: $1 billion to help low-income families pay for home heating and cooling at a time of rising energy costs. Child Support Enforcement: $1 billion to provide federal incentive funds for states to collect support owed to families. Social Security Administration Disability Backlog and Claims Processing: $500 million to help the Social Security Administration process a steep rise in disability and retirement claims, getting people their benefits faster, and preventing existing backlogs from getting worse. Within this total, $40 million will help SSI upgrade health information technology. Centers for Independent Living: $200 million for state formula grants to help individuals with disabilities continue to live in their communities. AmeriCorps Programs: $200 million to put approximately 16,000 additional AmeriCorps members to work doing national service, meeting needs of vulnerable populations and communities during the recession. Compassion Capital Fund: $100 million for grants to faith- and community-based organizations to provide critical safety net services to needy individuals and families. 2.'3 k Department of Labor Worker Protection and Oversight: $80 million to ensure that worker protection laws are enforced as recovery infrastructure investments are carried out. SAVE PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS AND PROTECT VITAL SERVICES We will provide relief to states, so they can continue to employ teachers, firefighters, and police officers and provide vital services without having to unnecessarily raise middle class taxes. Medicaid Aid to States (FMAP): $87 billion to states, increasing through the end of FY 2010 the share of Medicaid costs the Federal government reimburses all states by 4.8 percent, with additional relief tied to rates of unemployment. This approach has been used in previous recessions to prevent cuts to health benefits for their increased low- income patient loads at a time when state revenues are declining. State Education and Other Budget Priorities: $120 billion to states and school districts to stabilize budgets and prevent tax increases and deep cuts to critical education programs, including: • • $41 billion to local school districts through Title I ($13 billion), IDEA ($13 billion), a new School Modernization and Repair Program ($14 billion), and the Education Technology program ($1 billion). • • $79 billion in state fiscal relief, including: $39 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities distributed through existing state and federal formulas; $15 billion to states as bonus grants as a reward for meeting key performance measures; and $25 billion to states for other high priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: $2.5 billion for block grants to help States deal with the surge in families needing help during the recession and to prevent them from cutting work programs and services for abused and neglected children. State and Local Law Enforcement: $4 billion to support state and local law enforcement including $3 billion for the Byrne Justice Assistance formula grants to support local law enforcement efforts with equipment and operating costs, and $1 billion for the COPS hiring grant program, to hire about 13,000 new police officers for three years. The grantee is responsible for at least 25% in matching funds and must commit to use their own funds to keep the officer on board in the fourth year. Periodic Census and Programs, Communications: $1 billion for work necessary to ensure a successful 2010 census, including $150 million for expanded communications and outreach programs to minimize undercounting of minority groups, OTHER IMPORTANT POLICY PROVISION 2,3 2.- Readin,a Public Librarv - Regional Initiatives & Resource Sharing 1. Public most values interlibrarv lending service: 29,000 books and materials borrowed for Reading patrons from other area libraries in 2008 ( _ $580,000 if purchased at $20. each) 2,267 books and materials borrowed from out of the area and out of state for Reading patrons in 2008 $45,340 if purchased at $20 each) 2. Group purchasing collective for books and library materials; specialty supplies 3. Internet service. catalos, and public computing (NOBLE) 4. Training, continuing education (NMRLS, Professional Associations) Professional advice and consulting: Eg: New England Roundtable Children's Librarians, Services to Elders, etc. (Mostly volunteer basis) Directors' discussions, working committees, tech expos, Assistant Directors' Forum, Brown Bag lunches Mentoring/In-Service Development: Me and My Shadow Program - half-day "trading places" with staff at other libraries . Shared staff development programs: eg. Communications 101 with Wakefield Library staff, shared costs of presenters 5. Coordination with neighboring libraries on some 5pecialty programming, like book discussions, authors, children's programs 6. Share selected program and instructional materials (for example: teen, summer reading, brochures introducing new resources) 7. Group purchases of new products like downloadable audiobooks (shared costs), research databases (electronic encyclopedia, reference materials) and negotiated vendor contracts for online services and shared databases, like online Books In Print catalog, etc. 8. Group purchases of computers at discount pricing below state contract levels z----3 ~ SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL BUDGET ACTIONS - FY 2010 Department/Action Acceptable or not Acceptable Board of Town Selectmen Manager Goldy Tafoya Bonazoli Anthony Schubert consensus Community Services Eliminate FT Inspector A Eliminate CO Volunteers A Police Freeze Overtime I A Eliminate non- mandatory training A Defer replacement of equipment A I I Dispatch I I I I I L Freeze Overtime I A I I I, Consider PT Dispatchers A Use E911 grant for salaries A I I I I I I I Fire I 1 I I I, Violate contract - Minimum Staffing NA Eliminate 1 FF I NA I I Eliminate response - non-emergency calls A Eliminate non-funded Public Education A Eliminate non mandatory training NA Reduce maintenance of Fire Alarm system I NA I Library Close Sat in summer A Close 3 PM Fri I A Delay weekday opening to 10 am A Close 1 /2 day. on Sat ( A Reduce Child. And Ref. on Sunday A (Eliminate 5 Pages I A I I I 1/16/2009 1 3 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL BUDGET ACTIONS - FY 2010 Department/Action Acceptable or not Acceptable Board of Town Selectmen Manager - Goldy Tafoya Bonazoli. Anthony Schubert consensus Eliminate Library Tech. A Increase Lib card replacement A Increase meeting room fee NA Public Works Eliminate non mandatory training A Eliminate Engineering Aide A Eliminate 2 Hwy ST seasonal A Reduce line painting by 50% NA Eliminate contracted street sweeping NA Eliminate 2 Park Seasonal laborers A Eliminate Shade Tree replacement program NA Eliminate Forestry laborer NA Reduce rubbish disposal due to bad economy A Eliminate curbside leaf collection A Business owners to clear their sidewalks A Discontinue plowing church lots A Demolish 1489 Main Street cabin NA Finance and Accounting Fewer elections I A I I Eliminate centralized Professional Development A Reduce OT I A I 1/16/2009 2 3-Z SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL BUDGET ACTIONS - FY 2010 Department/Action Eliminate non mandatory professional development Reduce HR advertising and medicals Slow PC Replacement cycle Slow technology Implementation schedule Reduce hours of customer service Town Manager's Office Reduce PT Position by 20% Reduce P&C Insurance to 0% Reduce retreat 50% Reduce Board of Selectmen budget 19% Reduce Town Manager's Office OT 17% Acceptable or not Acceptable Board of Town Selectmen Manager Goldy Tafoya Bonazoli Anthony Schubert consensus A NA NA NA .NA I A A A A A 1/16/2009 3 3