A drop in the state's median household income led to the salary reduction.
Massachusetts lawmakers will get a pay cut this year, in accordance with a state law that links legislators’ salaries to the state’s median household income. Governor Deval Patrick’s office announced the drop in wages this week. “As required by Article CXVIII of the Amendments to the Constitution, for the purpose of adjusting the base compensation of members of the General Court, we have ascertained, from the federal census American Community Survey and reports of average weekly wages, that the median household income for the Commonwealth for the preceding two-year period decreased by 1.8 percent,” Patrick said in a Jan. 2 letter to State Treasurer Steven Grossman. The pay cut amounts to about $1,000 annually from legislators’ current …
Gov. Deval Patrick said the MBTA would put additional personnel on duty and extra equipment to keep the system running during a possible visit from Hurricane Sandy.
The T is bracing for whatever Hurricane Sandy might bring, Gov. Deval Patrick said on Friday. The transit agency will have additional personnel and equipment ready so that the system keeps working, Patrick said at a Friday press conference, according to Patch news partners 7News. Transit officials confirm that the MBTA has a plan in place. "We are monitoring forecasts closely," T spokesperson Joshua Robin wrote in an email to Patch. "As conditions require, the MBTA will deploy extra personnel and equipment throughout the system, to limit any disruptions in service. Work crews are ready to respond to any storm-related issues that may emerge." It still isn't clear if Hurricane Sandy will make a direct hit on Massachusetts. But even if it …
The governor, during a live chat with Patch, expressed skepticism about the legalization of medical marijuana, though he sympathized with patients in pain.
Governor Deval Patrick said he would likely vote no on Question Three this fall. During a Thursday live chat with Patch, a reader asked Patrick how he would vote on the ballot question and whether the governor was for or against the legalization of cannabis. "I am not too energized on this issue, personally. California's experience has been mixed. I will probably vote against it. I respect the opposing view, though, especially those whose concern is for people in constant pain," wrote the governor in response. Proponents say medical marijuana will help ease the pain and suffering of cancer patients and other eligible residents. Opponents, meanwhile, say the law is a back door to full legalization, and that medical marijuana can be …
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In a live chat on Patch Thursday, Gov. Deval Patrick said he approves of the extraordinary step of allowing release to defense attorneys of State Police interviews with alleged "rogue chemist" Annie Dookhan.
Gov. Deval Patrick took part in a live chat on Patch Thursday. In it, he spoke about the scandal engulfing the State Drug Lab in Jamaica Plain. That's where so-called "rogue chemist" Annie Dookhan is alleged to have tainted the evidence in as many as 34,000 cases. Thousands of drug dealers behind bars could go free (and some have already been released.) Asked by Patch for a progress report on the mammoth task of dealing with the fallout, here's what the governor typed: The criminal investigation is ongoing. Yesterday, in a very unusual move, prosecutors gave defense attorneys all the notes of State Police interviews of witnesses to date, including the notes of the interview of Annie Dookhan, the chemist at the center of this. Given the …
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Gov. Deval Patrick took questions from residents on a wide variety of topics, like taxes, the MBTA and the scandal at the State Drug Lab in JP. You can click on a recap of the chat, which took place from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. on Thursday.
UPDATE, Tuesday 2:22 p.m.: The chat is ended. Thanks, everyone who took part or listened in. You can replay the chat in the widget above. ~~~~~~ Governor Deval Patrick will answer your questions during our live chat at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. To join the chat, enter your name and question in the widget above. We will try to get to as many questions as we can within the allotted 45 minutes, but can't guarantee every question will make it into the chat. Here are some JP issues you might consider asking about:
Governor Deval Patrick speaks with Patch readers live at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. What questions do you want him to answer?
If you could ask Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick one question, what would it be? Patrick will join Patch Thursday at 1:30 p.m. for a live chat with readers. Now's your chance to ask the executive of the commonwealth your question about casinos, the JP crime lab, the economy, elections or whatever else you want to know. Can't make it to the live chat? Leave your questions for Patrick in the comments to have them considered for the live Q&A session. We'll be sure to ask about the most popular topics when we chat Thursday. To join our chat, head on over to our homepage from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Thursday.
Ask Governor Deval Patrick about any topic you like during our live chat at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Governor Deval Patrick will take your questions live on Patch this Thursday. The governor will spend 45 minutes fielding your questions as they come. Head on over to our homepage from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Thursday to join our chat. You'll simply have to provide your name, and you'll be able to ask your questions immediately. If you can't make the live chat, leave your questions as comments to this article, and we'll do our best to add them to the queue. We will publish the live chat transcript immediately and a recap first thing on Friday morning. Questions submitted will be subject to moderator approval. No vulgar or libelous comments will be allowed. Because we expect a high volume of questions for the chat session, we will keep …
On Thursday Gov. Deval Patrick picked veteran prosecutor David Meier to lead a "boiler room" that would sift through cases to find out which ones are tainted by the scandal at the state drug lab on South Street.
The governor has handed a high-profile attorney who for a dozen years was chief prosecutor for homicides in Boston the mammoth task of handling the fallout from the scandal at the state drug lab in Jamaica Plain. Gov. Deval Patrick on Thursday announced his appointment of David Meier to lead a "boiler room" clearinghouse dedicated to finding everyone whose criminal case might have been tainted by what the state is calling a rogue chemist. Former Department of Public Health State Lab chemist Annie Dookhan allegedly doctored or otherwise tainted up to 60,000 drug samples in 34,000 cases. She resigned in March before the scandal became public. The governor shuttered the South Street labs in August. Since then, things have moved fast. On …
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1:13 am on Saturday, October 13, 2012
And this was all in the interest of JUSTICE. This was plain EVIL. Hold her accountable. Add up the total time handed out to others in sentencing and that's the time she should be doing. Better yet, put her on the prison yard with all those (men & women) convicted by the false evidence and let JUSTICE be served. more ›
Public Health Department Commissioner John Auerbach, a JP resident, resigned Monday, saying "the buck stops with me" in the scandal that has shuttered the state drug lab on South Street — and put thousands of convictions at risk.
The scandal at the state's drug lab in Jamaica Plain claimed its highest-level victim to date with the resignation of the commission of public health. John Auerbach, who according to the JP Gazette lives here in the neighborhood, stepped down Monday. In a statement, he accepted responsibility. "It is clear that there was insufficient quality monitoring, reporting and investigating on the part of supervisors and managers surrounding the former Department of Public Health drug lab in Jamaica Plain – and ultimately, as Commissioner, the buck stops with me." As many as 34,000 criminal cases could be undermined by the alleged actions of chemist Annie Dookhan. She is alleged to have tampered with evidence in a variety of ways, including so as to…
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1:20 am on Saturday, October 13, 2012
"The scandal at the state's drug lab in Jamaica Plain claimed its highest-level "victim" to date with the resignation of the commission of public health." John Auerbach is a VICTIM???? NO... those 34,000 incarcerated on false evidence are VICTIMS. more ›
The mayor and governor joined family members of September 11 victims on Tuesday morning in commemoration ceremonies.
Eleven years ago, on a cloudless day much like today, Anna Sweeney's father told her that "mommy's plane was taken by bad guys and a lot of people went to heaven." Anna's mother, Amy Sweeney of Acton, had been a flight attendant on Flight 11, the first plane to fly into the towers. She was one of 207 people from Massachusetts to die from the attacks. Anna, now a teenager, joined other families of victims Tuesday morning to honor the memory of those killed. "It's hard to believe that that terrible trajedy was 11 years ago," Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo told the crowd inside the House chambers, where they were assembled for the presentation of the Madeline "Amy" Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery. "We think of Amy Sweeney, who stood up…
Pat Larkin
9:40 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Governor Patrick, Will you please take the lead for our Commonwealth by urging citizens to vote NO on November's ballot question #2 about assisted suicide? Thanks for your consideration. more ›