Friday, March 8, 2013
Gov. Deval Patrick visited Hyannis on Thursday afternoon to speak with community leaders and members of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce about his budget proposal.
Governor Patrick arrived at the Cape Codder Resort shortly after 12:30 p.m., and took the stage to pitch his budget proposal to more than 100 business owners, chamber members, and local officials. Over the course of thirty minutes, Governor Patrick spoke at length about the need to make significant investments in public education and transportation infrastructure. Following his remarks, the Governor fielded questions from the crowd, including Dr. Mary Czajkowski, Superintendent of Barnstable Public Schools. Czajkowski praised the Governor for his commitment to education, and applauded his proposal to make major investments in Massachusetts’ public schools. “We have found in Barnstable, especially in our Hyannis West population, that …
Monday, February 11, 2013
Governor Deval Patrick met with volunteers and people seeking shelter at the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School today in Yarmouth.
Governor Patrick thanked all of the volunteers and local officials working tirelessly to help those in need following this weekend’s devastating snowstorm. “I had a chance to go around and visit some of the folks who have had to take shelter here and there is a remarkable patience and grace among folks who are in many cases just barely out of harms way,” Patrick said. Patrick reminds anyone using a generator to make sure they are properly ventilated and not being used indoors. Patrick also said it may be time for utilities to do some hard analysis about the value of burying utilities underground. Patrick is aware the cost would be high, but when compared to costly restoration efforts following major storms the initial cost could be worth…
Friday, February 8, 2013
Governor Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency at noon today. Patrick also banned travel on roads statewide starting at 4 p.m.
Patrick said the incoming snowstorm will bring heavy bands of snow making for extremely dangerous conditions, during a press conference today. The ban excludes emergency personnel, public safety workers and utility crews. Patrick urged residents to prepare for the possibility of being shut in for 24 to 48 hours. He recommends residents have flashlights, portable radios, basic food supplies, medications and a full tank of gas. Patrick also reminded residents who may be using generators to properly vent them outside to reduce the risk of injury.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
State Rep. Brain Mannal invites to Governor Deval Patrick to the Cape, during governor's impromptu visit to new legislators.
Gov. Patrick's recent unscheduled visit to the bullpen at the State House, where new lawmakers work until given their permanent office assignments, elicited an invitation to visit the Cape from Barnstable State Rep. Brain Mannal, according to Cape Cod Today. The Governor quipped, "Maybe I'll ride the train down. How 'bout that?" reported Cape Cod Today. Included in Patrick's controversial plan to raise $1.9 billion through tax reforms and an increase in the state's income tax, is the plan to modernize public transportation. Patrick plans to increase commuter rail service beyond the Greater Boston area to more remote areas, including Cape Cod. Editor's note: State Rep. Brian Mannal is married to Barnstable Patch editor Sara Mannal.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Markey is in, Lynch set to make an announcement Thursday and Brown reportedly considering throwing his hat into the race following Tuesday’s nomination of John Kerry as Secretary of State
With Tuesday's official nomination of U.S. Senator John Kerry to the post of Secretary of State, the field is opening up with folks vying for Kerry's seat in his unexpired term in the U.S. Senate. But before that even happens an interim senator has to be named. On Wednesday, Governor Deval Patrick announced his former chief of staff William “Mo” Cowan will be the interim senator and will serve until a new senator is elected in the June 25 special election. Patch reported in December that Cowan, a Stoughton resident, would be stepping down this month and returning to the private sector. Besides being Patrick’s former chief of staff, Cowan also served as chief legal counsel to Governor Patrick, having served in the Patrick-Murray …
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Money would help pay to improve transportation system and education in the commonwealth.
Governor Deval Patrick is expected to propose $1 billion in new taxes to help pay to improve the state’s transportation system and expand early education programs, reported The Boston Globe. Patrick is expected to announce the plan at his State of the Commonwealth speech Wednesday night. The plan is to increase the state income tax from 5.25 percent to 5.66 percent, which would raise $1 billion. Patrick’s plan would also need to raise other taxes and fees to pay for the spending increases of $1.5 billion next year and $2 billion annually after that, according to The Globe. What do you think of the governor's proposal? Do you support raising taxes to fund these programs?
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The governor's Milton residence is listed for $1,500,000.
Governor Deval Patrick’s Milton residence is on the market. The 6,880-square-foot colonial at 75 Hinckley Road is currently listed for $1,500,000. The home, which is located in the Columbines section of Milton, has 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. The real estate listing for the 1923 colonial is available here. Patrick, who is currently serving his second four-year term as Massachusetts Governor, has said he will not seek reelection in 2014.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Patrick announced the budget adjustments Tuesday.
In anticipation of the “fiscal cliff” combined with projected tax revenues that are more than half a billion dollars lower than previously expected, Gov. Deval Patrick released a revised budget designed to deal with the gap Tuesday. “The uncertainty of the fiscal cliff and the resulting slow down in growth, is the direct cause of our budget challenges,” Patrick said. “Congress and the President must come to terms on a solution so the private sector will continue to make the kind of investments that create jobs, grow state and federal tax revenue collections and contribute to a lasting economic recovery." The state is now expecting to bring in roughly 21.5 billion in tax revenue, and Patrick's plan to bridge the gap between this amount and…
Thursday, November 22, 2012
The Internet giant has been exempt from collecting sales taxes in Massachusetts but some say that changed when it bought a North Reading company this year.
The Patrick Administration is arguing that after Amazon, the huge online retailer, bought a Massachusetts company this year it is no longer exempt from collecting the state's 6.25 percent sales tax as soon as the 2013 holiday season. Under federal law, online retailers are not required to collect state sales taxes if they do not have a physical presence in the state, such as an office building or a store, the Boston Globe reported. But Amazon bought North Reading company Kiva Systems this year, and is recruiting engineers for a Cambridge office, according to the Globe report. This, Patrick says, means it needs to start collecting the state sales tax in Massachusetts. Amazon has faced similar pressure from other states and collects sales …
Friday, November 16, 2012
Rumor has it that Patrick could be asked to be the next U.S. attorney general.
Gov. Deval Patrick said will not resign from his job even if President Obama asks him to become the next U.S. attorney general. “I like what I do, and I have more that I want to accomplish in the next two years,” Patrick said, according to a Boston Globe article. “And then I promised [my wife] Diane that I’d go back into the private sector, and I’m going to keep that promise.” This means that Patrick will remain governor until his term expries, in January 2015. Rumors have been swirling about Patrick's possible departure after Obama won re-election and a few nights later Patrick was among the few to attend what was called a "social dinner" at the White House. Patrick said there was no talk at the dinner about him joining the …
Bill Carson
1:50 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
During the trial of convicted former Massachusetts House Speaker Sal DiMasi Gov Patrick admitted he used the code name "Sally Reynolds." Why would the Governor of Massachusetts use an email pseudonym conducting business for the state of Massachusetts? This whole Falmouth commercial wind turbine deal is starting to look like an old apple. The state bought the turbines first for 5.2 million then … more ›