New England Public Radio

The Week Ahead On Beacon Hill

As lawmakers begin vetting Governor Charlie Baker’s MBTA overhaul proposal, the House today dig’s into nearly 1,100 amendments proposed to the $38 billion House Ways and Means Committee fiscal 2016 budget.

Long sessions are expected, starting at 10 a.m. today and beginning at that hour each day until the budget is approved.

The Senate plans to take up its version of the budget in May and it will then be up to a six-member conference committee to try and hash out a non-amendable, consensus budget for approval before the fiscal year begins on July 1. House leaders have touted what’s not in their budget – new taxes or usage of rainy day funds – while promoting investments in early education and a lower bottom line than the spending blueprint offered by Governor Charlie Baker. During a Boston Herald Radio interview Friday, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said he wasn’t sure how long it will take to complete budget deliberations but said it’s “always a fun time.”

To hear State House News Service reporter Matt Murphy’s conversation with NEPR’s Susan Kaplan, click on the audio player above.

 

With Possible State Takeover Looming For Holyoke Schools, A Look At Lawrence

Next week, a state board will be in Holyoke to assess whether Massachusetts should take control of the city’s public schools. The state takeover, a process called receivership, has been a hotly debated topic in Holyoke. And the only other school district currently in receivership is Lawrence. The northeastern Massachusetts city’s schools were taken over in 2011.

For a look at what might be in store for Holyoke, I spoke with Julie Swerdlow Albino. She’s the Chief Redesign Officer for Lawrence Public Schools.

To hear the interview with Julie Swerdlow Albino, click on the audio player above.

Holyoke Teachers’ Union President Responds To Superintendent’s Shift On Receivership

The head of Holyoke, Massachusetts teachers’ union is responding to comments by the city’s superintendent – who says he now supports a state takeover of the school district.

In an interview with NEPR, Holyoke Superintendent Sergio Paez said that while as a city employee he has to oppose state receivership of the schools, he is personally open to the move, but wants to be named receiver, which would give him broader authority.

“To say that I’m disappointed in Paez’s change of position is an understatement,” says He says his vision for Holyoke schools is very different from the state, which Morales says puts too much emphasis on test scores.

“What I subscribe to is an idea that we teach in a holistic approach, we educate the whole child, we provide them with instruments, we provide them with art studios, we provide them with spaces where they can flourish as human beings,” Morales says.

The state could decide next week whether to take control of the city’s schools.

Holyoke Superintendent Changes His Tune On Possible State Takeover

Early next week, a state education board will be in Holyoke, Massachusetts, to hold a public hearing on whether the state should take control of the city’s public schools. This follows years of low test scores and graduation rates. Superintendent Sergio Paez came to holyoke about a year and a half ago, and he’s attempted to turn things around. He’s also so far advocated against a state takeover, known as receivership. He says he needs more time.

“Within my time here, it’s just not sufficient time to see those changes mature and produce the results that we want,” Paez says.

In an interview with NEPR, Paez significantly changed his tune on the state takeover. Now, he says he’s obligated to oppose the takeover because he’s employed by the Holyoke School Committee. But, personally, he’s not opposed to it. In fact, he says he’d like to be appointed as the receiver if the state goes that route.

We also reached out to the president of the Holyoke teachers’ union on this story, and hope to bring you those comments soon.

To hear Henry Epp’s interview with Holyoke Superintendent Sergio Paez, click on the audio player above.

In Holyoke, A Look At Shuttered Power Plant’s Future

About three dozen Holyoke, Massachusetts, residents turned out Wednesday night to discuss what to do with the now-closed Mount Tom Power Station.

Some ideas raised by residents at the meeting ranged from converting the coal-fired plant to natural gas or solar energy, to creating a mixed-use complex of business, residential and recreation.

Kevin Hively is leading the study on how best to reuse the 128-acre site along the Connecticut River.

“Once the community understands what are the rules of the road, so to speak, we will work with them to develop a potential series of things they’d like to see happen on the site that are actually possible given money, development constraints, environmental issues, etc,” Hively says.

While it’s ultimately up to the site’s owners GDF-Suez to determine what happens to the property, Hively says the study will allow the public to engage the company in an informed discussion about the site.

Longtime resident Fran O’Connell says he’d like to see a recreational component preserved in reclaiming what he calls one of the most magnificent pieces of property in western Massachusetts.

“A place where you can put a canoe in the river, maybe some nature trails,” O’Connell says. “They can do something with solar energy or even have a business there, but there has to be general access for the public to get to the river. I mean, we’re dying for it here in Holyoke.”

Organizers say the study’s next public workshop will be in February, with a finalized list of options presented in August.

 

Holyoke Will Not Comply With Federal Detention Requests For Undocumented Immigrants

Executive action on immigration isn’t just happening at the White House. Holyoke, Massachusetts Mayor Alex Morse signed an order this week that requires city police not to hold undocumented immigrants longer than regular citizens. Morse says that means Holyoke will not be cooperating with any federal requests to detain undocumented immigrants in the city.

“I think it’s important that we send a message that everybody, no matter their citizenship status, are treated the same by police officers in the city, and so I think it’s a good move for the city of Holyoke,” says Morse.

Holyoke police chief James Neiswanger says the policy aims to build trust with the immigrant community.

“If you’re an immigrant and you this fear or thought that you face possible deportation, you would be reluctant to come forward and talk to the local police,” says Neiswanger. “This order is just trying to break down that wall.”

Morse says this has been the city’s policy since he took office in 2012, his order just makes it official. He says three other Massachusetts towns have similar policies: Boston, Northampton, and Somerville.