In the face of unprecedented fiscal challenges, government needs to be smarter about how it delivers services. Reforms included in the Governor’s budget proposal will drive innovation and implement bold changes to improve accountability and transparency.

The budget invests in Governor Patrick’s four key priorities: growing jobs, closing the achievement gap in our schools, lowering health care costs and ending youth violence by supporting positive youth development.

“Under this budget, Massachusetts will create more jobs, further reduce the cost of health care, bring us closer to closing the achievement gap and build safer communities for our families,” said Governor Patrick. “I look forward to working with the Legislature to advance these strategies, because together we can build a stronger Commonwealth.”

“Massachusetts’ economy is growing, but we are still faced with difficult budget choices,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “Our Administration remains committed to creating more innovative reforms, increasing efficiency in the delivery of services, and providing critical resources for Massachusetts residents as we continue to keep close watch on how we spend taxpayers’ dollars.”

“Our new fiscal reality requires that we change the way government does business,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez. “This budget is fiscally responsible, and it builds on the many reforms and efficiency initiatives we have already implemented with new initiatives to achieve better outcomes at lower costs to taxpayers.”

The Governor’s FY13 budget recommendation proposes state spending of $32.3 billion, or a 2.98 percent increase from the current year estimated spending levels. This year-on-year spending growth of $935.9 million is significantly less than originally projected because of significant program reductions, positions eliminations and reforms.

A number of efforts are being made to control the largest cost drivers in the state budget, particularly health care costs. Even with these cost-saving measures, many areas of state government will see flat or reduced funding levels and, in the aggregate, total funding for state government outside of health care, safety net and certain legally-obligated fixed costs will be reduced from FY12 levels.

Supporting Shared Values

Closing the Achievement Gap – The FY13 budget supports many initiatives that will improve Massachusetts schools, move towards closing the achievement gap and preparing every student for success in a global economy. These investments include record-high state aid for K-12 education (Chapter 70) of $4.136 billion, $10 million towards promoting efforts to close the achievement gap in the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities, and $219 million to community colleges (an increase of $10 million from last year) to support the Governor’s call for reforming the Commonwealth’s community college system to address the skills gap and expand employment opportunity. This budget supports ongoing efforts by the Department of Higher Education to promote reforms and improved outcomes at state campuses through performance incentive funding, and maintains funding for our public campuses. Almost all programs within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) have level or increased funding levels.

Controlling Health Care Costs – Similar to last year, this budget maintains the Commonwealth’s nation-leading universal health care coverage, while preserving benefits and eligibility. The Administration was extremely successful in containing growth in health care costs in FY12 achieving nearly a billion in savings through MassHealth, Commonwealth Care, the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), the Department of Corrections (DOC) and municipal health care reform. The FY13 budget continues the Administration’s commitment to support efforts in innovative procurement and re-contracting strategies, achievements in healthcare reform and the implementation of payment and delivery system reform policies that will enable Massachusetts to achieve state budgetary savings of roughly $730 million.

Job Creation – This budget invests in the Commonwealth’s economy by funding programs that help put people back to work through infrastructure projects, assisting unemployed people with training to attain high-skilled jobs, supporting industries that help create jobs (such as life sciences and tourism) and improving the business climate in Massachusetts by easing burdensome regulations. Under the leadership of Governor Patrick, Massachusetts gained 40,700 jobs in 2011, which is the strongest annual job growth performance for the state since the onset of the recession.

Positive Youth Development and Youth Violence Prevention – The FY13 budget supports many initiatives to provide opportunities for positive youth development and youth violence prevention through summer jobs programs, youth violence prevention funding and targeted services in communities with the greatest demand for intervention. This budget invests $35.5 million in programs related to these efforts, including an investment of at least $8.6 million in summer jobs, $8 million in Senator Charles E. Shannon, Jr. Community Safety Initiative grants and $10 million for Safe and Successful Youth Initiative grants.

Commitment to Municipalities

In keeping with the Patrick-Murray Administration’s commitment to cities and towns, the FY13 budget proposes more than $5.2 billion for local aid, including $4.1 billion for K-12 Chapter 70 education aid – a $145 million increase in state funding to municipalities over FY12, and the highest level of K-12 Chapter 70 aid in history.

The increase in K-12 Chapter 70 aid will fully fund all school districts at foundation levels and ensure that all school districts will receive equal or greater funding than in FY12. Maintaining a strong investment in education is a crucial component of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s efforts to close the achievement gap and to make Massachusetts a global leader in education.

FY 2013 Local Aid funding includes:
•Unrestricted General Government Aid $833.9 million (with the same provision for an additional payment of $65 million should sufficient surplus funds be available for FY12 surplus);
•Chapter 90 Local Road Program $200 million;
•Special Education Circuit Breaker $213 million;
•100% Veterans Homeless Shelter Reimbursement Rate;
•State Owned Land (PILOT) $26.3 million;
•Regional School Transportation $43.5 million;
•Charter School Reimbursement $71.5 million;
•School Food Services Program $5.4 million;
•Municipal Library Aid $6.8 million; and
•Regional Library Local Aid $9.1 million.

Reforms for Future Generations

The Patrick-Murray Administration will continue to use the budget as a vehicle to drive an aggressive reform agenda. Proposed reforms include:
•Local Housing Authorities: Strengthening reporting requirements, establishing a commission to review the governance and management structure, capping executive directors’ salaries at $160,000, in line with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s new salary cap, and tightening rules to address financial transparency and management of the state’s public housing portfolio;
•Homelessness: Investing in a Responsible and Targeted Emergency Shelter and HomeBASE System, as well as investing in Expanded Community-Based Housing utilizing existing DHCD Programs;
•Community Colleges: Giving budget and leadership control to the Board of Higher Education to help meet the Governor’s vision for community colleges to prepare students of all ages for the local job market by providing relevant and affordable education and training;
•Criminal Justice Reforms: Improving the state’s criminal justice continuum from sentencing to incarceration to re-entry with sentencing reform, corrections master plan, unifying parole and probation, and prison closure to gain savings;
•Improving Services for Children, Youth & Families: Focusing on improving access to information and services through a more comprehensive, integrated, coordinated system of care through implementation of CYF Advisory Committee recommendations;
•Government Accountability: Improving performance and transparency; maximizing federal grants; reducing fraud, waste and abuse; and aligning resources to strategic goals and facilitating informed engagement with the public;
•Social Innovation Financing: Performance-driven agreements designed to support innovative approaches to preventative services that achieve better societal outcomes at lower costs to taxpayers; and
•Innovation & Technology: Proposes the appointment of a Government Innovation Officer, Governor’s Council for Innovation, statewide competition for innovative ideas and creative financing for technology improvements to drive technology-supported innovations in government that improve services at lower costs to taxpayers.

Responsible Fiscal Leadership

Once again, the Governor’s budget proposal is structurally balanced and sustainable. The budget minimizes the use of the state’s stabilization fund with a draw of $400 million, which will leave a rainy day fund balance of $1.037 billion at the end of FY13.

The Patrick-Murray Administration’s fiscal management has been recognized by all three rating agencies. In September, Standard and Poor’s upgraded the Commonwealth’s credit rating to AA+, resulting in all three of the state’s credit ratings being just one notch below the highest possible rating and giving the Commonwealth the highest credit ratings in its history.

Under Governor Patrick’s leadership, the Patrick-Murray Administration is the first ever to develop a long-term financial forecast and planning policy, which will be published with the FY13 budget. Long-term financial planning is a best practice, and the Administration is committed to using long-term financial planning to inform the development of structurally balance, sustainable budgets.

The Administration continues to reduce state employee positions. In addition to the nearly 6,000 budgetary positions eliminated since October 2008, the FY13 budget proposes eliminating over 1,100 positions as a result of proposed budget reductions in FY13. This is a net reduction of roughly 300 positions after accounting for increases in certain agencies like the Committee for Public Counsel Services, Department of Transitional Assistance, MassHealth and the State Police. With these reductions, the total state budgetary workforce will have declined by over 9 percent over a four-year period, despite increased demand for state services across a number of state programs.

Managing Tough Choices

In order to preserve key investments, the Administration made difficult choices in many other areas of the budget. These cuts will include:
•$30 million in savings will result from 400 additional layoffs or position eliminations in FY13 across the Executive Branch. This will come on top of the already-reduced head counts across most state agencies;
•A year-on-year reduction of $15 million in budgetary funding will require the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to generate additional revenues and/or curtail services provided through the Registry of Motor Vehicles;
•The closure of the Bay State Correctional Facility in Norfolk will result in $8.9 million in savings. The closure is consistent with sentencing reform, the Administration’s larger Corrections Master Plan and efforts to strengthen the state’s corrections and community supervision programs. Sentencing reform will ensure the savings can be achieved without increasing overcrowding in other facilities;
•$350,000 will be saved by closing the Newburyport shellfish depuration plant, which will eliminate shellfish cleaning services for close to 100 private fishermen;
•$5.5 million in savings from the Department of Developmental Service’s Family Respite and Support benefit, resulting in loss of services for 1,750 families;
•$4 million reduction to local tourist councils;
•$1.5 million reduction to Executive Office of Elder Affair’s Elder Nutrition Program, which will eliminate over 240,000 free or subsidized lunches for seniors provided through the councils on aging. This is a 24 percent reduction in capacity;
•$1.1 million in savings across multiple state agencies in State Office of Pharmacy service reductions;
•Limited funding for low-income child care vouchers, which will result in the growth of the waitlist for families applying for slots for roughly 20,000 to 30,000 families;
•$371,000 reduction to MRC’s Turning 22 programs;
•105 private schools and two public schools would lose their Essential School Health grant, which supports school nurses, because of a $465,000 reduction to the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) School Health account;
•1,200 dental visits for 25,000 developmentally disabled adults would be eliminated due to a $43,000 reduction at DPH; and
•Teenage Pregnancy Prevention receiving $94,000 reduction, resulting in service losses for 1,000 youth.

Other Budget Solutions

This budget includes initiatives to generate limited additional revenues, including:
•$61.5 million from eliminating the exemption on candy and soda sales from the sales tax to preserve funding for public health programs. This amount will be dedicated to the Commonwealth Health and Preservation Fund to preserve public health and preventative care services, except for roughly $10 million which will be made available to the School Building Authority and the Commonwealth Transportation Fund;
•$62.5 million from increasing cigarette taxes by $0.50 per pack;
•$10.4 million from increasing taxes on cigars and other smokeless tobacco by the same extent as cigarette taxes;
•$22 million from expanding the bottle bill. These revenues would be dedicated largely to recycling and water and sewer rate relief. These proposals will help protect key priorities and provide a more stable and sustainable funding base in the long-term;
•$22 million from enhanced Department of Revenue tax enforcement initiatives; and
•$10.8 million from agency revenue initiatives.

For more information on the Governor’s FY13 budget, please visit www.mass.gov/budget/governor.

“I am so proud to see these young people standing up and leading the charge to ‘Black Out Bullying’ in our schools,” said Governor Patrick. “‘No Name Calling Day’ is about the idea that each of us has the power to stand up and take ownership of our community. One voice has the power to become many and effect meaningful change.”

A provision of the anti-bullying legislation signed by Governor Patrick in May 2010, “No Name Calling Day” is recognized in classrooms across the Commonwealth on January 25. Working with superintendents and school leadership, the Governor’s Youth Council led events and activities today in: Quincy, Weymouth, Hyannis, New Bedford, Martha’s Vinyard, Nantucket, Greenfield, South Hadley, Hopedale, Somerville and Boston.

“We need to foster safe environments for students, and ‘No Name Calling Day’ is an initiative to help raise awareness that bullying should not be tolerated,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “I hope that on this day and throughout the year, students feel protected and safe in their schools and communities.”

“‘No Name Calling Day’ and the ‘Black Out Bullying’ initiative are going to play essential roles in moving towards a culture in the Commonwealth of zero tolerance for bullying,” said Victor (Manny) Cruz, chair of the Governor’s Youth Council. “This is a unique opportunity to spread awareness, and inspire educators, youth and parents to come together to build a safer and empathetic learning environment for everyone.”

Communities Hosting “No Name Calling Day” Activities:
•In Quincy, at Atlantic Middle School, Secretary of Education Paul Reville joined students, local officials and school leaders to discuss efforts to reduce youth violence.
•In Weymouth, at Abigail Adams Middle School in Weymouth, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell Chester joined students for a morning assembly led by Youth Council member Andrea McDonagh.
•In Hyannis, at Barnstable High School, Youth Council member Fallon Rice rallied students to wear black and take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•At New Bedford High School, Youth Council member Gabrielle Monteiro rallied students to wear black and take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•At Martha’s Vinyard Regional High School, Youth Council members Emma Hallbilsback and Delmont Araujo rallied students to wear black and take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•At Nantucket High School, Youth Council members Eve Manghis and Cooper Voigt rallied students to take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•In Greenfield, at Four Rivers Charter Public School, Youth Council member Emily Bolduc rallied students to wear black and take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•In South Hadley, at Michael E. Smith Middle School students wore black and took the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•At Hopedale Junior / Senior High School, Youth Council member Kiara Lum rallied students to take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•At Somerville High School, Youth Council member Kevin Ma rallied students to wear black and take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.
•At East Boston High School, Youth Council member Kimberly Mendoza rallied students to take the pledge to Black Out Bullying.

In each of the schools, students created banners and led rallies in cafeterias and auditoriums, encouraging their peers to sign up and publicly express their commitment to preventing bullying. Students also took to Facebook and Twitter to promote the efforts. In addition, Governor Patrick’s Project 351 Ambassadors, a group of eighth graders representing cities and towns from across the Commonwealth helped boost participation in their schools.

The Governor’s Statewide Youth Council is comprised of 28 young people ages 14 – 20, representing all 14 counties of Massachusetts. Council members were selected to advise the Administration on key issues affecting youth across the Commonwealth and identified youth violence prevention and education as the two issues they will focus on this year. View the full list of Youth Council members.

At Collins Middle School in Salem today, Governor Patrick joined Principal Mary Manning, Conflict Intervention Coordinator Brad Maloon and local elected officials taking part in the event. Among its efforts to create safe learning environments for its students, the Salem public school district has been working closely with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office on bullying prevention initiatives that include Stop Bullying Before it Starts, a bullying prevention awareness program for students and Think Before You Send, a digital communication program that addresses cell phone use, social media and internet safety.

Students are also encouraged to wear black as a sign of their commitment to “Black Out Bullying” in schools January 25.

“In my role as Governor and as a father of two daughters, I firmly believe that every child should come to school knowing that they are safe and free from bullying,” said Governor Patrick. “No Name Calling Day will remind us of the type of vigilance we should exhibit every day to ensure our students are free from the dangers and distractions of bullying.”

“We need to foster safe environments for students, and ‘No Name Calling Day’ is an initiative to help raise awareness that bullying should not be tolerated,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “I hope that on this day and throughout the year, students feel protected and safe in their schools and communities.”

Students will also have the opportunity to sign “No Name Calling Day” banners that will be created at each school to publicly express their commitment to preventing bullying. Working with superintendents and school leadership, members of the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council will help lead efforts in their greater communities to Black Out Bullying.

The Governor’s Statewide Youth Council is comprised of 28 young people ages 14 – 20, representing all 14 counties of Massachusetts. Council members were selected to advise the Administration on key issues affecting youth across the Commonwealth and identified youth violence prevention and education as the two issues they will focus on this year. Members serve for two years and attend bi-monthly meetings, with the next meeting scheduled for Saturday, January 7 in Easton, focusing on the anti-bullying campaign.

”’No Name Calling Day’ is both needed and significant, because it’s crucial for our peers to understand the detrimental effects that bullying leaves on an individual, both short and long term,” said James Villalobos, Governor’s Youth Council representative from Hampden County. “Words hurt, so we need to use this day to reflect on the things we say and how it can affect someone.”

“This idea needs to be spread to young people to empower them to help end aggressive behaviors,” said Fallon Rice, Governor’s Youth Council representative from Barnstable County. “Every student out there can help so victims don’t feel worthless and forgotten. So let’s do what we can to break the chain of aggression, to end the hurt and save lives.”

A year before the first Governor’s Statewide Youth Council was formed, Governor Patrick visited a Dorchester neighborhood in Boston that had experienced high levels of youth violence. There, the Governor was challenged by a young woman and members of Dorchester’s B.O.L.D. TEENS to provide a voice for youth in shaping the policies that affected them. Governor Patrick met the challenge by forming a working group, comprised of state and private sector employees, and together with the Governor’s Office of Community Affairs, conducted a vigorous search and extensive application process resulting in the selection of the 28 members of the first Statewide Youth Council.

“This MassWorks Grant award to the Town of Oxford is a great example of a public-private partnership supporting regional economic development,” said Lieutenant Governor Murray. “With this infrastructure investment, the towns of Oxford, Dudley and Webster are working across municipal lines to make improvements that will pave the way for future development opportunities and spur economic growth in the region.”

“The Patrick-Murray Administration remains committed to creating jobs and growing the Massachusetts economy through strong investments in education, innovation and infrastructure,” said Housing and Economic Development (HED) Secretary Greg Bialecki. “The MassWorks Infrastructure Program, like this project in Oxford, helps leverage private development by making vital improvements to local infrastructure and allowing companies to expand and invest in the community.”

The Town of Oxford submitted a Massworks application with support from the Towns of Dudley and Webster to install a sewer extension that will open up previously developed and undeveloped areas for economic development and growth. The grant will extend 3,300 feet of gravity sewer in Oxford and 4,400 feet of force main in Dudley and Webster and include a new pumping station. The work is slated to begin spring 2012 and be complete by fall 2012. The businesses in the vicinity of this project have collectively pledged $100,000 to advance the design of the sewer project before MassWorks funds become available.

There are currently three large light industrial employers, IPG Photonics, Fabrico Inc. and Wilson Language Training Corp., along the proposed sewer route in Oxford which will benefit from having a public sewer as the space currently occupied for on-site treatment would become area available for expansion. In addition to the current businesses, more than 50 acres of land is also zoned for light industrial development, available as a result of the public sewer. Developers interested in the undeveloped parcels have indicated a strong need for sewer to support the water intensive use that they have identified.

The most immediate project to advance will be the expansion at IPG Photonics. IPG, founded in 1990, is the top-ranked manufacturer in the world of optical fiber-based lasers and one of the Commonwealth’s rapidly growing manufacturing companies, recently being featured in the “Globe 100” as a top three company in Massachusetts. IPG Photonics has grown from 40 employees in 1990 to currently more than 600 employees. The company’s expansion plans for a 101,500 square foot research, development and manufacturing space expansion and 175 new full time jobs was approved by the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council in December 2011 for $1.7 million in tax credits.

“I am proud of the collaborative efforts by state, local and company officials that resulted in HED approving Oxford’s request,” said Senator Richard T. Moore. “This sewer line connecting IPG Photonics with the Webster-Dudley Treatment plant, will ensure that IPG remains in Oxford, creating jobs and helping to stabilize the economy of the Webster-Dudley-Oxford area. Everyone involved came to the table ready, willing and able to work together. I am excited for the future of IPG Photonics, including their planned $18 million expansion that will result in 175 new high-paying jobs for the Southern Worcester county region.”

“I’m very pleased the Town of Oxford will be receiving this grant for the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, which will greatly benefit IPG Photonics’ future expansion in the community and keep good-paying jobs here in the Commonwealth,” said Representative Paul Frost. “I also feel this project of expanding the sewer lines into Dudley and Webster will give an opportunity for other economic development in the region.”

“This is a perfect example of how a public-private partnership can keep jobs in the Commonwealth,” said Representative Kevin Kuros. “IPG genuinely wanted to grow at their campus in Oxford and I’m delighted that IPG, Oxford, Dudley, Webster and the state were all able to work together to make it happen.”

“The IPG project will create good paying jobs, and help put people back to work in our area,” said Representative Ryan Fattman. “I am very supportive of this project and look forward to working with town, state and business officials to continue to build upon our success.”

The MassWorks Infrastructure Program, which is overseen by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, held its first competitive grant round in September, consolidating six capital budget programs to give communities a single entry point and one set of requirements for state public infrastructure grants. The consolidation aimed to improve efficiencies and streamline the decision-making process, increase access for municipalities of all sizes and enhance state-regional-local partnerships around economic development and housing production. To meet these objectives, the program launched an e-application and hosted 12 online tutorials to assist municipalities with the application process. During the first grant round, 158 applications requesting more than $400 million in infrastructure grants were received from cities and towns of all sizes and representing every region of the state.

“Water and sewer infrastructure are fundamentally important to the health, safety and prosperity of any community,” said Oxford Selectwoman Jennie L. Caissie, who accepted the grant on behalf of Oxford. “This is an important day for Oxford and for our sister towns of Webster and Dudley.”

“We are extremely pleased that the Patrick-Murray Administration has made these infrastructure tools available so that our business can expand and keep Massachusetts competitive in the global marketplace,” said Dr. Valentin P. Gapontsev, CEO and Founder of IPG Photonics.

To learn more about the MassWorks Infrastructure Program and how it is supporting job growth and long term, sustainable economic development, please visit: www.mass.gov/eohed/infrastructure.

“I am proud to honor a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Commonwealth, our country and our freedom,” said Governor Patrick. “This is just a small measure of our gratitude for Jonathan Roberge, his family and his community.”

“Governor Patrick and I join the Leominster community and our colleagues in the state legislature to remember Jonathan Roberge for his service to our Commonwealth and our country,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services. “We thank all of our military servicemen and women throughout the year and designating the Jonathan Roberge Memorial Bridge will honor a brave hero each and every day in the City of Leominster.”

Roberge was driving a Humvee when he and fellow soldiers in the 3rd Battalion 8th Calvary Regiment came under attack by Improvised Explosive Device. Roberge received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart posthumously from the United States Army. He was a 2005 graduate of Leominster High School’s Center for Technical Education, where he studied in the automotive technician program. He is a former mechanic for Gervais Ford in Ayer and a former Boy Scout. He is survived by his parents: John and Pauline; his two sisters Meghan and Sarah; and a younger brother Andrew.

“I was very proud to have filed this legislation on behalf of the Roberge family; certainly this is the very least we can do to commemorate Jonathan’s memory,” said Senator Jennifer L. Flanagan. “May it serve as a constant reminder of the sacrifice made by all those serving in the military and how thankful we are for their service.”

“This is a very memorable occasion for our community as we honor Jonathan, a young man from our city who sacrificed his life in defense of our country, state and city,” said Representative Dennis A. Rosa. “I am so proud and honored to be a part of this recognition to one of our own city heroes.”

“Leominster’s commitment to the Roberge Family remains steadfast,” said Leominster Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella. “The naming of this bridge, together with the plans for the Jonathan Roberge Memorial Park, represent a state-wide acknowledgement of Jonathan’s sacrifice on behalf of all of us so that we may continue to live in a peaceful and free country. Leominster will never forget his dedication to his family and hometown. We hope both sites provide a place of comfort and peace for the Roberge Family and veterans throughout our community.”

“On behalf of the Commonwealth, I want to thank our firefighters and their families for their sacrifices and support,” said Governor Patrick. “These individuals deserve our recognition every day for their leadership, bravery, courage and selflessness in the face of danger.”

“We value the hard work of all firefighters who serve our Commonwealth,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “Today’s award ceremony is an opportunity to honor the heroic men and women who go above and beyond the call of duty to protect our communities.”

“It is important that the stories of the firefighters being honored here are told because their acts of bravery rise above the everyday heroics of the firefighting profession,” said Secretary Heffernan.

Governor Patrick and Secretary Heffernan presented 46 awards: the Norman Knight Award for Excellence in Community Service, which was awarded to a Bourne firefighter; 19 Individual Awards for Meritorious Conduct to firefighters from Braintree, Brockton, Wareham, Newton, Williamstown, Worcester and Watertown; six Group Awards for Meritorious Conduct to teams of firefighters from Brookline, Lynn, Middleton, Northbridge, Somerville and Stow; two Excellence in Leadership Awards to groups of firefighters from Norfolk and Saugus; 13 Medals of Valor to individual firefighters from Lowell, Somerville, West Bridgewater, Lynn and Middleton; and five Medals of Honor to individual firefighters from Rehoboth, Wareham, Salisbury and Pittsfield.

State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan presented 12 Fire Marshal’s Awards: one was awarded to V. Carlisle Smith, who was a member of the Board of Fire Prevention Regulations for over 55 years; nine were presented to tornado response teams from Agawam, Brimfield, Monson, Southbridge, Springfield, Sturbridge, Westfield, West Springfield and Wilbraham; and two were awarded to tornado recovery community service teams from Norfolk and Chelmsford.

“This past year the Commonwealth experienced several extreme natural disasters,” said Fire Marshal Coan. “Each and every time our firefighters heroically stepped to the plate to rescue and protect their neighbors often while their own homes and families were affected.”

“The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will help provide a transparent and fair process for implementing expanded gaming in the Commonwealth,” said Governor Patrick. “An independent search firm will help us select highly-qualified candidates, ready for this challenge.”

“Hiring qualified individuals with independence, experience and integrity will be critical to the success of the new gaming commission,” said Attorney General Coakley. “This process will ensure that we actively seek out and thoroughly vet the best possible candidates to regulate the new gaming industry in the Commonwealth.”

“Securing top-caliber appointments for the Gaming Commission is essential and an independent search firm has the tools and expertise necessary to achieve that goal,” said Treasurer Grossman. “A thorough third-party vetting process will ensure that the best people are in place to protect the integrity of the Commission and the interests of the Commonwealth and its citizens.”

A Request for Responses is being issued to identify the search firm that will review all applications for the two joint Gaming Commission appointments. The Request for Responses is available at http://www.comm-pass.com/. It is expected that the firm will be selected within 30 days.

The three offices will work in close conjunction with the private firm as the search process unfolds. Among the key criteria the search firm will be directed to use in its screening process are legal and policy experience related to gaming and professional experience in gaming regulatory administration, as listed in the newly enacted law. A high emphasis will be placed on ethics and no candidate will be chosen who has any conflicts of interest that could impact their ability to make the best and most independent decisions on behalf of the Commonwealth. Finalists identified by the search firm will be referred to the three offices for further review and final determination on the two appointments.

The five-member independent Gaming Commission will be responsible for implementing and overseeing the gaming licensing process and regulation of the industry. In addition to the two joint appointments, the chair of the Commission will be appointed by the Governor. The Attorney General and Treasurer each appoint one member independently through their own processes.

The Commission must be bipartisan, with no more than three members representing the same party and members must be appointed within 120 days of November 22, 2011, the day Governor Patrick signed the bill into law.

“These board members all care deeply about the University of Massachusetts and will work to strengthen our already robust system of state colleges and universities,” said Governor Patrick. “I know they will focus on providing affordable and accessible world-class educational opportunities to all residents of the Commonwealth.”

The Governor’s appointees to the Board of Trustees:
•Zoila M. Gomez of Lawrence; attorney at the Law Offices of Zoila M. Gomez; former immigration consultant, small business owner and public servant; graduate of the Massachusetts School of Law, and University of Massachusetts Lowell.
•Richard P. Campbell of Cohasset; founder of national trial law firm Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy; founding chair of the Board of Overseers for Boston College Law School and current president of the Massachusetts Bar Association; graduate of Boston College Law School and the University of Massachusetts Boston.
•Margaret D. Xifaras of New Bedford; partner in the law firm of Lang, Xifaras & Bullard, former public servant and volunteer teacher; chair of the Board of Trustees, Southern New England School of Law; graduate of Boston University School of Law and Southeastern Massachusetts University, now known as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
•Jeffrey Mullan of Milton; “Of Counsel” at Foley Hoag LLP; former Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO; former executive director of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority; graduate of Suffolk University School of Law and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
•Lawrence M. Carpman of Marshfield; president of Carpman Communications, LLC; adjunct professor at the University of Maryland / Boston University; former public servant and newspaper editor; graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
•Alyce J. Lee of Milton; former chief of staff to Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino; vice chair of the Board of Trustees of Boston Medical Center; board member of the Boston Museum and Friends of the Sick and Poor; graduate of Wellesley College.
•James J. Karam of Tiverton, RI; president and founder of First Bristol Corporation; current chairman of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees; co-chairman of the board of advisors of UMass Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology; graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

The Governor’s appointments are for five year terms effective immediately. Appointees will fill an open seat and replace the following trustees who have completed their terms: Lawrence F. Boyle, Jennifer C. Braceras, Richard J. Lawton, Kenneth A. MacAfee, and Stephen P. Tocco.

About the UMass Board of Trustees:
The University of Massachusetts is governed by a lay Board of Trustees. The board functions as a legislative body dealing mainly with questions of policy and establishes the general policies governing the university. The current Board is composed of 19 voting members and three ex officio non-voting members. Sixteen board members are appointed by the governor; at least five of those appointed must be alumni of the university, and one must be a representative of organized labor. The other two voting members are students.

The trustees are given broad responsibility to assure that university funds are spent properly, that the university exercises appropriate stewardship of university assets, and that operating results are positive. Most day-to-day responsibility to achieve these goals is delegated to the president and staff or to the chancellors of the campuses through the president.

“Innovation Schools give local communities the tools to close achievement gaps and create an environment where every student can access a high quality education,” said Governor Patrick. “I welcome students back to school and thank the team at the Springfield Renaissance School for leading the way forward on educational innovation.”

The Springfield Renaissance School is an expeditionary learning school serving grades 6-12 and focuses on active, interdisciplinary learning. It has been approved as a cost-neutral innovation school by the Springfield School Committee. For the past two years, the school has had a 100 percent college acceptance track record for its senior class. With 58 percent of its students reported as low income and 73 percent reported as students of color, the school has been successful in closing achievement gaps and supporting its diverse student population’s academic growth.

“The flexibility that the Innovation School model provides is a powerful way of enabling educators and community members to take on enhanced leadership,” said Executive Office of Education Secretary Paul Reville. “The opportunity for teacher leadership and community involvement abounds in Innovation Schools.”

The Innovation Schools initiative is a signature component of the Patrick-Murray Administration’s education reform efforts and was authorized as part of the Achievement Gap Act of 2010. Innovation Schools provide educators, and a wide range of community stakeholders, the opportunity to create in-district schools that operate with greater autonomy and flexibility while keeping school funding within districts. These schools can implement creative and inventive strategies related to curriculum, budget, school schedule and calendar, staffing, professional development, and school district policies to improve learning outcomes for all students and reduce achievement gaps.

“I extend my thanks and appreciation to Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray for their commitment to Springfield and our school district,” said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. “It is pleasing to be recognized and awarded funding to allow our students to achieve education excellence. I commend Principal Steve Mahoney, teachers, staff, students and parents on their innovation status.”

“Innovation schools are an important part of closing the achievement gap for students here in Springfield as well as across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Gale D. Candaras. “These investments in education are imperative to the success of our young people.”

Innovation Schools are approved by local school committees through a collaborative process that invites community and school stakeholders to engage in solving their communities particular issues by taking advantage of the flexibilities and autonomies afforded to Innovation Schools. These schools have been established for varying grade levels (e.g. elementary, middle and high school) and school types (such as new or converted schools or programs within an existing school).

Many of these schools are organized around specific themes like Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), dual language instruction, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, alternative education opportunities (such as dropout prevention and dual enrollment at community colleges), virtual platforms and wraparound services. Many of the schools also operate with novel schedules that will significantly increase instructional time for students and professional learning opportunities for educators. There are currently 18 established Innovation Schools located across the state.

The Attorney General’s Office has received calls about charities that have utilized alleged questionable tactics, including the use of civilians dressed in military uniforms soliciting funds. The AG’s office also reminds consumers that they have the right to ask how much of their donation will go to the charitable purpose of the organization.

“Now more than ever, we want to give generously to organizations which support our first responders and veterans,” AG Coakley said. “Most charitable organizations are reputable and provide valuable resources, but there are a few charities which may not spend your donations well. We encourage all people to give, but give wisely.”

“Massachusetts leads the nation in serving Veterans and military families due to the strong partnerships that exists between federal, state, and local governments, as well as the Commonwealth’s diverse not-for-profit organizations. These dedicated and hard-working organizations are a cornerstone of our shared mission to ensure that Massachusetts Veterans and their families have access to a multitude of services, including housing and employment opportunities, clothing, health care, counseling and transportation,” said Coleman Nee, Secretary, Department of Veterans Services. “Unfortunately, there have been reports of organizations using very emotional and patriotic issues to raise funds in misleading ways. To be safe, we always encourage the public to take care in making any donation and to report any concerns about a charitable solicitation to Attorney General Coakley’s office.”

Some tips and suggestions for savvy charitable giving include:

General Tips for Consumers:
•Check it out. When solicited for a donation, don’t be afraid to verify the name, address, or phone number of the charity; to ask about how and where the charitable funds will be used; or to ask whether the donation is tax deductible as a charitable contribution.
•Ask questions. You have the right to find out where your contribution will go. You can ask how much will go to the charity, and how much goes to fundraising, administrative and general expenses.
•Take your time. You should never feel pressured to give immediately; you can always take time to research the charity.
•Think twice about making a contribution to a charity that has not registered with the Attorney General’s Office or is not current on its filings. You can access this information on our website, or by calling 617-963-2315. Compliance or registration does not imply an endorsement by the office, but it does provide a mechanism by which the charity must account to the public for the receipt and use of its donations.
•Do a quick check online with independent organizations such as www.charitynavigator.org, www.guidestar.org, or the Better Business Bureau’s www.give.org, which provide information about how effective a charity is, what percentage of funds raised go to administrative expenses and fundraising, and whether complaints have been made about the charity.

Tips for Giving to Veterans, Police, and Fire Organizations:
•With veterans, police, and fire organizations, remember that not all solicitors in uniform are necessarily veterans or first responders.
•Ask whether the donation will be used in the local area, and ask for specific information on how donations will be used to help area veterans, police, or firefighters.

Tips for Retailers:
•Protect your customers and do not allow a charity that has not registered with the Attorney General’s Office, or is not current on its filings, to solicit donations on your property. You can easily access this information on our website, or by calling (617) 963-2315.
•Do some quick research before authorizing a charity to solicit on your property. There are independent organizations which can provide retailers information about how effective a charity is, what percentage of funds raised go to administrative expenses and fundraising, and whether complaints have been made about the charity, such as www.charitynavigator.org, www.guidestar.org, or the Better Business Bureau’s www.give.org.