Minutes of April 7, 2009 Commission on Disabilities meeting:
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Members Present:~ Jim Spindler, Adeline Naiman, and Debbie Dorsey.~~Also present was John Ritz.~~
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Meeting convened at 1:05 pm.
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Discussion and Action Items:
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- Discussion With Senator Susan Fargo
The Commission discussed the following items with Senator Fargo:
- Senator Fargo is the Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee. The committee is trying to get bills passed regarding better nutrition in schools and to target nicotine products. They are trying to get health-related issues to the front burner.
- Senator Fargo is the Senate Chair of the Council for Racial and Ethnic Disparity – a new council formed last December. She is attempting to have the disabled also be included in the scope of this council’s work.
- She stated there is real interest at the state level in promoting the regionalization of local services, and she encouraged the Lincoln Commission to get in contact with other communities’ Commissions on Disabilities to improve communication and collaboration.
- Budget concerns were discussed. The state is looking to increase revenues for towns by removing the property tax exemption on the utilities, and also by allowing an increase in hotel/motel taxes. The state is also considering a tax on alcohol and sugared drinks. She stated there will lots of cuts made in the area of human services. The numbers of homeless individuals and families are rising.
- The transportation reform bill would cause many transportation agencies to be combined into one large agency – with the exception of the MBTA and MassPort. Senator Fargo expressed some willingness to assist the Commission in requesting the MBTA to construct elevated platforms at the Lincoln station, without waiting for the MBTA to modify the platform.
2.~~~ The meeting was adjourned at approximately 2:30 PM.
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