Guest Speaker: State Senator Brian Lees, spoke about the state The state has had the biggest drop in revenue is personal income tax in years. The sales tax is ok. Corporate tax is down a little.
They are trying to combine Mass Turnpike Authority, and Mass Highway Dept. to try to save money.
There are 800 lawyers that work for state government, looking to cut back.
Health Care costs are very high for state government, employees need to pay more than just 15% of their health care costs. Senator Lees says they should be paying 15%-18% of the costs.
Greenleaf Community Center is still high on Senator Lees list of priorities.
In the Leave No Child Behind Bill, Springfield's per capita has gotten the most money for the past ten years. The trade schools are good, but Putnam needs to be fixed up.
What happens to people who don't pay their taxes and water bills? Senator Brian Lees and Senator Linda Malconian have filed legislation to try to collect past bills.
Protesting is ok if it is not blocking people businesses and disturbing them. Legislation is being filed to stop people from laying in the street.
We will be seeing a fast rail train in Springfield in the future.
Governor Mitt Romney is running our state like a corporation. Is that OK ?
NEW BUSINESS:
Clodo wants to change the election process to every two years instead of one year. The By-Laws say that elections should be held every year. Some members were for and some members were against it. A member suggested it needs to be sent to a committee, and then brought up at another meeting. Clodo said no and wanted to bring the issue to a vote, because he is the President he could call a vote. Ten people voted for and ten people voted against. Clodo as President said that he could break the tie and voted yes to the two years term for all officers. Then people said that wasn't the way to do it according to the By-Laws, but Clodo insisted that it was ok because he is the President and he can make those decisions.
Elections were held and everyone was voted back in except Ruth Moorhouse for Secretary, she did not want to run again. Karen Lee was nominated and accepted the position of Secretary. Thank You to the nominating committee for your help.
President: Clodo Concepcion
1st Vice President: Richard Greenberg 2nd Vice President: Willis Schoof
Secretary: Karen Lee Treasurer: Ann Hadank
Board of Directors: Helen Boyle, Wally Brown, Carol Lewis-Caulton, Judy Fluery, James Gregory, Denise Kelsey, Ted Knee, Edmund Mack, Jean Masse,Ann Ryan
Sixteen Acres Picnic: August 16, 2003 at Camp Wilder, off Parker Street. The time is 2:00pm. The picnic committee chair is Jean Masse and the other helpers are Willie Johnson and Willis Schoof. The picnic committee needs $200.00 or more for the picnic. A motion was made to give $300.00 towards the picnic. The motion was seconded and passed by all present. Volunteers are needed to help, and please bring a dessert or a dish for the picnic. Willie will be running the grill.
Crime Watch meeting will be July 1, at the Sixteen Acres Library, at 6:45pm-7:45pm
A motion was made to combine July& August newsletter, (we can save money). It was seconded and passed by all present.
Membership payments are behind, 101 people have paid and 50 people have not paid.
The 50/50 raffle was held and the winners were Clodo C, Judy F, Karen Lee
Meeting was adjourned
Ruth Moorhouse
Secretary, SACA