State Senator
WOBURN – Wow! The “wow factor” was much in evidence on Saturday as many members of the general public were overwhelmed and had their first look at the new James L. McKeown Boys & Girls Club.
“It’s incredible,” was a repeated declaration of enthusiasm after a parking lot full of enthusiastic support packed the newly-paved front parking lot.
Sen. Cindy Friedman: “It’s great at the State House to work on something so positive. People are just dying to get inside.”
“How to Be an Effective Citizen Lobbyist”: 7-9 p.m. Sept. 18, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church vestry, 630 Mass. Ave., Arlington. Want to learn more about how to be heard and influence government decisions? Join in for a conversation with state Sen. Cindy Friedman and Colleen Kirby, the criminal justice legislative specialist for the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and a member of First Parish Arlington’s Mass Incarceration Working Group. This free program is sponsored by First Parish Arlington’s Mass Incarceration Working Group and is open to all. Questions? Email end-mass-incarceration@firstparish.info.
State Sen. Cindy Friedman of Arlington, Democrat representing the 4th Middlesex, has announced the creation of her official Senate website — www.cindyfriedman.org — and began holding monthly office hours.
“I’m very excited that our website is up and running,” Friedman said in a Sept. 7 news release. To keep constituents up-to-date on news from the State House, she expects frequent updates on the website, in a quarterly newsletter, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. “One of the most effective ways to ensure your voice is heard is to meet face-to-face with your senator or representative,’ she said. ‘I look forward to holding office hours in the 4th Middlesex each month.”
If you are unable to attend office hours, she encouraged the public to contact her office at 617-722-1432 or at Cindy.Friedman@masenate.gov.
Naomi Greenfield, the Arlington Human Rights Committee member who organized the event, stood next to State Senator Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington, microphone in hand, and addressed the crowd of over 200 in front of her. She introduced the night’s action items: writing postcards to elected officials, writing letters to residents of Charlottesville, Virginia in the wake of a deadly white supremacist rally last weekend, signing a “Commitment to Change” poster that will hang in the Robbins Library and creating posters for a counter-protest planned in response to an Aug. 19 “free speech rally” that some people fear is actually a white nationalist rally similar to the one in Virginia.
Friedman spoke at the beginning of the gathering, before everyone dispersed to action stations. She described her own sadness about the events that occurred in Charlottesville and called for action after the gathering ended.
“We move forward only to find ourselves coming back to the same issues,” Friedman said. “We are responsible for being voices of tolerance and understanding. We all need to expand tonight’s actions and we’ll need to put ourselves out there.”
This week, ROC United and ROC-Boston held the Inaugural Women in the Workplace Breakfast. The event offered a unique opportunity to learn how to get involved in the growing movement for dignity and fairness for women in the workforce, particularly in Massachusetts’ restaurant industry.
Attendees heard powerful and insightful remarks and reflections from an all-women panel of speakers including ROC & National League for Nursing members-leaders Rachael Collins and Marie Billiel, Executive Chef & Co-Owner of Bon Me, Ali Fong, Executive Director & CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, Fatima Goss Graves, Massachusetts Senator Cindy F. Friedman, and Director of the Harvard Labor & Worklife Program, Sharon Block.
BOSTON (WWLP) – The state is starting off the new fiscal year slightly above benchmark in revenue collections, after experiencing a revenue shortfall last fiscal year.
Revenue collections for the month of July totaled about $1.8 billion, according to the state’s Department of Revenue. This puts the state $6 million above July’s expectations. The state saw growth in withholding, sales and meals taxes, but income tax collections came in slightly below benchmark. This comes at a time when lawmakers are considering overriding some of Governor Charlie Baker’s line item vetoes from the 2018 state budget.
Arlington State Senator Cindy Friedman told 22News she hopes that the legislature restores spending in areas including criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.
“Ok, no more excuses. If you don’t swing the bat you can’t hit the ball.” —Cindy Friedman
Friedman threw her hat in the ring for state Senate with the support of Donnelley’s staff, family and her own circle, and then took to door-knocking. Lots of door-knocking, across all the districts.
Formal sessions, where the full legislature meets typically to debate or vote on legislation, are not scheduled this month. However, lawmakers can still meet in informal sessions, which helps keep bills moving along in the process.The legislature can schedule informal sessions where they usually take up non-controversial legislation and help ensure bills are moving along in the process.
“If we didn’t meet, they would just come to a halt,” State Sen. Cindy Friedman explained. “So the informal sessions allow us to continue with housekeeping.”
BOSTON (WWLP) – The state is starting off the new fiscal year slightly above benchmark in revenue collections, after experiencing a revenue shortfall last fiscal year.Revenue collections for the month of July totaled about $1.8 billion, according to the state’s Department of Revenue. This puts the state $6 million above July’s expectations.
Arlington State Senator Cindy Friedman told 22News she hopes that the legislature restores spending in areas including criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.
“Cindy is a true public servant and community leader, and I know she will carry on the legacy of our late colleague, Senator Ken Donnelly, by standing up for working families and creating legislation that will make a lasting impact in their lives,” Rosenberg said in a news release. “I look forward to working with Cindy and her staff in the weeks ahead to build on the legacy of Senator Donnelly and work tirelessly on behalf of those without a voice.”
Friedman said: “I’m humbled and honored to be elected the new state senator for the 4th Middlesex district and am incredibly grateful to the voters that put their faith in me to succeed my good friend and late colleague, Ken Donnelly.”
“Now more than ever, state government and public engagement matters. I’m eager to work with my constituents and Senate colleagues to preserve all of the work we have done and ensure that, moving forward, everyone in our Commonwealth has access to equal economic opportunities, affordable healthcare, and quality education that will allow them to succeed.”