2009-2010
March 10 & 17, 2010: Action Plan!
It’s that time of year — all League committees which support any kind of legislative or public action come together with membership to plan the next year’s priorities. See the 2010-2011 Local Program Planning Proposals (pdf).
January 13, 2010: Update on the Charter Study
Discussion of the state to date of the League’s extensive study of the City Charter. See some of the resources we’ve been using here.
Nov. 18, 2009: Community Preservation Act
League members who have been following the CPA reported on possible changes to the state CPA enabling act (memo here) as well as on Newton’s Community Preservation Committee. Six proposals will be presented to the CPC that evening, and our readers have comments and questions to share (located here.)
October 14, 2009: Lunch with the League
Mayoral candidates Ruth Balser and Setti Warren join us for an informal discussion and Q&A on the local issues of the day.
September 9, 2009: Eco-Teams Introduced
Green Decade joins us to present their current campaign to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions: Eco-Teams.
2008-2009
April 1, 2009: Consensus on Electing the President
How can the country move toward one-person/one-vote in the national presidential elections? Details can be found here. A summary of the issue, based on League research, is here.
March 11, 2009: Housing
Our Housing subcommittee, with Phil Herr of HAPI (Newton’s Housing Action Plan Initiative), will present an overview of that initiative’s program and progress and the League’s role in 2009-10. November Newsletter announcement.
January 22 & 28, 2009: Plan of Action!
Planning for what issues the Newton LWV should study or work toward in 2009-10 (called our “Program”).
Related Links:
The LWV Newton 2008-09 Program
The State Planning ProcessNovember 12, 2008: Community Preservation Committee Projects: Past, Present and Future
Presented by the LWVN Local Action Committee. What priorities do you think the Community Preservation Committee should set for future funding as the amount of state matching funds continues to shrink? Join us as we review Newton’s CPC-funded projects and share your thoughts about the future.
October 22, 2008: A Conversation with Newton’s Citizens’ Advisory Group
Featuring CAG members Malcolm S. Salter, Chair; Ruthanne Fuller, Vice Chair; and George Foord with an update on the CAG’s work. Please come with your questions and suggestions.
September 10, 2008: Trash for Cash
Tom Daley, Newton’s Public Works Commissioner and Elaine Gentile, Newton’s Director of Environmental Affairs, will discuss Newton’s solid waste system and what opportunities lie ahead for improvements.
Related Information:
LWVN September 2008 Newsletter: “Trash for Cash?”
Newton Solid Waste Commission
Mass DEP Municipal Recycling Rates
2007-2008
The last three Topic Meetings of the year explored issues of municipal finance: the state League’s Fiscal Policy Update Study on Municipal Finance, Newton’s capital budget, and Newton’s upcoming Prop. 2 ½ override.
Background information for the February, March and April meetings:
April 16, 2008: The Override Vote
The third in our municipal finance series, the April meeting featured a presentation and discussion of Newton’s Prop 2 ½ override vote scheduled for May 20, 2008. League members Terry Yoffie, George Foord, and Ruthanne Fuller presented city budget information, as well as information from the 2007 Blue Ribbon Commission report.
March 12, 2008: Protecting City Assets: Newton’s Capital Budget and How It Works
Ward 7 Alderman-at-Large Verne Vance and Newton Comptroller David Wilkinson presented information about Newton’s capital budget and planning.
February 13, 2008: Municipal Finance: Where does the money come from and where does it go?
During the past two years, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts has conducted a Fiscal Policy Update Study on Municipal Finance. In January of last year, the state fiscal policy committee organized two all-member forums entitled: “Municipal Finance: Where does the money come from and where does it go?” Next, the committee designed a study on municipal finance so that local Leagues could assess the fiscal health of their own communities. Then in October 2007, the LWVMA Fall Conference featured a panel on “Who pays for local government? Why is it that my property taxes continue to go up while funding local services is a struggle?”
This spring, the LWVMA sought consensus from the local Massachusetts leagues with respect to the fiscal relationship between state and local government. LWVN held its consensus meeting on February 13, at NewTV. League members Terry Yoffie, George Foord, and Ruthanne Fuller presented the consensus questions and relevant background information.
January 9 and 10, 2008: Consensus Meeting on Immigration
For the first time in 25 years, the national League conducted a study and consensus. The topic was immigration. Myra Tattenbaum chaired LWVN’s Immigration Committee, and Bonnie Carter, Ann Grantham, and Anne Borg were members. The committee spent two months studying the consensus questions and researching background information. Two meetings were held for the LWVN to reach consensus: one during the day and one in the evening.
Related Information:
November 14, 2007: The Budget as Management Tool and Financial Resource
For this month’s topic meeting, we were pleased to have Sanford Pooler, Newton’s Chief Administrative Officer, Verne Vance, Ward 7 Alderman-at-large and Chair, Special Committee on Long Range Planning, and Sarah Ecker, attorney and member of the Blue Ribbon Commission discuss the budget with us.
Related Information:
October 10, 2007: A Conversation about the Newton Public Schools’ Long-Range Facilities Planning
School Committee Chair Dori Zaleznik presented a very informative discussion about the Newton Public Schools’ long-range planning for its elementary and middle schools.
Background information: Long-Range Facilities Planning reports from Newton Public Schools:
September 12, 2007: All I Ever Wanted to Know about Newton’s Election Department
League members Nancy Criscitiello and Myra Tattenbaum are long-time poll workers and observers of the Election Commission and both served on the search committee to find a new Executive Secretary to the Election Commission. Nancy and Myra shared information about: state requirements for Election Commissions, the terms and stipends of Election Commission members, meeting requirements and practices, the responsibilities of the Newton Election Department, as well as information about poll workers.
Related Information:
- Successful Practices for Poll Worker Recruitment, Training and Retention (US Election Assistance Commission, July 07)