Making Housing Affordable for First Responders ~ IN YOUR CORNER with SENATOR IVES

Making Housing Affordable for First Responders ~ IN YOUR CORNER with SENATOR IVES

By: Sen. Kathleen O’Connor Ives – October, 2017 I recently testified on a bill I filed S733, “An Act Relative to Access to Housing for First Responders,” This legislation would allow MassHousing, an independent, quasi-public state agency focused on providing financing for affordable housing, to create a special home loan program for first responders who […]

Housing That’s Affordable for First Responders ~ IN YOUR CORNER with SENATOR KATY IVES

Housing That’s Affordable for First Responders ~ IN YOUR CORNER with SENATOR KATY IVES

By: Senator Katy Ives – Feb. 2017 As regular readers of this column may know, last session I filed a bill to reduce housing costs for veterans by offering a tax rebate to landlords who rent dwellings below market rate to individuals who receive state Chapter 115 veterans’ benefits. In the past legislative session, a […]

New Legislative Session Opportunities for Positive Change

New Legislative Session Opportunities for Positive Change

By Senator Katy Ives – February, 2015 As I begin my second term as State Senator and a new two-year legislative session, I have filed a cross section of bills that will directly benefit constituents, municipalities and small businesses in my district. I filed 33 bills in total and also co-sponsored a number of important […]

Massachusetts House of Representatives: 2013 and 2014

By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell – January, 2014 Last year was a very productive year for our Legislature and 2014 will bring forth necessary and spirited debate on some key issues to include ballot initiatives. In 2013, the focus of the Legislature was upon the economy, transportation, welfare reform, regulating compounding pharmacies, election laws, […]

Democrats: Take Credit Where Credit is Due!

Democrats: Take Credit Where Credit is Due!

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL     In 2007, during George Bush’s term of office, the Democrats took over both houses of Congress controlling a majority in both chambers. On January 3, 2007, the day that happened, the Dow Jones averages closed at 12,621, the GDP for the previous quarter was up 3.5% over a year earlier […]

Lawrence’s Enterprise Orphanages

Lawrence’s Enterprise Orphanages

  By; Peter Larocque – August, 2o12 That’s right, folks! I said orphanages. Lawrence, the nation’s first planned industrial city; which was once known for its massive mills lining the Merrimack River producing textiles for American and European markets, is now a mere shadow of its former self. Only time will tell whether or not […]