Yes We Will Lawrence » Homepage http://ywwlawrence.org New Community. New Politics. New Commitment. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:26:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 YWW Lawrence website No Longer Available http://www.lcworks.org http://www.lcworks.org#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:23:07 +0000 ywwlawrence http://ywwlawrence.org/?p=1382 This site will no longer be available.  Please visit the Lawrence CommunityWorks website for more information and ways to continue to stay engaged  and involved www.lcworks.org .

Thank You.

]]> http://www.lcworks.org/feed/ 0 City of Lawrence FY 2011 Budget http://ywwlawrence.org/lawrence-city-budget-for-fy-2011/ http://ywwlawrence.org/lawrence-city-budget-for-fy-2011/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:44:22 +0000 ywwlawrence http://ywwlawrence.org/?p=820 From left State Overseer Bob Nunes, Counselor Dan Rivera, and Counselor Roger Twomey answer questions during the 6/14/10 budget forum at Lawrence CommunityWorks.

From left: State Overseer Bob Nunes, Councilor Dan Rivera, and Councilor Roger Twomey answer questions at the 6/14/10 Budget Forum at Lawrence CommunityWorks.

As many of you already know Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua has presented the proposed FY 2011 municipal budget to the City Council on June 1st.  Due to the city’s $24 million dollar defecit this budget includes many cuts and reductions of services and positions in the city.

This budget is very important for the city and it’s residents and it is important doe us to know what is going on.

Here is a list of upcoming budget events:

Thursday, June 17th, 2010 – 6:30 pm Mt Vernon Neighborhood  City Budget Public Forum- Frost School – 33 Hamlet St. Lawrence

Monday, June 21st, 2010   – 6:30 pm Tower Hill Neighborhood City Budget Public Forum - Our Lady of Good Council School’s Judson Hall; 128 Ames St., Lawrence.

Thursday, June 24th, 2010 – 7:00 pm Public Hearing on the City Budget - Lawrence City Hall; 200 Common St. 

Before you go check out the Lawrence City Budget here Fiscal Year 2011 Budget and Mayor Lantigua’s budget presentation Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Presentation .

Also, to find a lot of good Lawrence information, Lawrence budget documents, and Lawrence union contracts visit http://citybudget2011.blogspot.com/ !

]]> http://ywwlawrence.org/lawrence-city-budget-for-fy-2011/feed/ 0 We are not quite done with the Census! http://ywwlawrence.org/we-are-not-quite-done-with-the-census/ http://ywwlawrence.org/we-are-not-quite-done-with-the-census/#comments Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:50:15 +0000 ywwlawrence http://ywwlawrence.org/?p=810 We are not quite done with the Census yet.  The Census bureau still needs to count everyone who did not mail back their form.  We need to keep communicating with our families, friends, and neighbors that this is important and confidential.  And the sooner that you open the door to a census worker and answer the questions the sooner it will be over and the less of our tax dollars will need to be spent on this.  Here are some details that I recieved from the Census Bureau and the Ford Foundation:
  
The Census Bureau will hire over 500,000 workers to visit approximately 48 million households between May 1 and July 2010. In most cases, census workers (enumerators) will make initial visits during afternoons, early evenings, and weekends.
  
Census workers will make up to six attempts to reach respondents. 
  • They will make up to three personal visits and up to three phone contacts.
  • They will always make a personal visit to verify the address 
  • They may try to schedule an interview with an eligible household member. 
  • If the census worker visits the household and no one answers the door, the census worker will leave a door hanger with information about the visit and a contact number. The resident can then call to schedule an interview time.
If they cannot speak with an eligible household member after six attempts, they are instructed to seek out another source–such as a neighbor, rental agent, building manager, or other knowledgeable person 15 years old or over–to obtain basic data. 
  
For quality control approximately 5 percent of the households are re-interviewed by phone. The re-interview period will continue through July 27. 
 
HOW TO RECOGNIZE A CENSUS WORKER 

1.  A census worker must present an ID badge that contains a Department of Commerce watermark and expiration date. The census worker may also be carrying a bag with a Census Bureau logo. 
2.  The census worker will provide you with supervisor contact information and/or the Local Census Office phone number for verification., if asked. 
3.  The census worker will only ask you for the questions that appear on the census form. 

A Census Worker will NOT: 
  1. Ask for your  social security number, bank account number, pin number, or credit card number. 
  2. Ask for donations. 
  3. Contact you by email.

For more information visit www.2010census.gov

 

 

 

 
]]> http://ywwlawrence.org/we-are-not-quite-done-with-the-census/feed/ 0 State Legislation allowing Lawrence to deficit borrow to balance the 2010 and 2011 city budgets to be decided on by the state legislature. http://ywwlawrence.org/state-legislation-allowing-lawrence-to-defecit-borrow-to-balance-the-2010-and-2011-city-budgets-to-be-decided-on-by-the-state-legislature/ http://ywwlawrence.org/state-legislation-allowing-lawrence-to-defecit-borrow-to-balance-the-2010-and-2011-city-budgets-to-be-decided-on-by-the-state-legislature/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:22:19 +0000 ywwlawrence http://ywwlawrence.org/?p=732 In order to meet a 24.5 million dollar budget shortfall in the City of Lawrence the State Legislature will soon be debating and voting on a bill, written by Governor Deval Patrick, which (as stated in the bills introduction):

  • Allows the city to borrow into deficit to balance its fiscal year 2010 and 2011 budgets, thus allowing it to generate a steady cash flow, and to meet payroll and other commitments.
  • Increases state oversight of city finances by providing for a state designated fiscal overseer working cooperatively with the new mayor and city council.  The overseer will report directly to the Secretary of Administration and Finance.
  • Requires the overseer to assess the ability of City government to manage the City’s fiscal challenges and develop a three year financial plan.
  • Requires the City to act to move to GIC or a regional health purchasing group if it will save the city money.
  • Requires the City to consolidate municipal and school business functions.
  • Provides that, if the City is not able to balance its fiscal year 2011 budget before January 31, 2011, the overseer shall report this, as well as the underlying reasons, to the Secretary of Administration and Finance.  At any time after January 31, 2011, if the state overseer shall report this in writing to the Secretary, and the Secretary may appoint a finance control board with extensive powers.

Follow this link to read the complete text of the bill.  An Act PROVIDING FOR THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE CITY OF LAWRENCE

Also more information can be found by contacting the following State and City Officials. 

Governor Deval Patrick 617.725.4005, 888.870.7770

State Senator Susan Tucker (617) 722-1612, Susan.Tucker@state.ma.usState

State Representative Barry Finegold 617-722-2263 Rep.BarryFinegold@hou.state.ma.us

State Representative William Lantigua 617-722-2810, Rep.WilliamLantigua@hou.state.ma.us

State Representative David Torissi 617-722-2013, 978-682-5644 Rep.DavidTorrisi@hou.state.ma.us

Mayor William Lantigua 978-620-3010

Dan Rivera (Councilor at Large)   978-208-1744
Frank Moran (Councilor at Large)   978-884-6375
Roger Twomey (Councilor at Large)   978-685-7558
Sandy Almonte (District A)   978-382-2456
Grisel Silva (District B)   978-420-5786
Modesto Maldonado (District C)   978-688-2045
Oneida Aquino (District D)   978-479-4301
Eileen O’Connor Bernal (District E)   978-683-1055
Marc Laplante (District F)   978-376-6702
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