Accomplishments as of March 2008

Thomas P. Conroy

State Representative
Lincoln, Sudbury, Wayland

Obtaining More State Aid

State Aid to Towns

• Since taking office in 2007, helped secure state aid increases for Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland of 15% over the past two years ­­--a nearly $2 million increase-- by advocating effectively for our towns with State House leadership.
• Successfully advocated for $2 million increase in funding for the METCO program ($1 million each year), in which Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland all participate.
• Helped secure $2 million in additional funding for the early intervention program for infants at risk of needing special education services, a program which saves the Commonwealth tens of millions annually by obviating the need for special education services for thousands of children.

Lowering Property Taxes

• Successfully advocated with House leadership to adopt the Governor’s initiative to close corporate tax loopholes, which is expected to generate $200 million in new revenues for the Commonwealth.
• Helped a bill become law that will save our towns from funding pension shortfalls (~$750,000 in 2007 in Wayland) each year because of underperforming investment management by local pension boards.
• Advocated and voted for a 2007 law that could help our towns reduce town employee health care expenditures by participating in the state’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC) health care benefit pool. Both Sudbury and Wayland could save over $200,000 annually if they join the GIC.
• Voted in favor of a senior circuit breaker bill that gives towns the option of exempting low-income seniors from paying override tax increases.
• Signed letter to House Speaker DiMasi advocating for the local meals and hotels tax option, and for ending the property tax exemption on telecommunication companies.

Preserving the Environment

• Cosponsored and helped recruit cosponsors to the Safer Alternatives to Toxic Chemicals bill.
• Advocated and voted for the 2008 Global Warming Solutions Act, which sets targets for reducing carbon emissions in Massachusetts by 2025.
• Cosponsored bills to protect the Commonwealth’s rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds.
• Voted for the energy efficiency bill that promotes renewable energy sources in Massachusetts, makes investments in making municipal buildings “greener”, and provides ways for Commonwealth citizens to reduce the carbon footprints of their homes.
• Secured $75,000 in the FY 2009 House-passed budget bill for invasive weed control efforts for Wayland and Lincoln.
• Voted for the 2008 environmental bond law, which will help maintain our state parks and upgrade our clean water filtration systems.

Promoting Economic Development

• Successfully included in the Life Sciences bill a provision that could generate upwards of $500M for the Commonwealth as Massachusetts-based scientific teams achieve medical breakthroughs to cure chronic diseases.
• Successfully advocated with State House leadership to reduce the corporate income tax from 9.5% to 8.0% over the next five years, reducing the tax burden for small Massachusetts-based businesses.
• Advocated and voted for the 2008 Green Jobs Act, which helps workers train for jobs in the renewable energy industry.
• Voted in favor of freezing the unemployment insurance rate, which is expected to save employers $153 million this year.

Improving Education

• Cosponsored the bill to allow for alternative ways of measuring student success, as opposed to relying solely on MCAS scores.
• Advocated successfully during the budget process for increased funding for special education and regional transportation.

Improving Local Infrastructure

• Successfully advocated with the Governor’s housing department to obtain $1.7 million in state housing funding for the Nike site.
• Secured $75,000 in funding for Sudbury that would help link Sudbury’s hiking trails and neighborhoods to the new Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.
• Worked with the Massachusetts School Building Authority in successful effort to have Wayland High School chosen as one of 18 pilot projects throughout the state for the MSBA’s new procedures.
• Appealed to the Governor on behalf of Lincoln, Sudbury, and Wayland for $20 million in capital expenditure funding for several infrastructure improvements in the communities.
• Sponsored bill to allow permanent resident aliens in Wayland to vote in local elections and on local ballot initiatives.

Promoting Justice on Social Issues

• Voted against the proposed amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
• Voted for repeal of the 1913 law that prevented same-sex non-Massachusetts residents from getting married in Massachusetts.
• Voted against restoring the death penalty in Massachusetts.
• Voted for the new law to ban the hunting of live animals through the internet.

Helping Constituents

Below is a sampling of some of the actions I have taken to help folks from Lincoln, Sudbury and Wayland with their day-to-day challenges:

Unemployment insurance:

A constituent was not receiving unemployment insurance benefits for five months because an employer appealed his application. And he was having difficulty getting updates from the Division of Unemployment Insurance as to the status of his case. My office contacted the DUI and was able to bring attention to his application. In under a week, his case was settled and he was approved to receive unemployment benefits.

Medical Insurance:

Constituent living with Dystonia was denied surgery by her health insurer to treat her condition. Tom wrote a letter to the insurer asking to reverse its denial of medical coverage. Tom also met with the insurer to advocate for her case. The surgery was ultimately approved. The constituent had the surgery and her health has significantly improved.

Child support payments:

Single, divorced mother stopped receiving child support checks even though the father was required to provide continued support. We put the mother in contact with the right people at the Department of Revenue. They discovered that it was just an administrative error and her child support benefits resumed soon thereafter.

Small business advocacy:

Blocked legislation that would have impaired a business owned by a district resident, thus helping save about 20 Massachusetts-based jobs at the firm.

Analyzing Major Issues Facing the Commonwealth

• Authored a twenty-page, quantitative and qualitative analysis of the three resort casino proposal promoted by the Governor, which informed my vote against the idea. For a copy of the analysis, click here.
• Wrote the “Special Commission Report to Investigate and Study the Commonwealth’s Liability for Paying Retiree Health Care and Other Non-Pension Employee Benefits”, which outlines options and recommendations for funding future liabilities in a fiscally responsible manner.

Voting Record / Office Hours

• Maintained a 96% voting record, and 99% since February 2007.
• Held office hours monthly since December 2006, immediately after being elected.
• Started “Ask the Rep” on local cable TV in August 2007, a monthly opportunity for constituents to call in and ask me questions about state and local issues of concern.
• Responded to over 2,000 emails and phone calls from constituents since taking office.