GLBT Budget Items Level Funded
Several GLBT related budget items were level funded in the House Budget released recently. While we are glad there were no cuts in this difficult budget season, we can do better. Please call or email your Representative TODAY and ask them to co-sponsor the various budget amendments. The amendments are:
LGBT Aging Project: $120,000 - sponsored by Rep Liz Malia to educate mainstream healthcare providers about the needs of our LGBT elders, line item 9110-9002.
Massachusetts Commission on LGBT Youth:
a) Dept of Education - $500,000 - sponsored by Rep Carl Sciortino for increased Safe Schools and suicide prevention programs for LGBT youth, line item 7010-0005 and b) Dept of Public Health - $1.1 million - sponsored by Rep Sciortino for the Youth Commission and for school and community-based services for our youth, line item 4590-0250.
LGBT Community Services for Domestic Violence: $658,000 - sponsored by Rep Malia to provide much-needed shelters for LGBT victims of domestic violence, line item 4513-1130.
HIV/AIDS Disparities: $2 million - sponsored by Rep Sciortino to reduce disparities in HIV/AIDS services in communities of color and other populations disproportionately at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS, line item 4512-0103.
You can call the House of Representative's switchboard and ask for your Representative at (617) 722-2800.
Democratic State Committee Elections Announced
The Bay State Stonewall Democrats recently grew their representation on the Democratic state committee, including two members who now serve on the Executive Committee and another who was elected Secretary of the party. Additionally, the chapter supported the election of the first openly-transgender member of the committee while LGBT Democrats now chair at least 8 city committees across Massachusetts.
Barbara Hoffman Steve Driscoll Joe Kaplan
Bonnie Winokar Tom Barbera Karen Payne
Dee Dee Edmonson Tom McGrath Lesley Phillips
Elizabeth Corcoran-Hunt Rhonda Bourne Paul Giorgio
Chad Raddock Carol Ann Aloisi Shawn Hartman
Congratulations to all those who ran. We welcome everyone to BSSD and look forward to your continued commmittment to the Democratic Party!
Become a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention!
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) voters are one of the most loyal voting-blocks in the Democratic Party – second only to the African American community. We are everywhere and we vote!
We have earned our seat at the table and it is now time to make sure we have a strong voice in selecting the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee at the National Convention August 25-28 in Denver. This is our chance to be a part of the solution this country so desperately needs.
Run In Your Local Dem Caucus
Bay State Stonewall Democrats encourages all GLBT Democrats to consider running in their local caucuses to serve as a delegate to the 2008 Democratic State Convention. This is a great year and an ideal opportunity for GLBT Democrats to get involved at both the local and state level. With the Presidential campaign, Senator Kerry’s re-election, and the entire legislature also up for election, it should be a very exciting state convention. Democratic caucuses will be held between February 2-10.
The Democratic State Convention will be held in Lowell, Massachusetts on June 6 and 7. A schedule of convention activities will be issued by the State Democratic Party in the coming months. All those interested in running for delegate to the Convention can find out when and where their caucus will be held by visiting www.massdems.org or call (617) 776-2676 for more information.
