[Platform] Fwd: REMINDER Chapter 40T hearing Wed, Feb 13 TIME CHANGED TO 1:00 PM

[Larry Ely]

GRP,
    An important note:  the MACHC that Grace refers to is reachable 
at:  www.masschc.org.
Larry Ely


At 12:17 PM 2/11/08, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com wrote:

>(Jhi, GRP folks -(B
>(JHere is a great opportunity to walk our talk - please send out emails to (B
>(Jlegislators opposing 40T - and do it in the next 48 hours.(B
>
>(JThe ability of multi-million dollar private developers to take over our (B
>(Jcommunities is accelorating with the sub-rpime foreclosures incerasingly 
>littering (B
>(Jour landscapes -(B
>
>(JPlease ACT NOW - see below and check out MACHC to find out more - but 
>dont (B
>(Jwait to send your emails - now is the time -   Love, grace(B
>(JIn a message dated 2/11/08 11:41:50 AM, shirley.kressel at verizon.net 
>writes:(B
>
>
>(J> COME ON, YOU GUYS! WHERE ARE ALL THE CC'S OF YOUR LETTERS TO THE 
>BONDING (B
>(J> COMMITTEE OPPOSING CHAPTER 40T!(B
>(J> (B
>(J> EVERYONE IS ALWAYS WORRIED THAT BIG DEVELOPERS (INCLUDING 
>INSTITUTIONS) HAVE (B
>(J> TOO MUCH POWER. WELL, THIS WOULD LET YOUR ERSTWHILE CITY COUNCIL GIVE 
>THEM (B
>(J> THEIR OWN MINI-CITIES -- AND YOU COULD END UP INSIDE ONE. THEY WOULD 
>BECOME (B
>(J> FEUDAL LANDLORDS, COLLECTING TAXES FOR PUBLIC SERVICES FROM PRIVATE 
>PROPERTY (B
>(J> OWNERS. ALL SO THAT OUR MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS CAN PRETEND THEY AREN'T (B
>(J> RAISING OUR PROPERTY TAXES!(B
>(J> (B
>(J> THIS THING WAS ACTUALLY PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE LAST YEAR; ONLY A 
>ROMNEY (B
>(J> VETO STOPPED IT, AND FOR REASONS THAT WON'T APPLY THIS TIME.(B
>(J> (B
>(J> I KNOW EVERYONE IS BUSY, BUT WRITE A TEN-WORD E-MAIL TO THE ADDRESSES 
>OF THE (B
>(J> COMMITTEE CHAIRS, AT LEAST!(B
>(J> mark.montigny at state.ma.us(B
>(J> rep.davidflynn at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(J> (B
>(J> JUST SAY NO TO CHAPTER 40T: KEEP GOVERNMENTAL POWERS IN ELECTED (B
>(J> GOVERNMENTS, ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC, NOT TO REAL ESTATE INVESTORS. (B
>(J> (B
>(J> AND FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS, IN AND OUTSIDE BOSTON.(B
>(J> (B
>(J> I'M GOING TO TESTIFY (I just speak for myself, not representing ABN), 
>BUT (B
>(J> NUMBERS ARE WHAT COUNT. PLEASE WRITE A BRIEF E-MAIL TO SHOW THAT OTHER 
>PEOPLE (B
>(J> CARE. THERE ARE 200 NAMES ON THIS ABN LIST; THE ALERT IS ALSO BEING 
>SENT BY (B
>(J> OTHERS TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE STATEWIDE. A HUNDRED LETTERS IS AN 
>AVALANCHE TO (B
>(J> LEGISLATORS. WRITE!(B
>(J> (B
>(J> SHIRLEY(B
>(J>  (B
>
>
>(JText of the attachment is printed below.(B
>
>(JPUBLIC HEARING(B
>(JWEDNESDAY, FEB. 13, 1:00 pm STATE HOUSE Room A-1(B
>
>(JSen. 146/House 159(B
>(JPROPOSAL TO CREATE CHAPTER 40T OF THE STATE LAWS(B
>(Jallowing developers to form their own municipalities, sell tax-exempt 
>bonds (B
>(Jfor project $B".(Jinfrastructure,$B".(J and collect assessments from the 
>new property (B
>(Jbuyers to pay the bonds(B
>
>(JJOINT COMMITTEE ON BONDING, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND STATE ASSETS(B
>(JCo-chairs Rep. David Flynn & Sen. Mark Montigny(B
>
>(JThis legislation was tabled thanks to public outcry last year $B!>(J we 
>need to (B
>(Jdefeat it now!(B
>
>(JSee Fact Sheet below. The bill, and an easy-to-understand Q and A, are 
>posted (B
>(Jon www.masschc.org(B
>
>(JPlease copy me on your letters to the legislators, and forward me a copy 
>of (B
>(Jany replies you get.(B
>
>(JCall me (617-421-0835) if you need further information.(B
>
>
>(JCome testify, or write a brief note to the Committee members:(B
>
>(Jmark.montigny at state.ma.us COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR(B
>(Jrep.davidflynn at hou.state.ma.us COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR(B
>
>(Jbrian.a.joyce at state.ma.us(B
>(Jcynthia.creem at state.ma.us(B
>(Jmichael.knapik at state.ma.us(B
>(Jdianne.wilkerson at state.ma.us (Boston)(B
>(Jrichard.moore at state.ma.us (BILL SPONSOR)(B
>
>(Jrep.stevenwalsh at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.demetriusatsalis at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.lizmalia at hou.state.ma.us (Boston)(B
>(Jrep.markfalzone at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.johnscibak at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.stephencanessa at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.deniseprovost at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.karynpolito at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.elizabethpoirier at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.joycespiliotis at hou.state.ma.us (BILL SPONSOR)(B
>
>
>(JAlso, drop a note to your legislators asking them to vote against 40T 
>when it (B
>(Jcomes to the floor.(B
>
>(Jsteven.tolman at state.ma.us(B
>(JAnthony.Petruccelli at state.ma.us(B
>(JAnthony.Galluccio at state.ma.us(B
>(JDianne.Wilkerson at state.ma.us(B
>(JJohn.Hart at state.ma.us(B
>(Jmarian.walsh at state.ma.us(B
>
>(Jrep.gloriafox at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.lizmalia at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.kevinhonan at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.mariest.fleur at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.angeloscaccia at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.brianwallace at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.geneoflaherty at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.mikerush at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.jeffreysanchez at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.martinwalsh at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.michaelmoran at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.lindadorcenaforry at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.salvatoredimasi at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.byronrushing at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(Jrep.martywalz at hou.state.ma.us(B
>(JRep.CarloBasile at Hou.State.MA.US(B
>(Jrep.williemaeallen at hou.state.ma.us (BILL SPONSOR)(B
>
>
>
>(JWritten by bond lawyers, the proposed Ch. 40T aims to open a new (B
>(Jbillion-dollar market for tax-exempt bonds by creating an new kind of 
>municipal government (B
>$B!>(J initiated and operated by private land-owners building big 
>development (B
>(Jprojects $B!>(J that could issue tax-exempt bonds for their project 
>infrastructure and (B
>(Jthen shift the debt payments to their buyers.(B
>
>(J40T seems tempting, because(B
>
>$B!D(J Big developers want lower-interest construction loans, and faster (B
>(Jpermitting. (B
>$B!D(J Municipalities want development but don$B".(Jt want to pay or 
>borrow for (B
>(Jinfrastructure.(B
>$B!D(J Legislators want to promote growth and help developers, but 
>don$B".(Jt want to (B
>(Jfund infrastructure.(B
>
>
>(JBut developer-government bonding, like other $B".(Jcreative 
>financing$B".(J schemes we$B".(B
>(Jve seen backfire, is yet another way for elected officials to shunt their (B
>(Jfinancial and political responsibility for our public services to 
>public/private (B
>(Jgovernmental agencies; and yet another debt shell game that greases (B
>(Jreal-estate ventures, saddles unsuspecting buyers with loans they 
>don$B".(Jt understand, and (B
>(Jleaves no party accountable after all the risk is dispersed down the (B
>(Jinvestment line.(B
>
>(JMass Municipal Association has opposed 40T, citing many specific 
>problems and (B
>(J3 overarching ones: (B
>
>
>$B!D(J 40T creates a parallel municipal government within municipalities, (B
>(Jmirroring many responsibilities but not subject to same public-interest 
>protection (B
>(Jlaws; lasting at least 40 years, able to perpetuate itself by bond 
>issuance with (B
>(Jno termination possible by municipality; and loss of control after the (B
>(Jdistrict is established. (To address this, the proponents have offered 
>to make the (B
>(Jcity councilors the private government committee, creating a conflict of (B
>(Jinterest between the public welfare and the developer$B".(Js financial 
>benefit.)(B
>
>$B!D(J 40T is a stealth end-run around Prop 2 1/2, creating burdensome new (B
>(Jproperty-based fees/taxes for many property owners (such districts have 
>proliferated (B
>(Jwidely in CA, FL, and TX);(B
>
>$B!D(J 40T includes no provision to mitigate all the other public 
>infrastructure (B
>(Jneeds necessitated by 40T developments.(B
>
>
>(JA few highlights of this very complicated bill:(B
>
>(JNew privately-run governments ($B".(JLocal Improvement Districts$B".(J 
>set up within (B
>(Jour municipalities) could be formed with consent of only 80% of (B
>(Jlandowners/acres. Unwilling property owners could end up inside 
>someone's private District, (B
>(Jwith their properties under City lien and foreclosable for delinquent 
>District (B
>(Jassessment payments.(B
>
>(JPublic land could be included in the Districts, without taxpayer consent.(B
>
>$B".(JInfrastructure" funded by tax-exempt bonds would be defined to 
>include (B
>(Jparking garages, golf courses, shuttle bus equipment, performing arts 
>centers, (B
>(Jsports facilities, project landscaping, etc., subsidizing elements that 
>are (B
>(Jbasically private and would be operated by the developer District 
>tax-free.(B
>
>(JThe developers would collect $B".(Jassessments$B".(J -- that is, taxes 
>-- to pay those (B
>(Jbonds from District property owners and tenants, with no State or City (B
>(Joversight or regulation. (B
>
>(JDistrict homeowners or tenants would be paying this bond debt (on top of (B
>(Jregular property taxes) for services other residents get as part of 
>their regular (B
>(Jmunicipal services. (B
>
>(JThe developers could acquire public property, or private property 
>that$B".(Js (B
>(Jtaken by eminent domain, via intergovernmental agreements, without 
>competitive (B
>(Jbidding.(B
>
>(JThey could $B".(Jenter upon and dig up$B".(J any District property to 
>build their (B
>(Jinfrastructure $B!>(J a form of taking without due process or 
>compensation.(B
>
>(JThe new municipality would have governmental powers, but without the same (B
>(Jaccountability or transparency. Many public record, civic service, public (B
>(Jbidding, prevailing wage for service contractors, conflict of interest, 
>public (B
>(Jliability, and other provisions would not apply.(B
>
>(JMunicipalities could contract with the developer to build other public (B
>(Jinfrastructure privately using non-union labor and sell it to the 
>government at cost (B
>$B!>(J cost-savings through union-busting.(B
>
>(JThe assessments are lienable by the City, and non-payment results in (B
>(Jforeclosure, like property taxes. Unlike property taxes, which go down 
>when home (B
>(Jvalues fall, bond payments are fixed. The bill makes no provision for 
>default on (B
>(Jthe bonds. (B
>
>(JThere is no limitation on the number and acreage of Districts in a city; (B
>(Jthere is no sunset provision.(B
>
>(JThere is no mechanism to repeal these districts once their real 
>consequences (B
>(Jbecome evident. (B
>
>
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>(J"Privilege corrupts; Absolute privilege corrupts absolutely. Because we (B
>(Jrecognize the power of love, the power of faith, the power of our 
>connection to (B
>(Jeach other, it became important to specify that it is positions of power 
>combined (B
>(Jwith a sense of differentiated entitlement that is really dangerous."(B
>
>
>
>(J**************(B
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