“I firmly believe we have the capability right here in Harvard to solve our problems – smart and caring people of all ages willing to give their time and energy to the town we all love. But we need a leader with the skills and persistence to harness our volunteer efforts and make the tools of government work for us where the bucks truly start and stop – on Beacon Hill.
For example, I am currently fighting for Harvard on Beacon Hill to change the laws that limit how much the State helps us with escalating special education costs. It’s simply not fair to impose legislation statewide, then force towns to foot the bill without help. In fact under-funded state and federal mandates are the primary difference between a balanced budget in Harvard and the yearly need for more overrides. Currently, the state has a “circuit breaker” law to pay Harvard and towns like us when our special ed costs go over a base % of our budget. But they pay nothing for transportation fees -- that’s a cost to Harvard of $200,000 a year currently. The state should be doing more to provide relief – but it takes constant pressure from citizens and leaders to make it happen.
Pressuring Beacon Hill isn’t glamorous work. It takes constant drive and a refusal to give up. I have that drive – as well as the optimistic belief that we can shape our own future. And with your vote, I’m determined to keep putting it to work for Harvard.”
SHE WILL PRESERVE WHAT WE LOVE
Our fields and farms, our lifelong residents and young families,
our excellent schools and rural history
Harvard is bombarded with pressures, from unfunded state mandates, to hostile
40B projects to the specter of runaway development. Marie believes a combination
of consistent legislative pressure, rigorous fiscal responsibility and reasoned,
careful growth will protect what has always been strong in Harvard:
As a financial and systems analyst who also has a deep moral commitment to our community -- our farmers, our elders, our taxpayers, our children -- Marie has the drive and dedication to protect our town’s heart.
SHE WILL HELP SOLVE OUR BUDGET CRISIS
Tough, informed, tenacious
Marie has smart, practical ideas for solving
our fiscal crisis that are backed by hard knowledge of our budget
and statutes. She’s a tough negotiator – yet she has a gracious manner
that builds consensus. She has already been a tenacious leader in
lobbying MassDevelopment and the State House for better deals for
Harvard: on Devens; on cost-saving healthcare for town workers; and
on greater state funding for special education. Her initiatives represent
hundreds of thousands of dollars in potential savings and increased
revenues by:
Applying constant pressure on MassDevelopment to divulge the data we need to negotiate the best financial deal for Harvard on Devens. A town report co-authored by Marie is currently being reviewed by MassDevelopment.
Lobbying the legislature hard to reimburse us for special ed transportation costs, which currently cost Harvard $200,000 annually
Levying her healthcare expertise to help town administration get the lowest cost health insurance deal for Harvard’s workers. Currently, we risk unfairly shouldering other town’s higher costs as members of a multi-town consortium
SHE WILL REACH OUT TO THOSE TOWN GOVERNMENT
SERVES: US
Marie strongly believes town government
should do a better job of welcoming our input as citizens. As
Selectman she will:
Hold regular office hours to hear the ideas and concerns of residents
Offer meetings that better fit the schedules of commuters, parents with young children, and elders
Reach out with technology to make Selectman’s meetings more interactive for people watching at home
SHE WILL FIGHT FOR OUR INTERESTS ON BEACON
HILL Improving the good, the bad and the ugly:
a battle for better legislation
Our biggest town budget struggles are handed
down from the State through Massachusetts Statutes that are:
Outdated (Proposition 2.5)
Deeply flawed (Chapter 40B Affordable Housing)
Downright unfair (Chapter 70 State Education funding)
We need a Selectman who will consistently make the time to advocate for Harvard on Beacon Hill. Marie has already fought for Harvard at the State House – we need her to keep up the fight as Selectman. She has:
Helped draft a position paper on how to fix Chapter 70 that is now being considered by the State House
Helped organize Harvard’s multi-generational trip to the Stand for Children rally at the State House
Holds regular meetings with Representative Eldridge to advance Harvard’s positions on key legislation
Vote Marie Sobalvarro for Selectman
Because She's For Us