Home 
About MMA MMA News Five legislators recognized by MMA
The MMA honored five Legislators of the Year on Jan. 13 during its Annual Meeting in Boston.
Winning the award were Sens. Therese Murray and Pamela Resor, and Reps. Robert DeLeo, Anne Paulsen and Cleon Turner. These legislators were selected because of their commitment to local government and their work on behalf of cities and towns.
Rep. DeLeo
As chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Robert DeLeo helped craft a fiscal 2007 budget that helps cities and towns recover from local aid cuts in recent years, which has increased local reliance on the property tax.
The budget included the MMA’s top priority: fully uncapping Lottery revenues, one year ahead of schedule. This resulted in an additional $159 million going to cities and towns.
Other items approved as part of the fiscal 2007 budget were a $217 million increase for Chapter 70 as well as important increases in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program (PILOT), regional school transportation, and the career incentive pay program for police officers.
This is the second time DeLeo has been honored as an MMA Legislator of the Year. A member of the House since 1991, DeLeo was a selectman in Winthrop for 10 years ending in 1988.
Sen. Murray
Sen. Therese Murray played a key role in beginning the process of restoring fiscal stability to cities and towns. As chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Murray declared that the fiscal 2007 state budget would be a “local aid budget.” Under her leadership, the Senate joined the House in fully uncapping the Lottery one year ahead of schedule.
The Senate also approved a $217 million increase for Chapter 70 and important increases in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program, regional school transportation, and the career incentive pay program for police officers.
Murray also worked to rewrite parts of the Chapter 70 school finance law to improve the fairness of aid distributions and local contribution requirements. In 2006 she collaborated with the House to make temporary changes to the Chapter 70 formula with an eye toward more comprehensive changes in fiscal 2008.
This is the second time that the MMA has honored Murray, who represents communities stretching from Kingston to Barnstable.
Rep. Paulsen
Rep. Anne Paulsen, who chose not to seek re-election this past fall after seven terms, served on vital House committees, including the Committee on Transportation. She also served as co-chair of the Progressive Legislators Group.
During her 14 years in office, Paulsen led the fight to obtain adequate funding for local transportation projects through the Chapter 90 program, worked to rewrite the antiquated MassHighway Design Manual, and consistently supported the maximum local aid possible for cities and towns.
Prior to entering the Legislature in 1993, Paulsen, who represented Belmont as well as parts of Cambridge and Arlington, spent nine years as a Belmont School Committee member and six years as a selectman.
Sen. Resor
Sen. Pamela Resor has been a long-time MMA ally, championing education financing, zoning issues, and a variety of environmental laws.
As Senate chair of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, Resor held a special oversight hearing on recent changes to the state’s Water Management Act. Her goal has long been to balance the needs of communities with the need to ensure sufficient water supplies.
During debate on the fiscal 2007 budget, Resor was a calming voice in a discussion of a budget amendment related to changes in the Water Management Act. She helped lead the way to the creation of a panel responsible for examining the details of the water policy.
Resor and her staff also championed a compromise bill aimed at streamlining the Chapters 61, 61A and 61B land conservation laws. The bill, which ended years of inaction, was signed into law during the final weeks of the 2006 legislative session.
Prior to joining the Senate in 1999, Resor spent eight years as a state representative. She is also a former Acton selectman.
Rep. Turner
In his first term as a state representative, Cleon Turner drew on his varied experience as a municipal official in Dennis to help win enactment last year of legislation permanently authorizing year-end municipal budget transfers.
He also sponsored legislation that simplifies the rules governing local Housing Trust Funds and succeeded in winning approval for Home Rule petitions in communities he represents.
Turner, who represents Brewster, Dennis and Yarmouth, established the Legislature’s first regional school district caucus and organized meetings across the state to hear concerns and suggestions from municipal and school officials. Working with other House members, Turner helped increase reimbursements for student transportation costs in regional school districts.
His service in Dennis includes nine years as a selectman and 18 years on the Board of Assessors.
About MMA MMA News Five legislators recognized by MMA
Five legislators recognized by MMA
The MMA honored five Legislators of the Year on Jan. 13 during its Annual Meeting in Boston.
Winning the award were Sens. Therese Murray and Pamela Resor, and Reps. Robert DeLeo, Anne Paulsen and Cleon Turner. These legislators were selected because of their commitment to local government and their work on behalf of cities and towns.
Rep. DeLeo
As chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Robert DeLeo helped craft a fiscal 2007 budget that helps cities and towns recover from local aid cuts in recent years, which has increased local reliance on the property tax.
The budget included the MMA’s top priority: fully uncapping Lottery revenues, one year ahead of schedule. This resulted in an additional $159 million going to cities and towns.
Other items approved as part of the fiscal 2007 budget were a $217 million increase for Chapter 70 as well as important increases in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program (PILOT), regional school transportation, and the career incentive pay program for police officers.
This is the second time DeLeo has been honored as an MMA Legislator of the Year. A member of the House since 1991, DeLeo was a selectman in Winthrop for 10 years ending in 1988.
Sen. Murray
Sen. Therese Murray played a key role in beginning the process of restoring fiscal stability to cities and towns. As chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, Murray declared that the fiscal 2007 state budget would be a “local aid budget.” Under her leadership, the Senate joined the House in fully uncapping the Lottery one year ahead of schedule.
The Senate also approved a $217 million increase for Chapter 70 and important increases in the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program, regional school transportation, and the career incentive pay program for police officers.
Murray also worked to rewrite parts of the Chapter 70 school finance law to improve the fairness of aid distributions and local contribution requirements. In 2006 she collaborated with the House to make temporary changes to the Chapter 70 formula with an eye toward more comprehensive changes in fiscal 2008.
This is the second time that the MMA has honored Murray, who represents communities stretching from Kingston to Barnstable.
Rep. Paulsen
Rep. Anne Paulsen, who chose not to seek re-election this past fall after seven terms, served on vital House committees, including the Committee on Transportation. She also served as co-chair of the Progressive Legislators Group.
During her 14 years in office, Paulsen led the fight to obtain adequate funding for local transportation projects through the Chapter 90 program, worked to rewrite the antiquated MassHighway Design Manual, and consistently supported the maximum local aid possible for cities and towns.
Prior to entering the Legislature in 1993, Paulsen, who represented Belmont as well as parts of Cambridge and Arlington, spent nine years as a Belmont School Committee member and six years as a selectman.
Sen. Resor
Sen. Pamela Resor has been a long-time MMA ally, championing education financing, zoning issues, and a variety of environmental laws.
As Senate chair of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, Resor held a special oversight hearing on recent changes to the state’s Water Management Act. Her goal has long been to balance the needs of communities with the need to ensure sufficient water supplies.
During debate on the fiscal 2007 budget, Resor was a calming voice in a discussion of a budget amendment related to changes in the Water Management Act. She helped lead the way to the creation of a panel responsible for examining the details of the water policy.
Resor and her staff also championed a compromise bill aimed at streamlining the Chapters 61, 61A and 61B land conservation laws. The bill, which ended years of inaction, was signed into law during the final weeks of the 2006 legislative session.
Prior to joining the Senate in 1999, Resor spent eight years as a state representative. She is also a former Acton selectman.
Rep. Turner
In his first term as a state representative, Cleon Turner drew on his varied experience as a municipal official in Dennis to help win enactment last year of legislation permanently authorizing year-end municipal budget transfers.
He also sponsored legislation that simplifies the rules governing local Housing Trust Funds and succeeded in winning approval for Home Rule petitions in communities he represents.
Turner, who represents Brewster, Dennis and Yarmouth, established the Legislature’s first regional school district caucus and organized meetings across the state to hear concerns and suggestions from municipal and school officials. Working with other House members, Turner helped increase reimbursements for student transportation costs in regional school districts.
His service in Dennis includes nine years as a selectman and 18 years on the Board of Assessors.
Written by John Ouellette
