GN: I received this email from the Elizabeth Warren Campaign, as I am sure many Democrats who are signed up for the email have. – Does it finally put to rest this issue?

Read and let me know…I myself think it should and it is time to move on.

Gerry,

When I was a little girl, I learned about my family’s heritage the same way everyone else does — from my parents and grandparents.

My mother, grandmother, and aunts were open about my family’s Native American heritage, and I never had any reason to doubt them. What kid asks their grandparents for legal documentation to go along with their family stories? What kid asks their mother for proof in how she describes herself?

My heritage is a part of who I am — and I am proud of it.

But that’s not good enough for Scott Brown and the Republican Party. For several weeks now, they have orchestrated an attack against my family, my job qualifications, and my character. Earlier today, Scott Brown even questioned the honesty of my parents — even though they are not fair game and are not here to defend themselves.

Scott Brown wants me to give up my family and forget where I came from. I’m not doing that — not for politics and not for anything else. I’ll hold on to every memory I can. My family is part of who I am, and they will be part of who I am until I die.

Despite evidence to the contrary, Scott Brown also claims I got special breaks because of my background. That’s not true, and I need your help to fight back:

The people involved in recruiting and hiring me for my teaching jobs, including Harvard professor Charles Fried — the solicitor-general under Ronald Reagan and a Scott Brown voter in 2010 — have said unequivocally they were not aware of my heritage and that it played no role in my hiring.

I did not benefit from my heritage when applying to college or law school, and documents reporters have examined prove it.

I let people know about my Native American heritage in a national directory of law school personnel. At some point after they hired me, I also provided that information to the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard.

I decided to run for the U.S. Senate because the middle class in this country has been hacked at and hammered at and because Washington doesn’t get it.

Scott Brown has a very different vision about who we are as a people, and he votes to make sure the levers of power in Washington continue to work for the big, the powerful and the wealthy.

If everyone in Massachusetts knew where Scott Brown stands on the important issues, voters wouldn’t give him a second term in the U.S. Senate. You know that, I know that, and he knows that, too.

That’s why he has worked so hard to make this campaign about anything else — even my heritage. It’s why his campaign spends so little time on what Massachusetts voters are really concerned about.

On Election Day, we will prevail because our vision is clearer and our ideas are stronger. We are focused on the issues important to middle class families, and our grassroots team will make sure everyone knows about those issues. I need your help to keep fighting the smears, spread the truth, and help us organize to win.

Thank you for being a part of this,

Elizabeth

One of the items in the budget I noticed was a new position of Jr. Data analysis which says is being funded by a Grant.

I seem to recall the Manager speaking about a Grant the LowellStat Program received and how the Stat program is being used as a Model program for the entire state and for some specific communities to learn from.

When I asked the Manager about the position and grant he was kind enough to send along this Press release from March.

I don’t recall seeing this in the SUN but then again, why would I when their chosen Councilor is 100% AGAINST the StatProgram even after it is being recognized on the State level.

I did remember a GLOBE story and a quick Google search confirmed that the SUN apparently ignored the story, since nothing comes up. (I’m sure someone from the SUN will send me a link if I have missed it).

Here’s the Press Release from MARCH:

LowellStat Program awarded Community Innovation Challenge Grant

March 16, 2012 Lowell, MA: At a State House ceremony hosted by Lieutenant Gov. Tim Murray, the City of Lowell’s LowellStat program was awarded $373,000 through the state’s Community Innovation Challenge Grant program to lead the development of a common performance indicator system for several Massachusetts cities and towns. The regional application, in partnership with the communities of Amesbury, Somerville, Woburn, and Worcester seeks to promote performance management statewide as well as create a set of common measures by which the communities can compare the performance and efficiency of the delivery of a number of services.

Grant funds will be used to demonstrate to other cities and towns how performance management has positively impacted cities such as Lowell and research participating communities’ performance indicators and performance management systems. The project will culminate with the development of common performance indicators that can be applied to all communities statewide as well as a website that can be used to disseminate information and share best practices relative to municipal operations.

“The development of a statewide indicator system will lead to the discovery of best practices in service areas such as police, fire, and public works that can be replicated in other communities”, stated Michael Herbert, Lowell’s Data Management Analyst. “Such a tool will not only lead to better and more efficient service delivery in the City of Lowell but ultimately for other communities as well.”

The Community Innovation Challenge Grant is a new competitive grants program developed by the Patrick Administration to provide significant incentives and financial support for one-time or transitional costs related to improving local government service delivery efficiency, service quality, and achieving cost savings through regionalization and efficiency initiatives. The statewide program – funded at only $4 million in this first year – received 100 applications totaling over $20 million from cities, towns, and regional planning agencies across the Commonwealth.

“We are pleased to see the Governor shares our commitment to municipal performance management and appreciate the support provided by our legislative delegation. We are encouraged by the faith they have shown in our LowellStat program to lead this important statewide endeavor”, noted Lowell City Manager Bernie Lynch. “This award reaffirms the decision we made to create the LowellStat program a year and a half ago and acknowledges the good work that has been done in the short time since.”

The LowellStat program was created in the summer of 2010 by City Manager Lynch and the Lowell City Council to support their efforts to create a more efficient and transparent government. Since that time it has contributed to the realization of over $1 million in savings and increased revenue. Perhaps more importantly, it has continued to infuse city government with data-driven policies and best practices. Results can be seen in the transformation of the city operating budget, the development of the City’s first strategic goals and objectives plan, and monthly performance reports by city departments.

CityofLowell2013ProposedBudget

CityofLowellproposedCapitalPlan

Last Night the City Council received the Manager’s proposed budget for 2012/2013 along with the Capital Improvement Proposed Budget. This morning both these pdf’s are available on the City of Lowell website.

The Manager in my view has shown the savings he has promoted and promised and is dedicating money to increase public safety, repair schools and city equipment and improve the recreation programs for the kids while raising taxes MINIMAL..which regardless of what some might say in this fiscal climate shows Lowell to be in great fiscal shape.

A few weeks ago I was backing the call for ZERO increased but after taking a tour of 3 schools and seeing for myself the poor shape of these buildings (and others from what parents across the city have told me) I can support a minimal increase because the city has to be good landlords and make these repairs.

My daughter’s School the Robinson was hit by a truck 6 years ago and the plywood piece that they place over the broken concrete is still there. Take a look ate the pictures I posted a few weeks ago, would you want to use these bathrooms? The city hasn’t ben able to make repairs, they can and must now.

I will speak in favor of the budget as a parent who has toured the schools and is involved in the schools and knows first-hand the need for improvements and repairs. I will also speak as the 4th oldest of 11 children who in my youth didn’t have a vacation other than spending large amounts of time with the Park Instructor’s at McPherson’s Park and the Life Guards at that Pool.

It provided endless hours of summer fun for many of us and it is great to see the city offering an expanded recreation program for the kids this upcoming summer.

It also shows a Capital plan going out the next few years and the expected or projected cost but one the city as Landlords and keepers of our streets and parks must support, maintain, repair and improve.

Gumby is a green clay humanoid character that does good deeds and see’s the good in people and wants to do the right thing.

“ the City Council shouldn’t be snookered into sleep mode”

In the past few Days we have gotten the opportunity to see two very opposite and distinct views of the Fiscal shape of the City through the eyes of seasoned veteran newspapermen. They offer a sharp contrast in viewpoint about as opposite as Gumby and Glum.

One optimistic and the other very pessimistic and insulting to the City Council – “the City Council shouldn’t be snookered into sleep mode — as the majority usually is during its rubber-stamp budget season.”

Gumby is showing us that Lowell is in good shape –“Hopefully, the brighter local fiscal picture means an improving economy for all.” While GLUM is telling us “there is a whole lot of fiscal uncertainty on the horizon.”

Gumby is telling us” It was nice to read the good news announced by City Manager Bernie Lynch, who certainly has taken his share of lumps as he guided the city through the worst economic times since the Depression.”

While GLUM continues to attack the Councilors “For councilors to think that city workers deserve a pay raise simply because they “sacrificed” during the recession years is irresponsible.”

Glum tells us “According to the state Department of Revenue, the local tax levy has increased $30 million under Lynch, from $77.2 million to $107.5 million in 2012 — a 39 percent increase.”

(Yet he avoids mentioning the previous 5 years which saw the City using ALL it’s reserves and getting us placed on a state watched list…some would say a sin of omission or accuse GLUM of protecting his friend.)

While The Optimist Gumby tells us “the average tax bill in Lowell rose by 5.7 percent from 2001 to 2006 and 2.5 percent from 2007 to 2012.” “The projected city increase this year is 0.4 percent. Most area communities are again looking at a 2.5 percent hike.”

The other good news in this proposed budget involves a $4 million capital improvement package for city buildings, including $2 million in badly needed repairs at some of the city schools. Lowell’s residential tax burden is better than 240 of the 322 communities in the state. Only 82 towns have a lower average real-estate tax bill.”

One has to wonder if the reality lies somewhere in between? Should the city temper its raises and increases in department budgets or should we move ahead with long overdue repairs and invest in our schools and buildings? Increase recreation and give our employee’s some added salary?

Do you think the Manager and council have been correct so far? It is hard to argue that Lowell isn’t in one of the best financial shapes of any city in all of Ma. or that Manager Lynch and the council deserve credit for it. Unless you have an agenda (See R. Elliot) or just have a GLUM outlook (see J. Campanini) or have some personal beef with the Manager (see both names above).

These two stories – Kendall Wallace’s Saturday Chat and Today Sun Editorial certainly paint opposing views of the Manager, Council and financial shape of the city by two men who have long been in the journalism field and who both over the years have their share of detractors and supporters.

So who do you most agree with and identify with ? Gumby or Glum?

City Life on Comcast Channel 8 from 6 AM until 8 AM (repeated weekday afternoons from 4-6PM) you are welcome to call the program or just sip your coffee and listen in.

George Anthes with LTC Producer of the Year John McDonough at the controls adding his two cents worth.

This week’s lineup:

Monday: Repeat of Last week with Erik Gitschier

Tuesday: We love Marie Sweeney and the Proud Father of a Harvard Graduate – Dick Howe Jr.

Wednesday: Retired or maybe not Regional School Committee’s Dave Laferriere with Tyngsborough’s Linda Bown

Thursday: Left in Lowell’s Jack Mitchell and Chelmsford’s Evelyn Thoren

Friday: State Rep Colleen Garry, Blogger Gerry Nutter and St Louis Principal Linda Trouville

Saturday: (repeat best of this week)

Sunday: (repeat of Tuesday) We love Marie Sweeney and the Proud Father of a Harvard Graduate Dick Howe Jr.