St. Patrick's Party/Economic Development/Farming

Patrick White for State Representative

These were my Dad's cufflinks, which he got from his dad. I don't remembering him ever wearing them, but he cherished them nonethleless.

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Hello Friend,

First, please join me Sunday at the Lion's Den on Main St. in Stockbridge for a St. Patrick's Day Party!

Last Sunday, I participated in a panel discussion at Sheffield's Dewey Center where we discussed the Community Preservation Committee. The good folks of Sheffield are considering the adoption of CPC for the town. I have served on our CPC for five years, and it's amazing all the good works in open space, housing, and historic preservation we have been able to assist.

I also spent several hours reviewing the detailed proposed settlement agreement between Housatonic Water Works, the Attorney General's Office, and the Dept. of Public Utilities. I can't share that with you, because it is confidential and only available to me as a named intervenor. My position on any HWW settlement is no deal without a public review. There must be a meeting and packet available for public review and discussion before I will agree to anything. Our towns don't need yet another confidential settlement like the one with GE, negotiated without your input and without transparency.

I also had a zoom call with several members of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans' Tribal Council, including President Shannon Holsey. We discussed the Berkshires, opportunities for reconciliation, and much more. Let me just say this about that: these are some of the nicest folks in the entire world. Get to know them. The Berkshires are a better place with their elevated presence.

I'd like to spend a bit more time on the events from Monday through today. Read on!

Economic development

Monday, I traveled to Amherst to listen to Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao, who outlined the Healey Administration's plans to keep the Massachusetts economy strong. Overall, it's a good plan, the cornerstone of which is a $3.5 billion bond bill that includes dozens of initiatives. Yvonne presented it with passion and intelligence. I had a modest suggestion for her. Her response was, and I quote, "What a great idea."

You can listen to the exchange here.

Economic Development: Does it meet rural agricultural needs?

I spent the week reading and digesting the corresponding 66-page legislation the governor filed related to economic development, as well as the website that explains it. I focused on the rural and agricultural sections, and yesterday met with dozens of farmers and agricultural leaders at Holiday Brook Farm in Dalton. I distributed an eight-page analysis of the economic development plan as it relates to rural and farm needs.

The sections that contain "rural" provide some flexibility to fund new initiatives. Some recommendations to consider:

1. I would closely study whether disbursement of the $100 million is limited to municipal and non-profit entities, and if so, encourage modification to allow for funding of family farms;
2. I would also suggest a close review of the composition of the rural policy advisory commission and suggest that the legislature strengthen farm representation by statute;
3. In the absence of a modification of the composition by statute, I would recommend to the governor that she prioritize representation of the farm community in the six discretionary appointments allowed under the statute.
4. Increase funding for Agricultural Preservation Restrictions (APRs), with a process that provides some flexibility with regard to farmworker housing. I suggest we also earmark funding for bridge financing, as APRs can take up to a year to put in place.
5. Strengthen funding opportunities for Climate Smart agriculture including no-till planting and cover crops to keep carbon sequestered and to enrich the soil.
6. I would include at every opportunity, including this one, emergency preparedness funding for climate events including severe storms and flooding.

The sections that contain "agricultural," in five out of the six mentions, related to biotechnology investment, which is not relevant to small rural farmers, at least not in the short to medium term.

The one mention of "agricultural" that isn't biotech-related focuses on travel and tourism initiatives, not funding for what one might consider traditional agricultural initiatives per se.

You can read the entire brief that I wrote here.

Expanding the Clean Water Trust

If you listened to the audio with the Secretary Hao, the gist of our exchange was that rural towns desperately need access to cheap money. Did you know that whether it's a road, a bridge, housing, or a water system for that matter, if you borrow at 1% the annual payment to cover the loan for your town, and therefore on your property taxes, is half that at 7%. Massachusetts has a Water Abatement Trust that lets towns borrow at near-zero interest rates. My recommendation: use the millionaire's tax to expand this program, allowing towns to maintain their infrastructure more affordably. It would make a huge difference in reducing your tax burden year after year after year.

Can you donate?

First, thanks if you already have. Join with me and if you can, support this campaign. It costs money to mount a successful campaign. There are the lawn signs, the direct mail, all the work that goes into launching an 18-town campaign. Every donation helps no matter the size (maximum is $1,000 per person per year). Please, if you believe, as I do, that all the folks of the Berkshires, no matter their means, deserve a strong voice and a hard worker at the State House, please consider supporting these efforts.

You can donate by clicking here:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/patrick-3rd

Or you can mail a check to:

Patrick Thomas White Committee
81 Hawthorne Street
Lenox, MA 01240

Donations, be they small or large, are essential if I am going to win this. Every dollar, just like every vote, is important. Thanks for any help you can provide.

I am in it to win it and am running to effect real change. I’d love to have your support.

Warmly,



Patrick White

PS: You can find detailed positions on my campaign website:

https://www.patrickwhiteberkshires.com


I spent the week working on initiatives to support Berkshire's family farms, and to provide them, and all Berkshire County residents, with clean, affordable water for both drinking and recreation.