President Barack Obama put off the start of a scheduled Asian trip on Friday as the White House and senior Democrats reached for agreement on long-stalled health care legislation they hope to push through Congress within days. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is voicing fresh confidence there are enough votes to pass sweeping health care legislation, saying lawmakers are "one day closer" to a historic achievement. Summing up intense work to get the measure through Congress, Pelosi told reporters on Capitol Hill she felt "very exhilarated" by the tone of conversation in a caucus of Democrats Friday morning. She said, "We stand ready to stay as long as necessary" to finish the bill, which has been heavily debated for well over a year.
The Massachusetts Senate will consider a series of corporate tax policy changes aimed at helping grow small businesses and spawn new companies. Senate President Therese Murray announced the proposed changes Friday at an Associated Industries of Massachusetts breakfast in Waltham. Murray describes the proposals as a way “to create a more favorable and stable business tax climate.” She descirbed the proposals as “relatively low cost” , but didn't give any estimates. Murray cited a study showing that between 1990 and 2007, the number of firms in Massachusetts increased 67 percent, but the average firm size shrunk almost 40 percent. In 1990, the average firm in the state employed approximately 17 people; by 2007, the average firm size here was almost 10 people.
The Massachusetts House and Senate leaders want cities and towns to know there's a local aid cut coming. Senate President Therese Murray said she and House Speaker Robert DeLeo are planning to issue a statement outlining a proposed cut soon. Governor Deval Patrick drafted a budget that avoided cuts to state funding for schools and municipal services such as police and fire. But legislative leaders say his plan counts too heavily on federal stimulus money, and draws too deeply on the state's rainy day account. So they have decided the budget plans they will adopt will cut aid this year to avoid an even larger wallop next year.
Rescue teams have reached another of the white-sided dolphins that became stuck in the mud off Cape Cod. A spokesman for the International Fund for Animal Welfare says it's too early to know if the animal -- one of 16 that stranded in two locations in Wellfleet on Thursday - will survive. Four of the original 16 have died and three are unaccounted for. Six others that were rescued were taken to Provincetown and released back into the ocean. IFAW spokesman Chris Cutter says hip-deep mud he compared to quicksand had been preventing rescuers from reaching the remaining dolphins, but Friday morning's high tide has helped those efforts.
Helping Hands Of America
DONATE YOUR CAR OR BOAT TODAY TO A LOCAL CHARITY! YOU CAN HELP A GREAT CAUSE RIGHT HERE IN NEW ENGLAND AND IT’S 100
PERCENT TAX DEDUCTIBILE TOO. CALL HELPING HANDS TODAY TO
SCHEDULE A PICK UP AT YOUR HOME…1-888-881-9-0-9-0 (NINE OH, NINE OH).
Kars4Kids Car Donation
Kars4Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides a wide range of services for underprivileged children. Some of their programs include mentoring, parent education, camp programs, and family retreats. By providing the children with emoti
