Dear Colleague:

A large number of us signed onto a letter to the Governor last week asking him to rescind a recently-announced policy of fees for daytime use of State House facilities by groups coming to meet with us.

The letter read, in part, "[w]e are intimately familiar with and concerned about the state's fiscal crisis, and aware that the recently-passed budget authorizes the levying of reasonable charges to offset expenses. However, we feel that democracy is compromised when the non-profit and advocacy groups that lobby their elected representatives have to pay to be heard. The traditional and critical dialog between the governed and the governors must be encouraged, not taxed."

Neil Kilpeck, the Superintendent of State Office Buildings, responded in a letter stating that the fees were "a reasonable means of recovering the costs associated with the staging of events…" and that they "may be waived at the discretion of the superintendent." He added "I estimate that as many as 75 percent of daytime functions will still take place free of charge or with very minimal expense."

I don't know about you, but the fees - in the multiple thousands of dollars - strike me as much more than what it would take to cover expenses. In any event, we should be inviting citizens to meet with us, not making them apply for a waiver of a fee and/or paying anything to exercise their rights and responsibilities to petition their government.

Accordingly, I have asked House Counsel to draft legislation stipulating that non-profit groups and advocacy organizations petitioning, informing, or engaging the state's elected and appointed officials should be allowed free access to the meeting spaces of the State House. It continues to be reasonable to require that such groups secure the sponsorship of one of us before space is reserved, as has always been the case. However, having done so, space should be available free of charge.

If you would like to cosponsor this legislation, please contact Joanna Liberman at my office, or calling at 617-722-2552.

Thanks so much.

Warmly, Jay

To: His Excellency Governor Mitt Romney

From:

Rep. Jay R. Kaufman, Rep. Ruth B. Balser, Sen. Jarrett T. Barrios, Sen. Harriette L. Chandler, Rep. Geraldine M. Creedon, Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem, Rep. Viriato Manuel deMacedo, Rep. Paul C. Demakis, Rep. Carol A. Donovan, Rep. James B. Eldridge, Sen. Susan C. Fargo, Rep. Michael E. Festa, Rep. Gloria L. Fox, Rep. Anne M. Gobi, Rep. Mary E. Grant, Sen. Robert A. Havern, Sen. Robert L. Hedlund, Rep. Kevin J. Honan, Rep. Mark A. Howland, Rep. Frank Hynes, Sen. Cheryl A. Jacques, Rep. Patricia D. Jehlen, Sen. Brian A. Joyce, Rep. Louis L. Kafka, Rep. Rachel Kaprielian, Rep. Kay Khan, Rep. Peter V. Kocot, Rep. Peter J. Koutoujian, Rep. Stephen Kulik, Rep. William Lantigua, Rep. Barbara L'Italien, Sen. David P. Magnani, Rep. Elizabeth A. Malia, Rep. J. James Marzilli, Sen. Richard T. Moore, Rep. Charles A. Murphy, Sen. Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr., Rep. Shirley Owens-Hicks, Rep. Anne M. Paulsen, Rep. Wm. Smitty Pignatelli, Sen. Pamela P. Resor, Rep. Mary S. Rogeness, Rep. Byron Rushing, Rep. Frank I. Smizik, Rep. Thomas M. Stanley, Rep. Ellen Story, Sen. Bruce Tarr, Rep. Kathleen M. Teehan, Rep. Timothy J. Toomey, Rep. Philip Travis, Sen. Susan C. Tucker, Rep. Eric Turkington, Rep. James E. Vallee, Rep. Anthony J. Verg, Rep. Alice K. Wolf

Subject: Fees for State House Facilities

Dear Governor Romney:

We respectfully request that you ask the Superintendent of Buildings to reconsider the recently-announced policy of fees for daytime use of State House facilities.

The State House has seen public assemblies since its doors were opened in 1798. That is - and has been - how it should be.

We are intimately familiar with and concerned about the state's fiscal crisis, and aware that the recently-passed budget authorizes the levying of reasonable charges to offset expenses. However, we feel that democracy is compromised when the non-profit and advocacy groups that lobby their elected representatives have to pay to be heard. The traditional and critical dialog between the governed and the governors must be encouraged, not taxed.

We urge you to modify the policy to allow for this ongoing dialog. We submit that non-profit groups and advocacy organizations that are petitioning, informing, or engaging the state's elected and appointed officials should be allowed free access to the meeting spaces of the State House. It continues to be reasonable to require that such groups secure the sponsorship of one of us before space is reserved, but, having done so, space should be available free of charge.

We urgently request that the policy be modified immediately so that the State House can continue to be, as our forebears intended it, the people's house.