Advocates for voter participation and for low-income families are joining forces in an effort to defeat initiative petitions that would chop the state sales tax to 3 percent from 6.25 percent and repeal the new state sales tax on alcohol purchases.

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St. Louis-based Belden will close a manufacturing plant in Leominster, Mass., by July 2010, leaving 170 people out of work.

"Fire Department officials are preparing their most compelling argument for federal stimulus funding to hire several firefighters, Chief Kevin Roy said Thursday."

"The Bay State understands that green industries can't flourish without a specially trained work force." 
 

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Whether to build casinos in Massachusetts is an issue that merits spirited debate. But casinos alone aren’t nearly enough to make up for the Commonwealth’s failure to grow jobs. Regardless of how the casino debate turns out, state policymakers should spend far more time and effort on reforms that will spur substantial long-term job growth.

"The economic impact of casinos in Massachusetts would be enormous. The casinos themselves, would pump millions of dollars into the economy from revenue sharing with the state. In addition, the people who gain jobs within the casinos would have more funds to spread throughout their communities."

"Tierney and Oates engaged in candid discussions with the teenagers enrolled in the programs, hearing accounts of enhanced math scores in school, guidance for college plans and supervision as the youth earn money while getting a taste of job responsibility."

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"The superintendent said the teachers' union executive board has already approved of the deferral day for all of Walpole's teachers and they are simply waiting for a vote from the entire association.  Teachers would work 183 days and get paid for 182."

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"Rep. Kay Khan, D-Newton, has filed a bill requiring all state employers to provide one hour of sick pay for each 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of seven days."

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"Since our closing was influenced by foreign competition, our work force was eligible for free retraining under the federal Transitional Assistance Act," she said.  Aided by the Rapid Response Team from the state Department of Workforce Training, the company began identifying alternative career possibilities for displaced employees."
 

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