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The Menino Plan...

Better Schools, Safer Streets, Award Winning Healthcare

Patriot Majority Urges Mayor to Continue Neighborhood Services

BOSTON, MA - Patriot Majority wants Mayor Tom Menino to continue his successful neighborhood services that have helped to reduce crime, improve schools and deliver award-winning healthcare services to Boston citizens.

Patriot Majority -- as part of its long-term advocacy of policies to get America back on track -- is highlighting urban and community development "best practices" across the U. S., including neighborhood development, city services, public safety, affordable housing, city finances, education, economic development and job creation.

To that end, Patriot Majority has begun airing a 30-second issue ad in Boston, titled "Backbone." This issue ad can be viewed at www.PatriotMajority.US. The entire text of "Backbone," with citations and backup documentation, is included in the following pages.

According to Sean Sinclair, a Boston-area resident and consultant to Patriot Majority:

"Mayor Menino's neighborhood policies have created safer streets, better health care services and improved schools. Patriot Majority's issues ad is designed to encourage the citizens of Boston to tell Mayor Menino to continue his support for his successful neighborhood services.

"We hope that citizens in other urban areas will take note of Mayor Menino's successful policies. In the coming weeks and months, Patriot Majority will promote the best policy practices in other cities."

Patriot Majority is one of the most successful issue-advocacy groups in the United States. Formed on December 23, 2005, to encourage a public discussion about vital issues affecting the citizens of the United States, Patriot Majority believes it is our patriotic duty as Americans to pursue policies that strengthen our national security, boost the economy and create good paying jobs, achieve energy independence, make health care affordable, provide quality education to all children and protect the public safety of all citizens. Patriot Majority first broadcast issue ads in Massachusetts in 2006 and in Ohio in 2007. Last year, 2008, Patriot Majority broadcast more than $14 million in issue ads in 22 states and jurisdictions and, according to the Campaign Finance Institute, was ranked fourth nationwide in activity among all independent issue-advocacy groups.

Patriot Majority is an independent political organization under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code. It is not a political committee under federal or state campaign finance laws. It does not coordinate with candidates, campaigns or party committees. Contributions to Patriot Majority are not tax deductible. Craig Varoga is the President/Treasurer of Patriot Majority.

In June 2007, the United States Supreme Court re-affirmed that the First Amendment protects the rights of groups like 527 issue-advocacy political organizations and other grassroots organizations to encourage a public discussion about issues affecting American citizens. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the principal opinion for the Court. "Where the First Amendment is implicated, the tie goes to the speaker, not the censor." Justices Samuel A. Alito Jr., Anthony M. Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas joined the majority.

United States Senator and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell praised the Supreme Court's ruling. According to Senator McConnell, "This decision is a victory for free speech and confirmation that grass-roots advocacy organizations have the same free speech rights as all Americans."

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"BACKUP" (:30 ISSUES TV) AUDIO & BACK-UP DOCUMENTATION

Audio

Back-up Documentation

Boston's best bet for the future is our neighborhoods.

Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services Promotes Progress in Boston

The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS), according to the City of Boston's official web site, "encourages, facilitates and maximizes citizen input and participation in all aspects of government through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses." As Mayor notes in describing ONS, "The strength of Boston lies in the diverse and vibrant neighborhoods of our city." [Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, accessed 10/13/2009, http://www.cityofboston.gov/ons/]

Safer Streets.

Crime in Boston Down from Past Decades

In September 2009, the Boston Globe noted that the crime rate in Boston was down from past decades. The Globe reported, "Boston's crime rates are down, consistent with trends in other major cities. Since Menino took office in 1993, the Boston Police Department has largely kept its commitment to strong community policing under a succession of commissioners. In the late 1990s, [Commissioner] Evans oversaw a plunge in youth and gang violence that was so dramatic as to be dubbed the 'Boston miracle.'" [Boston Globe, 9/12/2009]

Better Schools.

Boston Called Clear Leader in Education

In 2004, Forbes Magazine published an article titled, "The Best Education in the Biggest Cities," in which it called Boston the "clear leader." Forbes reported, "The clear leader on our list is the Boston School District, which ranked first on our list." [Forbes, 2/13/2004]

Boston Schools Have Seen "Steady Upward Trajectory of Performance"

Boston schools have seen a steady upward trajectory of performance. According to the Washington Post, "Math performance has been extraordinary. Seventy percent of 10th-graders passed math last year, compared with 25 percent in 1998. During the same time period, proficiency in language arts among fourth-graders went from 4 percent to 25 percent. Eighth-grade math performance has gone from 11 percent proficient in 1998 to 17 percent proficient today. And 76 percent of the Class of 2004 - the most recent tally - pursued postsecondary education or training, up seven percentage points from the Class of 2000." [Washington Post, 5/9/2006]

And award-winning health care services.

Boston Public Health Commission Recently Won National Award for Excellence

In September 2009, the Boston Public Health Commission's Infectious Disease Bureau received the 2009 HIMSS Davies Public Health Award of Excellence." According to the Bay State Banner, the national award recognizes "excellence in the implementation and value of health information technology." [Bay State Banner, 9/10/2009, http://www.baystatebanner.com/health21-2009-09-10]

Mayor Tom Menino's policies are keeping crime down.

Raising school attendance and graduation rates.

Crime in Boston Down from Past Decades

Boston Clear Leader in Education

Boston Schools Have Seen "Steady Upward Trajectory of Performance"

In the past 10 years, Boston schools have seen a steady upward trajectory of performance. According to the Washington Post, "Math performance has been extraordinary. Seventy percent of 10th-graders passed math last year, compared with 25 percent in 1998. During the same time period, proficiency in language arts among fourth-graders went from 4 percent to 25 percent. Eighth-grade math performance has gone from 11 percent proficient in 1998 to 17 percent proficient today. And 76 percent of the Class of 2004 - the most recent tally - pursued postsecondary education or training, up seven percentage points from the Class of 2000." [Washington Post, 5/9/2006]

Boston Students' Test Scores Have Improved in Recent Years

The Boston Indicators Project has noted that students' test scores have increased in recent years. "In 2006, 51% of BPS students scored Proficient or Advanced in English Language Arts, a 28% increase over the 2005 results. In math, 53% scored Proficient or Advanced, up from 39% in 2005." [The Boston Indicators Project,

accessed 1/5/2009]

Graduation & Attendance Performance Improves

According to Boston Public Schools, "Boston's public high schools have outpaced state gains in the percentage of students earning a high school diploma. A report released yesterday by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education indicates that 59.9% of members of the Class of 2008 graduated from the Boston Public Schools four years after entering ninth grade, up from 57.9% among the Class of 2007. This increase of two percentage points exceeds average statewide gains of 0.3 percentage points over last year. Among the members of the Class of 2008, another 15% who did not graduate in four years are still enrolled in school and may graduate in five or more years." [Boston Public Schools, 02/06/2009, http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/3321]

And safer streets, Better health care services and improved schools help Boston attract more jobs and economic development. And that's good for everyone.

Education, Public Safety & Healthcare Major Components of Economic Development

According to a 2006 study by the Committee for Economic Development:

"Education can be an important component of a focused economic development strategy, as well as a plan for long-term national economic growth. Every dollar invested in preschool provides states with nearly $3 in net present-value earnings. Sustained nationwide investments in high quality early education will also boost U.S. economic growth. Economic growth analysis has long attributed a key role to labor-force quality. By that widely accepted conclusion, today's preschool students will become tomorrow's better-skilled workers." [Center for Economic Development, 2006, Link]

Crime Reduction Is "Precursor to Neighborhood Economic Development

According to the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), The International Economic Development Council "Crime reduction is a precursor to neighborhood economic development. The U.S. Justice Department's Weed and Seed Initiative is a multi-agency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization." [IEDC web site, http://www.iedconline.org/?p=Guide_Neighborhood]

Healthcare Is "Driver" of Local Boston Economy

According to the Boston Foundation, "Greater Boston is an international leader in 'life sciences' field, which has grown in each of the last five years." The Boston Foundation also notes that healthcare is "a driver of the regional economy." [The Boston Foundation web site, http://www.tbf.org/UnderstandingBoston/HealthHumanServices.aspx]

Policies that work for the progress Boston needs. Tell the Mayor to continue keeping Neighborhood Services a top Priority.

Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services Promotes Progress in Boston

The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS), according to the City of Boston's official web site, "encourages, facilitates and maximizes citizen input and participation in all aspects of government through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses." As Mayor notes in describing ONS, "The strength of Boston lies in the diverse and vibrant neighborhoods of our city." [Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, accessed 10/13/2009, http://www.cityofboston.gov/ons/]