Mass. Senate Ways & Means Committee releases budget draft -- huge funding available for destructive Commission on GLBT Youth
To push homosxual / transgender programs in schools
POSTED: May 21, 2010
The homosexual lobby is fighting hard to use your tax money to push their programs in your schools. Last year (with hard work!) we were able to cut that funding. This year they want it back -- and more!
Earlier this month the Mass. House released its version of the 2011 state budget. As we reported, the House version makes millions of dollars available to the detested Mass. Commission for Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth to push their programs in the public schools. See our report on the House version of the budget here.
On Wednesday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its draft version of the 2011 state budget. This Senate draft version is not as bad as the House final version, but it still opens the door for a lot of money to the GLBT Commission. (The fact that it's in there at all is extremely offensive.)
This version of the Senate Budget was largely put together by the Chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Sen. Steven Panagiotakos (D-Lowell). Last year at this time some of his constituents (and MassResistance) met with him personally and showed him the horrific things in the schools this money pays for. We believe that contributed to the cutoff of funding in last year's budget. In this draft budget it's back in. But there's some restraint compared to the House version. We believe Panagiotakos still probably "gets it" but was probably under a certain amount of pressure.
Every year the GLBT lobby attempts to funnel their money through two budget items - one in the Department of Education section and the other through the Department of Public Health. That's exactly what happened in the House version -- which opens the door to millions going to that Commission.
In this Senate draft version the Dept. of Education funding is missing. The Dept. of Public Health section is in but the wording is changed from "shall allocate" the funds (in the House version) to "may allocate" the funds (in the Senate version). And the total amount is raised by about $25,000.
This is still very dangerous because all the GLBT lobby needs is the legal opening to get the money in some way, and since the amount is undefined they'll funnel out as much as they can. The fact that there's nearly $12 million here means they can get millions.
Here's that Senate budget item, currently:
Department of Public Health
4590-0250: For school health services and school-based health centers in public and non-public schools; provided, that services shall include, but not be limited to: (a) strengthening the infrastructure of school health services in the areas of personnel, policy development, programming and interdisciplinary collaboration; (b) developing linkages between school health services programs and community health providers; (c) incorporating health education programs, including tobacco prevention and cessation activities in school curricula and in the provision of school based health services; and (d) incorporating obesity prevention programs, including nutrition and wellness programs, in school curricula to address the nutrition and lifestyle habits needed for healthy development; provided further, that the services shall meet standards and eligibility guidelines established by the department in consultation with the department of elementary and secondary education; provided further, that funds may be expended for the support of the commission on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, established in section 67 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, and may be used to address the recommendations of the commission for reduction of health disparities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth; and provided further, that funds shall be expended for school nurses and school based health center programs................. $11,724,925
Entire Ways & Means 2011 draft budget
What happens from here
Unfortunately, this will probably get worse before the Senate version is finished.
Senators had until today (Friday) to offer amendments. Pro-GLBT Senators will likely offer amendments to give even more money to homosexual programs in the schools, and to add the Dept. of Education funding.
There will be debate on the budget next week. The leadership (run by pro-GLBT Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) will decide, and there will be a pro-forma vote by the full Senate on a final version.
After the House and Senate both pass their final versions, they will be reconciled, voted on again, and sent to the Governor.
Take action now!
As we said, ALL mention of the GLBT Commission or anything similar needs to be taken out.
Contact Senate President Therese Murray
In this one-party state, she's the one that makes the final decisions on these things. She's horribly pro-GLBT. But . . . Scott Brown won in her district and she's running in November. She needs to start listening to normal people, not just her liberal elite friends.
Tell her that parents want NO money in the budget for homosexual programs in the schools. And especially NO money for the offensive Mass. Commission for Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth.
Phone: 617-722-1500
Email: Therese.Murray@state.ma.us
Web site: http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/t_m0.htm
