Author Archives: billmanzi

City of Methuen Storm News

Posted on December 26, 2010 by billmanzi

Due to the severe winter storm I have, in consultation with the Director of the Department of Public Works, declared a state of emergency in the City of Methuen at 4:00 p.m. today. City Hall will be closed tomorrow, Monday … Continue reading →

Posted in Methuen | Tagged | 1 Comment

Shadi's in Methuen Burns on Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2010 by billmanzi

The Methuen landmark Shadi’s Restaurant, on Osgood Street in Methuen, has burned this Christmas morning. Alarms went off at around 8:00 a.m. The Methuen Central Fire station is right across the street, and the blaze was spotted by firefighters working … Continue reading →

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And Then There Were Nine

Posted on December 22, 2010 by billmanzi

Massachusetts, as expected, will lose one of its ten Congressional seats, opening the door for some real jockeying amongst the ten Democratic incumbents. The national census produced a big gain for the Republican west and south, with Texas picking up … Continue reading →

Posted in Fifth Congressional, National News, State News | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Massachusetts Fiscal Forecasts

Posted on December 21, 2010 by billmanzi

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, following the consensus revenue hearings on Beacon Hill, has released a primer on the outlook for the next fiscal cycle in Massachusetts, with the forecast looking less than rosy. The outlook is cloudy despite a pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

States Begin to Teeter

Posted on December 20, 2010 by billmanzi

A pretty good 60 Minutes report showing some of the real budgetary problems facing states and localities, with a prominent role for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. The State of Massachusetts is looking at a $1.5 to $2 billion dollar … Continue reading →

Posted in Municipal Finance, National News, State News | Tagged | 2 Comments

The President on START

Posted on December 19, 2010 by billmanzi

The President on the START Treaty, currently under consideration in the Senate. The Treaty has strong bipartisan support from a long list of Democratic and Republican leaders experienced in arms control and foreign policy. The best and most thorough debunking … Continue reading →

Posted in International, National News | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Methuen Readiness Center Opens

Posted on December 16, 2010 by billmanzi

The Methuen Readiness Center, a $12 million dollar, 69,000 square foot facility on the site of the old National Guard Armory, had its ribbon cutting yesterday. We had Chairman Naughton from Veterans Affairs, General Joseph Carter, Adjutant General of the … Continue reading →

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Gordon Brown on the Global Financial Crisis

Posted on December 14, 2010 by billmanzi

Former British Prime Minister, and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown was on Morning Joe talking about the financial problems facing the global economy today. Brown talked about the new trillion dollar tax package, (he favors short term stimulus … Continue reading →

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Medicaid Costs Continue to Drain State Budget

Posted on December 14, 2010 by billmanzi

Medicaid costs in Massachusetts continue to rise at an exponential rate, with new figures showing that program absorbing all new state growth and forcing enormous cuts in just about every other area of government. The news on the prospective budget … Continue reading →

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Mayor Bloomberg in the Center

Posted on December 13, 2010 by billmanzi

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave a major speech in Brooklyn last week that has been gathering some attention. Bloomberg has been talked of frequently as a potential third party candidate for President, and this speech will not do … Continue reading →

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