Senator Spilka to Kick off Commonwealth Conversations MetroWest Listening Tour

On Monday, March 2, Senator Karen Spilka, a Democrat from Ashland who represents Framingham, will continue a statewide tour of Senate districts, visiting businesses, universities and local organizations to listen to the concerns of the residents of MetroWest.

Spilka will be joined by Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst), Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester), Assistant Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton), Senators Mike Barrett (D-Lexington), Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), Richard Ross (R-Wrentham) and Eileen Donoghue (D-Lowell) and other senators from across the state.

The tour will begin at the Plainridge Park Casino to discuss issues impacting economic development in the region, followed by a stop at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory to discuss collaboration between academia and the private sector in military research and development.

Senators will then visit the United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) to discuss youth and public safety issues and continue with a tour of the zero net energy building at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Field Headquarters, joined by Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.

Senators will tour the planetarium at the Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University and discuss STEM education issues.

The MetroWest tour will conclude with an open public forum at the Newton North High School cafeteria from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The public is encouraged to attend. Sign-up sheets will be available for individuals who wish to testify, and speaking slots are available for 2 minutes per individual to accommodate all testifiers.

“Our conversations throughout the tour will center on some of the major issues impacting MetroWest residents, organizations and communities, including economic development, youth empowerment and STEM education,” said Spilka. “The public forum at the end of the day is a terrific opportunity for people across MetroWest to engage with government, make their voices heard on their priorities and concerns and help guide the Senate in our new legislative session.”

“This is the fifth stop in our statewide Commonwealth Conversations Tour where we hope to hear directly from the people of the Commonwealth about how we can help improve their lives through our work in the Senate,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg. “We hope these conversations will help us craft our agenda and engage the public in the good work that we hope to accomplish this legislative session.”

The Commonwealth Conversations Tour is a statewide tour of Senate districts led by the local senators to reach out to local residents, businesses and interests groups to listen directly to their needs and concerns with the hope that it will foster more civic engagement, while helping each senator learn more about issues outside of their own districts.

Each member of the Senate has committed to attending at least two of these sessions outside of their own region that is not an adjoining district to their own. The tour dates run from Feb. 4 through March 11.

To read more about this effort, visit the website at https://malegislature.gov/cc