The Massachusetts Municipal Association has recognized Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) as its distinguished “Legislator of the Year” based on his record of accomplishment for cities, towns and local taxpayers during the 2011 legislative session. Speaker DeLeo was presented with the award at the municipal association’s annual meeting on January 20, 2012, before a crowd of over 600 local officials from across the state.
“I am so grateful for this honor and I’m even more grateful for what this award represents,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D – Winthrop). “To me, it demonstrates that our municipal leaders understand that we on Beacon Hill are doing everything in our power to help cities and towns – measures such as the Municipal Health Reform bill, which will save these communities money, preserve jobs, and create much opportunity for growth. The House will continue to look to the MMA as a partner in all that we do.”
“Under the Speaker’s gavel, the Massachusetts House of Representatives has led the way on major issues to aid cities and towns. Representative DeLeo’s leadership on Municipal Health Insurance Reform was simply unparalleled,” said Geoff Beckwith, MMA’s Executive Director. “This was the most important reform law to benefit cities and towns in the past 30 years, and local officials across Massachusetts recognize that this victory would not have been possible without Speaker DeLeo’s vision, commitment, and steely determination,” he said. “The new law will save cities and towns, taxpayers, and municipal employees millions of dollars a year, all while guaranteeing high quality health insurance for local workers and preserving countless jobs for teachers, police officers, firefighters and other key municipal employees.”
During the award ceremony, Natick Selectman Josh Ostroff, the President of the MMA, stated that “the Speaker’s leadership on municipal health insurance was truly remarkable, and
was more than enough to merit his selection as Legislator of the Year, yet Rep. DeLeo’s record of accomplishment during the 2011 session contained many other acts of leadership to benefit the communities of Massachusetts, including: the House’s fiscal 2012 state budget, which restored $65 million in vital local aid to every town and city; the passage of a $200 million Chapter 90 program to repair local roads and bridges, the highest in state history; and the enactment of strong pension reform legislation without mandates on local systems, which will reduce local pension costs by $2 billion over the next 30 years.”
“Local officials in every corner of Massachusetts know that Speaker DeLeo cares deeply about cities and towns, and he seeks out every opportunity to support and aid communities,” said Beckwith. “This is reflected by his record, and by the fact that this is the third time Representative DeLeo has been named MMA Legislator of the Year. The reality is that it is impossible to adequately express our appreciation for his commitment to local government and local taxpayers,” he concluded.
The MMA is the statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan association of cities and towns that provides all 351 communities with a broad range of services, including advocacy, training and education, publications, policy research, cost-saving programs and management assistance.