State worries Pike debt deal ‘out of control,’ could hit $363 million (Marblehead Reporter and State House New Service)

Marblehead - As if a gas tax hike and toll increases weren’t enough.

State Administration and Finance Undersecretary Jay Gonzalez told lawmakers Thursday he believes it’s “quite likely” that the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority’s bond insurer’s credit rating will be lowered further, which would leave the fiscally ailing agency on the hook for a balloon payment valued on Wednesday at $363 million. (...)

Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, a certified public accountant, called for a “forensic accounting” of the swaptions deals. She said her constituents are “screaming” about toll hikes and gas-tax increases and mindful of the problems in transportation management.

MBTA lessens Marblehead route cuts (Lynn Item by Jack Butterworth)

Heard around town: Motorists enjoy assurances on insurances Salem News

MARBLEHEAD — The town's state representative, Lori Ehrlich, voted with her House colleagues last week to retain the state's insurance appeals board. "It's an important consumer option to preserve," she said. Insurance Commissioner Nonnie Burnes had earlier proposed a new system — with no appeal when you're hit with a surcharge for "causing" an accident — but with an option to find another company that will want your business enough to drop the surcharge.

Local highway infrastructure funding retained Swampscott Reporter

Swampscott - State Sen. Thomas M. McGee, D-Lynn, and state Rep. Lori A. Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, who represent Swampscott on Beacon Hill, announced Monday that the state released $150 million in Chapter 90 transportation grants to cities and towns across the commonwealth. With these allotments Swampscott will receive $233,831 in infrastructure funds.

Ehrlich, a member of the Joint Committee on Transportation, praised the announcement.

“After a tough winter with scarce local funds for repairs, I’m glad for the state’s continued investment in local roads,” said Ehrlich. “Without a safe and functional infrastructure our economy and our cars pay the price.”

Lynn to receive $1M for road repairs by Dan Baer, Lynn Item

Lynn delegates Sen. Thomas McGee, Reps. Robert Fennell, Steven Walsh and Lori Ehrlich announced Thursday Lynn will receive $1,123,792 in Chapter 90 funding to be used for transportation improvements, such as road and sidewalk repairs, bridge work and reconstruction.

Ehrlich joins House in passing sweeping ethics reform

Marblehead - State Rep. Lori A. Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, joined her colleagues in the House of Representatives in passing a broad package of ethics and campaign-finance reform last week.

The bill, which now goes to the Senate for consideration, gives stronger investigatory power to the secretary of state and state Ethics Commission, places more rigorous regulation on lobbyists and provides for more disclosure and enforcement of campaign-finance law.

“This is a big step towards restoring faith in state government that has been all but lost recently,” said Ehrlich. “Voters are completely justified in demanding good government and the highest level of integrity from those who represent them.”

Ehrlich attends first Beacon Hill briefing on tax policies (Marblehead Reporter)

Marblehead - As state tax collections spiral downward, federal funds pour in, and talk persists of raising taxes — the gas tax, sales tax and several others — state Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, and about four dozen lawmakers and aides met Wednesday, March 25, in the first of a series of briefings on issues surrounding the state’s complex tax policies.

"State of the Town" relatively strong

State Rep. Ehrlich followed Belf-Becker, and discussed budgetary concerns currently swirling around the State House.

“Things are out of balance,” Ehrlich said. She added that neither the economic stimulus money nor proposed gasoline-tax increases should be the “end-game” in trying to fix the state’s $2.3 billion deficit.

Ehrlich emphasized her frustration regarding the state’s tug of war over the proposed toll increases. She called the toll hikes unfair and inequitable, and said that those on the North Shore who commute to Boston should not have to shoulder the burden for commuters from across the state. 

However, Ehrlich sounded hopeful that help is on the way in newly appointed Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, whom she said is familiar with the concerns of the North Shore. 

“He’s a good guy,” Ehrlich said. “You are solidly represented. Let’s hope for better times ahead.”

Salem News OUR VIEW: Region gains clout in legislative reorginization 

Speaker appoints committees, sets 9C budget debate  (excerpt) State Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, an outspoken critic of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority’s proposal for steep toll hikes at the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels, was appointed to the Special House Committee on Transportation.

Ehrlich: Changes afoot with bus routes (Salem News, Alan Burke)

MARBLEHEAD — This might be an actual case of throwing the bus under the bus.

State Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, brings grim tidings to the town. While she and others have labored to save Marblehead's bus routes, the number of trips have been reduced.

What's more, Ehrlich makes clear why transportation in general has become a major problem, impacting the state budget. Noting that she's now won a place on the Legislature's Transportation Committee, she winced at what an inside look at the financial shape of the Turnpike Authority revealed.

"You know how you lift up a log and you wish you didn't see that?" she said, adding that the authority's bond rating is verging on "junk status."

Editorial: Bad timing for pay raise (Marblehead Reporter)

State Representative to donate pay raise (Marblehead and Swampscott Reporter)

Some take pay raise, some don't (Salem News)

Locals: Legislators sending wrong message if they accept pay increases (Lynn Item)

The Organizations that Lori and her husband Bruce have chosen for contributions are these:

1. My Brother's Table
2. The Swampscott Food Pantry (loosely organized) 
3. The Marblehead Food Pantry
4. Aging in Place-Lynn
5. Marblehead Council on Aging Friends
6. Swampscott Council on Aging 
7. Friends of the Marblehead Public Schools
8. Swampscott SUCCESS (Swampscott public schools)
9. North Shore ARC
10. Anchor to Windward
11. HealthLink
12. Friends of Marblehead's Abandoned Animals
13. Friends of Lynn and Nahant Beach
14. Lynn Community Minority Cultural Center  

Note: As of 1/22/09 all but two of these contributions have been paid with personal checks. Bruce and Lori are awaiting information from the Swampscott Council on Aging and the Lynn Community Minority Cultural Center.

No sense in slighting Sal (Marblehead Reporter editorial)

(excerpt) Without defending the way “the game” is played on Beacon Hill, the simple fact is that open defiance of a sitting Speaker of the House comes with consequences, not only personally for legislators, who stand to lose committee assignments and chairmanships, but also for the districts they represent. In the past, this space has willingly accepted those consequences, such as in 2001, when Doug Petersen butted heads with then-House Speaker Thomas Finneran (and then-Majority Whip DiMasi) over the voter-approved Clean Elections Law. But no such compelling circumstances exist — at least not yet — for Ehrlich to follow North Andover state Rep. David Torrisi’s lead and come out publicly against DiMasi.

Especially at a time of such economic uncertainty, Marblehead and the rest of the 8th Essex District will be best served if Ehrlich focuses on advocating for her constituents and lets the Ethics Commission sort out the DiMasi mess.