From our mountaintops we get a glimpse of the murky skies above Boston, but can they see us from Beacon Hill? To many who live in the coastal megalopolis, Western Mass is invisible or ends at Worcester.  But our reality and our needs are different.  We need a legislative agenda for our unique region of the Commonwealth.

On Saturday, November 15th, the Hampshire Council of Governments, in collaboration with the League of Women Voters, will host a conference with our Representatives and Senators to plan a legislative agenda for the next two-year session of the Massachusetts Legislature. We want you to participate and are looking for legislative ideas that will be of benefit to our towns and the region.  The event will include:

• Dan Hodge, Director of Economic & Public Policy Research at the UMass Donahue Institute, will set the context for the event by presenting a data profile of Hampshire County, followed by a discussion of the challenges, opportunities, and existing regional initiatives connected to our towns and cities. 

• Breakout groups along priority topics to brainstorm, develop, and prioritize legislative bill ideas.

• Opportunities for dialogue with our regional Senators and Representatives, including incoming Senate President Stan Rosenberg, John Scibak and Denise Andrews.

 Lunch and snacks will be provided.  

We hope you'll be able to join us.  Come ready to share your specific ideas, suggestions, and issues; we expect a lively debate and discussion in order to produce an impactful legislative agenda for our region.