Nadal won his second US Open title - and 13th Grand Slam title - by a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

By HOWARD FENDRICH

NEW YORK – No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal won his 13th Grand Slam title by edging No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a riveting U.S. Open final filled with lengthy points and fantastic shotmaking.

Nadal’s victory Monday gave him a second championship at Flushing Meadows, and came a year after he missed the tournament with a knee injury.

This was their 37th head-to-head match, the most between two men in the Open era, and their third U.S. Open final in four years. Nadal beat Djokovic for the 2010 title, and Djokovic won their rematch in 2011.

Nadal improved to 60-3 with nine titles this season. His total of 13 major trophies ranks third in the history of men’s tennis, behind only Roger Federer’s 17 and Pete Sampras’ 14.

UMass will augment ambulance fund to pay for additional ambulances on the weekend.

The Republican [file] 

AMHERST – With the new academic year under way, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst plans to pay the town an additional $80,000 for the next two semesters to staff two additional ambulances during busy periods, mostly on weekends.

Last March, university officials agreed to provide $40,000 to pay the costs of having five ambulances available Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. That was in addition to the $363,718 the university paid to the town for ambulance service per a town-university agreement in fiscal 2012.

Having the extra ambulances was a way to address the town’s vulnerability during busy times when it was transporting students to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton.

It can take about 30 minutes to transport students from Amherst to Northampton, tying up an ambulance for at least an hour.

“This new agreement builds on a previous arrangement announced last March where campus and town officials agreed on a set of public safety measures including funding to staff two additional ambulances, said Nancy Buffone, executive director of external relations and university events,” in a prepared statement.

"We've expanded the increased ambulance coverage to include all of the warm weather months when UMass is in session to the entire year," Buffone said.

 The agreement increases the number of town ambulances in service from three to five, giving the Amherst Fire Department money to increase staffing on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.



The new funding again is a supplement to the $363,718 paid to the town each fiscal year.

University programming meanwhile is offering a number of events to keep students on campus including movies, concerts and parties this weekend.

Additional police will be out patrolling, especially in neighborhoods near campus.

Republicans and some Democrats have been working to repeal the unpopular extension of the Massachusetts sales tax to specific software services. But Republicans, unlike Democrats, do not want to find a new way to replace the revenue that would be lost by a repeal.

BOSTON — Republican state lawmakers on Monday unveiled a bill that would repeal the controversial new tax on software services.

“Fixing it is unacceptable. Replacing it is unnecessary,” said House Minority Leader Brad Jones, a North Reading Republican, at a press conference at Genuine Interactive, a digital marketing service company in Boston. “We think the clear cut solution to this problem is the outright repeal of this wrong-headed, ill-conceived misguided tax. It is an assault on our innovation economy and, if let stand as a tax on services, will become the thin end of the wedge for future ideas to tax other services in our commonwealth.”

The so-called “tech tax” is an extension of the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax to information technology services that involve customizing prewritten software. It was passed and implemented in July as part of a transportation funding bill. The tax has created an unusual amount of confusion and concern among technology professionals who say the law is unclear, broad and could have a negative impact on businesses around the state, making them less competitive.

The language of the Republican repeal bill mirrors the language of a ballot initiative question which activists tied to the business community hope to put on the ballot in November 2014 if the legislature does not repeal the tax before then. Attorney General Martha Coakley approved the language of the ballot question, and supporters will soon start gathering the required 69,000 signatures.

The issue has some bipartisan support. A group of Democrats including Senate President Pro Tempore Richard Moore and State Sens. Karen Spilka and Will Brownsberger already filed a repeal bill.

No Democrats appeared at the Republican press conference, which attracted around 25 members of the GOP caucus. Asked why the Republicans needed a separate bill, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican, said the language of the Republican bill is identical to the language of the ballot initiative. The bill would be retroactive to July 31, the date the tax went into effect. Also, Tarr said, “This bill comes to you from the people that have never wavered in their opinion that this is a bad idea.”

Several Democrats who voiced concern over the technology tax after it was passed originally voted for the transportation financing bill.

Senate Majority Leader Stan Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat, told the State House News Service on Monday that conversations are ongoing and there is no specific plan yet “to do anything other than stay the course” on the tech tax.

Seth Gitell, spokesman for House Speaker Robert DeLeo, said, “Speaker DeLeo is continuing conversations with members of the business community as well as House members on the tech tax.”

The biggest difference between the Democratic bill and the Republican bill is that the Democratic-sponsored bill directs an existing commission to propose recommendations for ways to replace the revenue lost by repealing the tech tax.

Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, and legislative leaders met with business leaders last week regarding the tech tax. Business leaders who attended that meeting said if the tax is repealed, Patrick and Democratic leaders are committed to finding a new way to replace the $161 million in annual revenue that the Ways and Means Committee estimates the tax will generate.

Republican leaders on Monday argued that it is not necessary to replace that money, noting that the state finished last year with a surplus. If Democrats want to replace it, Tarr argued, they should turn to non-tax revenue sources, such as online gambling, or should focus on stimulating the economy through tax credits benefiting businesses or investors.

Several lawmakers warned of the negative impact the tax would have on the economy. “It will be a job killer for the commonwealth,” said Rep. Kevin Kuros, an Uxbridge Republican who said software companies would move operations out of state.

John Grayson, chief executive officer of Genuine Interactive, said the new tax “puts us at a competitive disadvantage compared to businesses out of state.” He added that the tax is “impossible to interpret,” noting that the Department of Revenue keeps publishing new guidelines, which creates uncertainty.

The press conference came the same day as the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, which supports repealing the tax, released a new study that found that the tech tax is “the most burdensome tax on computer and software services in the nation.”

The study compared Massachusetts’ tax laws to tax laws in other states. It found that Massachusetts is the only state to single out software services for a tax. Four other states tax computer system design and related services at a rate lower than Massachusetts, generally as part of a larger tax on professional services. At least 28 states offer tax incentives related to software, computer services or data centers. Maryland tried to implement a computer services tax in 2007, but it was repealed due to the public reaction.

The prosecutor in the murder case told jurors in his closing argument, “There is one gun in this case and one shooter and the shooter was Kimani Anderson.”

Kimani Anderson Police photo 

SPRINGFIELD - The reality was that Kimani Anderson was good friends with Tyrel Wheeler and “he didn’t shoot his friend,” Anderson’s defense lawyer told jurors Tuesday.

The prosecutor in the murder case told jurors in his closing argument, “There is one gun in this case and one shooter and the shooter was Kimani Anderson.”

The jury will continue deliberations Wednesday in the Hampden Superior Court murder case against Anderson, 30, of Springfield, who is charged with fatally shooting the 16-year-old Wheeler on July 7, 2011.

Anderson, who has previously been an FBI informant including cooperating in one high profile city drug case, was arrested more than five months after the Washington Street shooting.

Defense lawyer David Rountree said police ignored crucial investigatory steps that would have located the real shooter.

“Please find the right guy, and that’s not him,” Rountree said, pointing to Anderson.

Assistant District Attorney Eduardo Velazquez said city police Capt. Trent Duda and others were working diligently on the case, but it wasn’t until Duda got Anderson’s phone records that “it all came together” and Anderson was arrested.

Velazquez said the phone records show testimony of prosecution witness Andrea Hepburn was truthful.

Hepburn, who on the stand, described herself as having an “on again, off again,” relationship with Anderson, testified Anderson called her, sounding like he was running, and had her pick him up.

She said he got in the car with something wrapped up in his hand, and he smelled like “firecrackers.”

Velazquez said the phone records show the 4:11 p.m. call from Anderson to Hepburn, which was shortly after Wheeler was shot.

Hepburn said Anderson had been upset for hours because he could not find his wallet which he said had more than $1,500 in it.

Velazquez told jurors the case involves circumstantial evidence.

He said Anderson’s keys were in the front passenger seat of Wheeler’s cars, saying Anderson left them there after he shot Wheeler and “left in a hurry.”

Rountree said Anderson had been hanging out with Wheeler earlier in the day, and accidentally left his keys in the car.

Rountree said a police dog brought to the shooting scene led officers to a nearby house. However, police did not bring the dog inside to see if it would uncover something they couldn’t find.

The defense lawyer said police should have directed their suspicion to those in the house. “They were there, they had the house surrounded,” Rountree said.

He said Hepburn has said different things to different people at different times, and only called with her information about the day of the shooting when Anderson was mad at her.

And instead of calling Springfield police she called Chicopee Police Officer Robert Lockett.

Rountree had called Lockett to the stand and he said Hepburn called him Aug. 14, but she never said she saw Anderson with a gun the day of the shooting.

Lockett said Hepburn told him she smelled firecrackers or gunpowder on Anderson that day.

Lockett said he was with Anderson in 2011 when Anderson purchased a car, and Lockett kept one key and gave Anderson the other.

He said he was with Anderson the day of the car purchase not as a Chicopee police office, but as a member of the Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force who was deputized as a federal officer.

Dr. Henry Nields, chief medical examiner for the state, had testified Tuesday morning the fatal shot to Wheeler entered his right cheek, went through his tongue and a molar and perforated the carotid artery.

He said there was also a shot to the chest, but with medical attention that would not have been life-threatening.

There were bullet wounds in a hand and arm, but Nields said he could not tell if they were separate shots or came from the arm or hand positioned so they caught the shots to the cheek and chest.

Springfield needs to diversify its economy, build more market-rate housing and attract younger professionals to downtown, Sarno said.

SPRINGFIELD - Officials from Massachusetts’ gateway cities urged state legislators to expand financial support for their aging urban centers during a hearing Tuesday at Western New England University.

As the first speaker, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said his city is grappling with economic and social problems common to many of the 26 designated gateway cities.

Springfield needs to diversify its economy, build more market-rate housing and attract younger professionals to downtown, the mayor said.

Currently, 90 percent of Springfield’s downtown housing is subsidized, and the city has a disproportionate share of resettled refugees, placing a burden on city services already strained by state and federal budget cuts.

“You can’t just keep piling poverty on top of poverty,” Sarno said, adding that cutbacks in social programs hurt Springfield more than suburban and rural communities. “As Springfield goes, so goes the region,” he added.

The Gateway Cities are: Springfield, Holyoke, Chicopee, Westfield, Pittsfield, Attleboro, Barnstable, Lawrence, Quincy, Brockton, Leominster, Revere, Chelsea, Lowell, Salem, Lynn, Everett, Malden, Taunton, Fall River, Methuen, Fitchburg, New Bedford, Worcester, Haverhill and Peabody.

The hearing was led by state Senator Gale D. Candaras, D-Wilbraham, and Rep. Joseph F. Wagner, D-Chicopee, co-chairs of the Legislature’s joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies.

Speakers offered views on 13 separate bills on everything from rail trails and privacy of health records to creation of a special commission on young professionals.

But most of the testimony centered on a bill providing financial assistance to Gateway Cities through funding increases, tax credits and a development fund.

Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash said many of the 26 Gateway Cities are struggling to create new businesses to replace their lost manufacturing and industrial base.

He said providing new economic assistance and incentives to the Gateway Cities will build on progress made the past few years.

“There’s a bright future for the Gateway Cities because we are working together,” he added.

Committee member Rep. Aaron M. Vega, D-Holyoke, said rebuilding older urban cities is an investment in the overall state economy.

“If we get this help (now), we're going to need less in the long run,” he said.

Both Candaras and Wagner thanked each speaker and asked them to submit written comments for review by committee members.

Wagner said the message was clear, but also noted the many demands on the Legislature for new funding.

“We get it. And we’ll try to provide the assistance that my community and many other communities need,” he said.

Grossman, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, and Baker, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, both want to repeal the tax. But Grossman faulted Baker for not saying how he would replace the lost revenue.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Grossman on Tuesday slammed Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Baker, accusing him of having a lack of leadership in a dispute over repealing a new tax on software services.

The so-called “tech tax” is an extension of the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax to information technology services that involve customizing prewritten software. It was passed and implemented in July as part of a transportation funding bill.

Grossman and Baker want to repeal the tax. But Grossman criticized Baker for not saying what revenue he would use to replace the tax, if it is repealed.

“When you simply say I want to get rid of that tax and you don’t offer any credible replacement, in this case he offered no replacement at all, I’d say that’s a profound lack of fiscal leadership,” Grossman said in a phone interview with The Republican/MassLive.com. “Real leadership, and in this case real gubernatorial leadership, means proposing real solutions.”

Grossman said he would replace the tax by using the state’s rainy day fund and by pressuring Congress to pass a bill allowing states to require internet retailers to collect the state sales tax.

Will Ritter, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Republican Party, responded, "Apparently Grossman's idea of leadership is doing a complete flip-flop once his position becomes wildly unpopular as a job killer. Grossman may be one of the last of Beacon Hill's career politicians to finally figure out raising taxes on the innovation industry hurts Massachusetts families."

Ritter was referring to comments Grossman made in which he called Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick’s vision for investing in transportation “aspirational.” Though Grossman never weighed in specifically on the software tax, Patrick’s version of the plan included a broad software services tax. Grossman also told the State House News Service that the Legislature’s plan, which included the tech tax, was “a major step forward” in funding transportation – though he cautioned the state not to spend so aggressively that it outraces the economy's ability to finance the investments. .

The skirmish, 14 months before the 2014 election, comes at a time when Grossman is hoping to establish his status as the Democratic frontrunner by taking on Baker early as two other high-profile Democrats – Attorney General Martha Coakley and U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano – are still considering entering the race.

Baker, the former CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and 2010 gubernatorial nominee, is the only Republican in the race so far. Grossman, the state treasurer and a former head of the state and national Democratic Parties, is facing a Democratic primary against former administrator of Medicare and Medicaid Donald Berwick, physician Joseph Avellone and national security expert Juliette Kayyem.

Focusing on the tech tax allows Grossman to showcase his intimate knowledge of state finances.

The tech tax has created confusion and concern among technology professionals who say the law is unclear, broad and could have a negative impact on businesses around the state, making them less competitive.

A number of lawmakers – some Democrats and virtually the entire Republican caucus in the state legislature - are trying to repeal the tax.

One bone of contention has been whether to replace the $161 million in annual revenue that the tax is expected to generate. Democratic leaders, including Patrick, have said they will only be open to changing or repealing the tax if lawmakers find a way to replace the lost revenue. Republicans have said they do not need to replace the revenue.

Baker, the day after announcing his candidacy for governor, pledged to repeal the tech tax. He said the tax was "a terrible idea" that will hurt a key part of the economy.

Republican Charles D. Baker, right, faces reporters at his home in Swampscott on Thursday as his wife Lauren looks on.Steven Senne / Associated Press 

Grossman agrees with Baker that the tax should be repealed, calling it “a threat to our economy.” “It hurts businesses and makes the Commonwealth an outlier,” Grossman said. But Grossman criticized Baker for advocating repeal “without in any way, shape or form offering a credible thoughtful solution.”

Grossman said in the short term, he would replace the revenue by taking $161 million from the state’s $1.6 billion rainy day fund. Grossman said the rainy day fund is the third largest in the U.S. and he would be willing to take the money “so we can get rid of tax as quickly as we possibly can.” He said the rainy day fund would likely be replenished by money coming into it from tax settlements.

In the long term, Grossman said he would lobby Congress to pass a bill that lets states require internet retailers to collect the state sales tax. Grossman said that would “level the playing field” between online retailers that do not charge Massachusetts sales tax and physical stores that are required to charge the 6.25 percent tax.

The bill, called the Marketplace Fairness Act, passed the U.S. Senate earlier this year but remains stalled in the U.S. House. Some business groups support the act as a way to help local retailers; online companies argue that it will place a burden on small internet retailers to have to comply with different laws in each state.

The National Conference of State Legislatures estimated that Massachusetts lost $268 million in 2012 by not being able to collect this money. Grossman said if the bill is passed, he would use some of that revenue to fund transportation and infrastructure.

Stocks rose and oil prices fell as the risk that the U.S. would attack Syria appeared to fade.

By JOSHUA FREED
AP Business Writer

Stocks rose and oil prices fell Tuesday as the risk that the U.S. would attack Syria appeared to fade.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index had its sixth straight gain, the longest winning streak since July.

Stocks set new highs in early August, but worries over Syria have pushed them lower since then. Even though Syria isn't a big oil producer, the possibility of a wider conflict in the region drove oil prices to two-year highs last week.

On Tuesday, investors were relieved that Syria accepted a proposal to put its chemical weapons under international control for dismantling. The possibility that the crisis between the U.S. and Syria might be solved peacefully was a factor in the stock market's gain on Monday, too.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 127.94 points, or 0.9 percent, to close 15,191.06. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 12.28 points, or 0.73 percent, to 1,683.99 and the Nasdaq composite rose 22.84 points, or 0.62 percent, to 3,729.02.

Crude oil, which closed above $110 a barrel on Friday, lost $2.13, almost 2 percent, to close at $107.39 a barrel.

All 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 rose. The biggest gains were in financial and industrial stocks.

Despite the recent gains for stocks, Ralph Fogel of Fogel Neale Partners thinks it's about time for a pullback in the market. He noted that it's close to the five-year anniversary of the financial crisis, and the Dow has more than doubled since then.

The years since the crisis brought "almost a straight-up market without a 15 percent correction. That's a pretty neat move," he said. "That doesn't mean you have to have one, but the probability starts to get higher and higher."

"The next significant move isn't up 20" percent, he said. "It's down 20."

Scott Wren, a senior equity strategist for Wells Fargo Advisors in St. Louis, said investors are still nervous.

"A lot of our clients are sitting on too much cash and are kind of paranoid of the market," he said. He expects stock prices to be volatile over the next few months because of the debate over the U.S. debt ceiling as well as elections in Germany.

The Dow average got a shakeup on Tuesday. It's dropping Bank of America, Hewlett-Packard and Alcoa, to be replaced by Goldman Sachs, Nike, and Visa at the start of trading on Sept. 23. The Dow is made up of 30 stocks.

S&P Dow Jones Indices said the change won't disrupt the level of the industrial average. It said it made the change to diversify the sector and industry group representation of the index.

Hewlett-Packard fell 9 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $22.27. Alcoa was roughly flat and Bank of America rose 13 cents, or almost 1 percent, to $14.61.

Visa rose $6.04, or 3.4 percent, to $184.50; Nike rose $1.42, or 2.2 percent, to $66.82, and Goldman Sachs rose $5.65, or 3.5 percent, to $165.14.

In other notable moves:

— Apple dropped $11.53, or 2.3 percent, to $494.60 after investors were underwhelmed by its new iPhone lineup.

— Microsoft rose 73 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $32.39 on rumors about who might be its next CEO when Steve Ballmer retires next year.

— Urban Outfitters fell $4.36, or 10 percent, to $38.35 after saying its third-quarter sales increases are weaker than earlier in the year.

Traders sold safe-play assets as the threat of a strike on Syria faded. Gold fell $22.70, or 1.9 percent, to $1,364 an ounce, and the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.97 percent from 2.91 percent.

The dollar strengthened to 100.33 Japanese yen, and fell slightly against the euro.

The Springfield City Council rejected a longer holding period on stolen jewelry in pawn shops and stores Monday night, leading to a mixed reaction from police, councilors and shops.

SPRINGFIELD – Police Commissioner William J. Fitchet said Tuesday that the department will continue its “best efforts” to solve cases involving stolen jewelry in the aftermath of a City Council vote rejecting a longer holding period for secondhand jewelry in pawn shops.

The City Council on Monday, as urged by some owners of pawn shops and jewelry stores, voted to reject a proposal by the Police Department for a longer holding period on secondhand gold and jewelry. The current 10-day hold was approved by the council in 2011, on the urging of some business owners, replacing a 30-day hold in effect for many years.

The Police Department was proposing to return to the 30-day hold on the jewelry, aimed at giving more time for investigations before jewelry is sold.

Some business owners strongly objected, saying that the longer hold would hurt business in a fluctuating market, and could result in some businesses closing and jobs being lost.

Many owners and advocates applauded when a compromise — a 23-day hold on jewelry, was rejected by a vote of three councilors in favor and 10 opposed.

“We presented what we considered to be a comprehensive plan to address stolen property,” Fitchet said. “The City Council chose not to approve that plan. That is their right as elected officials to do so.”

“The Police Department will continue to do our best efforts and conduct investigations regarding breaking and enterings, stolen property in an efficient and professional manner like always,” Fitchet said.

Council President James J. Ferrera III, who gave up the gavel in order to urge the 10-day hold stay in effect, said it was a difficult issue. It was also an issue that “obviously hit a nerve in the community” with strong opposition from the shop owners.

He said businesses pay taxes and the longer hold would have been a hardship in the fluctuating market.

Euclide Desrouches, a principal of the Gold and Coin Exchange store, said that calling for more stringent requirements is an added financial hardship in a tough economy. He suggested that police could provide shops with lists of stolen goods, for help in investigations.

Councilor Thomas Ashe, chairman of the Public Health and Safety Committee, said he was very disappointed by the council vote. He was joined by Councilors Timothy Allen and Michael Fenton in voting for the longer hold on jewelry.

The council heard from many residents and neighborhood councils that supported the longer holding period, Ashe said.

“I think it’s a twisted, backwards response when the residents of the city and the police of the city are seeking help from the very council that is supposed to be helping them, on an issue like this, and the council opts to side with the pawn shop owners,” Ashe said. “That’s distressing to me.”

In related action, Ferrera temporarily blocked a vote on a proposal aimed at strengthening regulations over pawn brokers and junk dealers, by invoking Rule 20 of council rules. The rule automatically halts discussion pending a financial analysis of what it will cost to implement the regulations.

Ferrera also said he would like to determine if pawn shops could be considered separately from used merchandise stores.

Christopher Caputo, president of the East Forest Park Neighborhood Council, said after the meeting that it is “just disappointing that the council would ignore letters from the neighborhood groups, and not increase the time to 30 days, what it used to be.”

Kateri Walsh said she can sympathize with victims of stolen jewelry, but asked if the council should “be in the business of putting small businesses out of business.” Ashe said other larger communities have the longer 30-day hold, and said the requirement is not putting businesses out of business.

Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday said he no longer supports a controversial sales tax on software design services, calling it a “serious blot” on the state’s reputation that should be repealed and replaced with another source of new revenue to support transportation investments.

By Matt Murphy, STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

BOSTON- Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday said he no longer supports a controversial sales tax on software design services, calling it a “serious blot” on the state’s reputation that should be repealed and replaced with another source of new revenue to support transportation investments.

The decision by the governor to seek a repeal and replacement of the computer services sales tax comes amid a fierce and organized push from the business community and some lawmakers to get the Legislature to reconsider the tax. In the face of opposition, lawmakers earlier this summer made the new tax a cornerstone of their $500 million tax package aimed at financing transportation and infrastructure spending and budget initiatives.

As the state struggles to add jobs and with unemployment rising, Patrick last week hosted a summit in his office with legislative and tech sector leaders to discuss concerns over the new tax’s impact on the business climate, and some business leaders left the meeting saying there was no commitment from those in the room to revisit the tax.

After an event Tuesday at Worcester Technical High School, Patrick told reporters he would be working with the Legislature and business leaders to identify a new source of revenue to replace the $161 million counted on in the budget from the new sales tax.

“We had a really good meeting last week and I think that that meeting was useful for some of the folks that were thinking about whether the solution was a narrower interpretation. And I think that the consensus in the room probably was that replacing with something was the better way to go. And I think the hard part now is to figure out what to replace it with,” Patrick said, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by his office.

House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Therese Murray could not immediately be reached for comment, but issued a joint statement after last week’s meeting in Patrick’s office saying they would continue the conversation with lawmakers in both branches.

If legislative leaders are serious about replacing the software services tax revenue with another source of funding, DeLeo and Murray would have to reopen a debate on taxes that dominated the first seven months of the year on Beacon Hill and led to a major rift with the governor, who sought $1.9 billion in new taxes.

Though Patrick suggested there is still some question about the impact of the tax on technology companies, he said damage to the state’s reputation is a real threat. The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation released a report this week identifying the tech tax as the broadest and highest tax on software services in the country and asserting that the levy jeopardizes the state’s competitive edge for business development.

“I think it’s a serious blot on our reputation as an innovation center. And we’ve worked really, really hard, together with many of the people who were in that room to raise our profile and to earn our reputation as an innovation hub and we should be concerned about anything that blemishes that,” Patrick told reporters.

Asked to clarify his position on the tax, Patrick said, “Do I still support? I’ve vetoed this, remember. So, no. The question is what do we replace it with?”

Patrick actually first proposed the sales tax on computer and software design services in his $1.9 billion tax reform plan filed in January to finance transportation. Though the Legislature did approve the final tax bill by overriding Patrick’s veto, the governor said at the time that he rejected the proposal because it was too small and revenue relied upon from tolls could not be guaranteed after 2017.

House and Senate Republicans on Monday announced that they would be filing legislation this week to repeal the tech tax that mirrors a proposal being pushed by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and other business groups to put a question on the 2014 ballot repealing the tax if the Legislature fails to act.

Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and House Minority Leader Brad Jones said replacing the revenue was “unnecessary,” but suggested it could be found through savings-minded government reforms, future gaming revenues, the legalization of online gaming or other mechanisms that don't require raising taxes.

Tarr even suggested he would be open to tapping into the state's main reserve fund as an "insurance policy" against future economic growth if necessary to win support for repeal.

A number of Democratic lawmakers have also endorsed repeal or expressed concerns about the new tax, including Sen. Karen Spilka who filed similar repeal legislation in the Senate.

While the bill's sponsor, State Sen. Ben Downing, says the pension fund should be "carbon free" to help prevent global warming's impact, an advocate for major oil and gas companies testified in opposition to the bill, saying that approval would be a disservice to retirees and would remove some top performing stocks from the state pension fund.

BOSTON — A bill that would make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to legally require its pension fund to be purged of gas, oil and coal stocks was aired on Beacon Hill on Tuesday.

The bill would require the state to divest its $54 billion pension fund of about $1.4 billion in fossil fuel companies within five years, and to cease new investments in the companies, said state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, a Pittsfield Democrat and lead sponsor of the bill.

Gov. Deval L. Patrick has not yet taken a position on the bill.

"This is a matter of where we put public dollars," Downing said after a hearing on the bill by the Joint Committee on Public Service. "I don't think we should be putting public dollars in these companies any more."

Downing and other supporters said the state's pension fund should be "carbon free" in order to help reduce the predicted impacts of global warming such as higher temperatures and sea levels and more severe storms.

The bill also directs pension fund managers to produce carbon-free indexes and portfolios.

Past laws have banned the state's pension fund from investing in tobacco stocks and companies related to South Africa, Northern Ireland, Iran and the Sudan.

Stephen Dodge, associate director of the Massachusetts Petroleum Council, which represents major oil and gas companies, testified in opposition to the bill, saying that approval would be a disservice to retirees and would remove some top performing stocks from the pension fund.

In 2011, the American Petroleum Institute released a study by a private firm showing that oil and natural gas stocks constituted an average of 4.6 percent of holdings in top public pension funds in 17 states from 2005 to 2009, but they accounted for an average of 15.7 percent of the returns in those funds, Dodge testified.

He cited another study showing that from 2000 through 2012, the U.S. oil and natural gas industry invested approximately $81 billion in technologies to reduce greenhouse gases.

"The oil and natural gas industry has invested more in alternative energy and greenhouse gas reduction than any other industry and almost twice as much as the federal government," Dodge said in an interview.

Michael G. Trotsky, executive director and chief investment officer of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board, which controls and manages the state's $54 billion pension fund, testified that if the bill were to become law, it would impose an additional restriction on the fund that would add a significant administrative and operational burden.

Additional restrictions limit investment opportunities, increase risk and make it even more challenging for the fund to achieve the assumed rate of return of 8 percent, Trotsky testified.

The board would do everything necessary to comply with the bill's provisions and reduce risk if the legislation is passed, he added.

Students, some professionals in financial services, environmental organizations, union leaders and others turned out in support of the bill after a rally on the steps of the Statehouse.

William Dwight, president of the Northampton City Council, told the committee that the council has approved a resolution calling for the city's treasurer to sell all fossil fuel stocks from the city's pension fund and to refrain from any future investment associated with that industry.

"The awesome consensus is that the public's interest is threatened by the aggressive pursuit of those oil company profits," Dwight said.

Testifying with other students, Varshini Prakash, a student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said that in the last 30 years, the world has seen the rising influence of divestiture in altering policy and social attitudes. She referred to a 1986 federal law that banned new U.S. trade and investment in South Africa and helped prompt an end to the system of apartheid.

"The current fossil fuel divestment movement strives to achieve similar results for what is surely the largest moral issue of our time: climate change," she testified.

The legislative committee took no action on the bill, which needs the approval of the full House and Senate in order to become law.

Being mindful of diversity can improve business, organizer Kimberly Williams said.

SPRINGFIELD - More than 360 people attended a daylong Diversity and Inclusion Conference Tuesday at the MassMutual Center, sponsored by Baystate Health.

Attendees came from northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts as well as the eastern part of the state, Kimberly Williams, an organizer of the event, said.

Partners and underwriters for the event included Big Y, Health New England, United Way of Pioneer Valley, YMCA of Greater Springfield and Freedom Credit Union, among others.

The conference creates education and awareness about the advantages of further diversifying a company, Williams said.

Workshops show companies the advantages of building a diverse work force as well as marketing to a diverse population.

As an example, Williams said that if a company markets a financial product predominantly to heterosexual couples, it will lose out on an opportunity to sell the product to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community or to single parents, Williams said.

Keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Steve L. Robbins, who immigrated to the United States at the age of 5.

Robbins’ approach, which he calls “Unintentional Tolerance,” challenges individuals and organizations to be more open-minded, mindful and intentional about valuing people for their unique gifts, abilities and experiences.

Presenters at the conference included Lorie Valle-Yanez, chief diversity officer for MassMutual, and Myra Smith, vice president of student and multicultural affairs at Springfield Technical Community College.

At the college, Smith has created the STCC “Think Tank” which brings community leaders together to assist with the retention and graduation rate of young men of color.

Kamari Collins, director of academic advising for STCC, was one of the attendees at the conference.

Collins said he attended a session on leadership which encourages companies to be inclusive of all constituents.

STCC has a very diverse student body and staff, Collins said. He said his department has used the points of view of a group of diverse employees to encourage its diverse student body to access advising services.

“The students at STCC are ages 18 to 80,” Collins said.

Alberto Ayala, of Springfield, of Viva Development LLC, was the apparent high bidder, offering to pay the city $62,000 for the four adjacent empty lots, and to build single-family homes that would be owner-occupied as required by the city.

SPRINGFIELD — Four developers have filed proposals to purchase and build four new houses on abutting lots on Central Street in the Maple High-Six Corners area, all under review to determine which plan is the most advantageous to the neighborhood and city, officials said.

Alberto Ayala, of Springfield, of Viva Development LLC, was the apparent high bidder, offering to pay the city $62,000 for the four adjacent empty lots, and to build single-family homes that would be owner-occupied as required by the city.

Other proposals submitted to the city for purchase of the lots were: Central Street Springfield Realty Trust, $40,000; North End Housing Initiative, $30,000; and Springfield Neighborhood Housing Services, $20,001.

However, the city will take various criteria into consideration in reviewing the proposals, including the types of projects being proposed, the experience of the developers, and financing, according to the Request for Proposals.

City officials said the advertisement for proposals, including federal funding assistance, was designed to spur high-quality homes.

Ayala’s proposal includes having each house have a garage and central air conditioning among other features.

The city is offering up to $932,000 in federal funding under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to assist with the Central Street housing development. However, if the resulting proceeds from the sale of the properties exceed the city’s federal subsidy, the net proceeds would be returned to the city for other neighborhood stabilization efforts, according to guidelines.

The funds are available from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The amounts sought by the four developers varied.

The neighborhood including Central Street was among areas of the city that had serious damage during the tornado of June 1, 2011, and the neighborhood also has high poverty, officials said.

Within his proposal, Ayala said he has redeveloped various properties in the city in the North End and South End, including some with federal grant assistance.

The city had previously advertised for proposals for the Central Street corridor, with Ayala being among the bidders. Ayala withdrew the proposal in July without stating the reason. Another bidder at the time had questioned if Ayala’s employment as a Springfield police officer was a conflict of interest, but the Law Department stated there was no ethical conflict.

According to his proposed development budget, each lot on Central Street would cost $259,000 to develop including the acquisition, construction and related costs.

He is seeking federal neighborhood stabilization funds of $149,800 per site, according to the budget.

The investigation is being reviewed by lawyer Mary Beth Ogulewicz.

CHICOPEE – An investigation into 42 different complaints about police officers has been completed and will now be turned over to a former federal prosecutor and assistant district attorney for review.

Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette called for a 90-day investigation into the department after learning about a number of police problems, including allegations that five officers took and shared cell phone pictures of homicide victim Amanda Plasse.

The investigation was to be conducted by Springfield lawyer John Pucci, a former federal prosecutor, but he withdrew citing concerns about a potential conflict of interest since he worked with Chicopee police as a prosecutor.

Bissonnette also asked retired Judge Robert L. Howarth to assist, but he declined because of time constraints.

In the end, the review was done by the city’s law department and the police department’s director of internal affairs Capt. Steven Muise. The results have now been turned over to lawyer Mary Beth Ogulewicz, a former Hampden assistant district attorney and assistant U.S. attorney, he said.

“She will review if there is credible evidence for discipline and termination of existing officers,” he said.

Bissonnette said he has asked Ogulewicz for suggestions on how to make improvements.

“She will also make recommendations for changes in policy and protocol to allow for more transparency in matters alleging police misconduct,” he said.

The investigation came after a series of problems occurred in the department, including the discovery that officers had taken photos of the scene of the homicide of 20-year-old Plasse while they were waiting for Massachusetts State Police investigators to arrive. The photos were not shared on social media.

Plasse was stabbed to death in her School Street apartment between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., Aug. 26, 2011, and her killing remains unsolved. Michelle Mathieson, Plasse’s mother, has expressed disgust over the incident and has been critical of Bissonnette for making it public. She continues to plead with anyone who knows something about the killing to report it.

But the photos are not the only case causing concerns. A review of all police complaints showed 42 internal affairs files from six years that were re-examined and are now being reviewed by Ogulewicz, he said.

Some of the incidents include an officer who aimed a loaded gun at another officer in the police headquarters and a sexual harassment complaint.

The investigation also found some missing files, he said.

As a former defense lawyer, Bissonnette said he heard many complaints from those arrested about police abuse. Minor issues such as “the cuffs were too tight” are not those included in the 42 files which are being scrutinized, he said.

“What we are concerned about is if an individual police officer had 10 complaints and they are the same thing,” he said. “Maybe on its own it is not a problem, but when you have a pattern, there needs to be some accountability.”

Of the 42 files, Bissonnette said he is especially concerned about three or four incidents which are going to require interviews with officers and more scrutiny. He did not reveal specifics of the incidents.

“Being a cop is not an easy job and there are some mistakes that are going to happen,” he said. “This is not a witch hunt. We are looking for situations where they are going over the line.”

President Obama will address the nation tonight at 9 p.m. on the situation in Syria and the impending Congressional vote on U.S. military action.

President Obama will address the nation on the situation in Syria. (File photo)

President Obama will address the nation tonight at 9 p.m. on the situation in Syria and the impending Congressional vote on U.S. military action. The speech tonight becomes one more critical event in a string of intense political actions and reactions since the chemical weapons attack took place in Syria on Aug. 21.

In the hours leading to the polls closing in West Springfield, precincts reported solid voter turnout and both project supporters and opponents could be seen waving their respective signs across the city.

WEST SPRINGFIELD — When the final votes were tallied on Tuesday, opponents of a resort casino here rejoiced while hopes for a Hard Rock New England facility coming to West Side were killed.

By a 55-45 percent vote, West Springfield residents defeated the proposal, turning what was supposed to be a Hard Rock victory party into a sad affair at the Dante Club across from the Eastern States Exposition, where the project would have been built.

Tim Maland, president of the company's New England division established specifically to help develop the West Springfield project, said he was disappointed but respects the voters.

"We communicated our message and I think we were clear. But the message the voters heard wasn't enough to convince them that we were trying to bring them more than a casino," Maland said. "But they voted with their heart and conscience and it was close. I can respect that."

Maland said the company's Massachusetts plans that previously involved exploring other cities and partnerships in the state are now over.

"That is not even something I've considered," Maland said when asked if Hard Rock would now try for a license elsewhere. "We were focused on winning here and we lost."

Several West Springfield residents inside the club voiced their anger over their neighbors killing the proposal.

"This is the city of 'no!' They vote against everything and are completely afraid of change," said Virginia Reardon. "The opposition used scare tactics and here we are with something else they wouldn't approve."

Resident Ruth Kuras said she feels the Eastern States Exposition is going to suffer after losing the chance to have a casino on its grounds since one will be in the region before long.

"This is just a shame," she said. "It is going to change the face of West Springfield and not in a good way. I just don't see a casino coming into Springfield and helping the community the way Hard Rock was going to here. We didn't just lose a casino, we lost a part of our future."

Virginia Podisadlo said that she is concerned for what the vote will mean for her grandchildren.

"We played an honest game and we lost. But I'm afraid that the future generations here are going to suffer in terms of jobs and crime. This is awful," she said.

In the hours leading to the polls closing in West Springfield, precincts reported solid voter turnout and both project supporters and opponents could be seen waving their respective signs across the city. In the end, 7,570 residents turned out to vote, with the proposition losing by just 750 votes.

According to campaign finance documents filed with the city, Hard Rock and the pro-casino movement spent $936,920 trying to get the project approved.

The nearly $1 million Hard Rock spent includes $155,000 in "charitable contributions," with a majority of that cash flowing into the coffers of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.

Opponents working with the No Casino West Springfield Inc. spent just $1,765 of the nearly $2,000 they collected, with a majority going toward printed materials and a couple ads with a local newspaper. The group was aided by the anti-casino effort in Springfield, as it lent out its yard signs for their effort.

But as state campaign finance law only requires a filing eight days before the election, the reports didn't show the sudden influx of cash to the opposition or either side's expenditures in the race's dog days.

Nathan Bech, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully against now retired Democratic Congressman John Olver in 2008, said that in his position as leader of the opposition, he knows where the thousands of dollars donated in the last week came from, but he wouldn't say ahead of the vote.

09.10.2013 | WEST SPRINGFIELD -- John J. Juliano Jr, Tim Kwiatkowski and Greg Chiecko pf the Eastern States Exposition watch the casino results at the Dante Club.Photo by Dave Roback / The Republican 

He did say that outside of the campaign finance reports obtained from the West Springfield town clerk's office, the vote "no" movement spent money advertising via print and broadcast media, including an ad in The Republican.

"We tried to be strategic with the money we did have," Bech said. "All together, we probably ended up spending about $15,000."

Early on election day Hard Rock's campaign manager, Kate Crowther of Northampton, took issue with Bech's secrecy regarding where the money came from, but conceded that little could be done about it so close to the polls closing.

"We have spent our own money and were transparent in the process," she said, adding that much of the company's money spent in the last seven days was to take care of their volunteers who were making phone calls, knocking on doors and holding demonstrations for the casino.

Hard Rock International currently operates four casinos in the United States and three casinos in foreign countries, and is planning on opening an Ohio venture before the end of the year. The entertainment company was competing with MGM Resorts International's Springfield casino proposal and Mohegan Sun's Palmer project to battle for the state's sole Western Massachusetts casino license.

Springfield voters approved MGM's proposal 58 to 42 percent in July, and Palmer will vote on Mohegan Sun's project on Nov. 5. The projects that get approval from their respective host communities will move on to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for further review, before one is ultimately awarded the region's sole casino license.

Dan Trant, a Westfield native with a large, close and extended family, was living on Long Island, New York, with his wife and two sons and had recently celebrated his 40th birthday when he went to work for the last time as a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald, located on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower.

AGAWAM – Lance Faniel likes to think about Daniel P. Trant while on the basketball court when he reflects on the friendship they shared before Trant’s death in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

In fact, he was with Trant the night before he was killed.

Trant, a Westfield native with a large, close and extended family, was living on Long Island, N.Y., with his wife and two sons and had recently celebrated his 40th birthday when he went to work for the last time as a bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald, located on the 103rd floor of the World Trade Center’s south tower.

Faniel, of Broad Brook, Conn., whose relationship with Trant dates back to their high school as opponents on the basketball court playing for different teams, regarded Trant as a brother and considers the entire Trant family his own family.

“When I first heard the name Dan Trant it was from my coach at Springfield Tech. Coach said, ‘Watch out for this kid Dan Trant.’”

Springfield Tech won that game against Westfield High School, but it was Trant’s prowess on the basketball court that kept the Bombers competitive.

“He was a perennial power in the state,” Faniel said. “They lost that game, but he put on quite a show. He played with passion, courage and confidence.”

Faniel and Trant had the opportunity to play together at Clark University in Worcester where it was assumed even before he began that he would be the team starter.
“That was his legacy at Clark,” Faniel said.

On Sept. 7, Faniel was among 100 golfers who gathered once again at Oak Ridge Golf Club in Agawam for the Daniel Trant Classic Golf Tournament, which funds the Daniel Trant Memorial Scholarship. It was there that he recalled his lasting friendship with Trant and the last night they spent together on Sept. 10, 2001.

“I got tickets to the Red Sox/Yankees game at Yankee Stadium,” he said. “I drove to Long Island, we picked up his sons, and we went to the game. He was wearing a Red Sox shirt, and the guy taking tickets at the stadium joked that I was going to have to be Dan’s body guard that night.”

The Red Sox and Yankees did not face-off that night. Instead, it rained and Faniel and the Trants went back to Trant’s house to watch football.

Faniel still had the ticket stub from that game.

“Who knows, if the game hadn’t been rained-out, maybe he wouldn’t have gone to work the next day,” he said. "At times I felt if the game had been played how things would have changed.”

Faniel spent the morning of Sept. 11 drinking coffee with Trant’s wife and looking at picture’s from his friend’s 40th birthday party “when the call came” and they turned on the television to see the World Trade Center towers streaming black smoke.

“We all had hope that he got out,” Faniel said. “People started showing up and the phone started ringing.”

The golf tournament, Faniel said, is yet another opportunity for him to reflect on Trant’s life and their friendship, just as he does anytime he picks up a basketball or in the days leading up to Sept. 11.

“I tend to reflect more at this time of year,” he said. "The tournament is an opportunity for me to spend time with his family, carry on his legacy and do something positive.

"Whenever I pick up a basketball and shoot, I think of him and reflect while looking at the court because that’s what started our relationship. It’s a tough day to deal with at times.”

David Ewing has become the 3rd mayoral candidate running in the Nov. 5 city election, joining Karen Cadieux, Mayor Michael A. Tautznik's assistant, and School Committee chairwoman Nancy Sykes.

This is Easthampton's municipal office building at 50 Payson Ave. Republican file photo 

EASTHAMPTON — David Ewing, a retired candle maker, has become the third mayoral candidate running in the Nov. 5 city election.

He joins Karen Cadieux, Mayor Michael A. Tautznik’s assistant, and School Committee chairwoman Nancy L. Sykes who had previously filed papers. Ewing recently filed his papers with the City Clerk’s office and the signatures have been certified.

On Tuesday, meanwhile Herbert Glazier, of Everett Street, took out papers as well for mayor. Tautznik is not seeking reelection as mayor but recently became a candidate for state senate.

Candidates have until Sept. 17 to file papers for city election. Those running for citywide office need 100 registered voters to sign them.

Cadieux, Ewing and Sykes will meet for the first time in a debate Thursday night at the Easthampton Community Access Television studio.

Because of space limitations, the public is not invited. The debate, however, will be aired live at 6 p.m. on channels 5 and 20 and repeated, said station manager Kathy Lynch.
Bob Flaherty of WHMP will moderate, she said.

The questions are broad-based, she said. Both the Greater Easthampton Chamber of Commerce and the Easthampton Democratic Committee will be holding mayoral debates in October

Easthampton Community Access will be holding a debate for the at large City Council race as well.

Former City Councilor James P. Kwiecinski, and incumbent at large councilors Joseph P. McCoy, Chester A. Ogulewicz and Nathaniel P. Ziegler have filed papers for the four seats.

Incumbent Donald L. Cykowski, Donald Emerson, who ran for mayor against Michael A. Tautznik in 2011, newcomers Troy Gray, Tamara Smith and Mary Cusack have taken out nomination papers for at large seats but have not yet returned them.

Kelley Hopkins and Daniel Carey recently took out papers for School Committee, bringing the total to seven for six seats. But so far only incumbent Lori Ingraham has returned them. Incumbents Peter Gunn and Laura Scott have taken out papers, along with newcomers Wendy Bloomenthal and Debora Lusnia.

A Mohegan official said the process may begin at the end of this week, or early next week.

MONSON - Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers updated the Board of Selectmen at its meeting Tuesday about the status of surrounding community negotiations with Mohegan Sun, but didn't have much to report.

It turns out that she is still waiting for a response from the Connecticut-based casino operator, even though lawyer Jeffrey I. Fialky sent a letter to Mohegan Sun executives on Aug. 30 on behalf of the town of Monson with respect to its status as a surrounding community.

Fialky wrote that it is their expectation that "Mohegan Sun and the town of Monson can commence immediate and meaningful discussions in hopes of reaching a definitive surrounding community agreement" before the Dec. 31 casino license application deadline. Fialky also asked that Mohegan make a presentation to the selectmen and department heads regarding its project, the terms of its host community agreement with the neighboring town of Palmer, and anticipated impacts on Monson.

Mohegan wants to build a nearly $1 billion resort casino on the wooded hillside on Thorndike Street (Route 32) across from Massachusetts Turnpike exit 8.

During the host community agreement announcement in Palmer last month, Mohegan's Paul I. Brody said that negotiations with surrounding communities would begin shortly after Labor Day.

"We are anxiously awaiting their response," Selectmen Chairman Edward A. Maia said.

Contacted after the meeting, J. Gary Luderitz, vice president of gaming and development for Mohegan Gaming Advisors, said that Mohegan received Fialky's letter last week.

"Now that the host agreement details are behind us, we wanted to ensure that we are approaching our surrounding communities in an organized way. I anticipate that the communications and the process will get under way possibly by the end of this week or the early part of next," Luderitz said.

Neggers said she does not think Mohegan has contacted any surrounding communities yet, and is concerned about the time frame. She said if Mohegan waits to begin negotiations after the Nov. 5 referendum on the host community agreement in Palmer, that only leaves six weeks before Mohegan has to submit its license application to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

Selectman Richard M. Smith said the board has to make sure the agreement protects the town. Neggers said town officials are doing as much as they can, but "we can't negotiate if there's only one party in the room."

Neggers said they will continue to make an effort to contact Mohegan with concerns.

Maia said it is important to note that the Monson Water & Sewer Commission will be involved in the surrounding communities agreement negotiations.

Palmer Water District No. 1, which will provide water to the casino, has an agreement in principle with Monson Water and Sewer Department to construct an interconnection between the two systems to provide extra water if the casino project is actually built.

Mohegan is competing with MGM Resorts International in Springfield for the one Western Massachusetts casino license. Voters shot down Hard Rock's casino proposal in West Springfield on Tuesday, eliminating it from the process Mohegan can advance to the next step if voters approve it in November.

Markey said the resolution is too broad and the effects of a strike are unpredictable. His statement comes as new diplomatic efforts are making progress in getting Syria to surrender its chemical weapons.

U.S. Sen. Edward Markey said Tuesday that he would oppose the resolution passed by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee authorizing the use of force in Syria.

The resolution would give President Barack Obama, a Democrat, authority to use limited military force, although not ground troops, in responding to the Syrian military’s reported use of chemical weapons against its civilian population.

“I cannot support the resolution that passed the Foreign Relations Committee to use force in Syria because it is too broad, the effects of a strike are too unpredictable, and because I believe we must give diplomatic measures that could avoid military action a chance to work,” Markey said in a statement.

Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and member of the committee, voted “present” when the resolution came up in the committee last week, where it passed 10-7. Markey said at the time that he needed to further review all the classified information, and he was concerned about language in the resolution that could expand the scope of U.S. military involvement in Syria beyond what is needed to deter Syrian President Bashar Assad from using chemical weapons. Republicans criticized Markey for lacking courage in refusing to take a stance.

Since then, additional members of Congress have come out against the use of force. According to a Washington Post count, 36 senators are against or leaning against military action and 25 support it. In the House, 250 representatives are against military action and only 26 support it. A large number of Republicans and many liberal Democrats oppose military intervention, and the divide is not along party lines.

Diplomatic efforts appeared to make some progress Tuesday. The Associated Press reported that Assad's government accepted a plan, proposed by Russia, to turn over its chemical weapons stockpile to international control. The AP reported that Obama is now supporting a plan for UN Security Council talks aimed at securing Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. A bipartisan group of senators is working on crafting a resolution calling on the UN to remove Syria’s chemical weapons – and giving Obama the authority to use military force if that does not happen.

06.18.2012 | WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington.AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File 

Markey said he agrees with the administration’s intention of deterring and degrading the Assad government’s chemical weapons capability. He does not dispute the administration’s evidence indicating that Assad used chemical weapons. “However, I am concerned about the unintended consequences of the strikes and the potential for triggering an even greater conflagration that could be beyond our ability to predict or control,” Markey said.

Markey said he disagrees with an amendment to the resolution that expands it from an authorization for a surgical strike to endorsing regime change. He said he is worried that the use of force could draw American troops into the Syrian civil war.

Finally, he noted the latest developments, in which the Syrians, Russians, United Nations, and the international community are negotiating. “We should take advantage of this new diplomatic opportunity before we consider military action,” Markey said.

Markey said any resolution considered by Congress should include language that anticipates that force would not be used if Assad puts all of Syria’s chemical weapons under international control.

Markey, a liberal Democrat, was elected to the U.S. Senate in June, after more than three decades in the U.S. House. He was a strong critic of President George W. Bush’s handling of the war in Iraq, although he did vote to authorize that war in 2002.

Most of the Democrats vying to replace Markey in the U.S. House said Monday that they would also oppose the use of force in Syria.

UMass cancels electronics concert because of concerns about drug known as Molly.

AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts has canceled an electric dance party at the Mullins Center on Sept. 21 because of concerns about the drug MDMA, known as Molly.

The cancellation of “Return to Fantazia” at the campus arena follows several Molly-related deaths that have been associated with electronic dance parties at venues in New England and New York.

“In an effort to better understand and respond to these current set of circumstances, venues in the area and universities in the region are canceling these events and proactively educating their communities about the dangers of Molly,” said Enku Gelaye, interim vice chancellor for student affairs and campus life at UMass Amherst in a statement. “We are broadly engaged in that effort and will be taking the next few weeks to further that conversation on this campus.”

In an email to students, Gelaye advised students about the dangers associated with Molly and noted that the drug is a dangerous, illegal stimulant prohibited by the UMass Amherst Code of Student Conduct. Several campus offices, including University Health Services, the Center for Health Promotion, the Dean of Students Office and the police department are helping to disseminate information about Molly and its effects. Molly is a pure form of ecstasy.

“We, along with the University, felt that, at this particular time, in light of recent incidents, that it would be in everyone’s best interest to cancel this particular show,” said Ike Richman, vice president for public relations at Comcast-Spectacor, which manages the Mullins Center. “It’s unfortunate as we know a lot of people have been looking forward to it, but we all felt it was what needed to be done at this time.”

Earlier this year, the town’s Fire Department transported 19 people attending an electronic dance show at the Mullins Center to area hospitals with alcohol- and drug-related issues.

“That’s pretty huge,” said Fire Chief Tim Nelson of the show’s cancellation.

He understands for Mullins Center management “they’re stuck between a rock and hard place. You can’t have “Disney On Ice” five nights a week. This is what sells. It’s a tough call.” But he said he thinks the decision is prudent.

“In the grand scheme, if you know it’s going to attract really bad behavior and bad choices this might be how you address it.”

He said the drug has been around for three or four years. “It’s the drug of choice at the raves, or ecstasy mixed with alcohol.”

“We've seen a resurgence in LSD,” he said.

“It’s a prudent thing (to do.) “The bigger issue is how to stop these kids from wanting to do these drugs. That’s above my pay grade.”

Boston police said earlier this month they were concerned there may be a bad batch of the drug being sold in the Northeast. There were multiple overdoses in Massachusetts and New York. Three overdosed at the House of Blues club in Boston, including a college student from New Hampshire who died.

In a letter to students, Gelaye wrote “We don't make these decisions lightly and do so with a clear focus.” But she wrote the drug “is a dangerous, illegal stimulant. Although the name, packaging and reputation appear innocuous, the drug can lead to hypothermia and result in serious heart and kidney problems or even death.

“The event cancellation gives our community the opportunity to better understand Molly-related dangers by using campus resources and by talking to each other about the realities of this illegal substance. While we can't cancel and ward off every potential issue, we can get better informed, support each other with good clear information and encourage better decision making in our respective communities," Gelaye wrote.