Senate President Murray Speaks at the South East Region Councils on Aging in Sandwich

(As prepared)

Thank you, Jan, and thank you all for honoring me with this award.

It is great to see volunteers and staff from all of our Councils on Aging from the South East Region.

I have always valued the essential role you play in our local communities, and I understand the issues facing our elders today.

From providing transportation, meals, counseling, and fitness programs, to being a gathering place for our elders to socialize, you are a resource that truly improves the daily quality of life of our most valued community members.

Earlier we heard from a few of our wonderful Directors.

They oversee some of the vital programs your Councils provide, such as the supportive day programs and the wellness program.

Just in the Cape, I have seen a rising number of grandparents assuming responsibility of their grandchildren.

The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program is a huge help to these second-time parents, and is just one of the ways that you help individuals every day.

You can count on my dedication to ensuring that elders receive the care they deserve, and my continued commitment to your programs.

This breakfast provides us all an opportunity to appreciate the work our Councils on Aging do every day, and gives legislators such as myself an opportunity to thank you for all of your dedication.

You all know that the 2012 Fiscal Year is going to be a difficult one.

As the baby-boomers retire, we see a growing number of elders requiring services.

I have seen this first-hand on the Cape, where our retiree population is growing rapidly.

The 2009 U.S. Census estimates that since 2000, Barnstable County has lost 0.5% of its population, roughly around 11,000 residents.

Yet Barnstable County has gained 1.4% more residents since 2000 that are 65 or older.

This is almost 3,000 additional residents that are 65 or older.

Yet despite the growing demand for services, we are facing at least a $1.5 billion gap in the state budget, and we no longer have federal aid available to fill it.

This gap will affect every program and person.

Although this sounds alarming, we are seeing encouraging signs of improvement which illustrate that, while we are still on the mend, we are coming out of this recession.

Massachusetts is one of the top states economically in the nation, and is coming out of this recession ahead of most other states.

The University of Massachusetts found that our economy is growing twice as fast as the rest of the nation’s.

And we have maintained our double-A bond rating from the nation’s top credit agencies.

We are not only maintaining our stable fiscal standing, but improving it - just last week Standard & Poor’s raised their outlook on our bond rating from ‘AA with a stable outlook’ to ‘AA with a positive outlook’.

This upgrade puts the Commonwealth in a better position to have its bond rating raised to ‘A plus’ in the next year.

This session I am committed to continuing this upward trend, and helping the Commonwealth recover from this economic downturn.

Our economy is improving, and with responsible leadership Massachusetts will once again come out on top.

This leadership takes place not only on Beacon Hill, but also in every town in the Commonwealth by the incredible Directors of our Councils on Aging.

You have shown that your first concern is to our area’s seniors.

Even with diminishing resources and increased demands, you have constantly proven yourselves trustworthy stewards of your fiscal resources.

So again, thank you all for your dedication and work, and thank you for this wonderful recognition.