Opinion: My Support For Bill To Allow Drivers’ Licenses To Residents Without Lawful Immigrant Status

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Photo: Sample of a Massachusetts commercial drivers’ license. (Credit: mass.gov/rmv)

By Will Brownsberger

Current Massachusetts law provides that “no [driver’s] license of any type may be issued to any person who does not have lawful presence in the United States.“

A bill currently before the senate would change that sentence to read: “An applicant for a [driver’s] license … who does not provide proof of lawful presence, … , shall be eligible … if the applicant meets all other qualifications for licensure and provides satisfactory proof to the registrar of their identity, date of birth and Massachusetts residency.”

In other words, the bill would give licenses to people who cannot prove lawful presence in the United States, provided they can prove their residence and identity and pass the same tests that everyone else has to pass.

I plan to support the bill.

My fundamental view about immigration policy is that it is up to the federal government. It is not the concern of state and local government. However, one of the top concerns of state and local government is to assure that all drivers know the rules of the road and how to operate a vehicle safely. It is often necessary to drive and we are all safer if more of the people on our roads have the required training and insurance.

Some argue that to discourage illegal immigration, we should make life in Massachusetts as inconvenient and uncomfortable as possible for people without lawful immigrant status. I do not agree with that approach. We hurt ourselves when we isolate people in our midst. We benefit from immigrant labor in many occupations and we should treat all workers as well as we can.

Others express the valid concern that a driver’s license is an identification card and we do not want to facilitate the creation of false credentials. The bill gives this concern careful attention in two different ways. 

First, the bill does not allow persons who cannot prove lawful presence to get a “Real-ID” which would get them into federal buildings and on to planes. Instead, they will get a card that is valid as a license to drive but is not valid for federal identification.

Second, applicants for a license who do not possess United States identity credentials like a U.S. passport will have to provide similarly rigorous foreign credentials — a foreign passport or an identity card issued by their consulate. In addition, they will have to provide a corroborating document like a license from another state or a birth certificate. At least one of the proferred documents must be a photo ID and at least one must include birth date.

Some have expressed the concern that since one can register to vote through the drivers license application process, the new law would allow non-citizens to vote. Again, the law specifically speaks to this, requiring the Registry of Motor Vehicles to “establish procedures … to ensure that an applicant for a Massachusetts license … who does not provide proof of lawful presence shall not be automatically registered to vote.” The law would not take effect for a year, allowing time to assure that these procedures are in place.

While the new law cements the requirement of procedures to protect the voter rolls, procedures are already in place according to the Secretary of State. He states on his website that “The RMV … collect[s] information about lawful presence in the United States and they will not submit names to local election officials of any persons they have determined are not U.S. citizens.” This is not a new concern. Currently many people who are not citizens but are lawfully present in the United States have drivers licenses: for example, a green card holder can get a license.

Similar legislation has been passed in 16 other states. The bill has the support of many law enforcement officers, including the Sheriffs of Middlesex County and Suffolk County, and the police chiefs of Cambridge, Belmont, and Watertown. 

The Massachusetts House of Representatives has already voted for this bill by 120-36. I expect the Senate to take it up and I hope we are able to give it a similar strong endorsement and send it to the Governor’s desk.

Belmont resident Will Brownsberger is a Massachusetts state senator representing the Second Suffolk and Middlesex District that includes Belmont.

Friday Night Is Alright! Belmont High Boys’ Hockey vs Natick In Div 1 First Round At 7 PM

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Photo: Belmont High junior Cam Fici being a nuisance against Catholic Memorial

After winning the Middlesex League Liberty title and recording a one-loss season, the 7th-ranked Belmont High School Boys’ Ice Hockey now heads into the post-season hosting 26-seed Natick High School in the opening round of 32 of the MIAA Division 1 tourney at ‘The Skip’ on Friday, March 4. The puck will be dropped at 7 p.m.

Tickets will be on sale at the door. Adult tickets are $10, student and senior tickets, $5. Come early, stay late.

(Lead by solid goaltending from senior Ryan Griffin and with one of the top defensive pairing in the state of juniors Peter Grace and Joe Gaziano, Belmont has held opponents to an eastern Massachusetts low 24 goals in 21 games. The defensive scheme established by first-year head coach Tim Foley is in large part the reason the team secured a 17-1-3 record playing in a league in which each team secured a placement in the playoffs.

Belmont’s offense is led by its first line of senior Marty Rowen and juniors Shay Donahue and scoring phenom Cam Fici who finished the season averaging more than a goal-and-a-half per game (34-10-44).

It’s no surprise the Boston Globe labeled the Marauders the “sleeper” of the tournament.

Natick from the Bay State Carey League comes in with a 10-9-3 record. They are led by a pair of forwards – freshman Sam Hubbard with 11 goals and senior Matt Haskell (7-18-25) – while the goaltending is shared by senior Timmy Cushing and freshman Jason Danahy who have a GAA of 1.80.

Don’t let the Redhawks’ near .500 record fool anyone; they tied (1-1) and lost by a single goal (3-2) against league rival Wellesley which beat Belmont for the Marauders’ only loss. Against other common opponents, both teams beat Franklin (2-0 by Natick, 4-0 by Belmont) while Natick lost to Catholic Memorial 4-0 and Belmont beat up on CM, 4-1.

Tickets On Sale For ‘The SpongeBob Musical,’ Performances March 17-19

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Photo: The colorful poster for

Tickets are on sale beginning on March 1 for the Belmont High School Performing Arts Company production of “The SpongeBob Musical” based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg.

Performances take place on Thursday and Friday, March 17 and 18 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, March 19 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Belmont High School Theater.

TICKETS: ADULTS: $15 CHILDREN/STUDENTS: $10 ($5 tickets for Belmont High School students on Thursday and Saturday Matinee) Tickets on sale at bhs-pac.org starting March 1.

Ticketing for shows will be only online, and advance purchase of tickets is strongly encouraged, as all performances are expected to sell out.

Based on the Nickelodeoon Cartoon, The Spongebob Musical is a fun-filled adventure about an unlikely hero trying to save his underwater home from being destroyed. Featuring the iconic character from the TV show and songs written by a long list of pop, rock, and musical theater stars, The Spongebob Musical is entertainment for audiences of all ages as well as an allegory about climate change, accepting differences and the importance of friendship and community.

The cast of 45 students showcase their physical and vocal acting skills, taking on the roles of many of the well-known characters from the show as well as an ensemble of undersea characters including a rock trio of electric eels, tap dancing anemones, cult-worshiping sardines, down-on-their-luck pirates and more.

The technical elements of the show will show off the new theater. The set crew has built a coral reef to serve as a backdrop, in addition to Spongebob’s iconic pineapple home, a rock that transforms into a hot tub and more.

Our costumes crew has created a colorful array of costumes that use a 70’s disco-inspired style to evoke the colors and feel of a tropical aquarium. The props crew is building a number of unique items including a jetpack, scientific machines and more. The sound and lighting crews will get to take advantage of state-of-the-art technology in the new building, creating visual and audio effects to transform the theater into an underwater paradise.

WHO IS THE SHOW APPROPRIATE FOR:
The Spongebob Musical is appropriate for all ages. The witty humor, catchy tunes and engaging story will also keep adults entertained and those who have seen the TV will know that the characters and visual elements are fun for children of all ages.

COVID PROTOCOL INFORMATION:

At the present moment, current protocols require audience members attending events at Belmont High School to be masked in the lobby theaters and bathrooms. There will be a designated eating area in the cafeteria where concessions can be consumed unmasked at intermission.

Some performers will be unmasked on stage; all performers are fully vaccinated. There is a possibility that the town/school policies may change prior to the performance dates. Audience members should check the PAC Website for up-to-date information about Covid/mask policies prior to attending the show. Anyone experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 should not attend performances. You can reference the Boston Public School Symptom Checker here.

Select Board No Fan Of Proposal For Two-Way Traffic On Leonard This Summer

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Photo: One or two-way traffic will be coming to Leonard Street this summer

If there has been one town-led change to the Belmont landscape over the past two years that has received overwhelming approval, it’s been the nearly six months that Leonard Street becomes a one-way avenue through Belmont Center.

Devised by the town and Select Board in the spring of 2020 to allow the center’s eateries enough room to install outdoor dining when the Covid-19 pandemic closed down indoor service at restaurants, the opening of Leonard Street with a single traffic lane from Alexander Avenue to Channing Road created a pedestrian-friendly area that attracted strollers, shoppers and diners to the business district. In 2021, additional parking was created along the street as well as flower pots and new railing as the length of the closure was increased from early May to late October.

”People love it,” said Chair Adam Dash. “The only complaint I heard was why can’t you close both lanes. Get rid of the cars.”

So when the Select Board heard a proposal from the Belmont Center Business Association to temporarily close Leonard Street to one lane from May to October, the board was eager to move forward. That was until they heard from the town on what the business group was proposing. Rather than one lane, the association members was seeking two, narrow lanes with a more limited area along the curb given over to restaurants for al fresco dining.

Since no one from the BCBA attended the meeting, it was up to Town Administrator Patrice Garvin to tell the board that earlier in the day town officials had “some additional conversations” with the association and while it wanted the board to approve the dates for closing the street from May 2 through Oct. 25, the association’s “alternatives”was specifically having two-way traffic along Leonard. So far, said Garvin, the town had not even started any preliminary work such as creating a traffic pattern map or even knowing “how that will work.”

“Roy [Epstein, board member] and Glenn Clancy [town engineer] spent a lot of time on moving spaces around … and that worked pretty well,” said Dash, who said he had not heard about the association’s proposal when he met earlier in the day with the BCBA president Gerry Dickhaut, owner of Champions Sporting Goods.

“I’ve never heard anyone say they want two-way traffic,” said Dash.

“One way layout worked fine, but a two way?” pondered Epstein.

Clancy said the alternative would squeeze two-way traffic lane which would include sharing the lanes with bikes, dining, adding more parking spaces, with less pedestrian areas all in the same program package.

”They see an opportunity with two lanes to be able to provide for more parking for some of the businesses that don’t fully support closing even one lane of traffic,” said Clancy, pointing to office owners and retailers who are demanding “better parking facilities.”

It became immediately apparent the three-member select board saw the BCBA proposal as going over like a lead zeppelin. The three members said they would not vote on anything until they saw some details of any likely alternative.

”We need a plan to vote on,” said Mark Paolillo, who even floated the idea of following other towns which shut off traffic to business centers for certain days of the week such as from Thursday to Sunday.

“I don’t know what I’m voting on so I’m not voting on [the dates],” said Dash.

“The one lane worked. It has robust attendance. Cars seem to be moving slow particularly at night,” said Paolillo.

The board deferred the vote until Monday, March 14.

Good News For Taxpayers And Tennis Players At New Winn Brook Court

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Photo: The Winn Brook courts will see a fifth court coming by the fall of 2022

The multitude of Belmont’s tennis players – including the Belmont High School squads – received good news on Monday, Feb. 28 when the Select Board heard the town finalized the contract for the construction of a new court at the Winn Brook Fields on Cross Street.

And taxpayers will feel good that the project will return nearly $50,000 to the town’s Community Preservation Committee.

Speaking before the Belmont Select Board, Department of Public Works Director Jay Marcotte said the project was approved for $190,000 at last year’s annual Town Meeting so the high school tennis program will have the minimum of five courts to play varsity matches. And after a request for proposal process beginning in January that attracted four bidders, Marcotte brought the board the low bid from Vermont Recreational Services of Monroe, NH to install the court and perimeter fencing after the end of the school year with ground being broken in July. The court will open in the fall.

“We will absolutely notify the neighborhood prior to construction going on,” said Marcotte.

Marcotte said Vermont is well known by the town as it installed the PQ courts off of Trapelo Road and did partial court work at Grove Street and Winn Brook.

And for taxpayers, Vermont Recreational’s bid is $139,991.

“This is great news and the price came in great which these days. The way construction costs have gone, I always expect then to be higher so the fact it’s lower is awesome,” said Chair Adam Dash as the board approved the low bid unanimously.

Belmont Select Board Convey Support For Ukraine And Its People

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Photo: The Select Board express its support for the embattled Ukrainian people as its country is invaded by Russia

Belmont joins a growing number of communities around the world expressing its support for Ukraine and its people as the European nation is being invaded by Russia.

While saying it’s usually not the place of the town’s executive body to venture into areas outside their purview, Select Board member Mark Paolillo said on Monday, Feb. 28, that “all of us have been watching the events in Ukraine and the attack on democracy. Those individuals that are of Ukrainian descent in Belmont, we stand with them and the Ukrainians as they fight off the aggression by someone that’s trying to destroy democracy.”

“We can say that the leaders of Belmont stands with the Ukrainians against the Russian aggression,” said Select Board Chair Adam Dash who noted that more than 100 years ago the paternal side of his family fled Russian pograms to America from Odessa, Ukraine.

”I agree that [the Russian invasion] is completely out of hand and we maybe are on the verge of World War III. It is completely outrageous and I hope this gets resolved,” said Dash.

In addition, Vice Chair Roy Epstein saluted “the bravery of the individual Russians who have stood up against the Russian government and are paying a frightful consequence” including physical assaults and long prison sentences.

“I don’t know what more we can do as a town of Belmont other than stand strong with our Ukrainian colleagues,” said Paolillo.

Anti-Mask Mandate Protest At School Dept Monday – Will Students Show Up To Schools UnCovered?

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Photo: the Change.org petition on ending the Belmont schools mask mandate

At the final Belmont School Committee meeting before the February vacation break, Brian Brady directed a provocative hypothetical to School Superintendent John Phelan and the committee.

”I’m curious … what would occur if students came to school on February 28 without masks?” asked the father of three, then pointing to a decision by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Feb. 9 to end mask mandates in schools on the last day of the month.

Brady continued tossing “what-if” scenarios at Phelan including what the town’s “remedies” would be for those “children who simply chose to go to school without … a mask on.”

A few minutes later, Patrick Whittemore would echo Brady’s interest in the causality of not wearing masks.

”I want to kind of double down on Brian’s question,” said Whittemore, who has been a regular participant at committee meetings advocating against the wearing of masks. “If kids show up on February 28 without masks on, what actions, if any, will the school department take?”

[Phelan would not provide details of a schools response to the two, seemingly prepared for the question by recognizing “that this has been a hard two years and … [going to school with a mask] is a common goal that everyone has in doing so in a safe way” and the community should continue to show “some patience” until that can be done.]

While similar queries from a pair of parents could be serendipity, the questions of the likely reaction by school principals on coverless students could also announce a specific challenge to the district’s mask directive by a determined group in town. While on-line parent boards and Facebook pages have been quiet on taking direct action protests on school property, the question remains whether some believe a demonstration would be a viable act to commit.

While not contacted to questions directed to Whittemore, Brady contacted the Belmontonian to clarify his public statement.

“Absolutely not,” Brady said on facilitating a mask protest. “The notion that I am part of protest movement that encourages anyone, especially school children, to break to law, is deeply offensive. It’s also pretty dumb.”

“I would only endorse removal of masks for children in schools after it is approved by the [Board of Health] and [School Committee],” he said.

“I called school committee last night because I wanted to,” said Brady. “My questions were actually pretty simple.”

While eastern Massachusetts has been spared the aggressive confrontations seen in other parts of the country, protests are occurring. On Feb. 18, a Boston Globe article (Boston Public Library children’s rooms targeted by group opposing mask requirements, staff say)focused on maskless families encamping in Children’s Room at branches of the Boston Public Library, refusing to comply with the city’s indoor mask mandate. The scofflaws confronted librarians while making videos of the confrontation with staff and eventually police.

Since the beginning of the year, a growing number of Belmont parents have been questioning the need of mask and other protections to the Covid-19 virus. The call for the end of requirements are varied and long standing: masks are ineffective, they are the cause of mental health issues, they escalate learning loss especially among early learners and others.

Those parents have seen their positions bolstered by actions by state and local governments and by the federal health. On Friday, Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance in which healthy people can go maskless if they live in a county with low rates of infection and their hospitals are not overwhelmed with Covid patients. And Middlesex county rates a low risk in those measures.

While anti-mask parents are pointing to the changing mask landscape, Belmont – which under state law has final say on health policy – isn’t eager to deviate from the course it has set for more than two years. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, 2020, the town and schools have given the Board of Health and the Heath Department ultimate leeway in dictating the direction the town would keep its residents safe and healthy, including mandating masks for indoor spaces and schools.

While residents have debated and argued with officials on aspects of health issues – two candidates were elected to the school committee in April 2021 to advocate, in part, for in-school instruction – the Health Board’s policies have been followed with little real opposition.

While a possible Monday protest by students and parents at schools is, at best, speculative, one set of parents has announced its intention to face up to school officials and call for the end of masking in Belmont.

Led by Antonio Molle, the ad hoc body dubbed Belmont MA Against Mandates will be knocking on the door of the School Administration Building on Pleasant Street at 3 p.m., Monday, Feb. 28 to deliver a physical copy of a Change.org petition – currently signed by 264 residents – which “demands” the immediately lifting of “the mask mandate for ALL Belmont Public School students, staff, visitors.”

“The group of Belmont residents is handing in the petition in light of the School Committee’s recent delay in the unmasking of Belmont public school students,” stated Molle, who has recently been a frequent participant at Zoom meetings advocating anti-mask positions, including calling for the Select Board not to impose a Covid passport in Belmont, which the board found to be a bit of a head scratcher as no board member or residents has ever advocated for it in the Town of Homes.

And as the group arrives at the school administration’s door, town and school officials are preparing to discuss and likely vote on continuing the indoor mask requirement. In early February, the Board of Health discussed creating a new data rubric for ending the mandate relying on CDC guidelines.

“Mandates are not going on forever,” said Health Board Chair Donna David at the February meeting. The board voted to meet on March 7 to take a likely vote on a recommendation whether to end the requirement or continue the mandate. And the next day, Tuesday, March 8, the School Committee will discuss the guidance and possible vote on the measure, said Amy Checkoway, chair of the school committee.

Belmont Boy’s Hockey Preps For Tourney Taking Down Top 5 Catholic Memorial; Natick High Next Up For Marauders

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Photo: Belmont High senior Matt Rowen (right) scores his second goal within two minutes in the second period giving the Marauders a lead they would not loss in beating Catholic Memorial, 4-1.

After the final whistle sounded in Belmont High Boys’ Ice Hockey statement-making 4-1 victory against Bay State powerhouse Catholic Memorial last Friday at the Skip, the players and coaches didn’t want to leave the ice. They hung around chest bumping, hugging, attempting a “snow” angel but mostly just skated around taking in the victory on what would likely be the final time playing on home ice.

In front of a packed Skip Viglorolo Skating Rink (the last time it was this full was almost two years to the night when Belmont beat up Braintree on its way to the 2020 co-state Div. 1 championship) Belmont buried two early chances then relied on its defensive system and strong goaltending by senior Ryan Griffin to defeat the second-ranked and Catholic League champions in what the Marauders’ hope is a harbinger of things to come in the state tournament.

The MIAA released the tournament schedule on Feb. 26 and 7th-ranked Belmont will take on the 26th-seed Natick High in the round of 32 sometime and somewhere still to be determined. [Editor’s note: An earlier edition stated information from the original MIAA Div. 1 tournament seeding with Belmont vs. Bishop Fenwick.]

“We just brought it tonight. From the beginning to the end, from buzzer to buzzer the players were hyped up by who we were playing and it showed,” said Tim Foley, who has led the Marauders to a 17-1-3 season in his first campaign as head coach.

“It was a great night for the town of Belmont and Belmont High School hockey,” he said.

Up against a big team which has used its size and speed on the wings to dominate opponents, Belmont relayed on its designed defense tactics that put a lock on CM’s ability to string passes in the Belmont zone while forcing most of the action along the boards. “We always talk to the defense: play poised, don’t panic. ‘You know how to play the position; stay between the opponent, keep your stick in the right place and you’ll be hard to beat’,” said Foley.

Midway through the contest, a CM coach implored his charges that “we have to win the puck battles. We are not winning the one-on-ones.” When told of CM’s concern on being unable to get the better of Belmont’s defenders, Foley pointed to the Marauders’ mindset.

“We have a good, quick fast team that plays with a high tempo and we just kept coming with pressure, kept clogging up the middle and kept frustrating them. The more we frustrated them, the more chances we got,” said Foley. “The players have worked hard all year with the stick work, keeping sticks in lanes and keeping the pucks on the outside. And that has been a big part of our success.”

During a fairly even opening stanza, a pair of tripping penalties by CM 30 seconds apart gave the hosts a two-man advantage and that’s all Belmont needed. Co-captain senior Matty Rowen grabbed a partially blocked shot from defender Peter Grace and with a snap shot stirred it by CM goalie Dom Walecka for a 1-0 lead at the 11:46 mark. Rowen doubled Belmont’s lead half a minute later, having lost the weak-side defender and scored off a pitch perfect pass from junior Cam Fici resulting in an open net tip in.

And the momentum continued despite a man down early in the second. Thirty seconds into the second period while on the penalty kill, a deft clearing pass found Fici speeding down the left wing on a two-on-two. With co-captain Shay Donahue occupying one defender and the other retreating into the slot, Fici waited for the slightest move by Walecka and fired a slap-shot past the helpless CM goalie.

While CM pressed on, the remainder of the nearly two periods would be a repetition of the visitors entering the Belmont zone and the Marauders taking procession and dumping it back to center ice. CM’s Ty Magliozzi put the Knights on the board with 10 minutes remaining in the third on the power play but they couldn’t come up with anything more imaginative to break Belmont’s D. A Fici open net finished off the Knights with two to play.

“That’s a very good team,” Foley said of CM. “I give credit to them and I wouldn’t want to play them in a four out of seven. But we got them tonight.”

Snow Emergency Starts Thursday Night; Town Buildings Closed Friday; Friday Trash Pickup Delayed

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Photo: If it’s on the street Friday, you might see it going away

With a foot of snow ready to be dumped on the heads of residents, the town of Belmont has declared a snow emergency effective Thursday, Feb. 24 at 11:45 p.m. until the town says otherwise.

A parking ban will also be in effect for all roadways and municipal and school parking lots. If the town finds your vehicle in said areas, it will be towed at your expense.

Due to the expected inclement weather and unsafe road conditions, Belmont town offices and the Belmont Public Library will be closed on Friday, Feb. 25.

And due to the Presidents Day holiday, if your usual trash and recycling pick-up day of Thursday was pushed back a day, the snowstorm will give you the distinction of having your stuff removed on Saturday. The Department of Public Works is asking residents to keep barrels off the streets and sidewalk on Friday until the snow is removed. And be sure the trash and recycling is ready to go at 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26.

Final Topping Off Ceremony For Middle And High School On March 4

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Photo: The previous topping ceremony took place in May 2020.

The Belmont Middle and High School Building Committee (BMHSBC) and general contractor Skanska USA is inviting the community to the in-person “topping off” ceremony for the Middle School segment of the Belmont Middle and High School on Friday, March 4 at 11 a.m.

The celebration is the final topping off of the $295 million project, a milestone that speaks to the completion of the entire building erection, said the head of the town’s oversight group.

“Looking back over the nearly six years of planning and execution, it is an incredible feeling to be realizing the start of the end of this construction project”, said Bill Lovallo, BMHSBC chair, in an e-mail released Feb. 23.

Speakers will include Belmont High School Principal Isaac Taylor, School Committee Chair Amy Checkoway, Massachusetts School Building Authority Chief Operating Officer James MacDonald, and representatives from Skanska. Special musical guest is the Belmont High School Marching Band. Chenery Middle School Principal Karla Koza will arrive with student council members from grades 5 and 6, representing the students who will be in the new grade 7 and 8 wing when completed in September 2023.

Students and the public can sign the beam in the morning before the ceremony from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The first topping off celebration for the grade 9-12 wing was held virtually on May 15, 2020 due to COVID.