Rep. Sciortino to Hold Office Hours

The following announcement is from State Representative Carl Sciortino (D-Medford, Somerville):

Continuing a tradition that began when he was first elected, Representative Sciortino will be holding regular monthly coffee hours starting on Saturday February 20th in Medford and Somerville. Residents are encouraged to stop in at the coffee hours to share concerns, questions and opinions on state and local issues or simply to chat over a cup of coffee.

“I have held many district coffee hours since I first took office, and love the opportunity to hear from neighbors about their concerns. We have been tackling some tough issues at the State House this year and there will be many more before the session is over,” said Sciortino.

It is especially important for constituents to speak with their representative at this time of year. Governor Patrick released his FY 2011 budget last month and the House of Representatives must release their own version at the end of April. Legislators rely on input from the community to develop budget priorities and gauge the needs of the district. Sciortino said community feedback is key to that process, saying “I have received over a thousand emails, phone calls, and visits in the last year, and sometimes the best way to learn about our community concerns is just to sit with a cup of coffee and listen.”

In addition to the scheduled coffee hours, Rep. Sciortino is also available to residents if they would like to schedule an appointment for other days or times. “As always, anyone can call my State House office to discuss an issue or set up a meeting in the district.” Sciortino said he often meets with residents in his State House office or at locations throughout Medford and Somerville.

The coffee hours will be held monthly at alternating locations. The first one will be Saturday, Feb. 20th, from 3 to 4pm at the Danish Pastry House, 330 Boston Ave in Medford, followed by March 20th at the Teele Square Café, 1153 Broadway in Somerville, also from 3 to 4pm. The schedule rotates between the two locations, as follows: Medford on Feb. 20th, April 24th, and June 19th; Somerville on March 20th, May 22nd, and July 24th. The coffee hours will always be held at these same locations and time.

For more information, contact Rep. Sciortino’s aide, Kathleen Keating at (617) 722-2400 or Kathleen.keating@state.ma.us.