Lokvani was pleased to accept an invitation to a lunch meeting with Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey at the Statehouse on Friday, January 29, 2005.

This was the second 2nd International Publications lunch attended by lokvani at the State House; the event was attended by about 20 ethnic publications from the area.

Lokvani was the only Indian-American publication at the meeting - which included Chinese-American, Portuguese, Irish-American, Armenian, Finnish and Jewish publications. Many publications present were over 100 years old. Lokvani, though less than five years old, laid claim to being among the ones with most subscribers.

Both Governors said that they were pleased with the discussions that developed last summer and expressed interest in continuing an open dialog with various members of the Ethnic Media in MA.

Governor Romney before announcing his 2006 Budget wanted to hear the thoughts and concerns that face the immigrant communities. This meeting was casual, with the governor and lieutenant Governor answering questions and concerns raised by the journalists.

Romney identified five priorities for the coming year: reining in health care costs; boosting education funding, producing more affordable housing; reducing the red tape involved in business permitting in Massachusetts; and restraining growth in public employee contracts.

Following up on his pledge to fund English classes for thousands of newly arrived immigrants; Governor Mitt Romney highlighted a section of his fiscal year 2006 budget that increases funding for adult basic education by nearly 30 percent.

“For generations of immigrants, learning English has been the key to unlocking the American Dream,” said Romney.  “My proposal will give thousands more the opportunity to achieve success for themselves and their families.”

There are currently 25,000 individuals awaiting instruction in English as a Second Language, adult literacy and adult secondary education in Massachusetts.  Waiting lists for admission into these classes range from four months to two years in large urban areas, said Mr. Romney.  Adult basic education programs currently enroll 21,000 people per year.

The Chinese media present expressed concerns about the recent Terrorist threat in the Boston area that identified a few Chinese nationals as terrorists. The Governor said that as each terror threat is treated with utmost scrutiny when news of it breaks, it is indeed difficult to determine, at first glance, if the charges are true.

To lokvani’s query about what the Governor’s office had done for the Tsunami victims,

Mr. Romney said that he had urged the residents of MA to open their hearts and donate to the cause. He said that he and his wife had donated to the charity, ‘Save the Children’ and Ms. Healey said that she’d donated and helped the charity’ Oxfam’.

Romney’s budget proposal proposed increasing funding for adult basic education programs by $8 million for a total of $36 million, a nearly 30 percent increase.  This increase will enable statewide adult basic education programs to accommodate approximately 4,000 more students each year.

Romney reiterated on his commitment to job training and education programs for those on welfare, indicating that his budget will include an extra $8 million for training and employment services, $6.4 million for child care and $1.9 million for case workers helping those on welfare make the transition to work.

Romney's budget also includes a provision to help welfare recipients keep more of their benefits when they start work.

When asked about the Gilette/ P and G merger, the Governor said that even though it was bad news for the state, there was little he could about big corporations merging.

The hundreds of millions saved can be spent on other programs, Romney said, from expanding the state police lab to programs for the homeless and children in state care.

Romney also credited an improving state economy for easing the state's budget crunch.

"Our unemployment rate is low, jobs are being created, and the Massachusetts economy is strong. As a result, tax collections are improving and allow state government to invest in vital programs and services," he said.

Spending on education would increase by nearly $100 million under Romney's plan, with a focus on under performing school districts.

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