In October 1999, my legislative office, with the assistance of volunteer MATV producers and the MATV staff, began a monthly show called the Beacon Hill Perspective. The objective of the show is to use the public access forum as a means to better inform my constituents about a variety of issues and topics that may impact the quality of their lives.

By using the assets at MATV, I am able to keep my constituents informed about legislative initiatives, advise them about the progress of my legislative agenda, interact with them, and allow them to have constructive input before any legislative resolves are accomplished.

The comments that I've received from my constituents regarding the Beacon Hill Perspective have been so significant and positive that I remain committed to this monthly program. I will continue to host guests of the same caliber and importance as my past guests.

I also intend to have some of the former invitees come back on the show to discuss what progress, if any, they have made toward resolving some of the issues and problems that we had previously discussed.

As we did with Dr. Susan Gershman, director of the Massachusetts Cancer Registry, if a highly controversial or volatile topic develops in the media, we will arrange to run a special edition of the Beacon Hill Perspective so that my guests and I can have a timely, constructive, detailed conversation about that subject matter.