It was revealed today by the Boston Herald that Governor Patrick is mulling a 27 cent per gallon gasoline tax increase, an idea that candidate Deval Patrick back in 2006 adamantly opposed. Candidate Patrick also promised property tax relief. In fact, his whole campaign platform was geared toward that very concept, that residents of Massachusetts under his administration would see tax relief.
Does Governor Patrick really believe, with gas prices on the rise as we noted earlier, that raising the gas tax is actually a good idea? Or, is he succumbing to political pressure? Several well-known economists believe we will eventually pay $4.00 a gallon once again in the future. It seems the Governor is using the current prices as an excuse to once again stick it to Massachusetts taxpayers.
We have said it before and will continue to say it. We cannot reach into the taxpayers pocket or purse again until we explore every other option. We need real reform, not a quick fix, but a long term solution to the challenges the Commonwealth faces.
Monday, February 9, 2009
GOP Representatives Talk Policy with Experts
Several members of the GOP Caucus and their staff attended Capital Campus Massachusetts today, a seminar that brought policy experts to Boston to talk about the issues facing the state in the upcoming year. The seminar was broken up into four sessions, focusing on the following issues: The Economics of Health Care Reform in Massachusetts, Improving Outcomes in Education, Eminent Domain and Budget Woes. As Legislators, we are constantly looking for ways to improve the lives of residents here in Massachusetts. Through educational forums such as this one, we are able to hear what other states are doing to tackle similar challenges.
Representatives who attended today’s forum can be seen in the above picture and include: Jay Barrows, Vinny deMacedo, Paul Frost, Susan Gifford, Robert Hargraves, Brad Jones, George Peterson, Elizabeth Poirier and Richard Ross. Also seen in the picture are David Tuerck of the Beacon Hill Institute and James Musser, Director of State Outreach for the Mercatus Center.
The event was sponsored by the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
Gas Prices on the Rise, Talk of Gas Tax Hike Ramping Up
Gas prices are on the move again here in the Commonwealth, and the direction is up.
According to the latest AAA Southern New England survey, the average price of gasoline rose again this past week, for the fifth consecutive week. A gallon of regular will now set you back about $1.90 in Massachusetts.
And while the Commonwealth stands just below the national average, that is no excuse to justify the increase of the gas tax. Instead of the state reaching into the pockets of taxpayers yet again, how about instituting some real reform first.
Why is it, raise the gas tax or hike the tolls? The Democrats try to paint it as an either/or situation but we in the GOP Caucus believe there are other solutions. We should instead take a hard deep look at what we’re spending taxpayer money on and find the areas where we can cut and become more efficient. Taxpayers can’t afford to give up another penny of their hard earned cash as they are already struggling to heat their homes and put food on the table.
According to the latest AAA Southern New England survey, the average price of gasoline rose again this past week, for the fifth consecutive week. A gallon of regular will now set you back about $1.90 in Massachusetts.
And while the Commonwealth stands just below the national average, that is no excuse to justify the increase of the gas tax. Instead of the state reaching into the pockets of taxpayers yet again, how about instituting some real reform first.
Why is it, raise the gas tax or hike the tolls? The Democrats try to paint it as an either/or situation but we in the GOP Caucus believe there are other solutions. We should instead take a hard deep look at what we’re spending taxpayer money on and find the areas where we can cut and become more efficient. Taxpayers can’t afford to give up another penny of their hard earned cash as they are already struggling to heat their homes and put food on the table.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Hargraves' View From the Hill
It's been an interesting few weeks on Beacon Hill. There's also been quite a bit of drama in my district as well, so it's difficult to know where to start.
The public hearings looking into Unitil's response -- or lack of response -- following the ice storm that devastated the area in December have been packed with dissatisfied customers, and I was happy to see that. Petitions have been filed with the governor's office and I have signed onto legislation that will give ratepayers more leverage when it comes to determining, or in some cases firing, their utility providers. I am certain that electricity will be restored to the 700,000 citizens who lost power in Kentucky last week more rapidly than was the case with too many of my own constituents who went without power for three weeks and more!
I, myself, find this inexcusable, and a lot of my time has been devoted to working to make sure this doesn't happen in my constituency again. By the way, I have met with representatives from FEMA, and they have assured me that they will be coming through the towns in my district that were most severely impacted by the storm.
On the state level, the projected revenue shortfalls keep getting more and more dire. I am sorry to report that rather than roll up their sleeves and take on the onerous responsibility of cutting into their local aid packages for '09, my Democratic colleagues in the Legislature voted to pass the knife to the governor, who now has the responsibility of carving $1.2 billion from the budget. I feel like this was a mistake, an abdication of the responsibility our voters placed squarely on our shoulders when they went to the polls in November and cast their ballots -- and I'm not afraid to say so.
At the state level, there is nothing simple about "the budget." Two documents, weighing a total of 4 pounds, 5.3 ounces, landed on my desk last Wednesday, and before the "thump" had finished echoing off the walls, the pundits in the press were talking about it as if they had fully digested the meat and bones of the beast. From what I've read and heard, I don't think they have it quite right, so don't believe everything you read or hear. Incidentally, we are addressing two budgets at once. The so-called 9C cuts are being trimmed from the '09 budget while concurrently we are working to put together the spending package for 2010.
The full picture is further clouded by the president's much-awaited stimulus package, the precise details of which are as-of-yet unknown. My colleagues and I will be taking our time to analyze and understand the implications of the governor's 2010 budget as well as the 9C spending cuts to retrofit the 2009 budget to try to reconcile it with the current reality of the economy. This is going to be a work in progress for a while, so I expect to be writing more about this in the upcoming weeks.
By the way, the full report: "Preliminary Analysis: The Governor's FY 2010 Budget & New FY 2009 9C Cuts," can be found at www.massbudget.org.
The "cherry sheets" have been delivered to Ayer, Dunstable, Groton, Pepperell and Townsend. Suffice it to say that it was painful to see the bottom lines. I feel like I'm just a member of the choir when I tell you that the challenges we face are unprecedented in my lifetime. However, I am optimistic that it's all going to work out. It's inspiring to see how everyone -- from individuals, to organizations, to institutions, to government officials -- are scrambling to come up with creative, workable solutions. When we dig ourselves out of the mess we're in, I have a feeling the world is going to be a better place for our efforts.
There is also a proposal before us to increase the tax on gasoline. I believe such a tax at a time like this is ill-advised. It would be like taking food out of a baby's mouth, and I plan to be speaking against it from the floor in the coming weeks.
On Beacon Hill, Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi tendered his formal resignation on Tuesday, and Rep. Robert DeLeo was elected as the new Speaker of the House on Wednesday.
I think it's incredible that the system is able to take these momentous events in stride. Yes, there was a lot of ink spilled, a lot of air time filled, a lot of speculation and drama involved. But there was no bloodshed. And at the end of the day on Wednesday, a conservative Democrat found himself at the helm with a gavel in hand, waiting to leave his imprint in the sand.
The new speaker is a staunch supporter of special education, physical education and has supported legislation that would allow casinos and slot machines as well. The Speaker of the House wields a lot of power and influence, and I expect that he will use his influence to take the House in a new direction. So stay tuned!
There are changes in my office as well. For the past 18 months or so, Jeff Wilson has served as my aide. At Christmas time, he told me he had a job offer and was going to be leaving for greener pastures. I was sad to see Jeff go. He has served me ably and well. But I was happy to hear that he had such a great opportunity, and encouraged him to take advantage of it.
I'm now happy to report that I have a new aide, Jane Morriss. Jane moved to Groton in 1991 and I first met her back when I was the chairman of the Board of Selectmen in Groton and she was covering town events for the Groton Herald. She also covered Groton for Nashoba Publications and worked as a writer at Groton School during its capital campaign in the 1990s. After that she went into real estate and most recently she was working over in Chelmsford as a concierge. She is taking to the position like a duck takes to water, and I'm confident that within a short period of time she will become a familiar presence in my district.
The public hearings looking into Unitil's response -- or lack of response -- following the ice storm that devastated the area in December have been packed with dissatisfied customers, and I was happy to see that. Petitions have been filed with the governor's office and I have signed onto legislation that will give ratepayers more leverage when it comes to determining, or in some cases firing, their utility providers. I am certain that electricity will be restored to the 700,000 citizens who lost power in Kentucky last week more rapidly than was the case with too many of my own constituents who went without power for three weeks and more!
I, myself, find this inexcusable, and a lot of my time has been devoted to working to make sure this doesn't happen in my constituency again. By the way, I have met with representatives from FEMA, and they have assured me that they will be coming through the towns in my district that were most severely impacted by the storm.
On the state level, the projected revenue shortfalls keep getting more and more dire. I am sorry to report that rather than roll up their sleeves and take on the onerous responsibility of cutting into their local aid packages for '09, my Democratic colleagues in the Legislature voted to pass the knife to the governor, who now has the responsibility of carving $1.2 billion from the budget. I feel like this was a mistake, an abdication of the responsibility our voters placed squarely on our shoulders when they went to the polls in November and cast their ballots -- and I'm not afraid to say so.
At the state level, there is nothing simple about "the budget." Two documents, weighing a total of 4 pounds, 5.3 ounces, landed on my desk last Wednesday, and before the "thump" had finished echoing off the walls, the pundits in the press were talking about it as if they had fully digested the meat and bones of the beast. From what I've read and heard, I don't think they have it quite right, so don't believe everything you read or hear. Incidentally, we are addressing two budgets at once. The so-called 9C cuts are being trimmed from the '09 budget while concurrently we are working to put together the spending package for 2010.
The full picture is further clouded by the president's much-awaited stimulus package, the precise details of which are as-of-yet unknown. My colleagues and I will be taking our time to analyze and understand the implications of the governor's 2010 budget as well as the 9C spending cuts to retrofit the 2009 budget to try to reconcile it with the current reality of the economy. This is going to be a work in progress for a while, so I expect to be writing more about this in the upcoming weeks.
By the way, the full report: "Preliminary Analysis: The Governor's FY 2010 Budget & New FY 2009 9C Cuts," can be found at www.massbudget.org.
The "cherry sheets" have been delivered to Ayer, Dunstable, Groton, Pepperell and Townsend. Suffice it to say that it was painful to see the bottom lines. I feel like I'm just a member of the choir when I tell you that the challenges we face are unprecedented in my lifetime. However, I am optimistic that it's all going to work out. It's inspiring to see how everyone -- from individuals, to organizations, to institutions, to government officials -- are scrambling to come up with creative, workable solutions. When we dig ourselves out of the mess we're in, I have a feeling the world is going to be a better place for our efforts.
There is also a proposal before us to increase the tax on gasoline. I believe such a tax at a time like this is ill-advised. It would be like taking food out of a baby's mouth, and I plan to be speaking against it from the floor in the coming weeks.
On Beacon Hill, Speaker of the House Salvatore DiMasi tendered his formal resignation on Tuesday, and Rep. Robert DeLeo was elected as the new Speaker of the House on Wednesday.
I think it's incredible that the system is able to take these momentous events in stride. Yes, there was a lot of ink spilled, a lot of air time filled, a lot of speculation and drama involved. But there was no bloodshed. And at the end of the day on Wednesday, a conservative Democrat found himself at the helm with a gavel in hand, waiting to leave his imprint in the sand.
The new speaker is a staunch supporter of special education, physical education and has supported legislation that would allow casinos and slot machines as well. The Speaker of the House wields a lot of power and influence, and I expect that he will use his influence to take the House in a new direction. So stay tuned!
There are changes in my office as well. For the past 18 months or so, Jeff Wilson has served as my aide. At Christmas time, he told me he had a job offer and was going to be leaving for greener pastures. I was sad to see Jeff go. He has served me ably and well. But I was happy to hear that he had such a great opportunity, and encouraged him to take advantage of it.
I'm now happy to report that I have a new aide, Jane Morriss. Jane moved to Groton in 1991 and I first met her back when I was the chairman of the Board of Selectmen in Groton and she was covering town events for the Groton Herald. She also covered Groton for Nashoba Publications and worked as a writer at Groton School during its capital campaign in the 1990s. After that she went into real estate and most recently she was working over in Chelmsford as a concierge. She is taking to the position like a duck takes to water, and I'm confident that within a short period of time she will become a familiar presence in my district.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Jones Concludes Three Part Interview
House Minority Leader Brad Jones recently concluded an interview with Red Mass Group. The interview was broken up into three parts. Jones answered a series of questions based on three topics: State House politics, State House policy and Republican activism.
Click here to read what Representative Jones had to say.
Click here to read what Representative Jones had to say.
Jones to Appear on AM 1110 Today
House Minority Leader Brad Jones will be appearing on AM 1110 today just after noon. Jones will spend at least 30 minutes on air with Nancy Greenwood. Be sure to tune in as Jones discusses this year's legislative agenda along with other hot topics of the day.Click here to listen.
Evangelidis Blasts Expanded Bottle Bill
Representative Lewis Evangelidis recently submitted the following Letter to the Editor to local papers in his district.
Dear Editor:
The folks in Central Massachusetts should watch our wallets, the Boston political crowd is coming after us again.
To pay for the spiraling cost of the Big Dig, something which most of us never use (and many of us have never seen), we are heading for a huge hike in the gas tax for everyone in Massachusetts. The prevailing attitude in Boston is to make everyone pay for their political boondoggles.
Another attempt to pick your pocket was on display was in Governor Patrick’s budget proposal this week. The Governor is proposing a dramatic expansion of the bottle bill yet he is not even pretending that it is being done to benefit the environment. He has simply estimated that this will raise an additional $20 million in unclaimed deposit refunds. Conveniently it is the Commonwealth who gets to keep those unclaimed funds. The real insult is where this estimated $20 million is going. $10 million is being earmarked directly for the people in the Boston area to have their water and sewer bills reduced.
I’m not even going to talk about the Governor’s proposals to increase the meals tax, room occupancy tax, alcohol taxes, and candy tax before we have addressed the issue of long overdue reforms to our pension and transportation systems on Beacon Hill.
So when you’re filling up your tank or tossing you returnables into the recycling bin I hope you think about how much the people in Boston appreciate your generosity. Just don’t expect any thank you notes.
Lew Evangelidis
State Representative
1st District of Worcester
Dear Editor:
The folks in Central Massachusetts should watch our wallets, the Boston political crowd is coming after us again.
To pay for the spiraling cost of the Big Dig, something which most of us never use (and many of us have never seen), we are heading for a huge hike in the gas tax for everyone in Massachusetts. The prevailing attitude in Boston is to make everyone pay for their political boondoggles.
Another attempt to pick your pocket was on display was in Governor Patrick’s budget proposal this week. The Governor is proposing a dramatic expansion of the bottle bill yet he is not even pretending that it is being done to benefit the environment. He has simply estimated that this will raise an additional $20 million in unclaimed deposit refunds. Conveniently it is the Commonwealth who gets to keep those unclaimed funds. The real insult is where this estimated $20 million is going. $10 million is being earmarked directly for the people in the Boston area to have their water and sewer bills reduced.
I’m not even going to talk about the Governor’s proposals to increase the meals tax, room occupancy tax, alcohol taxes, and candy tax before we have addressed the issue of long overdue reforms to our pension and transportation systems on Beacon Hill.
So when you’re filling up your tank or tossing you returnables into the recycling bin I hope you think about how much the people in Boston appreciate your generosity. Just don’t expect any thank you notes.
Lew Evangelidis
State Representative
1st District of Worcester
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Is He Staying or Going?
We all know President Barack Obama and Governor Deval Patrick are longtime friends, but what we don’t know is whether or not the Governor is going to eventually take a position within the president’s administration. There are new rumors swirling around the State House today that Governor Patrick is on the short list to replace Tom Daschle as the health and human services secretary. Of course, while that rumor is going around, the Governor is in California trying to persuade businesses to come to the Bay State.
So, what’s the deal is he staying or is he going? Because, if he is staying we need him here focusing on the real task at hand, which is getting Massachusetts’ economy moving again.
Now, more than ever, Massachusetts deserves a Governor that is focused on Massachusetts.
So, what’s the deal is he staying or is he going? Because, if he is staying we need him here focusing on the real task at hand, which is getting Massachusetts’ economy moving again.
Now, more than ever, Massachusetts deserves a Governor that is focused on Massachusetts.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Business Taxes Go Up, Business Confidence Goes Down
According to an article in State House News, “the confidence index of the state’s largest business trade group ticked up slightly in January from its all time low, but continues to reflect the severe recession.”
Ticked up slightly isn’t exactly reassuring to the thousands of Massachusetts residents getting in the unemployment lines daily and for the small business being forced to lay off workers regularly.
We need to see real reform and we need to see it sooner rather than later. No longer can we be the state known as unfriendly to business. We need to encourage, through various incentives, businesses to come to the Commonwealth. And while the Governor is out in California trying to get businesses to flock east, he is simultaneously discouraging them from coming here through policies he put in place.
Below is a chart showing where the Bay State falls as far as business confidence, and you can see by the drastic downturn, that 2008 was not a good year and 2009 is expected to follow in its footsteps.
Ticked up slightly isn’t exactly reassuring to the thousands of Massachusetts residents getting in the unemployment lines daily and for the small business being forced to lay off workers regularly.
We need to see real reform and we need to see it sooner rather than later. No longer can we be the state known as unfriendly to business. We need to encourage, through various incentives, businesses to come to the Commonwealth. And while the Governor is out in California trying to get businesses to flock east, he is simultaneously discouraging them from coming here through policies he put in place.
Below is a chart showing where the Bay State falls as far as business confidence, and you can see by the drastic downturn, that 2008 was not a good year and 2009 is expected to follow in its footsteps.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Perry: Property Rights in Danger
The new legislative session has begun on Beacon Hill. It is expected that some 6,000 proposals will be filed this session, many of which are designed to expand the role of government. Regular readers of this column know that I am deeply concerned with the ever expanding size and scope of government. While most of the expansion of government’s power comes from legislative and executive branches, with increasing frequency, we need to be concerned about the judicial branch of government as well.
In what can only be described as one of the most significant reductions to property rights in America, in the case Kelo vs. New London, the United States Supreme Court ruled for the first time that taking private property by right of eminent domain for the purpose of economic development satisfies the "public use" requirement of the Fifth Amendment to the Federal Constitution. As a refresher for those who have not read the Bill of Rights recently, the 5th Amendment Takings Clause states, “…nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Respect for private property rights is a founding principle of our nation and serves an important role in our modern political economy.
It is my strong belief that the policy set forth in the Court's majority opinion goes against the intent of our Founding Fathers and our Constitutional history. Up until this decision, private property rights have been held to the highest esteem and we as a society have made sure eminent domain takings are limited to situations where there is clear necessity to seize property in the name of the public good, such as new public hospitals, schools and transportation improvements. This decision is a direct assault on the rights of all Americans and a significant step against freedom to own property.
As pointed out in the dissenting opinion, the Court abandoned the long-held, basic limitation on government power. Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to being taken and transferred to another private owner, so long as it might be economically upgraded. This decision and general mindset of the liberals of the Supreme Court should greatly disturb every American.
In an effort to protect our citizens from abusive governmental takings and to make sure the Supreme Court's ruling does not adversely impact our laws here in Massachusetts, it is necessary to expand the existing protections offered by our laws at the state level.
We must lead the charge to ensure the citizens of Massachusetts are not subject to an overactive Court with a liberal agenda, which increasingly seems to have a desire to be in the legislative business. All courts owe the principal of separation of powers deference to a legislature’s judgment concerning the public policy of whether the government owns, or the public has a legal right to use, the taken property.
In this next session, Republicans will support proactive changes to the statutory components and amend Chapters 121A, 121B, and 121C of the Massachusetts General Laws. This would clearly state that the taking of property for the sole purpose of economic development, except under a few very limited circumstances, shall not be permitted in the Commonwealth. For maximum protection for property owners and tax payers, a Constitutional Amendment to the first paragraph of Article X to the Massachusetts Constitution is needed. I have cosponsored language for such an amendment, which would mirror the statutory changes and make permanently enshrined in our State Constitution the protections Americans already thought were provided by the Bill of Rights. Each and every elected official in office on the state or federal level should be talking about our efforts to protect private property rights. This is not solely a Republican or a conservative issue. This decision strikes at the core of American founding freedoms as we know them. The potential abuses of ever growing governmental power must be trimmed back as they continue to step over into our freedoms.
In what can only be described as one of the most significant reductions to property rights in America, in the case Kelo vs. New London, the United States Supreme Court ruled for the first time that taking private property by right of eminent domain for the purpose of economic development satisfies the "public use" requirement of the Fifth Amendment to the Federal Constitution. As a refresher for those who have not read the Bill of Rights recently, the 5th Amendment Takings Clause states, “…nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Respect for private property rights is a founding principle of our nation and serves an important role in our modern political economy.
It is my strong belief that the policy set forth in the Court's majority opinion goes against the intent of our Founding Fathers and our Constitutional history. Up until this decision, private property rights have been held to the highest esteem and we as a society have made sure eminent domain takings are limited to situations where there is clear necessity to seize property in the name of the public good, such as new public hospitals, schools and transportation improvements. This decision is a direct assault on the rights of all Americans and a significant step against freedom to own property.
As pointed out in the dissenting opinion, the Court abandoned the long-held, basic limitation on government power. Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to being taken and transferred to another private owner, so long as it might be economically upgraded. This decision and general mindset of the liberals of the Supreme Court should greatly disturb every American.
In an effort to protect our citizens from abusive governmental takings and to make sure the Supreme Court's ruling does not adversely impact our laws here in Massachusetts, it is necessary to expand the existing protections offered by our laws at the state level.
We must lead the charge to ensure the citizens of Massachusetts are not subject to an overactive Court with a liberal agenda, which increasingly seems to have a desire to be in the legislative business. All courts owe the principal of separation of powers deference to a legislature’s judgment concerning the public policy of whether the government owns, or the public has a legal right to use, the taken property.
In this next session, Republicans will support proactive changes to the statutory components and amend Chapters 121A, 121B, and 121C of the Massachusetts General Laws. This would clearly state that the taking of property for the sole purpose of economic development, except under a few very limited circumstances, shall not be permitted in the Commonwealth. For maximum protection for property owners and tax payers, a Constitutional Amendment to the first paragraph of Article X to the Massachusetts Constitution is needed. I have cosponsored language for such an amendment, which would mirror the statutory changes and make permanently enshrined in our State Constitution the protections Americans already thought were provided by the Bill of Rights. Each and every elected official in office on the state or federal level should be talking about our efforts to protect private property rights. This is not solely a Republican or a conservative issue. This decision strikes at the core of American founding freedoms as we know them. The potential abuses of ever growing governmental power must be trimmed back as they continue to step over into our freedoms.
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