House Minority Leader’s Statement on Governor Patrick Celebrating Anniversary of Health Care Reform Law

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to Governor Patrick’s celebration of the six year anniversary of the Bay State’s 2006 health care reform law:

Governor Patrick’s blatant game of campaign politics on behalf of President Obama is alarming.

I can only assume that my invitation to these recent celebrations, and those of so many others involved in the Massachusetts health care reform law of 2006, was lost in the mail.

It is impossible that so many people simply were not invited to such an auspicious event. The only plausible reason is that the Governor didn’t want too many witnesses to his grand political theatrics at the behest of his friend, the President.

But I’m sure we can all feel confident that, in these extraordinarily difficult fiscal times, the Governor wouldn’t even consider using a dime of taxpayer dollars to fund such a blatantly political undertaking.

Representative O’Connell Appears on the Howie Carr Show and the FOX-25 Evening News

In case you missed it, Representative Shaunna O’Connell (R-Taunton) recently appeared on the Howie Carr Show and the FOX-25 Evening News to discuss the continued abuse of EBT cards.

As you may have heard, according to a story in the Boston Herald, “Kimball Clark, 45, was locked up Friday on drug-dealing charges — again — when he was overheard using his one phone call to ask the person on the other end of the line to ‘get my EBT card and go to the ATM and get the money to bail me out, get me outa here tonight,’ according to a Boston police report.”

Representative O’Connell weighed in on the on-going abuse of EBT benefits as well as her continued calls for reform of the taxpayer funded program.

To listen to Representative O’Connell’s appearance on the Howie Carr Show, please click here.

To watch Representative O’Connell’s appearance on the FOX-25 Evening News, please play the video posted below.

We're talking about: changes to EBT card use: MyFoxBOSTON.com

Representative Jones Appears on the Jeff Katz Show

In case you missed it, House Minority Leader Brad Jones recently appeared on the Jeff Katz Show.

Representative Jones joined host Jeff Katz to discuss the release of the House Fiscal Year 2013 budget and its positive and negative impacts on the residents of the Commonwealth.

Click here to listen to the segment in its entirety.

House Minority Leader’s Statement on Release of House FY13 Budget

In case you missed it, House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement in response to the release of the House Fiscal Year 2013 budget:

I appreciate the work done by Chairman Dempsey and the House Committee on Ways and Means on the House Fiscal Year 2013 budget. The proposed budget contains some positive aspects, particularly since it does not contain any new taxes, as promised by Speaker DeLeo.

I am pleased that multiple Republican-led initiatives, including proposals derived from the GOP Jobs Package and increased oversight for government led assistance programs, have made their way into the budget presented today. Furthermore, the Republican priority from last year’s budget – increased local aid – is a welcome addition to this year’s recommendations, as cities and towns are still facing challenges providing basic services to their residents.

The Republican Caucus anticipates the opportunity, albeit brief, to analyze the House budget in the coming days. We will propose targeted changes to the budget to deliver a fiscally sound and responsible budget to the taxpayers of the Commonwealth.

Representative Peter Durant Makes Media Appearances

In case you missed it, Representative Peter Durant (R-Spencer) recently appeared on the Jeff Katz Show and the FOX-25 Morning News.

As you may have heard, Representative Durant has filed legislation which would hand over oversight of the Rose Kennedy Greenway to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

To listen to Representative Durant’s appearance on the Jeff Katz Show, please click here.

To watch Representative Durant’s appearance on the FOX-25 Morning News, please play the video posted below.

New Bill Filed: Who Should Control the Greenway?: MyFoxBOSTON.com

House Republican Leadership Sends Letter to Governor Patrick

Today, members of House Republican leadership sent a letter to Governor Patrick in response to Onyago Obama, an illegal immigrant, being granted a hardship license and being allowed to drive to and from work.

In their letter, members of leadership asked the Governor for his immediate review of the process individuals in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts undergo when applying for and renewing their driver’s license. House Republican leadership also requested a review of the current procedures for Massachusetts’ businesses to confirm the immigration status of individuals applying for employment.

Below is the letter in its entirety.

Immigration Status Letter to Governor

House Minority Leader’s Statement on Indictment of Former Treasurer Tim Cahill

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the indictment of former Treasurer Tim Cahill:

"The indictment of former Treasurer Tim Cahill is another black-eye for politics in Massachusetts. This most recent exploitation of the public’s trust in their elected officials serves as a call to arms for ethics reform on Beacon Hill.

The charges against the former Treasurer are further confirmation of the need for consideration of the House Republicans’ ethics package. However, the Democratic majority continues to impede substantive changes to the ethical guidelines that govern elected officials in the Bay State.

Once and for all, we must dismiss the notion that elected officials can abuse the public’s trust. Only by holding ourselves to a higher standard can we convince the public that situations involving the abuse of power are the exception on Beacon Hill and not the rule."

Representative O'Connell Makes Media Appearances

In case you missed it, Representative Shaunna O’Connell recently made a handful of media appearances. As you may have heard, the eight-member Electronic Benefit Transfer Card Commission voted on Thursday to approve a final report before its April 1 deadline that recommended banning the use of EBT cards at nail salons, tattoo parlors, firearm dealers, bars, smoke shops or spas. Representative O’Connell weighed in on the panel’s findings, as well as their shortcomings in terms of solutions to combat EBT card abuse.

Click here to listen to Representative O’Connell’s appearance on the Jeff Katz Show

Click here to listen to Representative O’Connell’s appearance on the Howie Carr Show

To view Representative O’Connell’s appearance on the FOX-25 Morning News, play the video posted below

Flawed system? EBT fraud crackdown: MyFoxBOSTON.com

House Republican Caucus Offers Local Aid Resolution

In an ongoing commitment to providing fiscal certainty to the Commonwealth’s cities and towns, the House Republican Caucus offered a Local Aid Resolution during today’s full formal session.

In an email distributed to House colleagues, House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), who drafted the resolution, said, “As our cities and towns continue to develop their local budgets during these very tough times they need certainty and reliable information more than ever. It is important that we, as legislators, provide some predictability for our districts.”

The resolution proposes the following:

1. Establish a minimum level of Chapter 70 and Unrestricted Local Aid equal to the amount proposed by the Governor for FY13.

a. The minimum Chapter 70 appropriation - $4.14 billion for FY13,
b. The minimum Unrestricted Local Aid appropriation - $899 million,
c. Reimbursement to Cities in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) - $26.3 million.

2. Establish a modest increase in funding from the amount proposed by the Governor for FY13 for each of the following accounts:

a. Regional School Transportation - $51.5 million,
b. Special Education Residential Schools - $221.6 million.

“As a former local official, I appreciate and understand the need for a strong set of local aid numbers,” said Representative Jones. “Knowing firsthand the current struggle of cities and towns, I am confident that my Republican colleagues and I have presented a strong set of numbers to be considered. I am disappointed that this was not taken up for debate, as many cities and towns in the Commonwealth are anxiously awaiting the release of local aid.”

This resolution would provide, among other things, flexibility during budget debate so that the Legislature may further increase local aid appropriations from an established floor. It would also provide predictability for municipalities who are in the midst of constructing their budgets.

With one single objection, the resolution was referred to the House Committee on Rules without any opportunity for debate.

FY13 Local Aid Reso

House Minority Leader’s Statement on Massachusetts’ Sluggish Economic Growth

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to reports released by the University of Massachusetts that further illustrate Massachusetts’ stagnant economic growth:

“With the most recent figures underscoring Massachusetts’ stagnant economic growth, Governor Patrick needs to learn that denial is, and should remain, just a river that runs through Egypt, not the corner office.

Massachusetts’ residents and businesses can no longer afford excuses and fuzzy math from the Patrick Administration. Getting the residents of the state back to work is far more important than Governor Patrick painting over the fact that he has failed to create jobs.

The Governor needs to put away the rose colored glasses from his vacation and deal with the reality of Massachusetts’ actual job creation numbers and not the fantasy of what he keeps wishing they were.”