House Republicans Comment on Enactment of the State Budget for Fiscal Year 2014

In case you missed it, the Democratic-led Legislature recently OK’d a $34 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2014. House Republicans have long said that the FY14 budget is an unsupportable proposal that is predicated on massive tax increases that have yet to be finalized.

Over the course of the past few days, members of the Republican caucus have once again taken to the airwaves to relay our message to the hardworking taxpayers across Massachusetts.

Click below the see the various interviews with Republican lawmakers.

Representative Matt Beaton (R-Shrewsbury)

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Click here to see Representative George Peterson's (R-Grafton) interview with Jon Keller of WBZ News.

Click here to see Representative Donald Humason's (R-Westfield) interview with Christine Lee of WWLP-22 News.

House Minority Leader Brad Jones’ Statement on Enactment of Fiscal Year 2014 Budget

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the enactment of the Fiscal Year 2014 budget by the House of Representatives:

“The Fiscal Year 2014 budget, as enacted by my Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives, is an unsupportable proposal that is predicated on massive tax increases that have yet to be finalized.

Listening to today’s brief debate on the House floor, I fail to see a plausible reason for the need to raise taxes on Massachusetts’ hardworking taxpayers when the Democratic majority continually touts the increased amount of resources within the state’s Rainy Day Fund.

I am equally as disappointed that the House of Representatives has squandered yet another opportunity to reform the taxpayer-funded welfare benefits system. While two important provisions were included in the recently enacted spending plan, the budget passed by the House does not go nearly far enough in ensuring that Electronic Transfer Benefits are reserved for those who truly need them. As such, the House Republican caucus looks forward to continuing our advocacy for meaningful welfare reform.”

Republican Legislators’ Statement on House of Representatives’ Approval of Hundreds of Millions in Tax Increases

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and Representative Steven S. Howitt (R-Seekonk), House Republican conferee on the six-member transportation finance conference committee, issued the following statement in response to the House of Representatives’ vote to approve hundreds of millions in tax increases:

“This afternoon’s vote to increase taxes in Massachusetts will have devastating impacts on taxpayers and businesses across the state - immediately. By increasing revenues, the legislative majority has chosen to stifle business growth and further financially burden our hardworking residents for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, despite the House Republican Caucus’ proposal of an alternative transportation finance plan – free from any statewide tax increases – the residents of Massachusetts are on the verge of having to pay for the third major tax increase since Governor Patrick was sworn into office.

Taxpayers should find no solace in the fact that House Democrats approved a plan that is not nearly as costly as the Governor’s initial $1.9 billion proposal or the Senate’s $800 million plan. This tax increase is the by-product of one-party rule in the Commonwealth, and the taxpayers have the ability to reverse this crippling tax at the ballot in November of 2014.”

Get Out and Vote!

Regardless of your political affiliation, today is a very important day for the Commonwealth as thousands of voters are expected to turn out to vote in the special election for United States Senate. The race to fill the Senate seat vacated by John Kerry is between Cohasset businessman Gabriel Gomez and Congressman Ed Markey.

Most polls around the state will open at 7 a.m. this morning and will remain open until 8 p.m. this evening.

Click here to vote out where to vote.

Be sure to do your civic duty today - get out and vote!

House Minority Leader Brad Jones’ Statement on Implementation of Affordable Care Act

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the adoption of House Bill 3452, An Act Implementing the Affordable Care Act and Providing Further Access to Affordable Health Care:

“By allowing Massachusetts’ historic healthcare law, passed in 2006, to be co-opted by a federal law, we are taking a step backwards. The legislation passed today will have detrimental impacts on small business and residents alike. Entrepreneurs in this state will see crippling tax increases, and taxpayers will pay significantly more for their health coverage.

Furthermore, I am astonished by the about-face of the Democratic majority over the course of seven months. Just last fall, while campaigning on behalf of President Obama, many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle sought to link the federal healthcare law to the law passed by Governor Romney. They claimed that the state’s plan was the model for the federal law. Contrary to these claims, today’s debate and this legislation provide a stark reminder of the difference between the state and federal law.

There is no disputing the fact that the Commonwealth has experienced growing pains with our own healthcare law, and we continue to work to address those issues. However, Governor Patrick and our Congressional delegation have done our state a great disservice by not advocating for enough flexibility in the federal plan to allow Massachusetts to continue in our ‘great experiment.’”

Representative Matt Beaton Appears on FOX-25 News

In case you missed it, Representative Matt Beaton (R-Shrewsbury) made an appearance on the FOX-25 Morning Show to discuss the soon-to-be-debated Supplemental Budget which contains many House Republican initiatives aimed at rooting out waste, fraud and abuse within the taxpayer-funded transitional assistance program.

Representative Beaton was on hand to offer perspective on the released Fiscal Year 2013 House Supplemental Budget. The budget includes a majority of the previously inoculated welfare reform provisions offered by members of the Republican Caucus, through two comprehensive amendments, during the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget debate.

The Shrewsbury Republican also reacted to Senate President Therese Murray’s recently released comprehensive EBT reform legislation.

To view the entire segment play the video posted below.

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

House Minority Leader Brad Jones’ Statement on Electronic Benefits Transfer Reforms Contained in Supplemental Budget

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to reforms, contained in a mid-year supplemental budget, to the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program:

"I am pleased that the recently released Fiscal Year 2013 House Supplemental Budget includes a majority of the previously inoculated welfare reform provisions offered by members of the Republican Caucus, through two comprehensive amendments, during the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget debate.

By joining House Republicans in our ongoing attempt to overhaul and reform the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program, Democratic leadership has finally heeded the call of the residents of the Commonwealth in ensuring that taxpayer-funded benefits are reserved for those who truly need them.

As a result, this mid-year budget makes great strides at reforming Massachusetts’ public assistance programs and includes the following Republican-led reforms:

• Immediate phase-in of photo ID on EBT cards;

• Expedited implementation of an Integrated Eligibility System that cross-checks recipient Social Security numbers with nine specific state and federal databases and 20 additional databases - to the extent that they are available;

• Establishment and use of an automated fingerprinting system for recipient identity verification;

• Termination of benefits when mail communications are returned to the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) as undeliverable;

• Mandate that DTA consider the assets and income of a welfare applicant's immigration sponsors; and

• Three year phase-in of an online payment system for, at minimum, rent and utilities.

I urge the House of Representative to pass these innovative measures, and I hope the majority in the Senate will be equally as committed to realizing the resounding effect of meaningful EBT reform."

Flag Day 2013

Today we take a moment to pay tribute to something that we might otherwise take for granted on a daily basis. On this day in 1777, the Continental Congress approved the design of a national flag, thus the celebration of Flag Day.

According to reports, in 1776, George Washington commissioned Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross to create a flag for the newly formed nation. At present, there have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag, but the arrangement of the stars varied according to the flag-makers' preferences until 1912 when President Taft standardized the then-new flag's forty-eight stars into six rows of eight. The current version of the flag dates to July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the 50th state.

The Commonwealth also happens to be home to one of the longest-running Flag Day parades. Since its inception in 1952, the Flag Day parade is held annually in Quincy, Massachusetts. This year the parade celebrates its 62nd anniversary.

House Minority Leader Brad Jones’ Statement on Potential Increase to Massachusetts’ Minimum Wage

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development’s hearing which included consideration of legislation to raise the Commonwealth’s minimum wage:

“As drafted, I am not supportive of the three bills before the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development which attempt to address the state’s minimum wage.

Any discussion pertaining to increasing the minimum wage at which employees in Massachusetts are paid must include, in part, serious consideration of substantial reforms to our unemployment insurance system, as well as due attention to the elimination of the outdated practice of paying retail employees time and a half for work on Sundays.

Until this conversation takes place, I cannot in good faith endorse any of the current proposals.”

House Minority Leader’s Statement on Passing of Former Governor Paul Cellucci

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today in response to the passing of Former Governor Paul Cellucci:

“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my former colleague and close friend Paul Cellucci. Paul was the epitome of a dedicated and honorable public servant and will be greatly missed by the residents of the Commonwealth upon whose lives he had such a great and lasting impact.

From his time as an elected official in his hometown of Hudson, to his tenure on Beacon Hill, and later as ambassador to Canada, Paul was an extremely humble and hardworking individual.

When diagnosed with ALS, Paul wasted no time transitioning from patient to staunch advocate. His continued dedication to helping find a cure will have an impact on the medical community for years to come.

I join with Governor Cellucci’s former colleagues on Beacon Hill, friends and constituents in offering my deepest condolences to his entire family during this difficult time.”