Representative Randy Hunt: New Federal Tax Overhaul Will Benefit Our Country

The following column by Representative Randy Hunt (R-Sandwich) appeared in the January 7 print edition of the Boston Globe's South section in response to the question “Will the Republican tax overhaul benefit the country?”:

“Country” can be interpreted to mean the people or the economy. Either way, the answer to the question is an emphatic “Yes!”

Will the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act benefit the people? The nonpartisan Tax Policy Center says 90 percent of middle-class taxpayers will get a tax cut in 2018.

Aren’t these tax cuts temporary? The individual tax cuts technically expire after eight years, but even those cuts considered “permanent” are not set in stone. Congress can change the tax code at any time, and does. Senator Chuck Schumer’s claim -- drawn from Tax Policy Center data -- that 83 percent of the benefits will go to the top 1 percent in 2027 is based on Congress leaving the tax code alone, which has never happened. In 2018, the center calculates 21 percent of the benefits from the tax overhaul will go to the top 1 percent, a group that currently pays 38 percent of all federal income taxes.

What about lower-income earners? Many of them pay no federal income taxes due in part to the earned income tax and child tax credits. Doubling the child tax credit and raising the refundable amount to $1,400 will especially benefit low-income earners.

Will the tax overhaul benefit the economy? There are enough economists speculating about the potential effects of the new law to fill the TD Garden. Economists, like stock market analysts and weather people, are much better explaining what happened after it’s over.

The cut in the corporate rate to 21 percent and the ability of corporations to repatriate earnings stowed in foreign bank accounts at reduced tax rates will undoubtedly encourage expanded investment in the United States.

Tax overhaul or not, however, the economy is fundamentally driven by demand. Some of that demand will increase by putting more cash in people’s pockets. Some of it will move to companies that start up or expand operations in the United States because the legislation is helping level the international playing field.

Naysayers emphasize how little the law’s positive impact might be. Like their moms must have told them: “If you can’t say something nice, then minimalize the good news.”

Representative Elizabeth Poirier Appointed to Elder Malnutrition Prevention Commission

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) is pleased to announce that he has appointed Representative Elizabeth Poirier (R-North Attleborough) to serve as a member of the newly-created special commission on malnutrition prevention among older adults.

Representative Poirier, who currently serves as the Second Assistant Minority Floor Leader for the House Republican Caucus, is one of four legislators named to the new 17-member commission, which will study the effects of malnutrition on older adults and identify the most effective strategies for addressing this problem.  The commission, which falls under the purview of the Department of Elder Affairs, will file an annual report with the Legislature by December 31 detailing its activities, findings and recommendations.

“Representative Poirier has been an invaluable member of my leadership team, and I am confident she will bring those same leadership qualities to the commission as it works to identify ways to improve the health and well-being of the Commonwealth’s older residents who are most at risk for suffering from malnutrition,” said Representative Jones in announcing the appointment.

The new commission will be chaired by Elder Affairs Secretary Alice Bonner.  Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Monica Bharel, Department of Transitional Assistance Commissioner Jeff McCue, and Commissioner of Agricultural Resources John Lebeaux will also serve as members.

The remaining nine commissioners will be appointed by Governor Charlie Baker, and will include a physician; a university researcher; a community-based registered dietitian or nutritionist working with a program funded pursuant to the Older Americans Act; a representative of a hospital or integrated health system; two nurses working in home care; a registered dietitian or nutritionist working with a long-term care or assisted living facility; a registered dietitian or nutritionist representing the Massachusetts Dietetic Association; and a representative from the Massachusetts Association of Councils on Aging, Inc.

A member of the House of Representatives since 1999, Representative Poirier represents the Fourteenth Bristol District, which consists of North Attleborough; Ward 3, Precinct B in Attleboro; and Precincts 1 and 5 in Mansfield.  In addition to serving on the Executive Committee of the House Women’s Caucus, Representative Poirier is also the Ranking Minority Member on the House Committee on Ethics, which investigates all violations of rules and all questions of conduct concerning the members of the House of Representatives.

'A Date Which Will Live in Infamy'

It was 76 years ago today – on December 7, 1941 – that the US Army and Naval Base at Pearl Harbor came under attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy.  More than 2,000 U.S. military personnel were killed and over 1,000 more were wounded in the early morning attack, prompting President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim that this would be “a date which will live in infamy.”

On this Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, all of us here at The Capitol View want to offer our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. We also want to thank those who continue to serve our nation and keep America strong.

House Approves Representative Jones’ Proposal to Address State Backlog of Untested Rape Kits

The Massachusetts House of Representatives has approved a proposal offered by House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) to overhaul the state’s policy for tracking and testing rape kits.

Adopted as an amendment to a comprehensive criminal justice reform bill, Representative Jones’ proposal calls for the creation of a rape kit tracking system within the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), which will be used to maintain the current location and status of all untested kits and will also allow victims of sexual assault to anonymously track their kits.  The amendment was adopted on a vote of 155-0.

In addition to requiring rape kits to be kept for 50 years, the amendment also mandates an audit of all existing untested kits associated with a reported crime to measure the extent of the current backlog, which is currently unknown. In 2015, EOPSS requested reports from municipal police departments on the number of untested rape kits in their possession, but only 75 out of 351 departments responded.

“We don’t even know how many of these rape kits have gone untested, and that is unacceptable, given how crucial the evidence collected from these kits can be in helping to convict dangerous criminals and connect individuals to unsolved crimes,” said Representative Jones. “Each untested kit represents a missed opportunity to provide a sense of healing to a survivor and increased safety to a community, but today’s vote is an important step in helping survivors of sexual assault to achieve justice.”

Representative Jones’ amendment is modeled after national policy guidelines advocated for by the Joyful Heart Foundation.  Thirty-two other states have already passed rape kit reform laws, while major cities like Cleveland, Detroit, and Memphis have taken action to test thousands of backlogged kits in storage.

In Detroit alone, a total of 11,341 kits were tested, resulting in 2,616 matches made on the DNA database and allowing authorities to identify 811 potential serial rapists who have committed crimes in 40 states and Washington, D.C.

The Massachusetts Senate recently approved its own criminal justice reform bill, which did not address the backlog of untested rape kits.  A conference committee will soon be appointed to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.

SALUTING AMERICA'S VETERANS

The Capitol View joins with Americans everywhere in honoring our veterans and thanking them for their service to our state and our nation.  In observation of Veterans Day, we present the following poem that explains the important role veterans have played in preserving the many freedoms we continue to enjoy.

 

It is the Veteran

 

It is the Veteran, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

 

It is the Veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

 

It is the Veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

 

It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.

 

It is the Veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

 

It is the Veteran, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.

 

It is the Veteran, who salutes the Flag,

 

It is the Veteran, who serves under the Flag,

 

To be buried by the flag,

 

So the protester can burn the flag.

 

Author: Anonymous  

House Minority Leader’s Statement on Sexual Harassment Prevention Order Adoption

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) issued the following statement today following the House’s adoption of an Order directing House Counsel to undertake a comprehensive review of its policies to ensure a workplace free of sexual harassment:

“I applaud Speaker DeLeo’s decision to initiate a comprehensive review of House policies on sexual harassment.  Everyone deserves a safe work environment free of sexual harassment, and no one should ever fear they will be subject to retaliation for reporting unacceptable behavior by a colleague, co-worker or supervisor. I strongly endorse this effort to address a very serious issue, and I stand ready to assist in any way possible.”

House Minority Leader Brad Jones Backs Passage of Drone Search Warrant Legislation in MA

The following column by House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) appeared in the September 17 edition of the Boston Globe’s North Section:

One of the most fundamental legal protections enshrined in the US Constitution as part of the Bill of Rights is the prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures. Under the Fourth Amendment, all citizens have a reasonable expectation of privacy and cannot be subject to a search without a probable cause warrant.

The growing popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, presents a challenge to upholding personal privacy rights in Massachusetts because our state laws have not kept pace with this rapidly evolving technology. That may soon change.

Proposed legislation I am cosponsoring would require police to obtain a search warrant before using drones as part of a criminal investigation. Several other states – including Florida, Maine, North Dakota and Virginia – already have similar requirements in place, and Massachusetts residents should be able to enjoy these same protections.

Requiring warrants for drone surveillance would in no way hinder law enforcement’s ability to investigate suspected criminal activity. Rather, it would simply ensure that state and municipal police departments are following the same procedures they already use when conducting an investigation without the use of drone technology.

The proposed legislation contains a provision allowing drones to be used without a warrant in certain limited emergency situations, but only if there is “reasonable cause” to believe there is an imminent threat to the life or safety of a person, such as when a child goes missing. In these cases, the operator of the drone would be required to document the specific nature of the emergency, and a supervisor would need to file an affidavit detailing the reasons for the warrant-less emergency usage within 48 hours of the drone’s deployment.

The bill contains additional privacy protections by mandating drones be used only to collect data on the individual who is the actual subject of the warrant, and requiring any data collected on other individuals not targeted by the warrant be deleted within 24 hours.

Currently, only a handful of municipal police departments in Massachusetts have purchased drones, including Attleborough and Hanover, but that number is likely to increase in the future. Implementing statewide guidelines now, including a warrant requirement for conducting drone surveillance, is critical to ensuring residents’ civil liberties and civil rights are properly protected.

Representative Mirra: Privatizing MBTA Garages Would Mean 'Better Service at a Lower Cost’

The following column by Representative Leonard Mirra (R-Newbury) appeared in the September 10 edition of the Boston Globe’s North Section:

After years of mismanagement and neglect, the financially plagued MBTA is burdened with waste and inefficiency. As recently as 2015, it was projecting a cost growth rate that was three times the amount of revenues. Of the $132 million spent on bus maintenance in fiscal 2016, nearly $100 million was for labor.

Bankrolled by T riders and taxpayers, the MBTA had the highest vehicle maintenance per hour costs of bus operation of six comparable transit agencies in 2015, according to a new report from the Pioneer Institute.

At $44.30 per hour, MBTA bus maintenance costs were 65 percent higher than the $26.82 average of the nation’s 25 largest public transit agencies that year. Clearly, we can do better. Thankfully, bus maintenance privatization offers the MBTA an opportunity to address some runaway expenses.

The proposal to privatize bus operations is not a scheme to “bust unions,” nor a “race to the bottom” that drives down wages and harms working conditions. The plan simply allows for private companies to allow MBTA cost savings through increased flexibility and lower staffing, while still employing union machinists working under their collective bargaining contracts.

For instance, T supervisors are prohibited from turning wrenches, leaving them unable to assist machinists. In a private company, “working supervisors” would be free to work alongside machinists when needed.

Maintenance privatization is hardly a revolutionary idea. Our Regional Transit Authorities — two of which operate in Greater Lowell and through much of the Merrimack Valley — have had private companies service buses for years. Their costs are much lower. While the T’s total cost per revenue hour is $56, RTAs hover around $31, with the Worcester RTA at $25.

The T outsourced overhauls on 190 buses in 2012. The agency found that doing the work in-house cost 50 percent more than shipping buses to Michigan. Recently, the T outsourced cash-handling to Brinks, cutting costs by two-thirds; Brinks runs nearly 15 percent under the $300,000 monthly contract.

While bringing costs under control cannot be accomplished overnight, outsourcing certain operations will move us closer. A focused and efficient transportation agency, combined with reinvested cost savings, means better service at a lower cost.

REMEMBERING 9/11

“One of the worst days in America’s history saw some of the bravest acts in Americans’ history. We’ll always honor the heroes of 9/11. And here at this hallowed place, we pledge that we will never forget their sacrifice.” – President George W. Bush

Today, we gather as families, as communities, but more importantly as Americans to remember those individuals who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

Let us never forget.

WCVB-TV's Mike Beaudet Highlights One of Representative Jones' Sex Offender Bills

WCVB-TV aired an investigative piece on former priest and convicted pedophile Paul Shanley last night which highlighted legislation filed by House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) to prohibit multiple sex offenders from residing at the same address.

House Bill 858 would bar level 3 sex offenders – those deemed most likely to reoffend – from “renting, residing, or otherwise occupying a single-family dwelling or a unit in a multi-family dwelling with another finally classified level 3 sex offender, regardless of the permanent or temporary residential status of either sex offender, unless those persons are legally related by consanguinity, affinity or adoption.”  Representative Jones originally filed this bill two years ago, in response to concerns raised by the North Reading Police Department and several constituents who had contacted him about two level 3 offenders who were living together in town.

Shanley was recently released from prison after serving 12 years for rape and abuse of a child and now resides in Ware, MA.  Two other level 3 offenders are also residing at the same address, in a building owned by yet another level 3 offender.

House Bill 858 is currently pending before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary.  A public hearing on the legislation has not yet been scheduled.