NEWS RELEASE
Tuesday, July 8, 2003
Joint CLT / Common Cause / CPPAX
Memo to House Members
Dear Representative,
Common Cause, CPPAX, and CLT urge you to vote against any phony
compromise on H. 3754, the leadership pay raise bill, and to vote
TO SUSTAIN the Governor's veto on this matter. Any compromise that
removes the statutory checks and balances on pay raises is NOT A
COMPROMISE and, according to our lawyers, is most likely
unconstitutional. Here is what the SJC said:
Furthermore,
the provisions of the Constitution which discuss legislative
compensation require that the General Court--that is, both houses of
the Legislature--pass laws regarding such compensation. See Part II,
c. 1, § 1, art. 4 ("full power and authority are hereby given
... to [the] general court ... to make ... laws ... for the
necessary support ... of the government" [emphasis added] );
art. 63, § 3 ("The general court may provide for its
salaries, mileage, and expenses and for necessary expenditures"
[emphasis added] ). See also G.L. c. 3, § 9 (setting the
compensation for both members and officers of the General Court).
This requirement of bicameral approval for salaries, expenses, and
expenditures may be contrasted with the unicameral nature of the
provisions allowing each house to determine its own rules of
proceedings and to appoint its own officers. Part II, c. 1, § 2,
art. 7. Part II, c. 1, § 3, art. 10. See Paisner v. Attorney
Gen., supra at 600, 458 N.E.2d 734. See also INS v. Chadha,
462 U.S. 919, 955-956 n. 21, 103 S.Ct. 2764, 2786-2787 n. 21, 77
L.Ed.2d 317 (1983). Opinion of the Justices, 422
Mass 1212, 1222 (1996).
This issue is a hot button for voters and has the
potential for increasing divisions within the House. We respectfully
urge you to SUSTAIN the Governor's veto. Our respective web sites have
more information on our reasons for opposing this legislation.
Sincerely,
Pam Wilmot
Common Cause Massachusetts
p: 617.426.9600
ccma@commoncause.org
www.commoncause.org/ma
Barbara Anderson
Citizens for Limited Taxation
p: 508.384.0100
cltg@cltg.org
www.cltg.org
Eric Weltman
CPPAX
p: 617.426.3040
www.cppax.org
|