CLT
UPDATE
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Senate Democrats dodge tax rollback
budget debate
Democrats in the Senate thwarted Republican attempts
to debate an income tax rate rollback as part of the budget yesterday,
ruling out of order a GOP amendment for a rollback from 5.3 to 5
percent.
Minority Leader Brian P. Lees objected, but was unable to overcome a
ruling from Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, D-Boston, that
rejected the amendment because it failed to conform to rules requiring
so-called "money items" be initiated in the House.
Mr. Lees called it "the most bizarre ruling I’ve ever heard of," and
complained the ruling was "plucked out of the air" to avoid the debate.
"To give up the ability to discuss a tax increase or tax cut in the
budget is absolutely ridiculous."
The Telegram & Gazette
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Tax amendment ruled out of order
Republican calls decision 'bizarre'
In an issue that sparked the biggest floor fight, Lees sought
to lower the state's 5.3 percent income tax to 5 percent starting Jan. 1, 2007.
Gov. W. Mitt Romney has also been pushing to cut the income tax to 5 percent....
But Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, D-Boston, said the state constitution
requires money-related items to start in the House. Travaglini, citing an
opinion from a Senate lawyer, refused to permit a vote on the amendment by
Lees....
Lees said Travaglini's interpretation of the rules was the most bizarre he has
encountered.
"It's very frustrating when rules are thrown out the window," Lees said during a
break in Senate debate. "We will have another day."
Lees said he would file an amendment to cut the income tax when the Senate
debates a bill for closing tax loopholes for corporations....
Senators are scheduled to complete debate on the budget today. Senate leaders
are attempting to limit increases in the budget since the chamber's spending
plan already is $230 million more than the budget approved in the House.
The Springfield Republican
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Lees tax cut proposal blocked
Citizens for Limited Taxation has always been opposed to
using outside sections of the state budget to make policy unrelated to the state
budget. However, the issue of tax hikes and tax cuts does seem pertinent to the
document in which tax revenues, either increased or decreased, are spent.
We also recognize that taxation issues must originate in the House. As Senator
Brian Lees (R-East Longmeadow) noted in yesterday’s debate, the House budget
contained language referring the income tax rollback to a study. The Republican
amendment wanted to act on the same rollback now. Since the Senate is choosing
to spend more tax money than the House, the amount of money available should be
decided during the budget debate.
But we further recognize that the Senate, like the House, would rather spend the
surplus created by the "temporary" tax hike of 1989, than follow the mandate of
the voters in 2000 that the 5% income tax rate be restored. We recall the
roaring ‘90s during which state spending doubled but the promised rollback was
always deemed "unaffordable" by the Legislature; we hope this pattern will not
be repeated. . . .
CLT News Release
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Senate budget: the income tax rollback
It has never been clearer that the time is now to reduce the income tax
to 5 percent. The state’s economy is soaring, the state budget is
balanced, and the increasing number of working men and women of
Massachusetts deserve a pay raise – in the form of a tax cut.
MassGOP Issue Alert
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
No More Excuses – Cut the Income Tax
Chip Ford's CLT Commentary
A victim of yet more Democrat treachery and trickery,
yesterday the Senate Republicans' budget amendment to restore the
voters' income tax rollback was deep-sixed, as it was in the
House's budget.
During the
Senate debate on whether to allow the rollback amendment, Senate
President Travaglini said, "... it was the intent of the House that none
of the actions they took at the time were to be taken seriously and none
of the actions would take effect until further action by the DOR."
You will recall that the House doomed the tax
rollback to "further study" instead of taking a recorded vote on
restoring it. Now, even the Senate president admits that the House's
dodge was never meant to "be taken seriously." Frankly, it never was.
Instead of again defying the will of the
voters, now Democrats in the Legislature have simply ignored the
voters' mandate as if the vote never happened and the voters don't even
exist. In fact they don't in Massachusetts, until they're needed for
legislators' virtually automatic reelection every two years.
In our "Memo
to the Massachusetts Senate Regarding the Tax Rollback" (May 20),
hand-delivered to each Senator on Friday, we wrote:
We hope that the Senate has more respect for the
voters than the House showed in its FY’06 budget, which ignores the
mandate to rollback the income tax rate to its traditional 5
percent.... Massachusetts faces many challenges as the economy
changes, as the population ages. These challenges can be met only if
there is respect and trust between the government and its
constituents. The state can begin by keeping its word on the
“temporary” income tax hike.
So much for hope that the Legislature will do "the
right thing" or that trust can or will ever be restored between the
governed and the governing, so long as the governing feel invincible.
Barbara the Optimist still feels that the rollback
will eventually be brought up for a vote this year. She makes a good
point that, if they wanted to kill it they had the votes to kill it. I
the Cynic still believe that they've got our money ("It's MINE now and
More Is Never Enough!") and they don't intend to ever return any more of
it so long as they are in power. They have the numbers to avoid a vote
that would become future campaign fodder, so they dodged the vote in
both the House and Senate by whatever it took.
She sees what the House and Senate have done as
perhaps buying time, waiting to see if the revenue continues to pour in,
the surplus continues to mount, before ridding themselves of our
persistent nagging. I see it as more of the same old arrogance that
absolute power makes absolutely inevitable.
Time will tell, and our nagging that they so much
detest will persist.
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Chip Ford |
The Telegram & Gazette
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Tax amendment ruled out of order
Republican calls decision 'bizarre'
By John J. Monahan, Staff writer
Democrats in the Senate thwarted Republican attempts to debate an income
tax rate rollback as part of the budget yesterday, ruling out of order a
GOP amendment for a rollback from 5.3 to 5 percent.
Minority Leader Brian P. Lees objected, but was unable to overcome a
ruling from Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, D-Boston, that
rejected the amendment because it failed to conform to rules requiring
so-called "money items" be initiated in the House.
Mr. Lees called it "the most bizarre ruling I’ve ever heard of," and
complained the ruling was "plucked out of the air" to avoid the debate.
"To give up the ability to discuss a tax increase or tax cut in the
budget is absolutely ridiculous."
Meanwhile, bowing to a Senate goal of keeping "policy issues" out of the
budget debate, Mr. Lees withdrew separate amendments proposing a shield
law for journalists and restoration of the death penalty.
However, he vowed that the Senate would be forced to take a roll-call
vote on the tax rollback later this year, and complained he had never
seen such a narrow ruling on a tax issue.
"This is why the public becomes so cynical, when they see something like
this," Mr. Lees said. The close rulings on the budget debate will stifle
important issues he said, adding, "The budget debate is sometimes the
only time a member can be heard on certain issues."
As for spending, the Senate remained largely frugal, rejecting most new
spending proposals as it acted on about half of the more than 700
amendments filed over the Ways and Means Committee’s recommended $24
billion budget.
The Senate voted 27-11 against a proposal to set up a state witness
protection program, despite arguments from Democrat and Republican
supporters who said it is needed to protect witnesses in gang and
domestic violence cases.
"Too often the witness protection services that could give witnesses the
confidence to come forward are not there," said amendment sponsor Sen.
Cynthia S. Creen, D-Newton. Mr. Lees called for a roll-call vote, saying
Republicans would support the effort and that Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey has
also called for establishing a witness protection program.
The Senate voted down amendments for $525,000 for the new George I.
Alden Library at Quinsigamond Community College, and another $500,000
earmarked for overall funding for the Worcester campus.
Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr., D-Worcester, saw the first piece of
legislation he has sponsored approved. It was a budget amendment
authorizing $100,000 in state funds for Centro Las Americas, a nonprofit
social services agency in Worcester. Mr. Augustus said the funding
measure, which matches the House budget, will mark the first time the
27-year-old organization has received state budget funds.
The Senate held for later consideration amendments seeking $500,000 to
expand the number of amusement ride inspectors.
Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, sponsor of one of those amendments,
said the money is essential to achieve "timely inspections" of amusement
and carnival rides.
Mr. Lees told the Senate the inspections are needed to protect against
accidents such as the one involving a Sizzler ride at a carnival in
Shrewsbury last fall that killed 38-year-old Andrew R. Fohlin.
The amendment was held to allow further discussions with Ways and Means
budget officials to determine if money could be found to support it.
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The Springfield Republican
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Lees tax cut proposal blocked
By Dan Ring
The Senate president yesterday blocked a debate on a proposed cut in the
state income tax, thwarting an attempt by a Western Massachusetts
legislator to force a vote on the issue.
Senate Minority Leader Brian P. Lees, R-East Longmeadow, proposed the
tax reduction as an amendment to the state budget for the fiscal year
starting July 1. The Senate yesterday began debating some 700 amendments
to the $23.98 billion state budget.
Senate Democratic leaders also effectively prevented debate yesterday on
Lees' amendments to reinstate the death penalty in Massachusetts and to
establish a shield law to allow journalists to keep their sources
confidential in certain instances. Senate leaders said they didn't want
to debate policy issues as part of the state budget, prompting Lees to
withdraw the amendments.
In an issue that sparked the biggest floor fight, Lees sought to lower
the state's 5.3 percent income tax to 5 percent starting Jan. 1, 2007.
Gov. W. Mitt Romney has also been pushing to cut the income tax to 5
percent.
Under the amendment, the tax cut wouldn't take effect until a study was
completed by the state Department of Revenue. The tax cut also wouldn't
occur until further approval by House and Senate budget committees.
But Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, D-Boston, said the state
constitution requires money-related items to start in the House.
Travaglini, citing an opinion from a Senate lawyer, refused to permit a
vote on the amendment by Lees.
The House of Representatives completed debate on the state budget last
month. The House did approve an amendment identical to Lees' proposal,
but Travaglini said Lees' amendment left out a provision that called for
votes in the House and the Senate before the tax cut could be approved.
The proposed tax cut would cost about $587 million for a full year, said
a spokesman for the state Department of Revenue. The reduction would
save about $56 for a married couple earning $40,000 a year, renting a
home and raising two children younger than 12.
Lees said Travaglini's interpretation of the rules was the most bizarre
he has encountered.
"It's very frustrating when rules are thrown out the window," Lees said
during a break in Senate debate. "We will have another day."
Lees said he would file an amendment to cut the income tax when the
Senate debates a bill for closing tax loopholes for corporations.
Voters in 2000 passed a ballot question to reduce the then-5.85 percent
income tax in phases to 5 percent. State legislators froze the income
tax at 5.3 percent in 2002 during the state's fiscal crisis.
The Senate yesterday also approved an amendment by Lees and Sen. Stephen
J. Buoniconti, D-West Springfield, that earmarks $200,000 for the
Massachusetts Career Development Institute in Springfield.
Senators are scheduled to complete debate on the budget today. Senate
leaders are attempting to limit increases in the budget since the
chamber's spending plan already is $230 million more than the budget
approved in the House.
Return to top
MassGOP Issue Alert
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
No More Excuses – Cut the Income Tax
April’s Strong Job Growth and Record Revenues
Make the Case for Reducing
It has never been clearer that the time is now to reduce the income tax
to 5 percent. The state’s economy is soaring, the state budget is
balanced, and the increasing number of working men and women of
Massachusetts deserve a pay raise – in the form of a tax cut. Still, the entrenched Democrats on Beacon Hill refuse to budge. They
continue with their lame “we can’t afford it” mantra. Instead they spend
your tax dollars on themselves with pay raises for legislative aides and
reducing health care contributions for state employees.
Governor Romney’s reform of state government and pro-business policies
helped close the $3 billion budget deficit. Now he’s calling on the
Legislature to reduce the income tax to 5 percent, which will further
strengthen the economy and help families. Talking Points
l April’s unemployment rate of 4.7 percent down from 4.9 percent in
May. Lowest since December 2001. Massachusetts businesses added nearly
9,000 jobs in May and June.
l April saw record tax collection of $2 billion. Guarantees fiscal year
ends with surplus in hundreds of millions. Last fiscal year surplus:
$700 million. Surpluses are taxpayer dollars state does not need.
l Economic picture totally different from when Legislature froze the
income tax at 5.3 percent. Change in outlook demands reduction of tax to
5 percent – as promised and as voted by citizens.
l The Democrats make false claims that the economy is not healthy and the
state cannot “afford” tax cuts. They are wrong. Strong tax revenues and
solid job-growth signal points to a healthy economy. March marked the
seventh consecutive month of job growth in Massachusetts. Senate budget proposal debate this week: no income tax cut included, but
it includes: l $75 million to reduce state employee health care contribution.
l $9.8 million the Department of Conservation and Recreation did not ask
for. l $6 million for a private non-profit that duplicates work of state’s
travel and tourism office.
l $800,000 for Massachusetts Cultural Council.
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