Senate budget priorities will likely be finalized
this week after that branch amends and approves the $25.4 billion
spending plan written by its Ways and Means Committee....
Senators will concentrate their attention this week on hundreds of
amendments filed last week for the debate that begins Wednesday.
State House News Service
Advances - Week of May 22, 2006
Senators last week proposed 949 amendments to the budget
released by their Ways and Means Committee, 249 more than last year and a new
record for suggested additions, chamber parliamentarians said.
State House News Service
Monday, May 22, 2006
Record number of amendments proposed to senate budget
State Sen. Brian Lees (R-East Longmeadow), the Senate
minority leader, has filed four budget amendments relative to the income
tax rollback:
1) An immediate rollback to 5.0;
2) A gradual rollback to 5.2, to 5.1, to 5.0 over 3 years;
3) The House version, that was passed in their budget, as sections 5, 6
and 7, and;
4) The governor's plan, which is a rollback over 2 years. This amendment
may not have been filed on time, but can further amend any of the
previous three amendments in order to debate the 2-year plan.
Office of the Senate Minority Leader
Friday, May 19, 2006
Another of CLT's bills -– the repeal of the nursing home tax
-- has also been filed as budget amendment #16 by Sen. Scott Brown (R-Wrentham)
and Sen. James Timilty (D-Walpole). A further version has also been filed by all
the Republican senators, # 750....
Sen. Susan Fargo (D-Waltham) filed a bill, as we did, to
repeal the nursing home tax, and it was reported favorably by the Health Care
Committee. It is awaiting action and in the meantime, versions have been filed
as budget amendments.
Barbara Anderson's Commentary
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Chip Ford's CLT Commentary
Here we go, folks. Tomorrow the state Senate
begins its debate on the Fiscal Year 2007 state budget. Whether or
not the Legislature at last keeps it promise and finally rolls back the
17-year old "temporary" income tax hike -- as mandated by 59 percent of
the voters on the 2000 ballot -- will be decided tomorrow.
Will they "keep the promise," even if belatedly -- or
follow the usual track-worn pattern of the past seventeen years and
spend our tax overpayment, create more unsustainable costs and the next
"fiscal crisis," and ultimately cry for more revenue when it inevitably
arrives?
We at CLT have asked you to call your state senator.
We mailed out "Alert" postcards to all CLT members asking them to call
their state senators. We're still here in the trenches fighting
for you and taxpayers across the Commonwealth.
But the result of all that effort will be decided --
tomorrow.
Will we finally see the "temporary" tax hike restored
to its historic 5 percent level -- or will be get the Beacon Hill
middle-finger salute again tomorrow?
That answer depends on you: what
you've already done, and what you will do between now and
early tomorrow morning. We need phone calls -- not e-mail
-- today!
Will you be part of the pols' excuse that they
"haven't heard enough demand" for the promised tax rollback, or will you
call your state senator so you won't be his or her scapegoat?
If you've called, call again today. Don't let them ever get away
with that excuse again, blaming you. "The squeaky wheel
gets the grease," and grease is what it's all about on Beacon Hill.
Time is running out. We've got 24 hours or less
from now to act -- ACT.
If you've made your call (and we have numerous
reports from both members and legislators that many have), make another
today. If you haven't made your call -- DO IT RIGHT NOW!
To find your state senator,
CLICK HERE:
Speak now -- or forever hold your peace; and
keep paying, and paying, and paying . . .
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|
Chip Ford |
Barbara
Anderson's CLT Commentary
Our income tax rollback has been filed as amendments
by the Senate Republicans. We are hearing that legislators are getting
phone calls from CLT members, as our recent postcard requested.
Another of CLT's bills -– the repeal of the nursing home tax -- has also
been filed as budget amendment #16 by Sen. Scott Brown (R-Wrentham) and
Sen. James Timilty (D-Walpole). A further version has also been filed by
all the Republican senators (# 750).
Because this is a bi-partisan issue, it could pass. Sen. Susan Fargo
(D-Waltham) filed a bill, as we did, to repeal the nursing home tax, and
it was reported favorably by the Health Care Committee. It is awaiting
action and in the meantime, versions have been filed as budget
amendments.
Self-payers in nursing homes must pay a tax of $10.99 a day to support
Medicaid patients. While an argument can be made for society as a whole
to take care of elderly, sick patients, it is outrageous to force other
elderly, sick patients, who did not hide their assets and have taken
responsibility for their own care, to pay this tax. Please call your
senators and politely ask for a "Yes" vote to repeal the nursing home
tax during the budget debate.
Amendment # 16
Housing Nursing Home Tax Repeal
Messrs. Brown and Timilty moved that the bill be amended by inserting,
after Section ____, the following new section:-
“SECTION ___. Section 25 of Chapter 118G of the General Laws, as added
by Section 101 of Chapter 184 of the Acts of 2002 is hereby repealed.”
Amendment # 750
Repeal Nursing Home Tax
Messrs. Lees, Tisei, Tarr, Hedlund, Knapik and Brown moved that the bill
be amended by inserting, after Section ____, the following new Section:-
“SECTION ____. Chapter 118G, as amended by Chapter 184 of the Acts of
2002, is hereby amended by repealing Section 25.”
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Barbara Anderson |
State House News Service
Advances - Week of May 22, 2006
Senate Budget
Senate budget priorities will likely be finalized this week after that
branch amends and approves the $25.4 billion spending plan written by
its Ways and Means Committee. Like the plan filed by Gov. Mitt Romney in
January and the one that cleared the House last month, the Senate budget
boosts spending for education at all levels. The three entities that
combine forces in the annual budget marathon also agree that money
should be earmarked for expenses related to the still-evolving mandate
for extending health coverage to about 500,000 more Bay Staters.
Senators will concentrate their attention this week on hundreds of
amendments filed last week for the debate that begins Wednesday. Last
year at this time, deliberations in the Senate consumed 18 hours over
two days as members considered and disposed of 700 proposed changes.
Amendments were disposed of in a rapid fire manner, without debate or
roll calls.
But the annual budget deliberations are almost always good for a few
interesting debates, roll calls and surprises. Legislators in both
branches, along with advocates for hundreds of budget line items, will
be pushing for higher dollars amounts in some cases or budget amounts or
language that exactly mirrors that of the House budget.
If any item matches up perfectly in the House and Senate versions, it
will not be subject to conference and is assured of being in the budget
that will be sent eventually to Gov. Mitt Romney's desk.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Senate Dems preview budget debate in caucus
Senate Democrats caucus Tuesday at noon in the Senate president's
office, where they will discuss the $25.4 billion spending proposal
released last week by the Ways and Means Committee and up for debate
Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Senate budget
Senate deliberations on the $25.4 billion fiscal 2007 budget begin
Wednesday and are likely to continue into the evening. Hundreds of
amendments are on the table. Wednesday's session did not have a set
starting time as of last Friday afternoon.
Return to top
State House News Service
Monday, May 22, 2006
Record number of amendments proposed to senate budget
Senators last week proposed 949 amendments to the budget released by
their Ways and Means Committee, 249 more than last year and a new record
for suggested additions, chamber parliamentarians said.
The amendments work out to nearly 24 per member, and set the stage for
the budget debate scheduled to begin Wednesday. Proposed changes to the
$25.4 billion spending plan range from tax relief in Sherborn to one
marking $100,000 for maintenance equipment at Bradley Palmer State Park
to another reshaping a commission on gay and lesbian youth by removing
it from the governor's purview and enshrining it statutorily.
Return to top
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