CLT UPDATE
Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Deval Patrick, as governor


The Department of Revenue said yesterday that tax collections so far this year rose $297 million above the same period from the previous year to $8.76 billion, an increase of 3.5 percent.

So far this fiscal year, the state has collected $98 million more than it had anticipated. On Oct. 24, the fiscal year benchmark was raised by $202 million to $19.13 billion.

Associated Press
Wednesday, January 3, 2007


Welcome to the new Massachusetts, where before he even takes office Gov.-elect Deval Patrick is taking steps to spend every dime of tax revenue the state collects.

Patrick made things a whole lot tougher for himself this week when he said he will restore $380 million in emergency budget cuts that were imposed by Gov. Mitt Romney in the fall....

Patrick said he’ll do a blanket reversal of the cuts, explaining that the move is possible because monthly tax revenues are coming in higher than projections. In other words, if you’ve got it, spend it. And that includes the funding for that infamous gazebo in Braintree and the Victorian street lights in Melrose.

A Boston Herald editorial
Friday, December 29, 2006
New gov’s digging a deep budget hole


Aides to Governor-elect Deval Patrick said yesterday that the state is facing a deficit that could reach $1 billion next year, a looming budget gap that observers say could force Patrick to scale back his ambitious agenda, slash spending, or raise taxes....

A $1 billion gap, in a $26 billion budget, could force Patrick to make unpleasant choices, to cut spending, dip into the state's $2.1 billion "rainy day" fund, or raise taxes, which Patrick has repeatedly vowed not to do....

"We have trouble ahead, the only question is how bad, how deep is the hole," said Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, who has been advising the incoming administration.

Patrick, who will be inaugurated Thursday, pledged during the campaign to increase aid to local governments so they can cut property taxes, saying that was more fiscally responsible than rolling back the state income tax as voters approved in a 2000 referendum.

But Widmer said, "the fiscal picture suggests that it will be virtually impossible to provide any relief to the property taxpayer in the short term." ...

David G. Tuerck, executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute, a economic think tank, said Patrick appears to be laying the groundwork to raise taxes.

"It doesn't seem likely to me that the new governor is going to be willing to cut a billion dollars of state spending," Tuerck said. "There is the 'rainy day' fund, but he'll be advised -- and I think correctly -- not to dig that deeply into the 'rainy day' fund, thus it seems we're left with one inference, which is taxes will have to go up." ...

Stephen P. Crosby, a budget official in the administration of former acting governor Jane Swift who is advising Patrick, said a working group Patrick assigned to analyze the budget has warned Patrick that he will need to consider all options, including raising taxes.

Crosby argued that Patrick's victory over Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, a proponent of tax cuts, suggests that "the times are different" and voters are more interested in preserving services than slashing taxes.

"The no-new-taxes thing doesn't have the traction it used to have," he said.

The Boston Globe
Saturday, December 30, 2006
State could face $1b deficit in '07
New governor may have to revise agenda


Apart from all the clapping, hugging and eating here today, the two re-elected leaders of the House and Senate outlined ambitious and expensive agendas for the new year.

In the absence of a Republican governor, Senate President Robert Travaglini took up the no-new-taxes mantra that GOP chief executives have used as blockades against Democratic legislatures with big spending urges, and he said his top priority of the year was revisiting public higher education spending.

Noting that “critics and naysayers” are concerned about tax and spending increases with Beacon Hill controlled by Democrats, Travaglini took a hard line on the topic during his inaugural speech Wednesday morning.

“Let me be the first to put some of those concerns to rest,” Travaglini told colleagues. “Over the last two sessions, there has been no appetite in the Senate to increase taxes. After discussions with all of you . . . I can tell you that tax hikes are still off the table.”

State House News Service
Wednesday, January 3, 2006
Travaglini calls tax hikes ‘off the table’


“Holding the line on taxes and working together to find creative solutions to the rising costs of housing, health care premiums, unemployment insurance - the areas that restrict the competitiveness of our business community and our working families will lead us toward a strong, sustainable recovery for the state’s economy,” Travaglini insisted.

He’s exactly right....

In the House, energy and health care will be at the top of DiMasi’s agenda. In the Senate, strengthening higher education and advancing research in life sciences head Travaglini’s list.

And through it all we can only hope that all heed DiMasi’s advice to his own colleagues -- to recognize “the difference between what is popular and what is right” and always opt for the latter.

A Boston Herald editorial
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Travaglini pledges no new ’07 taxes


Massachusetts property owners will again see substantial increases in their property tax bills this year, even as home sales have cooled.

The average tax bill for a single-family home will rise to $4,003 in 2007, 5.3 percent more than last year and up 49 percent from the 2000 tax bills, according to a Globe examination of 298 of the state's 351 cities and towns....

Of the 298 cities and towns examined, the Globe found that 281 of them are increasing their average tax bills in 2007. The increase continues a trend of recent years, when property taxes rose by about 5 percent annually. The biggest recent increase was in 2002, when taxes rose by 6.7 percent.

"The problem is that it's so consistent," said Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. "It's like college tuition. It's year upon year upon year upon year. Over a period of time, it really adds up." ...

Property tax specialists point to a variety of causes for the steady increases, including rising health care costs, which have soared in most cities and towns. The statewide increases are also due in part to many communities doing large-scale property reassessments....

Tax bills are rising as home values in many areas are declining; this year's assessments reflect values as of Jan. 1, 2006, and were calculated based on 2005 activity, when the real estate market was much more active. Since then, sales of single-family homes in Massachusetts have fallen dramatically.

Governor-elect Deval Patrick made the state's tax situation a major campaign theme, saying he would find ways to help cities and towns reduce property taxes by providing more local aid and allowing communities to raise revenue through such means as local meals taxes....

The Boston Globe
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Property tax bills rising across state
Average hike is 5.3%; Hub much higher


New Jersey lawmakers studying how to limit yearly property tax increases are eying a Massachusetts law that bars the levies from increasing more than 2.5 percent but allows voters to override the restrictions.

"We're looking at what they did in Massachusetts, which seems to have done it right," said Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr.

New Jersey has the nation's highest property taxes, which are twice the national average....

Roberts said New Jersey may follow Massachusetts' example and allow voters to override the caps. Another possibility, he said, is to allow local governments to appeal to the state for approval to exceed a cap.

Another concern, Roberts said, is phasing in the cap to allow local governments in the midst of multiyear labor contracts to adjust to the new law.

Massachusetts enacted its caps in 1980.

Associated Press
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
NJ studying property tax caps, eying Massachusetts law


Governor Deval Patrick, faced with a surprisingly tight budget situation, is tempering some of his campaign promises, saying yesterday that he may have to stretch his much touted plan for 1,000 new police officers over several years and stabilize, rather than cut, property taxes.

"We can definitely start, and we will start down the path of adding more cops on the beat, because I think that's critical," Patrick said yesterday....

He also made it clear that property tax cuts, a recurring campaign theme, are not going to be implemented anytime soon.

"What we can do is stabilize property taxes to be sure," he said yesterday. "We've got to start there." ...

Patrick has said a budget deficit could exceed $1 billion in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Despite that prediction, he restored $383 million in budget cuts last week made by former governor Mitt Romney in November.

Yesterday, Patrick also proposed the Commonwealth Corps, an agency that would place volunteers in nonprofit jobs across the state. That program will cost $3 million, he said....

Before the meeting, Patrick defended restoring the Romney cuts, saying the money is available to pay for the programs and services this year, if not into the future....

Patrick pledged during the campaign "to cut the property tax by reinvesting in cities and towns" and to provide other property tax relief for certain elderly residents. He proposed that a portion of local aid be dedicated to "direct property tax relief," a pledge that even then budget specialists doubted could be kept.

The Boston Globe
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Patrick hedges pledge on police, tax
Defends restoring funds, plans volunteer corps


A coalition of lawmakers and public interest groups plan s to file legislation tomorrow requiring the state to take over a portion of the MBTA's debt, allowing the transit agency to become less dependent on fare increases and to spend more on maintaining the rail and bus system and improving service....

The bill, which will be introduced by Senator Jarrett T. Barrios and Representatives Alice K. Wolf and Carl M. Sciortino Jr., calls for the state to accept $2.9 billion of the T's $5 billion debt ($8.1 billion if interest is included). The state paid the T's debts until the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's funding system was changed seven years ago to make the authority more fiscally responsible....

Under the funding system in place since 2000, the T receives 20 percent of the state's 5 percent sales tax, with guarantees that the amount will never go down....

The proposals to change the T's funding come at a tough time for the state and new Governor Deval Patrick , who says the Commonwealth is facing a budget deficit of $1 billion or more.

Patrick has made extending commuter rail service to New Bedford and Fall River a top priority, and also wants to increase the number of trains running between Boston and other regional hubs.

A spokeswoman for Patrick said yesterday that his administration has not decided whether to support the T financing bill.

The Boston Globe
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Group seeks debt relief for the T


Cash-strapped Beacon Hill -- facing demands for more cops and school programs -- has found thousands to pay for Cambodian dance lessons, Shakespeare for jailed teens and Japanese tea parties.

The $438,000 in grants dished out by the taxpayer-funded Massachusetts Cultural Council comes as Gov. Deval Patrick struggles to close a $1 billion state budget gap while coming up with money for cities and towns clamoring for more police, education funding and other essential services.

The agency, which got a $2.5 million budget boost this year, is spending $10,000 to teach Lowell teens “Cambodian classical dance and costume,” and another $15,000 on a “Cambodian folk tales” and theater program, a Herald review found....

A Boston Herald editorial
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Hey Deval, start with dance lessons
when you’re looking for budget cuts


Apparently John McDonough and his colleagues at Health Care for All didn’t get the memo from Senate President Robert Travaglini -- the one we were thrilled to receive last week in the form of his speech on the Senate floor pledging not to raise taxes.

The health care advocacy group is lobbying for a $1-per-pack increase on the sale of cigarettes in the commonwealth, already taxed by the state at $1.51 per pack....

In other words, a liberal two-fer!

A Boston Herald editorial
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Another taxing proposition

P.S.  The group CLT is working with on the constitutional process is not Massachusetts Health Care for All.


-- FOLLOW UP --

Citizens for Limited Taxation forged ahead Friday with a complaint to the state's Board of Bar Overseers regarding 34 lawyer-legislators who voted to bottle up a health care amendment during Tuesday's Constitutional Convention. The 34 legislators targeted all graduated from law school and took oaths to uphold the constitution, which CLT claims they violated, pursuant to recent Supreme Judicial Court rulings, by declining to bring the health care amendment to an up-or-down vote.

A CLT spokeswoman said legislators thought they got off the hook when they voted on a contentious gay marriage amendment after speculation that they would ignore it.

"They still don't seem to grasp the concept that they have to vote on all initiative petitions, not just the ones whose subject is sexy," the spokeswoman, Barbara Anderson, said. "I'd be absolutely delighted to see them disbarred, the whole bunch of them."

State House News Service
Friday, January 5, 2007
CLT targets lawmakers,
Patrick in Bar Overseers complaint


Three days after Massachusetts lawmakers bowed to pressure and voted on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, an advocacy group took aim yesterday at 34 lawyers in the Legislature who refused to vote on a citizens' petition for an amendment to guarantee affordable health coverage.

Citizens for Limited Taxation said it plans to file a complaint with the state Board of Bar Overseers against the lawyers, asserting they ignored a ruling by the state's highest court that said legislators had a constitutional duty to vote on certified ballot initiatives, even though the justices could not order them to do so....

"All the publicity and attention were paid to gay marriage because it's a sexy issue," said Barbara Anderson, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation. But the Supreme Judicial Court ruling applied to the healthcare amendment as well, she said. "We want them to vote up or down, just like the constitution requires."

Anderson said her group has no view on the merits of either amendment.

The Boston Globe
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Group to push health petition
Says legislators have duty to vote on citizen initiative


Chip Ford's CLT Commentary

From violating his constitutional oath of office before even taking it (though violating his Massachusetts Bar Association oath after taking it), we're finally getting a real picture of Gov. Deval Patrick's philosophy of leadership; his view of ethics and which of them apply to him, and apparently don't in his mind; his way of approaching governing:  what it takes to win elective office versus what it takes to govern if you win.  Can we call him "Slick Deval" yet, like his mentor?

Despite state revenue again being up over past historical revenue, it's still not enough.  It never will be, of course, until the Gimme State has every cent we in the People's Republic possibly can earn.  After all, they know better how to spend what was once our money better than we do.

During the gubernatorial campaign we constantly challenged the media to force Gov. Patrick to flush out his property tax relief proposal with some -- hell any -- details.  Few if any got it, bothered to even try; too many just let him slide.  So he skated happily on and got elected.  Now, it's simply and abruptly off the table -- surprise Massachusetts media and voters!  We at CLT knew better:  maybe next time the media won't be so flummoxed?  We can only hope so, if they are to be of any use to the electorate and taxpayers in general.  During the last campaign, we citizens were failed miserably.

I'm "shocked, simply shocked," that Deval Patrick, candidate for governor, did not support the voters' rollback of the state income tax rate to its historic 5 percent, that he instead insisted on property tax relief -- which we predicted he'd quickly abandon if elected.  Shocked, simply shocked:  Media folks, it was a blatant dodge that you bought into, somehow.  How silly you must feel today.  He's only been sworn into his new office for a whole six days and already has made useful idiots of you.

Four more years.

I hope as a bluest of Blue State state that we can survive "Together we can"!  I hope in the end, the moonbats and clueless -- even those in the media who are trusted by their readership to know better, or to find out before "reporting" -- will do better a better job of their responsibilities.

We're about to find out.  We're sure off to a good start as an experiment in "change" at any cost...  "Be careful what you wish for."

P.S.  The group CLT is working with on defending the constitutional process is not Massachusetts Health Care for All.

Chip Ford

 


Associated Press
Wednesday, January 3, 2007


The state collected $1.78 billion in revenues in December, a decrease of $12 million from the same time last year.

The Department of Revenue said yesterday that tax collections so far this year rose $297 million above the same period from the previous year to $8.76 billion, an increase of 3.5 percent.

So far this fiscal year, the state has collected $98 million more than it had anticipated. On Oct. 24, the fiscal year benchmark was raised by $202 million to $19.13 billion.

The state collected $971 million in income tax in December, an increase of $5 million, or 0.5 percent, from last year.

Income taxes for last month rose 0.5 percent compared with December 2005, to $971 million, while withholding tax collections rose 6.6 percent to $837 million. Sales and use taxes rose 0.9 percent to $323 million, and corporate and business taxes fell 6.9 percent to $347 million.

"Total corporate and business collections were down from December 2005 because last December's collections included $66 million in one-time payments," Revenue Commissioner Alan LeBovidge said.

It is unclear whether a spike in withholding revenues is due to earlier receipt of withholding on end-of-year bonus payments, he said, adding that the situation will only become clear at the end of January.


The Boston Herald
Friday, December 29, 2006

A Boston Herald editorial
New gov’s digging a deep budget hole


Welcome to the new Massachusetts, where before he even takes office Gov.-elect Deval Patrick is taking steps to spend every dime of tax revenue the state collects.

Patrick made things a whole lot tougher for himself this week when he said he will restore $380 million in emergency budget cuts that were imposed by Gov. Mitt Romney in the fall.

It’s not surprising that Patrick would ride to the rescue of the health and human service agencies that felt the cuts - especially given the extraordinary pressure brought by those who helped launch him to victory.

And we might feel differently had Patrick been able to pick over the cuts critically and choose those he felt most important to reverse. We concede that Romney, in his presidential political haste, was overly zealous with the red pen.

Instead, Patrick said he’ll do a blanket reversal of the cuts, explaining that the move is possible because monthly tax revenues are coming in higher than projections. In other words, if you’ve got it, spend it. And that includes the funding for that infamous gazebo in Braintree and the Victorian street lights in Melrose.

By restoring nearly half a billion in spending to the budget, our new governor has dug himself into a budgetary hole. Because once that spending finds its way into the budget, it’s practically engraved there. The recipients will demand at least as much -- if not more -- next year. Meanwhile Patrick’s budget chief is warning of the “difficult choices” the administration will have to make in the fiscal 2008 budget Patrick is set to unveil early next year.

She got the “difficult” part right . . . but this action has made it even more so.


The Boston Globe
Saturday, December 30, 2006

State could face $1b deficit in '07
New governor may have to revise agenda
By Andrea Estes and Michael Levenson, Globe Staff


Aides to Governor-elect Deval Patrick said yesterday that the state is facing a deficit that could reach $1 billion next year, a looming budget gap that observers say could force Patrick to scale back his ambitious agenda, slash spending, or raise taxes.

Patrick's aides said a Romney administration budget blueprint, released this week, was based on overly optimistic revenue and spending data and aimed at making the state's finances appear healthier than they are as Romney leaves the State House next week for a probable presidential run.

The aides said that privately, Romney aides warned them last month that state finances were in much rougher shape.

The Globe yesterday received a copy of that budget presentation.

Patrick has been trying to tamp down expectations for his first year in office, but the prediction of a $1 billion deficit for the fiscal year that starts next July 1 has marked the first time his aides have offered a number that suggests just how dire the situation could be.

Patrick aides attributed the gap to the cost of pensions, Medicaid, and other state programs, which are growing faster than state tax revenues.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because Patrick is studying details of the projections.

A $1 billion gap, in a $26 billion budget, could force Patrick to make unpleasant choices, to cut spending, dip into the state's $2.1 billion "rainy day" fund, or raise taxes, which Patrick has repeatedly vowed not to do. The House's top budget writer said he is already warning members that there will be no room for new spending in next year's budget.

Patrick's aides yesterday declined to discuss what Patrick might consider doing to close the budget gap, but said he planned to keep his campaign pledge to add 1,000 new police officers in cities and towns across the state, at a cost of $85 million.

Patrick has also proposed expanding full-day kindergarten to more cities and towns at a cost of $34 million.

But budget specialists said the future looks grim.

"We have trouble ahead, the only question is how bad, how deep is the hole," said Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, who has been advising the incoming administration.

Patrick, who will be inaugurated Thursday, pledged during the campaign to increase aid to local governments so they can cut property taxes, saying that was more fiscally responsible than rolling back the state income tax as voters approved in a 2000 referendum.

But Widmer said, "the fiscal picture suggests that it will be virtually impossible to provide any relief to the property taxpayer in the short term."

Others sounded similar notes of caution.

"A billion dollar gap, that's a very substantial problem," said Noah Berger, executive director of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, which analyzes the impact of the state budget on the poor. "If in fact the gap is that big, there's no easy and painless way to close it."

David G. Tuerck, executive director of the Beacon Hill Institute, a economic think tank, said Patrick appears to be laying the groundwork to raise taxes.

"It doesn't seem likely to me that the new governor is going to be willing to cut a billion dollars of state spending," Tuerck said. "There is the 'rainy day' fund, but he'll be advised -- and I think correctly -- not to dig that deeply into the 'rainy day' fund, thus it seems we're left with one inference, which is taxes will have to go up."

Stephen P. Crosby, a budget official in the administration of former acting governor Jane Swift who is advising Patrick, said a working group Patrick assigned to analyze the budget has warned Patrick that he will need to consider all options, including raising taxes.

Crosby argued that Patrick's victory over Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, a proponent of tax cuts, suggests that "the times are different" and voters are more interested in preserving services than slashing taxes.

"The no-new-taxes thing doesn't have the traction it used to have," he said.

Patrick aides said Romney administration officials had been painting a grim picture of state finances in private meetings last month and this month. In the Nov. 27 presentation to Patrick's budget advisers, Romney aides projected a budget deficit for fiscal 2008, which begins in July, of between $400 million and $1.1 billion.

The deficit assumed that state tax revenues would grow by 3 percent.

That number was also contained in an official bond document the Romney administration sent to the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Nov. 10.

This week, however, Romney aides publicly released a budget blueprint that predicted revenues would increase by 4.8 percent, which would lessen any potential deficit. The blueprint also ignored some expenses, including funding some pension debt.

"It's a self-serving, political document," Crosby said.

"What they said to us a month ago," he added, "was honest and appropriate and off the record. What they've done is go back and tweaked all the assumptions so Romney can say he left a balanced budget."

The Romney spokesman, Eric Fehrnstrom, declined to comment on what Patrick's aides see as a discrepancy between the private briefings and the rosier public blueprint.

Earlier this week, Patrick said he would restore $383.6 million in emergency budget cuts Romney made last month. That money replenishes social service and other programs for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. Romney aides said the decision to restore the cuts would also make it harder to balance next year's budget because $252 million of that amount could have been saved next year.

"The reason governor Romney made cuts to the state budget was because of the need to maintain fiscal discipline," Fehrnstrom said. "Just like every year, 2008 is going to be challenging.

"We have provided Deval Patrick with a planning document that contains recommendations on how to achieve budgetary balance. He is free to adopt these ideas or go in his direction."

Patrick spokeswoman Cyndi Roy said the new administration can restore cuts this year because revenue is coming in higher than was predicted. She called next year's financial circumstances "a different budget scenario."

Representative Robert A. DeLeo , chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he is trying to lower expectations for next year.

"I haven't seen any appetite at all for taxes in terms of discussing it, very preliminarily, with members of the House," said DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat. "In talking to members, I just say, there has been very little room or no room for any additional spending."


State House News Service
Wednesday, January 3, 2006

Travaglini calls tax hikes ‘off the table’
as DiMasi stands by health care law
By Jim O’Sullivan,
Michael Norton and Gintautas Dumcius


Apart from all the clapping, hugging and eating here today, the two re-elected leaders of the House and Senate outlined ambitious and expensive agendas for the new year.

In the absence of a Republican governor, Senate President Robert Travaglini took up the no-new-taxes mantra that GOP chief executives have used as blockades against Democratic legislatures with big spending urges, and he said his top priority of the year was revisiting public higher education spending.

Noting that “critics and naysayers” are concerned about tax and spending increases with Beacon Hill controlled by Democrats, Travaglini took a hard line on the topic during his inaugural speech Wednesday morning.

“Let me be the first to put some of those concerns to rest,” Travaglini told colleagues. “Over the last two sessions, there has been no appetite in the Senate to increase taxes. After discussions with all of you . . . I can tell you that tax hikes are still off the table.”

Informed about Travaglini's taxes remarks, House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi said, "I don't see it on the table right now either."

In his remarks to a packed House chamber, DiMasi served notice that attempts to weaken the nine-month-old law aimed at delivering health insurance to all Massachusetts residents will fail. “Let me be clear,” DiMasi, pointing his finger, said during his 20-minute speech. “This House will not, under any circumstances, retreat from the fundamental principles that make it possible to provide quality, affordable and accessible health care to everyone.”

DiMasi didn’t mention taxes in his speech and provided fewer specific priorities than Travaglini. He reiterated his plan to file a bill tackling the “energy crisis” and cautioned the next round of state budget writing “will not be easy” and new initiatives, investments and program expansions “must be tempered by the fiscal realities of the day.”

Much of DiMasi's speech dwelt on last session's accomplishments, and large portions were devoted to recognizing former high-ranking public officials in the chamber, including all of the living former House speakers - a first, DiMasi said. Former Speakers Robert Quinn, David Bartley, George Keverian, Thomas McGee, and Thomas Finneran, joined by former House member and Gov. Michael Dukakis and former House member, Boston mayor, and US ambassador to the Vatican Raymond Flynn, sat next to DiMasi along the front wall of the chamber.

Both leaders rejoiced at the prospect of having a fellow Democrat, Gov.-elect Deval Patrick, as chief executive. DiMasi called him “intelligent, inspiring, compassionate.” Travaglini said, “For the first time in 16 years, both the Legislature and the Corner Office will be run by one political party whose mantra is to serve the people. And they both sprinkled their speeches with the first word of Patrick’s campaign slogan: “Together We Can.”

Promising to perpetuate what he called an “environment of reform,” Travaglini called for “creative solutions” to the rising costs of housing, health care premiums and unemployment insurance. He also singled out priority topics like paid family and medical leave, energy efficiency, climate change, and alternative fuel vehicles. He called for “investing our resources in research and development, science and technology, as well as higher education.”

“We already took action on these measures in the prior session,” the East Boston Democrat told reporters after his speech. “So we’re going to be anxious to revisit these and have these become law.”

With both Patrick and DiMasi having carved out roles for themselves as darlings of the left, and Gov. Mitt Romney’s term at an end, Travaglini’s hard line on taxes is one of several signs he’s prepared to maneuver to the center as a counterweight.

Travaglini on Tuesday steered the Constitutional Convention to two quick votes on a citizen-generated petition banning gay marriage, and voted with its proponents both times. Last year, he resisted for several months efforts by House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi to saddle employers with large shares of the health care expansion costs.

At the same time, he’s been rebuffed by DiMasi in pushing for increased benefits for workers who take time off for family or medical reasons, and he’s backed a Senate plan to increase state spending on higher education by more than $400 million over seven years.

Sen. Robert O’Leary (D-Barnstable) said public higher education would be the “highest priority” in 2007, comparable to health care reform that took up much of both branches’ time last year.

“It’s really encouraging that this is something he’s focused on this year,” O’Leary said of Travaglini, adding that he senses Patrick feels the same way. “I’m absolutely convinced that’s going to happen. The question is how much and how it’s going to happen.”

Travaglini cribbed from Patrick Wednesday, saying, "As we often heard on the campaign trail, 'it doesn't matter whose idea it is, as long as it's a good idea,' - this will be the litmus test this upcoming session in the Senate. For all of us, it is important that we put aside our egos and our personalities so that we can accomplish the people's business and focus on promoting good ideas regardless of where they originate."

Senate members and aides credit Travaglini with presiding over a smooth-running Senate. Its small Republican conference, six members last session and five this session, rarely bucks Travaglini, and of the 40 members few mavericks ever publicly break ranks with him over contentious issues.

“In this Senate, the teams may not have the same number of players, but everyone is always in the game,” Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) told colleagues Wednesday, saying that the Senate “consistently subordinated contention” for the sake of accomplishment.

Hanging over from the legislative session that expired at midnight Tuesday are initiatives like funding for pandemic flu planning, welfare reform, increased higher education investments, and public employee pension and auto insurance rehauls.

DiMasi this month plans to file comprehensive energy legislation he says will reduce pollution, streamline the state bureaucracy, increase conservation and create new sources of renewable energy. Travaglini’s pet initiatives include increased stem cell investment, the so-called family leave bill, and a plan to promote hybrid vehicle purchases.

In his address, Travaglini hinted at looming conflicts, saying “[F]or those of you who have been paying attention lately, Democrats are never in uniform agreement on anything.”

Senators and Senate aides, describing him as socially moderate but increasingly fiscally conservative, say Travaglini operates outside rigid ideology, instead evaluating policies individually and formulating strategies that way.

He rejected the suggestion that he’d emerged as Beacon Hill’s most formidable opposition to the progressive leanings of DiMasi and Patrick.

“Whatever positions I defined in my address this morning to my Senate colleagues was based on conversations with them. And for the most part it’s a continuation of priorities that we have previously identified and yet remain unaddressed and incomplete,” Travaglini told reporters.

But Travaglini’s firm pledge of no new taxes rubs up against signals from Patrick aides that the incoming administration may be disposed to new taxes as a means of generating revenue. Patrick has indicated he’s open to the idea of local taxes imposed after receiving community approval and hasn’t shut the door on raising the gas tax, and while he declined to take a no-new-taxes pledge, he’s said repeatedly that he has no plans to increase taxes.

Last month, Patrick and Travaglini staged an unusual joint visit to the State House press gallery after the publication of Travaglini’s remarks to a business group, in which he relayed warnings he’d issued to Patrick about some of his rhetoric and about Travaglini’s own power base in the Senate. During their jocular appearance together, Patrick teased Travaglini, “Are you ever going to be that contrite again?”

One prospective point of division that could appear early in the session stems from the disagreement between Travaglini and DiMasi over gay marriage. Several legislators on Wednesday told the News Service they expected DiMasi to push for a Constitutional Convention as soon as he’s confident he’s amassed the votes to block the proposed constitutional amendment.

Conversely, DiMasi, with a vast majority of the House in his corner, could delay a “ConCon” by refusing to adopt a procedural order needed to trigger such a session.

With 50 votes required for the petition to advance, there were counts of 61 and 62 in favor of it during the Tuesday session's two votes. Pro-gay marriage legislators say they pick up seven votes with the turnover from the last Legislature to this one. That leaves a six-vote deficit. They said they were unsure how DiMasi would work to close that gap.

Both DiMasi and Patrick have indicated they are willing to expend political capital to defeat the measure. Patrick came to Beacon Hill before Tuesday’s session, holding a press conference and meeting privately with lawmakers. But his 11th hour lobbying didn’t change the outcome of the vote.

Asked during talks with reporters Wednesday about the Constitutional Convention, Travaglini said he believes the issue has to be resolved through the general electorate’s vote. He will consult with both the House and Patrick about when to schedule the session, he said.

Travaglini said an amendment he co-sponsored in 2004, banning gay marriage and allowing civil unions, remains “indicative of my position. I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, but that same-sex couples have every right, benefit, and protection that goes along with the marriage, and just have a civil union. I mean, that’s my position. It’s been consistent.”

Asked how he would vote if the petition came to the ballot, Travaglini replied, “I’m not going to make that public right now . . . It would be inappropriate for me to do that as the presiding officer of the convention. But at the appropriate time I have every intention of making that public. Because everything that I’ve done as the presiding officer has been as its foundation not to influence or be accused by either side of using my influence to affect the outcome of the vote.”

In yet another round of the tug-of-war over which chamber should receive credit for the health care reform law, Travaglini said to his members, “The Senate was also the driving force behind the historic and unprecedented overhaul of our state’s health care system.”

DiMasi in July said the House had been responsible for “90 percent” of the bill. On Wednesday, he said, “The members of this House were steadfast in supporting the foundation of our health care reform – shared responsibility.”

DiMasi’s and Travaglini’s conference committees battled for months behind closed doors last year over how to finance the health care expansion, DiMasi holding firm on mandated employer contributions.

Senators interviewed while lunching in the Senate Reading Room downplayed the appearance of any tensions between DiMasi and Travaglini over credit on health care reform.

Regarding Travaglini, who he nominated for reelection as president today, Sen. Steven Tolman (D-Brighton) said he doesn’t crave credit. “I think he’s very, very comfortable in his own shell.”

“We do hundreds of bills,” Tolman said. “We don’t worry about that.”


The Boston Herald
Thursday, January 4, 2007

A Boston Herald editorial
Travaglini pledges no new ’07 taxes


Taxpayers worried that one-party rule on Beacon Hill would hit them where it hurts - in the wallet - got some reassuring news yesterday from their unlikely new champion, Senate President Robert Travaglini.

“After discussions with my colleagues, I can tell you tax hikes are still off the table going into this new legislative year,” he said in his inaugural message.

Travaglini and House Speaker Sal DiMasi each in his own way addressed concerns that somehow a Democrat in the Corner Office would mean a return to the good ol’-bad ol’ days of profligate spending and tax hikes.

“Holding the line on taxes and working together to find creative solutions to the rising costs of housing, health care premiums, unemployment insurance - the areas that restrict the competitiveness of our business community and our working families will lead us toward a strong, sustainable recovery for the state’s economy,” Travaglini insisted.

He’s exactly right.

DiMasi too noted that “balancing the budget in 2008 will not be easy.” And while not signing on to Travaglini’s no new taxes pledge, he did say that the House too would be guided “by the fiscal realities of the day.”

And those realities include a still sluggish economy that cannot meet all the demands loosed by a Democratic gubernatorial candidate who wanted to be all things to all interest groups.

Today the real job of governing begins - for Gov. Deval Patrick, but also for legislative leaders who made it clear yesterday they have their own priorities and responsibilities.

In the House, energy and health care will be at the top of DiMasi’s agenda. In the Senate, strengthening higher education and advancing research in life sciences head Travaglini’s list.

And through it all we can only hope that all heed DiMasi’s advice to his own colleagues -- to recognize “the difference between what is popular and what is right” and always opt for the latter.


The Boston Globe
Tuesday, January 2, 2007

Property tax bills rising across state
Average hike is 5.3%; Hub much higher
By Matt Viser, Globe Staff


Massachusetts property owners will again see substantial increases in their property tax bills this year, even as home sales have cooled.

The average tax bill for a single-family home will rise to $4,003 in 2007, 5.3 percent more than last year and up 49 percent from the 2000 tax bills, according to a Globe examination of 298 of the state's 351 cities and towns. Most of the new tax rates go into effect in bills that are going out this week .

Homeowners in Boston, Fall River, and Wayland will see double-digit percentage increases this year, while several communities near Boston will see average increases of 3.6 percent or less, including Brookline, Lincoln, Newton, Salem, and Somerville.

The state's highest average bill is in Weston, at $13,739, up 6.8 percent over 2006. The lowest is in Florida, a small town in the Berkshires, where the average tax bill will be $1,014, 2.5 percent more than in 2006.

Of the 298 cities and towns examined, the Globe found that 281 of them are increasing their average tax bills in 2007. The increase continues a trend of recent years, when property taxes rose by about 5 percent annually. The biggest recent increase was in 2002, when taxes rose by 6.7 percent.

"The problem is that it's so consistent," said Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. "It's like college tuition. It's year upon year upon year upon year. Over a period of time, it really adds up."

The average tax bill on a single-family home in Boston will jump 12.3 percent to $3,093 in 2007. That's on top of a 9.6 percent jump between 2005 and 2006.

Many of the communities hit hardest are fast-growing suburbs, where expectations for quality schools are high and budgets are growing at a rapid clip. Some property owners in such areas say they are increasingly being squeezed.

"We're definitely a family stretched to the limits," said Sheri Norred, who lives in Hopkinton with her husband and 3-year-old son. "I kind of have it in my head that it's going to hit us every couple of years, and we're going to have to find ways to deal with it."

Norred, who said the tax bill on her $308,700 home is going up nearly $700 this year, said she has started shopping at Market Basket, a discount chain, instead of her regular grocery store, and now takes back roads to get to her Cambridge office to avoid paying tolls. "There are things that you have to do because of a strain on the taxes," she said.

Property tax specialists point to a variety of causes for the steady increases, including rising health care costs, which have soared in most cities and towns. The statewide increases are also due in part to many communities doing large-scale property reassessments. Of 351 communities, 136 completed their first comprehensive revaluation since 2003, which "is a huge number," according Lydia Hill, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.

Communities set property values annually, but every third year the assessing departments use a more comprehensive process that typically includes physical inspections of some homes and takes into account physical improvements.

Tax bills are rising as home values in many areas are declining; this year's assessments reflect values as of Jan. 1, 2006, and were calculated based on 2005 activity, when the real estate market was much more active. Since then, sales of single-family homes in Massachusetts have fallen dramatically.

Governor-elect Deval Patrick made the state's tax situation a major campaign theme, saying he would find ways to help cities and towns reduce property taxes by providing more local aid and allowing communities to raise revenue through such means as local meals taxes.

"We've got to give cities and towns a more reliable source of income so that they can provide services to their residents," Patrick spokeswoman Cyndi Roy said last week. "The property tax is a regressive tax and [Patrick] feels that it is very important to help cities and towns stabilize that."

Cities and towns have become more reliant on property taxes. This year, property taxes accounted for 53 percent of local revenues, the highest level since 1982, according to a report released in November by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. Local fees and charges also went up by 7.9 percent statewide in 2006, according to the report.

In some places, taxpayers have gotten used to the increases, expecting significant yearly increases in their property tax bills.

"A great number of people understand that this is just the situation," said Peter S. Barney, administrative assistant to the board of assessors in New Bedford, where tax bills increased 8.8 percent this year to $2,552. The town put out press releases and appeared on local radio stations to let people know about the increase, but Barney said he has not heard grumbling from residents.

"It's not outrageous if you look at what things have been like in past years, but taxpayers tend to have short memories," said Peter Caron, director of assessing in Lynn, where taxes are going up 8.4 percent, to $2,974. "It's all about what have you done for me lately, or, I guess, what are you doing to me lately?"

The Globe's analysis examined the tax bills for single-family homes, which make up the largest portion of property tax bills and are generally use d to gauge tax trends.

According to the Globe's examination, the state's largest percentage tax increase was a 26.9 percent hike in Everett, where the average homeowner's bill in 2007 will be $2,836.


Associated Press
Wednesday, January 3, 2007

NJ studying property tax caps,
eying Massachusetts law
By Tom Hester Jr.


TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey lawmakers studying how to limit yearly property tax increases are eying a Massachusetts law that bars the levies from increasing more than 2.5 percent but allows voters to override the restrictions.

"We're looking at what they did in Massachusetts, which seems to have done it right," said Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr.

New Jersey has the nation's highest property taxes, which are twice the national average. Property taxes have increased about 7 percent annually in recent years.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine has demanded caps on the annual tax increases if he's to approve a proposal by Roberts and Senate President Richard J. Codey to give most homeowners a 20 percent property tax cut starting this summer, but no law has been introduced to implement a cap.

Roberts, D-Camden, said he hoped legislation would be ready by next week. Codey, a Democrat from Essex County, said he believes a deal may be close.

Corzine has suggested limiting annual property tax increases to 4 percent, with provisions for inflation, population growth and changing needs. He wants to implement a cap for four years to see how it would work.

A cap on property taxes would require county, municipal and school officials, along with fire district officials in some places, to work together when devising annual spending plans that decide tax levies.

Codey said that could prove complicated, but would also force local officials to build closer relationships.

Caps are opposed by municipal and school officials worried they'll restrict spending. Kevin E. Ciak, president of the New Jersey School Boards Association, called caps "an interesting concept."

"But our support would need to be contingent upon an adequate level of state aid," he said. "Otherwise, educational programs could be negatively affected."

Roberts said New Jersey may follow Massachusetts' example and allow voters to override the caps. Another possibility, he said, is to allow local governments to appeal to the state for approval to exceed a cap.

Another concern, Roberts said, is phasing in the cap to allow local governments in the midst of multiyear labor contracts to adjust to the new law.

Massachusetts enacted its caps in 1980.

California enacted a 1 percent property tax cap in 1978 that also limits property value increases to 2 percent, unless a home was sold.

A 2004 University of Maine study found the Massachusetts cap has hurt small and poor communities and those with declining populations, with schools, parks and libraries subject to large spending reductions.

The same study found California's cap stabilized property taxes, but led to increases in sales and income taxes and taxes on beer, wine, gasoline, cigarettes and other products.

Corzine has also demanded a state comptroller to investigate spending by all New Jersey governments. Legislators may vote on that plan on Monday.


The Boston Globe
Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Patrick hedges pledge on police, tax
Defends restoring funds, plans volunteer corps
By Andrea Estes, Globe Staff

Governor Deval Patrick, faced with a surprisingly tight budget situation, is tempering some of his campaign promises, saying yesterday that he may have to stretch his much touted plan for 1,000 new police officers over several years and stabilize, rather than cut, property taxes.

"We can definitely start, and we will start down the path of adding more cops on the beat, because I think that's critical," Patrick said yesterday.

Last month, he said on a radio station that "we may not need 1,000 cops" all at once.

He also made it clear that property tax cuts, a recurring campaign theme, are not going to be implemented anytime soon.

"What we can do is stabilize property taxes to be sure," he said yesterday. "We've got to start there."

Last week he also told a radio interviewer that investments in transportation might have to be deferred, though he did not name specific projects.

Patrick has said a budget deficit could exceed $1 billion in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Despite that prediction, he restored $383 million in budget cuts last week made by former governor Mitt Romney in November.

Yesterday, Patrick also proposed the Commonwealth Corps, an agency that would place volunteers in nonprofit jobs across the state. That program will cost $3 million, he said.

Patrick conducted his first weekly meeting yesterday with Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, and House and Senate budget aides. The budget was one of the items on the agenda of the closed-door meeting.

Before the meeting, Patrick defended restoring the Romney cuts, saying the money is available to pay for the programs and services this year, if not into the future. "I think that we have what we need to meet those expectations this year," he said during a brief encounter with reporters yesterday morning. "I think you have many cases of agencies and individuals who have relied on those appropriations, in some cases had spent against these appropriations. I think the right thing to do is make good on those promises."

But he warned that next fiscal year will be different. "I think going forward we're going to have a very tough and tight time, and there are some tough decisions we're going to have to make and choices we're going to have to make."

When asked whether he was attempting to lower expectations of voters and politicians on Beacon Hill by painting a grim financial picture as previous governors have done, Patrick smiled and said, "You've never seen a governor like me."

Asked how he can justify spending $3 million on Commonwealth Corps given the financial forecast, Patrick said: "No one is interested in wasting money or spending money frivolously."

Patrick is expected this weekend to address the Massachusetts Municipal Association, whose members are hoping for financial relief from the new governor.

According to the group's executive director, Geoff Beckwith, cities and towns are looking for more local aid and more police officers. They still have questions about Patrick's pledge to hire 1,000 police officers, including which communities would receive the officers and who would bear the ongoing costs, including their yearly salaries and benefits.

"There are ancillary costs that come with any employee, from training, equipment, staffing, cruisers," he said. "We would want to make sure [the costs] are sustainable on a state and local level."

Patrick pledged during the campaign "to cut the property tax by reinvesting in cities and towns" and to provide other property tax relief for certain elderly residents. He proposed that a portion of local aid be dedicated to "direct property tax relief," a pledge that even then budget specialists doubted could be kept.

Even if property taxes can't be reduced, Beckwith said, their rate of growth can be slowed if the administration takes two steps: restoring local aid and setting aside a specific percentage of the state budget for cities and towns.

Meanwhile, Patrick said after meeting with legislative leaders that they share many priorities. He specified only one: "updating our energy policy and our approach to energy."

"We are all of us committed to coming together as much as possible to advance that agenda," Patrick said. "I see that as a real opening for us in terms of job creation."

Travaglini and DiMasi called Patrick's openness a "refreshing" change of style from Romney's approach.

"The tone of the discussion and the degree of detail was a refreshing change from the historical conversations we've had in this office, and what we're trying to do now is to again find common ground in all three legislative agendas," Travaglini said.

Asked specifically what was different from the relationship with the Romney administration, DiMasi said lawmakers frequently learned about Romney initiatives only after he held a news conference to announce them.

"It's very nice to find out what the governor is proposing, thinking about what his ideas are, in a frank discussion on the issues and whether or not they can be accomplished in a manner in which we can agree to, as opposed to learning what the proposals are after the former governor would have a press conference like this and then let us know after," DiMasi said.

Patrick said that before unveiling the Commonwealth Corps initiative, he notified the Senate president and the House speaker -- both of whom said they like the idea.

"I think the concept is noble and worthy of support," said Travaglini. "It seemed to be in a controlled state and in a limited form. . . . We've given an indication to the administration that we can be supportive of the concept."


The Boston Globe
Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Group seeks debt relief for the T
By Mac Daniel, Globe Staff


A coalition of lawmakers and public interest groups plan s to file legislation tomorrow requiring the state to take over a portion of the MBTA's debt, allowing the transit agency to become less dependent on fare increases and to spend more on maintaining the rail and bus system and improving service.

In return, the bill would bar the T from raising fares beyond the local cost-of-living index. If that provision had been in effect, it would have reduced the fare increase that on Jan. 1 raised the price of one-way subway rides from $1.25 to $1.70 and bus trips from 90 cents to $1.25.

The consumer price index for the Boston region rose about 6.5 percent between January 2004, when the last fare increase took effect, and the first half of last year, the most recent figure available. The most recent fare increases raised subway fares by 36 percent and bus fares nearly 39 percent.

The legislation is backed by groups that opposed the fare hike, including the T Riders Union, the Conservation Law Foundation, and Livable Streets Alliance.

The groups' leaders now say they recognize the larger financial problems that forced the T to raise fares three times in the past seven years .

"The T has serious financial problems that go way beyond fixing through efficiencies and fare increases," said Eric Bourassa of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group . "The T's huge debt challenges the long-term viability of the authority and needs to be seriously addressed by the Legislature."

The bill, which will be introduced by Senator Jarrett T. Barrios and Representatives Alice K. Wolf and Carl M. Sciortino Jr., calls for the state to accept $2.9 billion of the T's $5 billion debt ($8.1 billion if interest is included). The state paid the T's debts until the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's funding system was changed seven years ago to make the authority more fiscally responsible. As part of the change, the MBTA took on $2.9 billion in existing debt from the state. The proposal is the first legislative attempt to relieve any of that burden.

Under the funding system in place since 2000, the T receives 20 percent of the state's 5 percent sales tax, with guarantees that the amount will never go down.

But since then, overall sales tax receipts have slowed instead of rising as they did through most of the 1990s . And the T has taken on more debt, mostly to build major transit projects required in an agreement with environmental groups to offset pollution and congestion from the Big Dig.

The T's debt is now the highest of any transit agency in the nation, with payments and interest of $370 million annually eating up 27 percent of the T's operating budget.

"That's not money being invested to expand service," said Daniel A. Grabauskas , the T's general manager. "It's a very difficult situation."

State Senator Steven A. Baddour , a Methuen Democrat and co chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, called the legislation "a good first step," but said his committee will probably hold comprehensive hearings on reforming how the T is funded.

"The debt is crushing the MBTA, and we as legislators need to look at ways to alleviate this debt," Baddour said

He said the committee could consider guaranteeing more revenue by revising how the T is funded, as well as relieving some of its debt. One possible proposal would be to guarantee 3 percent annual growth in the state appropriation to the T regardless of what happens to the sales tax.

T officials said that relieving some of its debt would be a huge help to the 109-year-old transit system, which requires $500 million annually to maintain and repair existing services. It would also allow the T to invest more money in the system. Over the last two budget cycles, the T dipped into its reserves twice, losing $4.7 million and $7.2 million from its emergency fund.

The proposals to change the T's funding come at a tough time for the state and new Governor Deval Patrick , who says the Commonwealth is facing a budget deficit of $1 billion or more.

Patrick has made extending commuter rail service to New Bedford and Fall River a top priority, and also wants to increase the number of trains running between Boston and other regional hubs.

A spokeswoman for Patrick said yesterday that his administration has not decided whether to support the T financing bill.

Stephen J. Silveira , chairman of a commission studying the state's long-term transportation funding, said "the T's finances are absolutely in crisis."

The commission, which is scheduled to issue its recommendations in a few weeks, estimates that the T is short between $4 billion and $8 billion to cover its maintenance needs over the next 20 years, even without any expansion.

Barrios, a Cambridge Democrat, said the bill to relieve $2.9 billion in T debt is essential for the agency, whose health is crucial to the state's economy, serving 1.1 million commuters each workday.

"The 800-pound gorilla in the middle of the room is debt that should never have been given to the T in the first place," he said. "It has become an unmanageable problem. It affects the ability of the T to deliver good service today, to develop good service for tomorrow, and forces them to raise fares and work to generate alterative revenues in a way that's just not sustainable. This bill isn't a luxury. It's a necessity."


The Boston Herald
Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Hey Deval, start with dance lessons
when you’re looking for budget cuts
By Dave Wedge


Cash-strapped Beacon Hill -- facing demands for more cops and school programs -- has found thousands to pay for Cambodian dance lessons, Shakespeare for jailed teens and Japanese tea parties.

The $438,000 in grants dished out by the taxpayer-funded Massachusetts Cultural Council comes as Gov. Deval Patrick struggles to close a $1 billion state budget gap while coming up with money for cities and towns clamoring for more police, education funding and other essential services.

The agency, which got a $2.5 million budget boost this year, is spending $10,000 to teach Lowell teens “Cambodian classical dance and costume,” and another $15,000 on a “Cambodian folk tales” and theater program, a Herald review found.

The council has also awarded $30,000 to teach incarcerated teens Shakespeare and graphic arts and $10,000 for singing and writing lessons for pregnant teens. The money was awarded under former Gov. Mitt Romney.

Massachusetts Cultural Council spokesman Greg Liakos defended the “Youth Reach” grant program, saying it has helped hundreds of Bay State teens and been nationally recognized by President Bush.

“Well-developed, community-based arts programs for young people are an effective way to help keep them out trouble,” Liakos said. He added that the Cambodian cultural programs have helped many Lowell teens avoid the lure of dangerous street gangs.

“It’s more than just about teaching them how to dance,” Liakos said. “It’s about connecting them with their community and building self-esteem through creativity.”

But one legislative staffer questioned the use of taxpayer dollars on such programs when many agencies are struggling to provide basic services.

“We’re cutting some pretty crucial programs and spending state money on programs where it really doesn’t need to be spent,” said the legislative source. “As far as I know, there is no Cambodian folk dancing crisis in the state.”

Patrick spokeswoman Cyndi Roy did not specifically address the arts grants, but said all spending by the state will be scrutinized.

“Given the fiscal constraints and challenges we are facing, we are looking at everything in the budget to find efficiencies and savings,” Roy said.

The cultural council, which received $13.4 million in taxpayer dollars this year in addition to a small amount from national endowments, had its budget cut by 65 percent in 2002 but arts funding has been on the rise in recent years. Romney tried to slash some arts spending as part of a $400 million budget cut package but most of those cuts have been reinstated by Patrick.

Dan Hunter, director of the Massachusetts Advocates of the Arts, Sciences and Humanities, which oversees the grants, said the cultural council’s budget is a “miniscule” three-tenths of one percent of the overall state budget and called the youth programs “invaluable.”

“How do you build a community? Someone has to make an investment,” he said. “It’s money well-spent.”


The Boston Herald
Tuesday, January 9, 2007

A Boston Herald editorial
Another taxing proposition


Apparently John McDonough and his colleagues at Health Care for All didn’t get the memo from Senate President Robert Travaglini -- the one we were thrilled to receive last week in the form of his speech on the Senate floor pledging not to raise taxes.

The health care advocacy group is lobbying for a $1-per-pack increase on the sale of cigarettes in the commonwealth, already taxed by the state at $1.51 per pack. The increase would boost revenues for public health programs but advocates see another benefit. “There’s lots and lots of legislators who are quite sympathetic . . . simply as a public health measure,” McDonough told the State House News Service.

In other words, a liberal two-fer! A nanny state solution to a public health problem, bought and paid for with a tax increase. Thank goodness Travagalini was as emphatic as he was about holding the line on taxes. The pressure is just beginning.


State House News Service
Friday, January 5, 2007

CLT targets lawmakers, Patrick in Bar Overseers complaint


Citizens for Limited Taxation forged ahead Friday with a complaint to the state's Board of Bar Overseers regarding 34 lawyer-legislators who voted to bottle up a health care amendment during Tuesday's Constitutional Convention. The 34 legislators targeted all graduated from law school and took oaths to uphold the constitution, which CLT claims they violated, pursuant to recent Supreme Judicial Court rulings, by declining to bring the health care amendment to an up-or-down vote.

A CLT spokeswoman said legislators thought they got off the hook when they voted on a contentious gay marriage amendment after speculation that they would ignore it.

"They still don't seem to grasp the concept that they have to vote on all initiative petitions, not just the ones whose subject is sexy," the spokeswoman, Barbara Anderson, said. "I'd be absolutely delighted to see them disbarred, the whole bunch of them."

Anderson said disbarment seemed unlikely, but her organization would push for a reprimand to reaffirm the constitution's authority.

Gov. Deval Patrick, who urged legislators to adjourn without a vote on the marriage amendment, was listed in the complaint for allegedly fostering an atmosphere that condoned violating the constitution.

A copy of the complaint was not available Friday. The Health Care Amendment Campaign is not a party to the complaint, according to a campaign spokesperson.

LAWMAKERS TARGETED BY CLT COMPLAINT

REPRESENTATIVES
1) House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi
2) Garrett Bradley
3) Arthur Broadhurst (former rep.)
4) Gale Candaras (now serving in the Senate)
5) Michael Costello
6) Robert DeLeo
7) James Fagan
8) Michael Festa
9) Colleen Garry
10) Rachel Kaprielian
11) Peter Koutoujian
12) Charles Murphy
13) James Murphy
14) Kevin Murphy
15) Eugene O'Flaherty
16) Robert Rice
17) John Rogers
18) Angelo Scaccia
19) Marie St. Fleur
20) William Straus
21) Walter Timilty
22) Stephen Tobin
23) David Torrisi
24) Eric Turkington
25) Steven Walsh

SENATORS
1) Robert Antonioni
2) Stephen Baddour
3) Scott Brown
4) Stephen Buoniconte
5) Robert Creedon
6) Robert Havern
7) Steven Pangiatakos
8) Karen Spilka
9) Dianne Wilkerson


The Boston Globe
Saturday, January 6, 2007

Group to push health petition
Says legislators have duty to vote on citizen initiative
By Jonathan Saltzman


Three days after Massachusetts lawmakers bowed to pressure and voted on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, an advocacy group took aim yesterday at 34 lawyers in the Legislature who refused to vote on a citizens' petition for an amendment to guarantee affordable health coverage.

Citizens for Limited Taxation said it plans to file a complaint with the state Board of Bar Overseers against the lawyers, asserting they ignored a ruling by the state's highest court that said legislators had a constitutional duty to vote on certified ballot initiatives, even though the justices could not order them to do so.

After the Dec. 27 ruling and intense lobbying by opponents of same-sex marriage, the Legislature on Tuesday advanced the proposed ban, which requires at least 50 votes in a second constitutional convention to get on the 2008 state ballot.

But the joint session of the House and Senate refused to vote on the proposed healthcare amendment, effectively killing it.

"All the publicity and attention were paid to gay marriage because it's a sexy issue," said Barbara Anderson, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation. But the Supreme Judicial Court ruling applied to the healthcare amendment as well, she said. "We want them to vote up or down, just like the constitution requires."

Anderson said her group has no view on the merits of either amendment.

The group also plans to file a complaint with the Board of Bar Overseers against Governor Deval Patrick, also a lawyer, for remarks he made shortly before the joint session. Patrick, two days before he took the oath of office, held a impromptu State House news conference at which he urged legislators to use "whatever means appropriate" to kill the same-sex marriage measure.

Anderson said Patrick displayed contempt for the democratic process.

Cyndi Roy, a spokeswoman for Patrick, said the governor had no comment yesterday.

Senator Steven C. Panagiotakos, a Lowell Democrat who is one of the legislators targeted by Anderson's group, said he was not worried about disciplinary action and that legislators have immunity from such claims.

"I think they're trying to make a political statement, but I don't think it really has any legal foundation," he said yesterday.

The proposed healthcare amendment would guarantee "comprehensive, affordable, and equitably financed health insurance coverage" for all state residents.

In 2003, the Committee for Health Care for Massachusetts said it gathered more than 71,000 signatures in favor of the amendment.

In July 2004, the Legislature approved the amendment by a vote of 153 to 41, giving it more than three times the 50 votes required for a citizen petition to advance to a mandated second legislative session.

But in July, the Legislature ducked a vote by sending the amendment to a special study committee. This week, the Legislature voted 101 to 92 not to send the measure to the floor of the Legislature. Thirty-four of the 101 opponents were lawyers, Anderson said.

Like the supporters of the proposed same-sex marriage ban, the advocates of the healthcare measure sued the Legislature last year anticipating that lawmakers would kill their measure.

But they did not ask the SJC to intervene by Tuesday, as supporters of the same-sex marriage ban did, according to Donald K. Stern, a lawyer for the Committee for Health Care for Massachusetts.

Stern said Anderson is one of 10 plaintiffs in that suit, but had no comment on her group's effort to seek disciplinary action against the legislators and Patrick.

He did say, however, "It's hard to see, as a matter of constitutional principle, why you would vote on one and not the other."


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