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CLT UPDATE
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Election Results and
Consequences
|
Last year, the Legislature approved an $800
million bill that included a 3-cent increase in the gas tax to fund
repairs to the state’s bridges and roads. A key piece of the bill
was a provision linking gas tax increases to the Consumer Price
Index. That provision was repealed Tuesday.
Transportation officials are lamenting what they
say is the loss of a projected $1 billion in revenue and the
opportunity to borrow even more for transportation projects over the
next decade after voters repealed gas tax indexing Tuesday,
undercutting the state’s landmark transportation funding bill.
While the effects of the repeal will not
immediately be apparent, a number of planned transportation projects
— from rail expansions to the upkeep of roads and bridges — could be
delayed if legislators do not approve future increases in the gas
tax, according to state transportation officials.
But supporters of the repeal said the state has
not lost any revenue, and legislators could still vote to increase
the gas tax annually as needed....
Michael J. Widmer, president of the Taxpayers
Foundation, who helped campaign against the repeal, said the vote
could have serious long-term consequences for transportation funding
that was given a boost last year....
Holly Robichaud, a spokeswoman for the pro-repeal
campaign, said gas tax indexing was tantamount to taxation without
representation.
“I think people want accountability of their
legislators, that they were going to abdicate their responsibility
of the gas tax,” she said.
“If the money is truly needed, all they have to
do is go and ask for it and make their case to the people,”
Robichaud said. “They aren’t losing any dollars.”
The Boston Globe
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Transit officials say repeal could cost $1b over decade
Republicans have made some gains in the
Massachusetts Senate, winning over two seats that had been held by
powerful Democrats.
State Rep. Vinny deMacedo of Plymouth defeated
Democrat Matthew Patrick and Libertarian Heather Mullins Tuesday in
the race for the seat now held by Senate President Therese Murray,
who is retiring....
Also Tuesday, incumbent Democratic state Sen.
Richard Moore, a member of Murray's leadership team who holds the
title of President Pro Tempore of the Senate, was unseated by
Republican state Rep. Ryan Fattman of Sutton.
Moore had held the seat since 1996.
The GOP will occupy six of the 40 seats in the
Senate in the next session.
Associated Press
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
GOP wins over 2 Massachusetts Senate seats
As the Corner Office returned to Republican
hands, the state Senate and House turned a shade redder on
Tuesday night.
The ranks of the House Republican caucus will
grow by at least five seats to 34 lawmakers, while in the Senate
they will gain two seats, bringing the total Republicans in the
upper chamber to six. The outcome of a close House race in
Amesbury, Salisbury and Newburyport was unclear Wednesday
afternoon....
The new lawmakers will join Governor-elect
Charlie Baker, a Swampscott Republican, on Beacon Hill in
January, but will be unable to provide him with enough votes to
sustain his vetoes....
"The reality in Massachusetts is the levers
of power to retain seats or win seats are more heavily stacked
against Republicans than in most states," said House Minority
Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading). "And some of that was
witnessed last night."
But at least 34 House Republicans in January
will put the caucus back to where it was at least at one point
during Gov. William Weld's Beacon Hill tenure, he said. Jones
added that the gains and "losing no ground is a positive
outcome."...
In the House, two incumbents lost their
seats: Rep. Rhonda Nyman (D-Hanover) was bested by David DeCoste
(R-Norwell), while Rep. Denise Andrews (D-Orange) was felled by
Susannah Whipps Lee (R-Athol).
DeCoste, a selectman, won by 59 votes,
according to Wicked Local Norwell. The news site reported that
Nyman said she would "reassess in the morning" when asked about
a possible recount....
Joseph McKenna (R-Webster) beat Mark
Dowgiewicz (D-Webster) for the open seat created by Rep. Ryan
Fattman (R-Webster) leaving to run against Sen. Richard Moore
(D-Uxbridge). Fattman won his race.
Matt Muratore (R-Plymouth), who faced off
against Stephen Palmer (D-Plymouth), picked up Rep. Vinny
deMacedo's seat.
State House News Service
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Mass. Republicans gain seats in House, Senate
This isn’t 1991, and Gov.-elect Charlie Baker
is well aware of that fact. There won’t be enough Republicans in
the state Senate to sustain his vetoes. There won’t be enough
Republicans in the House to influence every piece of important
legislation. That means playing ball with Democratic leaders
even more than Baker’s GOP predecessors had to, if he wants to
see his agenda through.
Still, there were hopeful signs for a Baker
administration in Tuesday’s election results.
Voters rejected an expanded bottle bill, and
demanded that lawmakers be required to vote on any future
increases in the gas tax. On their own those results send a
clear message that taxpayers aren’t in any mood to be further
“nickeled and dimed,” to borrow Baker’s phrase.
There were signs of progress for Baker’s
party, too. The Republican caucus in the House will grow by six.
The Senate increased its numbers by 50 percent. (Sounds good,
right? Really it just means going from a pathetic four members
to a sad six. But one of them grabbed the seat of the outgoing
Senate president, and even incremental progress means Baker will
have allies for his agenda.)...
The Legislature is still the playground of
too many tax-and-spenders who have been there too long.
Beginning in January it will have a welcome if modest makeover.
A Boston Herald editorial
Thursday, November 6, 2014
State House shake-up
Governor-elect Charlie Baker, who described
himself as "anxious" to move from the campaign to the business
of governing, said his first order of business after claiming a
narrow victory in Tuesday's election for governor would be to
start hiring a team around him.
"People are policy," said Baker, speaking
with his running mate Karyn Polito at the Seaport Hotel just
hours after Democrat Martha Coakley called to concede the close
race.
Baker declined to discuss legislative
initiatives that could emerge out of the gate in January, but
indicated he would follow through on a campaign promise "early
on" to release $100 million in funding for local road repairs
held back by the Patrick administration....
Voters on Tuesday also supported a ballot
question opposed by Baker that will guarantee earned paid sick
time to workers at companies with at least 11 employees. Though
Baker presented an alternative proposal during the campaign to
restrict the measure to mid-size companies with at least 50
employees, he said he would not pursue changes to the ballot
law.
"I think we should implement the law," Baker
said.
State House News Service
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Baker names Peyser to helm transition, will release road $$$
Less than 24 hours after volunteering that
she is exploring ways to move Massachusetts from a flat to a
graduated income tax structure, Democratic gubernatorial
candidate Martha Coakley emphasized that she hopes taxes will go
down in Massachusetts if she's elected governor.
The attorney general, who is tied in polls
with Republican Charlie Baker, said in a one-on-one debate at
WGBH Tuesday night that, "We are exploring ways to do a more
graduated income tax."...
Massachusetts voters over the years, most
recently in 1994, have consistently rejected constitutional
amendments calling for a graduated income tax. Democratic
leaders in recent years have been reluctant to go down that path
again, even though Gov. Deval Patrick and others have expressed
interest, if not outright support, for the concept as a way to
improve the "fairness" of the tax code, which they say
regressively hits lower-income earners disproportionately
compared to high wage earners.
Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, a proponent of the
graduated income tax, is poised to be elected the next Senate
president in January. "I will be discussing it with my
colleagues," Rosenberg told the News Service in March after a
special Tax Fairness Commission, co-chaired by Rep. Jay Kaufman
and Sen. Michael Rodrigues, included the graduated income tax
among its recommendations.
"I said I'm not going to raise taxes and I
meant it," Baker told reporters Wednesday afternoon after
emerging from a meeting with mayors around the state on Beacon
Hill. Baker described the graduated income tax as "something the
voters of Massachusetts have rejected soundly at the ballot box
several times over the course of the past 20 or 30 years."...
"If you're trying to create jobs it doesn't
make sense to give opened-ended authority to the legislature to
raise taxes on higher income individuals," said Massachusetts
Taxpayers Foundation President Michael Widmer.
Widmer and MTF have been longtime opponents
of the graduated income tax system....
Barbara Anderson of Citizens for
Limited Taxation agreed with Widmer, one of her longtime
ideological sparring partners.
"Since our state constitution allows only a
flat rate income tax, those who want a graduated income tax must
place this proposal on the statewide ballot for a constitutional
change by voters. This change would take at least four years. So
far, voters have said 'no' five times. So, Coakley using the
grad tax as a possible funding mechanism for her new programs is
just rhetoric. She doesn't know what else to say when asked
about new taxes," said Anderson.
In 1994 Anderson was the face of the
successful effort that beat back the last attempt to institute a
state graduated income tax. Anderson, along with allies from
Massachusetts High Tech Council and the MTF representing the
Boston business community, defeated what was then known as
Question 6 by more than 800,000 votes.
The Springfield Republican
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Martha Coakley's comments on graduated income tax
criticized by
taxpayer watchdogs
By Garrett Quinn |
|
Chip Ford's CLT
Commentary
We're off to a good start with Charlie Baker
winning his campaign for the corner office —
a taxpayer-friendly Republican governor again, at long last.
House Republicans picked up an additional six
seats (one pending a recount) bringing their total in the next
session (beginning in January) to 35, up from 29.
Senate Republicans added two more to their
minimalist ranks, bringing their total in the next session to six.
While Republicans are still overwhelmingly
outnumbered in the Legislature, at least this election moved the
number of taxpayer-friendly Republicans in the right direction.
Of the 52 candidates
CLT's 2˝ PAC endorsed, four were elected to the state Senate,
fourteen to the state House of Representatives.
Electing Baker as the next Governor of the
Commonwealth and adding two more Republican state Senators and six
more state Representatives may become very important for taxpayers
in the months and year ahead.
On October 22 the State House News Service
reported ("Coakley hedges exploration of income tax change" by Andy
Metzger):
Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, a proponent
of the graduated income tax, is poised to be elected the
next Senate president in January. "I will be discussing
it with my colleagues," Rosenberg told the News Service
in March after a special Tax Fairness Commission,
co-chaired by Rep. Jay Kaufman and Sen. Michael
Rodrigues, included the graduated income tax among its
recommendations.
"I said I'm not going to raise taxes and I meant it,"
Baker told reporters Wednesday afternoon after emerging
from a meeting with mayors around the state on Beacon
Hill. Baker described the graduated income tax as
"something the voters of Massachusetts have rejected
soundly at the ballot box several times over the course
of the past 20 or 30 years."
Sen. Rosenberg of Amherst has lusted for a
graduated income tax forever, and he's about to be crowned the next
Senate President. Don't be surprised to see it resurrected from the
ash heap of history for another go-around.
AAA, Big Asphalt, and the Department of
Transportation's collective hackarama still don't get it
— or just won't admit it.
Question One, repeal of the automatic gas tax increases which won by
53% - 47% of the vote, did not affect the recent 3-cent per gallon
gas tax increase and does not prevent future gas tax increases. It
only requires that our elected representatives on Beacon
Hill do what they’re elected and paid to do; vote on any future tax
hikes — and deal with the
consequences.
Hey tax-borrow-and-spenders
— the ballot question campaign is over, and you lost. Get
over it.
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Chip Ford |
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The Boston Globe
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Transit officials say repeal could cost $1b over decade
By Nicole Dungca
Last year, the Legislature approved an $800 million bill that
included a 3-cent increase in the gas tax to fund repairs to the
state’s bridges and roads. A key piece of the bill was a provision
linking gas tax increases to the Consumer Price Index. That
provision was repealed Tuesday.
Transportation officials are lamenting what they say is the loss of
a projected $1 billion in revenue and the opportunity to borrow even
more for transportation projects over the next decade after voters
repealed gas tax indexing Tuesday, undercutting the state’s landmark
transportation funding bill.
While the effects of the repeal will not immediately be apparent, a
number of planned transportation projects — from rail expansions to
the upkeep of roads and bridges — could be delayed if legislators do
not approve future increases in the gas tax, according to state
transportation officials.
But supporters of the repeal said the state has not lost any
revenue, and legislators could still vote to increase the gas tax
annually as needed.
Last year, the Legislature passed an $800 million transportation
finance bill that included bumping up the gas tax by three cents to
24 cents a gallon. One of the key pieces of the legislation also
included linking the gas tax to the Consumer Price Index, which
would allow it to increase yearly to keep up with inflation.
On Tuesday, voters passed the repeal by 52 percent.
Richard A. Dimino, the executive director of the non-profit A Better
City, said he worries the repeal will undermine the safety of
transportation infrastructure across the state. More than half of
the Commonwealth’s bridges are structurally deficient or
functionally obsolete, according to the Federal Highway
Administration.
“This vote is going to delay our ability to get to those bridges and
make them safe,” Dimino said. “We may have to shut them down. We may
have to reduce lanes.”
Beverly A. Scott, the general manager of the MBTA, said the agency
will now need to reevaluate its priorities, but said she did not
know if any currently planned projects would be delayed. “There’s
obviously going to need to be some re-sorting out because there’s
going to be money that’s off the table,” Scott said.
Scott noted that increased T and commuter rail fares would be
unlikely to close the funding gap left by the repeal — the
transportation finance bill caps fare increases at 5 percent every
two years.
“I’m disappointed, but you dust your knees off and you get back in
the race,” Scott said.
Question 1 arose in response to the 2013 transportation funding
bill.
According to figures from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation,
the average driver pays about $144 a year in gas taxes, and would
have seen an approximate $2.30 increase next year, based on
indexing.
Michael J. Widmer, president of the Taxpayers Foundation, who helped
campaign against the repeal, said the vote could have serious
long-term consequences for transportation funding that was given a
boost last year.
“When one looks at all of the various initiatives that this
administration and others have put forward over the long-term, this
will have an enormous impact on the state’s ability to fund those
projects,” he said.
Widmer said he believed some of the biggest transportation projects,
such as the South Coast Rail project that would provide commuter
rail service from New Bedford and Fall River to Boston, could now be
on the chopping block.
Holly Robichaud, a spokeswoman for the pro-repeal campaign, said gas
tax indexing was tantamount to taxation without representation.
“I think people want accountability of their legislators, that they
were going to abdicate their responsibility of the gas tax,” she
said.
“If the money is truly needed, all they have to do is go and ask for
it and make their case to the people,” Robichaud said. “They aren’t
losing any dollars.”
But opponents of the repeal say history shows the difficulty of
regular increases. When the Legislature passed the tax increase in
the transportation package last year, it was the first time the tax
was increased in more than 20 years.
“I don’t see the Legislature taking this on,” Widmer said. “I think
the voters have spoken and the Legislature and the administration
now have to deal with that reality.”
Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone of Somerville, who campaigned against the
repeal, said Governor-elect Charlie Baker and the Legislature need
to identify another funding mechanism to avoid the “real public
safety crisis” of deferred maintenance of the state’s bridges and
roads.
“Cities and towns are forced to supplement their own money by their
own borrowing and putting pressure on their own taxpayers, to get
our roadways to a good state of repair,” Curtatone said.
Associated Press
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
GOP wins over 2 Massachusetts Senate seats
Republicans have made some gains in the Massachusetts Senate,
winning over two seats that had been held by powerful Democrats.
State Rep. Vinny deMacedo of Plymouth defeated Democrat Matthew
Patrick and Libertarian Heather Mullins Tuesday in the race for the
seat now held by Senate President Therese Murray, who is retiring.
Murray has represented the district since 1992. In 2007, she became
the first woman to serve as president of the Senate.
Also Tuesday, incumbent Democratic state Sen. Richard Moore, a
member of Murray's leadership team who holds the title of President
Pro Tempore of the Senate, was unseated by Republican state Rep.
Ryan Fattman of Sutton.
Moore had held the seat since 1996.
The GOP will occupy six of the 40 seats in the Senate in the next
session.
State House News Service
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Mass. Republicans gain seats in House, Senate
By Gintautas Dumcius
As the Corner Office returned to Republican hands, the state Senate
and House turned a shade redder on Tuesday night.
The ranks of the House Republican caucus will grow by at least five
seats to 34 lawmakers, while in the Senate they will gain two seats,
bringing the total Republicans in the upper chamber to six. The
outcome of a close House race in Amesbury, Salisbury and Newburyport
was unclear Wednesday afternoon.
But overall, it was a mixed bag for both Democrats and Republicans,
as voters in many parts of the Bay State chose to split the ticket
and vote for candidates from both parties.
The new lawmakers will join Governor-elect Charlie Baker, a
Swampscott Republican, on Beacon Hill in January, but will be unable
to provide him with enough votes to sustain his vetoes.
Republicans had been hoping to double their numbers in the Senate
and make significant gains in the House. The ability of Democrats to
retain seats that were expected to flip back to the Republican
column was an indication of split-ticket voting across the Bay
State, analysts and lawmakers said.
"Republicans did well but Baker's coattails weren't deep enough to
bring some folks along," said Professor Peter Ubertaccio, director
of the Joseph Martin Institute at Stonehill College.
As an example, Ubertaccio pointed to Baker and Vinny deMacedo, the
Republican candidate for retiring Senate President Therese Murray's
seat, winning Plymouth. Congressman William Keating, a Democrat,
also won Plymouth on his way to reelection, Ubertaccio said.
"The reality in Massachusetts is the levers of power to retain seats
or win seats are more heavily stacked against Republicans than in
most states," said House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North
Reading). "And some of that was witnessed last night."
But at least 34 House Republicans in January will put the caucus
back to where it was at least at one point during Gov. William
Weld's Beacon Hill tenure, he said. Jones added that the gains and
"losing no ground is a positive outcome."
House GOP leaders are confident that Jones will be reelected as
minority leader in January, and Jones told the News Service on
Wednesday he will run for the post, which he's held since 2002.
In the House, two incumbents lost their seats: Rep. Rhonda Nyman
(D-Hanover) was bested by David DeCoste (R-Norwell), while Rep.
Denise Andrews (D-Orange) was felled by Susannah Whipps Lee
(R-Athol).
DeCoste, a selectman, won by 59 votes, according to Wicked Local
Norwell. The news site reported that Nyman said she would "reassess
in the morning" when asked about a possible recount.
Nyman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on
Wednesday.
"As of today, we only had two members of the House who were not
reelected," said Rep. Paul Donato (D-Medford), who did not face an
opponent.
Donato, a member of House leadership, said Speaker Robert DeLeo
(D-Winthrop) "put forth an agenda" for incumbents and candidates to
run on.
"There were those who felt we were going to lose six to ten seats,"
Donato said. Instead, "we did more than hold our own," he added.
House Democrats lost several races involving open seats, including
the ones left open by retiring Rep. Cleon Turner and the late John
Binienda, who were both Democrats.
Leicester Republican Kate Campanale won Binienda's seat over
Leicester Democrat Douglas Belanger, while Dennis Democrat Elisa
Zawadzkas lost the race for Turner's seat to Republican Timothy
Whelan.
Rep. Anne Gobi's district went for red on Tuesday, with Spencer
Republican Donald Berthiaume winning the race for the open seat with
Hubbardston Democrat Matthew Castriotta. On Wednesday morning, Gobi
(D-Spencer) won her bid for retiring Sen. Stephen Brewer's seat by
206 votes, according to MassLive.com, and Republican Michael
Valanzola called shortly after midnight to concede.
The result for the seat once held by former Rep. Michael Costello
(D-Newburyport) appeared unsettled after numbers from Amesbury were
revised to show a lead for Newburyport Democrat Ed Cameron, instead
of an initial lead for Amesbury Republican James Kelcourse,
according to the Daily News of Newburyport. The newspaper said on
Wednesday "it could be a day or more before a winner is declared."
Joseph McKenna (R-Webster) beat Mark Dowgiewicz (D-Webster) for the
open seat created by Rep. Ryan Fattman (R-Webster) leaving to run
against Sen. Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge). Fattman won his race.
Matt Muratore (R-Plymouth), who faced off against Stephen Palmer
(D-Plymouth), picked up Rep. Vinny deMacedo's seat.
Grafton Republican David Muradian bested Northbridge Democrat Martin
Green in the race to replace retiring Rep. George Peterson
(R-Grafton).
Democrats held onto Democratic Sen. Jason Lewis's former House seat,
with Stoneham Democrat Michael Day beating out Stoneham Republican
Caroline Colarusso. Democrats also retained exiting Democratic Rep.
Christine Canavan's seat, as Brockton Democrat Michelle Dubois held
off former Rep. John Cruz (R-West Bridgewater) and unenrolled
Brockton candidate Tyler Prescott.
Rep. John Fernandes, a Milford Democrat, edged out Mendon Republican
Mark Reil for a fifth term, according to the Worcester Telegram and
Gazette. The newspaper reported that Fernandes won by 357 votes.
Voters in Lawrence rejected a comeback effort by William Lantigua,
who mounted a bid for his old House seat after he was turned out as
the city's mayor last year. Rep. Marcos Devers (D-Lawrence), who was
also on the ballot with Republican Roger Twomey, won 46.9 percent of
the vote, according to the Eagle-Tribune. Lantigua picked up 41.2
percent of the vote, according to the newspaper.
Rep. Harold Naughton, a Clinton Democrat and chair of the House side
of the Public Safety Committee, defeated Boylston Republican Brad
Wyatt. Naughton has served in the House since 1995.
Rep. Theodore Speliotis, a Danvers Democrat who is also in House
leadership, defeated West Peabody Republican Thomas Lyons, The Salem
News reported.
Another incumbent, Westford Democrat James Arciero, emerged with a
1,455-vote victory in his race against Republican Dennis Galvin,
according to the Lowell Sun. Littleton independent Arleen Martino
picked up 551 votes, the newspaper said.
Other incumbent Democrats whose races were watched with interest on
Beacon Hill and who triumphed on Tuesday, according to a Democratic
source, included Attleboro Democrat Paul Heroux, who faced off
against Attleboro Republican Bert Buckley; Barnstable Democrat Brian
Mannal, who was challenged by Barnstable Republican Adam Chaprales;
and Methuen Democrat Diana DiZoglio, who beat back a challenge from
North Andover Republican Rosemary Connelly Smedile.
Other reelected incumbents included Gardner Democrat Jonathan
Zlotnik, who was on the ballot with Winchendon Republican Garret
Shetrawski; Michael Finn of West Springfield, who bested West
Springfield Republican Nathan Bech; Holliston Democrat Carolyn
Dykema, who beat out Hopkinton Republican Patricia Vanaria; and
Gloucester Democrat Ann-Margaret Ferrante, who tangled with Rockport
Republican Michael Boucher.
Dracut Democrat Colleen Garry won in a race against Dracut
Republican Cathy Richardson, while fellow incumbent Kate Hogan
(D-Stow) fought off Maynard Republican Paddy Dolan and Springfield
Democrat Angelo Puppolo won his race against Wilbraham Republican
Bob Russell.
Marlborough Democrat Danielle Gregoire won reelection after facing
Marlborough Republican Matthew Elder and Westborough independent
Kristine Coffey-Donahue.
The Sept. 9 primary saw one incumbent fall, when voters ousted Rep.
Wayne Matewsky (D-Everett). His expected successor, Joseph McGonagle,
did not face a challenger in the general election.
In the Senate, Democrats kept their hold on two open seats: former
Rep. Barbara L'Italien (D-Andover) beat Selectman Alex Vispoli
(R-Andover) in the race to replace Sen. Barry Finegold, who
unsuccessfully ran for treasurer instead of reelection. Sen. Gale
Candaras's seat went to former Obama White House aide Eric Lesser
over Republican Debra Boronski.
Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester) was reelected after facing Melrose
Republican Monica Medeiros. Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives
(D-Newburyport) and Jennifer Flanagan (D-Leominster) were also
reelected.
Sen. Dan Wolf, a Harwich Democrat who briefly mounted a run for
governor last year, cruised to reelection over Republican opponent
Ron Beaty.
The Boston Herald
Thursday, November 6, 2014
A Boston Herald editorial
State House shake-up
This isn’t 1991, and Gov.-elect Charlie Baker is well aware of that
fact. There won’t be enough Republicans in the state Senate to
sustain his vetoes. There won’t be enough Republicans in the House
to influence every piece of important legislation. That means
playing ball with Democratic leaders even more than Baker’s GOP
predecessors had to, if he wants to see his agenda through.
Still, there were hopeful signs for a Baker administration in
Tuesday’s election results.
Voters rejected an expanded bottle bill, and demanded that lawmakers
be required to vote on any future increases in the gas tax. On their
own those results send a clear message that taxpayers aren’t in any
mood to be further “nickeled and dimed,” to borrow Baker’s phrase.
There were signs of progress for Baker’s party, too. The Republican
caucus in the House will grow by six. The Senate increased its
numbers by 50 percent. (Sounds good, right? Really it just means
going from a pathetic four members to a sad six. But one of them
grabbed the seat of the outgoing Senate president, and even
incremental progress means Baker will have allies for his agenda.)
The new governor has an opportunity to build a useful alliance with
House Speaker Robert DeLeo, often a voice in the State House
wilderness when it comes to taxes and spending. The presumed new
Senate president, Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst), should consider
joining that alliance. Hey, we can dream can’t we?
Yesterday the governor-elect was keeping his specific policy agenda
to himself. He announced the appointment of James Peyser, a leader
in the education reform arena and veteran of previous GOP
administrations, to head the transition and spent the day stressing
the importance of building his team. And there is no more important
task for a committed change agent than choosing able generals to
execute his battle plan.
The Legislature is still the playground of too many tax-and-spenders
who have been there too long. Beginning in January it will have a
welcome if modest makeover.
State House News Service
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Baker names Peyser to helm transition, will release road $$$
By Matt Murphy
Governor-elect Charlie Baker, who described himself as "anxious" to
move from the campaign to the business of governing, said his first
order of business after claiming a narrow victory in Tuesday's
election for governor would be to start hiring a team around him.
"People are policy," said Baker, speaking with his running mate
Karyn Polito at the Seaport Hotel just hours after Democrat Martha
Coakley called to concede the close race.
Baker declined to discuss legislative initiatives that could emerge
out of the gate in January, but indicated he would follow through on
a campaign promise "early on" to release $100 million in funding for
local road repairs held back by the Patrick administration.
The move to release the local road funding, which Patrick held back
in order to dedicate state borrowing to other infrastructure
projects, could help endear him to lawmakers, including Democratic
leadership in the House and Senate, who were frustrated with Patrick
for refusing to spend one-third of the $300 million in authorized
local road spending.
Baker met for over 40 minutes privately with Patrick at the State
House to discuss the transition and issues that will face the new
administration in January. The two men, who appeared to put aside
any lingering animosity from the campaign trail, discussed the first
budget Baker will have to assemble, as well as the rebuilt Health
Connector website that goes live on Nov. 15.
"The campaign's over. We're looking ahead. We're both looking
ahead," said Patrick, who hours earlier had stood with Coakley as
she addressed her supporters after conceding the race.
Asked what advice he gave Baker, Patrick said, "Have fun. Find the
parts of the job...It's a big job. There's a lot to it and a lot of
variety and never a dull day, but find the parts of the job that are
fun and make sure you keep going back to those."
The Patrick administration has put together a website of transition
materials for the Baker team and appointed a point person to
facilitate meetings for the governor-elect in the coming months.
Office space has also been set aside on the first floor of the State
House for Baker's transition team, but a Baker aide said the
governor-elect and his staff would continue to work for now out of
his Brighton campaign headquarters.
Some of Baker's campaign staff will ultimately make the transition
to the administration with the governor-elect. Though campaign
manager Jim Conroy is not expected to take a role in the new
administration, spokesman Tim Buckley will stay on as communications
director to the new governor, according to advisors.
Baker said he has tapped education reform and charter school
advocate Jim Peyser to lead his transition team. Peyser, who is
managing director of New Schools City Funds in Boston, previously
worked as chair of the Board of Education and as an education
advisor to Republican governors, including as special advisor on
charter schools to Gov. William Weld.
"Mostly what I want to say is thank you very much to the voters of
Massachusetts for giving Karyn and me the opportunity to serve as
governor and lieutenant governor. Certainly for me, it's the honor
of a lifetime," Baker said.
The Bakers and Politos had breakfast at the Seaport Hotel Wednesday
morning with their families before facing the media. Baker made a
stop later in the afternoon at The BASE in Roxbury and planned drop
by the Eire Pub in Dorchester later in the evening.
Baker, who will have to work with a Legislature that remains heavily
Democratic despite small gains in the House and Senate on Tuesday
for the GOP, said he hopes to continue the tradition of meeting
regularly with legislative leadership of both parties.
"I congratulate Charlie Baker on his victory. I worked with him when
he served as Secretary of Administration & Finance and look forward
to working with him in his new role as governor," House Speaker
Robert DeLeo said in a statement.
Senate Majority Leader Stanley Rosenberg, who is expected to be
elected president of the Senate in January, also noted his past work
with Baker while the governor-elect served in Gov. William Weld's
cabinet and Rosenberg chaired the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
"I am confident we will work together well because we have done so
in the past...," Rosenberg said. "I strongly believe that together
we will continue this commitment to reaching across the aisle, and
finding common ground upon which to build consensus and ensure a
responsive and accountable government."
One issue where Baker and Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill may find
common ground is over campaign finance reform. A flood of money from
outside groups, including the Republican Governors Association,
contributed to the electoral atmosphere in Massachusetts as the
airwaves were crowded with political ads.
"I certainly think there are things we can do to limit the role and
the influence of outside spending and that's a great example of
something I would like to work with the Legislature on a bipartisan
basis to pursue," Baker said.
Baker, however, would not go so far as to say that super PAC and RGA
spending on his race helped propel him to the slim margin over
Coakley, who did not receive the same level of support from the
Democratic Governors Association.
"I think our message is fundamentally responsible for our victory,"
said Baker, suggesting voters responded to his message of improving
the economy and schools and bringing balance to Beacon Hill.
Voters on Tuesday also supported a ballot question opposed by Baker
that will guarantee earned paid sick time to workers at companies
with at least 11 employees. Though Baker presented an alternative
proposal during the campaign to restrict the measure to mid-size
companies with at least 50 employees, he said he would not pursue
changes to the ballot law.
"I think we should implement the law," Baker said.
The Springfield Republican
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Martha Coakley's comments on graduated income tax criticized by
taxpayer watchdogs
By Garrett Quinn
BOSTON — Recent comments on the graduated income tax by Democratic
gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley brought the often
controversial tax proposal back into the Massachusetts political
conversation this week.
Coakley's comments during the joint WGBH/Boston Globe debate about
her openness to implementing a graduated income tax system in order
to raise state revenues without burdening the middle class was
quickly pounced on by her Republican opponent Charlie Baker and
taxpayer advocates.
"We are exploring ways to do a more graduated income tax," said
Coakley while answering a question about how she could raise
revenues by taxing the top two percent of income earners at a higher
rate.
Coakley said that a graduated income tax system could be a "last
resort" to raise revenues in her administration.
The attorney general walked back those comments after the debate, as
well as at event the following morning in Boston.
"Let me be clear because I want to make sure everybody saw and heard
the same debate that I was in last night. I have said I hope taxes
go down. I support the income tax as our economy improves and I
support that income tax going down," said Coakley.
Coakley said she was merely looking at the graduated income tax as a
possibility in the future.
"I did not say we have to do this," said Coakley.
Coakley repeatedly told reporters after a campaign event on
Wednesday that she was not interested in raising taxes, though when
asked if there were any taxes she would cut she could not give a
specific answer. Coakley did say she hopes the economy improves so
the income tax continues its rollback to five percent.
Any move to implement a graduated income tax system in Massachusetts
would require an amendment to the state constitution, something that
could occupy extensive political capital and time for the next
governor.
Local taxpayer advocates were critical of Coakley's simple openness
to the graduated income tax during interviews this week.
"If you're trying to create jobs it doesn't make sense to give
opened-ended authority to the legislature to raise taxes on higher
income individuals," said Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
President Michael Widmer.
Widmer and MTF have been longtime opponents of the graduated income
tax system.
Widmer told the Tax Fairness Commission in February that any change
to the state's income tax structure that would tax high income
individuals at a higher rate would be hurt the state's economy.
"Amending the state’s constitution and adding to the tax burden of
middle and higher income taxpayers, including businesses that pay
personal income taxes, would pose one more disincentive to job
creation in the state," said Widmer while testifying before the
commission.
Barbara Anderson of Citizens for Limited Taxation
agreed with Widmer, one of her longtime ideological sparring
partners.
"Since our state constitution allows only a flat rate income tax,
those who want a graduated income tax must place this proposal on
the statewide ballot for a constitutional change by voters. This
change would take at least four years. So far, voters have said 'no'
five times. So, Coakley using the grad tax as a possible funding
mechanism for her new programs is just rhetoric. She doesn't know
what else to say when asked about new taxes," said Anderson.
In 1994 Anderson was the face of the successful effort that beat
back the last attempt to institute a state graduated income tax.
Anderson, along with allies from Massachusetts High Tech Council and
the MTF representing the Boston business community, defeated what
was then known as Question 6 by more than 800,000 votes.
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