To: Rep. William J. Driscoll (D-Milton)
Rep. Dylan A. Fernandes (D-Falmouth)
Rep. Solomon Goldstein-Rose (D-Amherst)
Rep. Natalie Higgins (D-Leominster)
Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis (D-Framingham)
Rep. Juana B. Matias (D-Lawrence)
Rep. Joan Meschino (D-Hingham)
Rep. Brian W. Murray (D-Milford)
Rep. Chynah Tyler (D-Boston)
Rep. Bud L. Williams (D-Springfield)ield)
Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro)
Sen. Adam Hinds (D-Pittsfield)
Cc: Rep. Mike Connolly (D-Cambridge)
Sen. Walter Timilty (D-Milton)
Dear Representative or Senator;
When you were elected to your new office just over two months ago
you applied for a job to represent your constituents. You were
aware of the responsibilities of that job and its compensation.
With that in mind, you freely chose to seek the office you now hold.
You were elected by a majority of voters in your district to
represent your constituents’ hopes and dreams ― not those of
the legislative leadership on Beacon Hill. Voters in your district
believed you would represent their best interests in the
State House ― not those of the legislative leadership on Beacon
Hill.
When you assumed office you were immediately gifted by the taxpayers
with a 4.1% raise in the salary you anticipated. Nonetheless, your
first consequential vote upon assuming office was for a whirlwind
larger pay raise, its passage shabbily accomplished in less than a
week.
We’re confident those who voted for you did not expect
self-aggrandizement to be your first priority in your first days in
office. We’re sure you didn’t campaign for election on that
platform.
We’re just as confident that your hard-working constituents have not
received such an exorbitant increase in their income, probably no
increase whatsoever in a long time, and that they will remember your
priorities when you stand for re-election and again seek their
votes.
However, you can rectify the situation by sustaining the Governor’s
veto and restoring their faith in sending you to the State
Legislature to represent them.
Iconic humorist Will Rogers sagely noted: "You will never get a
second chance to make a first impression."
We hope you will reconsider your initial vote to radically increase
your compensation and that of your legislative leaders, and will
take this final opportunity to do the right thing: Vote to sustain
the governor’s veto.
Thank you for your consideration.