Gov. Baker
speaking of her accomplishments
at our Celebration of Life remembrance for Barbara
Anderson
Sunday, June 5, 2016
The Howie Carr Show Website
Monday, June 6, 2016
Celebration of Life for Barbara Anderson
By Howie Carr
. . . Before her death, Barbara had forbidden any
funeral services. But her partner Chip Ford and her
longtime associate at Citizens for Limited Taxation
Chip Faulkner figured she wouldn’t have objected too
strenuously to a “Celebration of Life,” with hors
d-oeuvres and a cash bar.
The unbilled headliner was Gov. Charlie Baker,
who stopped by on the way back from the UMass
Medical Center Commencement in Worcester. After he
graduated Harvard, Charlie’s first job was as the
flack to the Mass. High Tech Council, which was run
by CLT’s closest political ally, Howard Foley.
(Foley has since moved to Colorado.) In the brutal
1980 statewide campaign to pass Prop 2½, high tech
provided the cash, and Barbara furnished the troops
on the ground.
The taxpayers won, 59-41.
“Prop 2½,” Charlie said, “was the most important
political event in Massachusetts of my lifetime.”
I agree, and it was nice to hear him say it. Once
the hacks, at both the municipal and state levels,
no longer had carte blanche to beggar the working
classes, everything changed. Barbara accomplished so
much more – the fights against the progressive
income tax, the repeals of the income-tax
“surcharge” and the “temporary” income-tax increase,
the Governors’ radio show, etc. – but Prop 2½ was
the big enchilada, the sine qua non.
Also among Barbara’s friends in attendance was
Gerald “Tooky” Amirault, who was railroaded into
prison for 18 years in the Fells Acre Daycare frame.
It was Barbara’s final wish that he get some measure
of justice, or at least have his ankle bracelet
removed after 12 years on parole.
At Lombardo’s yesterday, Tooky finally got a chance
to speak directly to Baker, one-on-one. We all
understand that it’s up to Tooky to make the initial
outreach to the Parole Board, but it would help if
he knows how the governor feels about his petition.
Not only Charlie but his State Police detail shook
Tooky’s hand as they left Lombardo’s; I take that as
a good sign. . . . |
