Basis for CLT Legislative Ratings — 2017 Session
Both the House and
Senate took votes on the $18 million personal pay
raise bill. In fact both branches made it the first
order of business with a vote in the House on
January 25th (Roll Call #4) and Senate on January
26th (Roll Call #2). That same day the House took a
vote requiring public hearings on any pay hike,
which was defeated. A week later both branches
passed the pay hike legislation over the Governor’s
veto.
The House and Senate
jointly met in a Constitutional Convention in June
to move the graduated income tax constitutional
amendment toward the 2018 ballot. This amendment
process requires two votes over two legislative
sessions. It received its first vote in the last
session, and again it passed overwhelmingly.
(Note: A hearing was held before the SJC in
February by groups challenging the constitutionality
of the ballot question. A decision is expected in
June).
Despite taking over
300 roll call votes in 2017, the Senate carefully
avoided any other direct tax votes. CLT gave them
credit for a “transparency” vote to publicize bills
taken up in informal session. Unfortunately, they
voted down a proposal to increase to $2,000 the
amount paid to seniors working towards property tax
relief.
The House took up the
issues of an outside, third-party audit of the
Legislature, and putting committee votes online.
Both proposals were defeated. Attempts to roll back
the state income tax rate and sales tax rate to 5%
were also defeated. Finally, amendments to require
a social security number for public housing, and
prohibiting EBT card usage outside Massachusetts and its
border states received little support.
There were “further
amendments” listed after three of the House votes.
These deceptive amendments are hastily introduced to
avoid taking a vote on a controversial subject.
Passage of these amendments is simply cover, a dodge
from a direct vote that should have been taken; for
example, on the sales tax reduction to 5%. CLT
considers any legislator’s “yea” vote on a deceptive
“further amendment” as a negative in their
rating.
Not sure who your State Representative and State Senator
are?
Find them here
