Who is the "Gimme
Lobby"?
We frequently refer to the collective of groups and individuals who
perpetually strive to take more and more from productive taxpayers as the
"Gimme Lobby," but that term, while descriptive, is broad and impersonal.
Thanks to our opponent, TEAM, and its campaign to defeat at any cost the
promised and long-overdue tax rollback, we can now put faces to that vague
image.
TEAM's compilation and publication now provides a means to identify
individual opponents and try to understand their desperate motivation to keep
the 11-year old promise broken, to continue denying hardworking and generous
taxpayers their promised relief, to perpetuate over-taxation and dangerous
over-spending in Massachusetts.
This is the group which, after defeating
the 1990 ballot question to roll back the income tax hike, immediately
called for an additional $845 million tax hike after declaring
that they wouldn't.
We call the list "The Promise Breakers."
When you look it over you'll see roughly three separate factions in
the campaign to keep the broken promise broken:
1. Those who profit from picking the pockets of taxpayers. Whether
it's the Democratic Socialists of
America, the Beacon Hill pols and wannabe pols, some special interest groups, or the state
and local teachers unions, they win only when taxpayers lose.
2. Some valid human service organizations
which, while meaning well, do not understand that their ability to provide taxpayer-funded services depends
upon a strong state economy and continued fiscal restraint on the part of
state government. The last time the commonwealth overspent during "good
economic times," the resulting fiscal crash hit human services first.
3. Groups like the Massachusetts Municipal
Association, which do not understand that if the state can break promises
to the taxpayers, it can and will break promises on local aid and capital spending reimbursements to the
communities; this will leave them without a leg to stand on when decrying the
broken pledge.
Groups 2 and 3 need education in fiscal reality. But For the "Gimme Lobby" collective,
more is never enough, and never will be.
Below is "a partial list," as TEAM calls it, of the opposition,
fighting to keep the broken promise broken. It's a good start for identifying the
"Gimme Lobby" collective and its self-interests or short-term foolish advocacy
of broken promises.
THE PROMISE BREAKERS
Organizations and Unions
Endorsing and Supporting
the Tax Everything
And More
Crusade to
Keep a Broken Promise Broken
ACORN
Acton Area
Advocates for Quality Care
Advocates, Incorporated
AFSCME Council 93
AIDS Action Committee
Alliance of MBTA Unions
American Jewish Congress
American Postal Worker's Union Central Massachusetts
Amesbury Federation of Teachers
Amherst School Committee
Amherst Select Board
ARBOR Associates, Inc.
ARC Massachusetts
Athol and Orange Family Inn
Bay State Community Services, Inc.
Boston Democratic Socialists of America
Boston Global Justice Network
Boston Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 534
Boston Police Patrolman's Association
Boston Teachers Union
Boston Women's Health Book Collective
The Brick House Community Resource Center
CAB Health and Recovery Services
Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee, Inc.
Cambridge Health Alliance
Campaign on Contingent Work
Cape Ann/North Shore National Association of Women
Center for Campus Organizing
Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance
Charlton Board of Health
Chelsea Teachers' Union
Child Care Resource Center
Children's League of Massachusetts
Chinese Progressive Association
Citizen's Housing and Planning Association
Citizens for Participation in Political Action (CPPAX)
Clean Water Action
Coalition for Authentic Reform in Education
Coalition for Social Justice/Coalition Against Poverty
Coastline Elderly Services, Inc.
Commonwealth Coalition
Communications Workers of America Local 1365
Community Action Agency of Somerville
Community Advocates of Cape Cod
Community Counseling of Bristol County
Community Substance Abuse Centers
Community Teamwork, Inc.
Consortium for Psychotherapy
Environmental League of Massachusetts
Fair Test
Fin Com
Greater Boston ARC
Greater Boston Labor Council
Greater Boston National Association of Women
Greater Holyoke CDC
Greater Springfield National Association of Women
Green Decade Coalition in Newton
Hampshire County Interfaith Shelter
Hampshire County National Organization for Women
Health Care for All
Health and Education Services, Inc.
Hilltown CDC
Hispanic Office of Planning and Evaluation, Inc. (HOPE)
IBEW Local Union 103
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 98
Jewish Community Relations Council
Jobs with Justice
Joint Public Health Board of Cambridge & Somerville
Latins United for Justice
League of Women Voters of Massachusetts
Leverett Board of Selectman
Leverett Finance Committee
Lexington Area National Association of Women
Lowell Central Labor Council
Lower Outer Cape Community Coalition
Lynn Economic Opportunity, Inc.
Mail Handlers Union Local 1301
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, Inc.
MASS Serve
Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Massachusetts Association of CDCs
Massachusetts Association of Jewish Federations
Massachusetts Building Trades Council
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
Massachusetts Coalition of Police
Massachusetts Community Action Program Association
Massachusetts Council of Home Care Aide Services, Inc.
Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers
Massachusetts Democratic State Committee
Massachusetts Democratic State Committee Affirmative Action Committee
Massachusetts Elementary School Principals Association
Massachusetts Federation of Teachers
Massachusetts Home Care
Massachusetts Human Services Coalition
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Massachusetts Municipal Association
Massachusetts Nurses Association
Massachusetts Police Association
Massachusetts Senior Action Council
Massachusetts Teachers Association
Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants, Inc.
May Institute
Mental Health Consumer Initiative
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Corporations of Massachusetts, Inc.
Merrimack Valley Environmental Coalition
Merrimack Valley People for Peace
Merrimack Valley Project
MetroWest National Association of Women
Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, Inc.
NAGE Local RI-168
National Association of Social Workers -- Massachusetts Chapter
National Organization for Women (Massachusetts Chapter)
National Priorities Project
Neighbor to Neighbor
Neighborhood Partners
Oak Hill CDC
Painters and Allied Trades DC #35
Parent Professional Advocacy League
Parents United for Child Care
People for the Environment
Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council
Plymouth Democratic Town Committee
Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts
Project Bread
Project COPE, Inc.
Quincy Community Action Programs, Inc.
SEIU Local 285
SEIU Local 509
SEIU Local 925
SEIU State Council
Somerville Teachers Association
South Shore Community Action Co., Inc.
Survivors Inc.
Tri-City Mental Health and Retardation Center
Tri-County Transition to Work
UDC
United for a Fair Economy
Urban League of Eastern Mass.
Valley Community Development Corporation
Valley Opportunity Council, Inc.
Wellspring House, Inc.
Western Massachusetts Service Providers
Westfield Mental Health
Women's Educational and Industrial Union
Women's Institute for Leadership Development (WILD)
Women's Statewide Leg. Network
Worcester National Association of Women
YWCA of Western Massachusetts
State Officials
Endorsing and Supporting
the Tax Everything
And More
Crusade to
Keep a Broken Promise Broken
Senators
President Thomas Birmingham
Robert Antonioni
Fred Berry
Stephen Brewer
Edward Clancy
Robert Creedon
Cynthia Creem
Susan Fargo
Cheryl Jacques
Stephen Lynch
David Magnani
Linda Melconian
Joan Menard
Richard Moore
Michael Morrissey
Therese Murray
Marc Pacheco
Steven Panagiotakos
Pam Resor
Stanley Rosenberg
Charles Shannon
Steven Tolman
Robert Travaglini
Dianne Wilkerson
Representatives
Speaker Thomas Finneran
Ruth Balser
Jarrett Barrios
John Binienda
Dan Bosley
Paul Caron
Mark Carron
Harriette Chandler
Vincent Ciampa
Edward Connolly
Paul Demakis
Carol Donovan
Robert Fennell
Michael Festa
Kevin Fitzgerald
Gloria Fox
John Fresolo
Anthony Giglio
Emile Goguen
Brian Golden
William G. Greene, Jr.
Lida Harkins
John Hart
Christopher Hodgkins
Kevin Honan
Frank Hynes
Pat Jehlen
Rachel Kaprielian
Jay Kaufman
Daniel Keenan
Kay Khan
Brian Knuuttila
Peter Koutoujian
Paul Kujawski
Stephen Kulik
Peter Larkin
David Linsky
Elizabeth Malia
Ronald Mariano
Jim Marzilli
Tom McGee
William Nagle
Harold Naughton
Thomas O'Brien
Eugene O'Flaherty
Shirley Owens-Hicks
Anne Paulsen
Vincent Pedone
Doug Petersen
Anthony Petruccelli
Cheryl Rivera
Michael Rodrigues
George Rogers
John Rogers
Byron Rushing
Mary Jane Simmons
John Slattery
Theodore Speliotis
Marie St. Fleur
John Stasik
Ellen Story
Ben Swan
Ronny Sydney
Kathleen Teahan
Walter Timilty
Steve Tobin
Tim Toomey
Philip Travis
Jim Vallee
Anthony Verga
Martin Walsh
Alice Wolf
Local Officials
Endorsing and Supporting
the Tax Everything
And More
Crusade to
Keep a Broken Promise Broken
Cathy Abbott, Lexington Board of Selectman
Michael Albano, Mayor of Springfield
Nilka Alvarez, Lawrence City Council
Thomas Ambrosino, Mayor of Revere
Lea Anderson, Wayland School Committee
Peter Ashton, Acton Board of Selectmen
Anne Awad, Amherst Board of Selectman
John Barrett III, Mayor of North Adams
Jay H. Ball, Natick Board of Selectmen
Peter Bangs, Old Rochester Regional School Committee
Rodney Barker, Newton School Committee
Howard Barnard, Greenfield Town Council
Roberta Bauer, Somerville School Committee
Claudia Bennett, Ashland School Committee
Roger Benson, Amesbury Municipal Council
Jo-Ann Berry, Acton School Committee
Rita Bleiman, Northampton City Council
Fenna Lee Bonsignore, Leverett Board of Selectman
Kathleen Born, Cambridge City Council
Mary Jane Brady, Walpole
Jim Braude, Cambridge City Council
Charles Brody, Framingham School Committee
Eugene C. Brune, Register of Deeds, Middlesex South
Judith Butler, Charlton Board of Health
M. Teresa Cardoso, Somerville School Committee
Ralph Carrer, Lawrence School Committee
Christie Ciampa, Saugus Board of Selectmen
David B. Cohen, Mayor of Newton
Richard Cohen, Mayor of Agawam
Nicholas Costello, Mayor of Amesbury
Joseph A. Curtatone, Somerville School Committee
Henrietta Davis, Cambridge City Council
Marjorie Decker, Cambridge City Council
Robert Dever, Mayor of Woburn
Patricia Dowling, Mayor of Lawrence
Gerald Doyle, Jr., Mayor of Pittsfield
Bob Edson, Wakefield School Committee
Thomas Ewing, Leverett Board of Selectman
Jenny Fallon, Belmont School Committee
Anthony Galluccio, Mayor of Cambridge
Martin Gately, Malden City Council
Dorothy Kelly Gay. Mayor of Somerville
Alex Ghiselin, Northampton City Council
Thomas Green, Hudson School Committee
Charlene F. Harris, Somerville School Committee
Pamela Harting-Barrat, Acton Board of Selectman
Susan Heyman, Newton School Committee
Mary Clare Higgins, Mayor of Northampton
Diane Huster, North Andover School Committee
Dennis Irish, Worcester City Councilor
Marshall Jeannero, Scituate Housing Authority
Dolly Jolly, Amherst Board of Selectman
James Korman, Sturbridge Board of Selectman
Jeanne Krieger, Lexington Board of Selectmen
Richard Kwiatkowski, Charlton Board of Selectman
Wilfred Labry, Lawrence Superintendent of Schools
Nancy M. Levine, Newton School Committee
Alex Liazos, Watertown Town Council
Stephen Lindberg, Auburn School Committee
Robert Logan, Waltham City Council
David Maher, Vice Mayor of Cambridge
Robert L. Maloney, Medford City Council
Pat Manley, Holliston School Committee
Kevin Maynard, Fitchburg City Council
Dean Mazzarella, Mayor of Leominster
Mike McCallum, Ashby Board of Selectman
Michael McGlynn, Mayor of Medford
Will McColl, Holliston Finance Committee
Bruce McGuire, Sturbridge Finance Committee
Lisa Mead, Mayor of Newburyport
June Michaels, Rockport Finance Committee
Kevin Moriarty, Wilbraham Board of Selectmen
Katrina K. Murray, Somerville School Committee
Tim Murray, Worcester City Council
Janice Nadeau, Worcester City Council
John Norris, Newburyport City Council
Elise Nulton, Franklin School Committee
James Perkins, Leverett Board of Selectman
R. W. Philbrick, Orleans Board of Selectmen
Steffen Plehn, Worthington Board of Selectman
Kathleen Precourt, Sudbury School Committee
David Ragucci, Mayor of Everett
Kenneth Reeves, Cambridge City Council
Mary Jo Rossetti, Somerville School Committee
Cecile Sanders, Mattapoisett School Committee
Eva Schiffer, Amherst Board of Selectman
Thomas Scott, Lexington
Susanna Segat, Cambridge School Committee
Carl Seppala, Amherst Board of Selectman
Frank Smizik, Brookline School Committee
Karen Spilka, Ashland School Committee
Thomas Stanley, Waltham City Council
Dennis M. Sullivan, Somerville School Committee
Michael Sullivan, Mayor of Holyoke
Michael A. Sullivan, Cambridge City Council
Richard Sullivan, Mayor of Westfield
Michael Tautznik, Mayor of Easthampton
Carolyn Taylor, Somerville School Committee
Karen Tichnor, Wayland
Carole Tye, Revere Superintendent of Schools
Lorraine Urbanski, Sturbridge Board of Selectman
Stanley Usovicz, Mayor of Salem
Robert Vallee, Franklin Town Council
Margaret Voss, Salem School Committee
Diane J. Welter, Northampton School Committee
"Community Leaders"
Endorsing and Supporting
the Tax Everything
And More
Crusade to
Keep a Broken Promise Broken
Andrew Baker, Candidate for State Rep., 2nd Berkshire
Jose A. Cruz, Attleboro Human Rights Council
Chris Gabrielli, Bessemer Venture Partners
Steve Grossman, Mass Envelope Plus
John O'Connor, Greenworks
Sherrad Barton, Clinician
Debby Blumer, Candidate for State Rep., Framingham
Mary Brooks Adams,
Jim Cantwell, Candidate, State Senate
Judith Deutsch, Candidate, 13th Middlesex
Paul Donato, Candidate, 38th Middlesex
Joe Early Jr., Canndidate, 1st Worcester Senate District
Michael Holden, Candidate,
Jim Leary, Candidate, 14th Worcester District
Harriet Lebow, Candidate, 13th Worcester District
Ted LeClair, Candidate, State Senate, Plymouth/Norfolk District
Susan Moorman, Program Director, WAMHC
Dianne Royle, Candidate, 1st Bristol
Steve Spain, Candidate, 3rd Middlesex Senate District
Bob Spellane, Candidate, 13th Worcester District
Thomas M. Stanley, Candidate, 9th Middlesex District
Richard H. Sherman, Candidate, 1st Plymouth District
H. LaValle Smith, Candidate for State Rep., Springfield
Mila Ruth Tarallo, Candidate, 9th Middlesex District
Chris Tilly, Economist
Warren Tolman, 1998 Lieutenant Governor Nominee
Barrent Walsh, Ph.D.
John D. Vozzella, Candidate, 9th Norfolk District
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