Democratic Governor starts the "TAXING OF EVERYTHING"

So it all begins, tax our candy, soda, water and anything else the democrats can think of! Oh and I forgot, the 27 cents per gallon of gas for our vehicles,

making us the # 1 in the nation of gas tax, "real smooth governor" keep on helping us taxpayers every way you can. Oh and great job of putting all of the debt of the big dig, run up by a private agency making the taxpayer not responsible. However your reform will now make the taxpayers responsible for all 2.2 billion run up by this private entity, which by the way collected tolls to pay this off! And we thought the feds knew how to bailout private business! Keep an eye on the vote for the 3 tier health care payment for state employees, I have a feeling the people that vote to institute it will be exempted from their own law, just like their 5.5% pay raise! I bet Damico goes along with the gas tax approval after all he is great at spending everyone's money except his own.

Patrick's Budget Proposal

Below is our Governor's revised 09 and fiscal year budget proposal for 2010. With a House power struggle...the Legislature has been robbed of a full month of productivity. Because of this, the legislature is on a fast track to end this fiscal year with a budget out of balance by hundreds of millions of dollars, in violation of the state's balanced budget requirement.
While I am encouraged by some of his provisions, our town, this district... can not be a donor to the rest of the State. It is about time the State House asks less from us, and works more with it!
From Governor Patrick:

FY 09 Budget Revised and FY 10 Budget Filed
We have made the hard decisions involved in cutting spending and finding savings. These are unavoidable given the magnitude of our economic challenges. In some cases, these choices are painful. In others, they further a continuing agenda to reshape government to more efficiently and effectively carry out its mission.
Some of our budget savings reflect the continuing work of modernizing government - especially in health care, as we shift to new models of payment and care that emphasize outcomes, prevention and alignment with other payers. Moreover, in collapsing almost 850 budget line-items into 480 line-items, we are giving agencies the flexibility to manage within tighter budgets and protect priorities to the maximum extent possible.
In difficult times, there is no escaping the need for difficult choices. Some worthwhile programs have gone without funding. Others have experienced severe reductions. No one's priorities have been spared. For example, our initiative to hire new community police officers has not been funded, and the recession will slow our timeline for new investments in our education Readiness Project. Individuals, families, businesses and government at every level will feel the impact.
As has been done here and in other states during previous fiscal crises, we are making appropriate use of additional revenues to offset the need for deeper cuts.
We are using state Rainy Day funds and temporary increases in federal matching funds for state Medicaid spending to balance our budgets. With these cash infusions, we can limit the impact of some spending cuts. Without them, many cuts would be calamitous. We do recognize the danger of over-reliance on one-time resources in balancing budgets. For that reason, we are also proposing budget reforms to curb the longstanding practice of building ongoing spending commitments on the shaky foundation of volatile capital gains revenues.
Education Funding PreservedCuts in aid to cities and towns are unavoidable in today's circumstances, but we have made it a priority to limit the pain. At $3.948 billion, current Chapter 70 funding for public schools is at an all-time high. Though cut during the last economic crisis, we have maintained the current level of spending in both fiscal year 2009 and fiscal year 2010. Proposals for federal education aid raise additional hope for ultimately reaching foundation levels of spending next year.
Revenue-Raising Measures Implemented
We have also limited the amount of cuts to unrestricted aid for cities and towns in fiscal year 2010 - with the use of revenues from a modest one percent increase in state meals and hotel room occupancy taxes. Cities and towns and property taxpayers would receive additional help to weather the current fiscal storm, through other proposals I am filing to untie the hands of local communities to capture savings and raise revenues within their reach.
We are proposing other dedicated revenues as well. Candy, sweetened beverages and alcoholic beverages are currently exempt from the state sales tax; we propose to remove that exemption both to steer our children towards healthier choices and to support public health programs. Extending the Bottle Bill to non-carbonated beverages will promote recycling. We propose to consolidate 201 separate motor vehicle registry fees into 40, decreasing some and raising others - some of which have not been updated for nearly a decade or more. These fees will be used to support funding in the budget for important transportation needs.
Vital Services Protected
These and other tools have helped us preserve many important services, despite our fiscal challenges. As indicated earlier, we are continuing existing funding for Chapter 70 in both fiscal years 2009 and 2010. We will continue to enroll people in affordable, high-quality health insurance programs without the types of enrollment caps and benefit cuts that were imposed during the last fiscal crisis. Veterans' services have been protected. And numerous other services were spared reductions that would have compromised their ability to help citizens who depend on them.
An Opportunity for Reform
All economies are cyclical, and we will cycle out of this downturn in time. Meanwhile, a fellow governor in another state likes to say that "a crisis is a terrible thing to waste." I share the sentiment. Now is a moment not just of challenge, but also of opportunity. We want to seize the opportunity to confront issues that have been avoided in ordinary times, and make our Commonwealth stronger in the long run.
Building on already-launched efforts to reform our transportation and criminal justice systems and state pension and ethics rules, the Emergency Recovery Plan we announce today lays out a far-reaching reform agenda aimed at making government at every level more efficient, responsive and effective.
New opportunities for municipal revenues and cost-savings will help cities and towns deal with both immediate cuts as well as enduring fiscal challenges. An Article 87 proposal and other legislative language will transform the face of state government - consolidating homelessness services to carry out a more robust "Housing First" strategy; starting to replace fragmented information technology and energy purchasing operations with more streamlined approaches; and replacing administrative silos within Secretariats with "shared services." Reforms to how we budget for volatile capital gains revenues and address retiree health care costs will likewise put the state on sounder fiscal footing for the future.
Looking Forward--The Federal Stimulus Package
We are clear-eyed about the magnitude of our current challenges and what they mean for ordinary people throughout Massachusetts. But with the fiscal framework we outline today - and most importantly, with the resilience and spirit of community that lives within the people of Massachusetts - we remain confident in the Commonwealth and our future.
In partnership with the new Obama Administration and our congressional delegation, we have been working hard to help shape a federal economic stimulus package. While it will not be enough to avoid all of the hard choices we as a Commonwealth have to make, we anticipate significant federal resources to jump-start our economy and cushion some of the personal and fiscal impacts of the recession.
We are laying the groundwork to spend an anticipated infusion of federal resources wisely and effectively - to create jobs quickly and rebuild our infrastructure through new construction projects, protect our gains in education and preserve key state investments in health care and other priorities. We are also putting billions of our own dollars into capital projects to put people to work, and aggressively courting businesses to locate and grow in Massachusetts.
We wrestle with this task understanding that behind every budget line item is some person's best chance, or only chance. That is particularly the case in an economic downturn, as citizens who have lost their jobs, their health insurance or their homes rely on government to help them through to a better day. We also understand that balancing the budget takes multiple tools, not "one-size-fits-all" solutions.
I look forward to working with the Legislature and our other partners in government, business and community leaders, and each and every Massachusetts resident, to build a bridge to our bright future . . . because I still believe that Together We Can.

Nothing for our $

Did you expect anything else?

As we watch our elected official fumble and babble municia about why he should take his 5.5% pay raise, I ask if you expected anything less. This was the individual that at town meeting always was voting to raid free cash and stabilization to be the hero. But now that he is in a position to try to get us more, the results are no surprise. He blames Bush and Washington, but do we not have a total Democratic representation there as well as our legislature and Governor here at home? According to them should we not be much better off? Mr. Damico was always good at spending other peoples money in Town, and now he has moved to the state level where the well is dry and getting drier, except for his pay raises. He can lash out at his critics but he chose this path, it was so much easier doing it to others, but now we can all enjoy him fumbling about while state aid gets cut but he does better

Why can't we get leadership like this?

Our new President Barack Obama ordered a pay freeze for top aides making $100,000 or more! http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17750.html

As much as I have problem with most of Mr. Obama's policies, the man can take a leadership role. What is the problem with our "so called" leaders at the State House! Oh, they do not have full time jobs, so they need the money. They do not get enough from a pension, so they need the money. They do not get reimbursed enough for gas, travel, or buying the latest edition of the New York Times! They need the money.

The Massachusetts House leadership is showing the country that they do not get it. We live in a state where the Democratic leadership turns a blind eye to the outside world. They know what is best for our State. And that is the reason why we have an increasing budget deficit. WAKE UP!

D'Amico is a sham

D'Amico asking legal counsel about not taking the bonus pay raise is bogus. Since when has Beacon Hill followed its constitution? I bet he has given little if any of his $60K a year salary to charities in his district. He should give the 5.5% or over $3K raise to the charities as well as another $3K from his already existing salary. He gets mileage, plus medical, plus other money for attending sessions. He needed a job and that is why he probably ran. He has probably never earned so much money. His son has a free ride to Brown University as well. I'm sure his asskissing of the school department over the years didn't hurt in precurring good grades for the kid and ultimately the free tuition to Brown.
People have inferred that he is not well liked at all on Beacon Hill, either by DiMasi or the Governor. He has no allies or power up there.
He was on a kick to get the studio in Plymouth turned down and to scare away film and TV in MA. Maybe he was on his high horse so they would pay him off to back off? Either way, he has done little if anything to help his communities. Maybe he will back another 2 1/2 override. He suggested it in Rehoboth. He is a socialist who never made it in business world and now wants business to pay for his failures.

Election 2008

Question 1 - Failed

Question 2 - Passed

Question 3 - Passed

State Senate - Timilty

Barney Frank Getting Hammered by O'Riely

Jim McGovern Votes in Favor of Bailout

Jim McGovern who is our state rep in Washington voted in favor of giving private businesses 700 Billion dollars of your tax payer money. Of course I am pretty sure he is running unopposed, but you can still withhold your vote for him this November.

Jeff Beatty Uphill Fight/Name Recognition

Republican Candidate for Senate Jeff Beatty is going to face an uphill battle in his attempt to beat John Kerry in the November Election. His position on the issues may not be the problem so much as it is that no one knows who he is.

A recent Rasmussen Poll showed Kerry with a 27 percent lead in the polls. But while in favorable ratings Beatty had a whopping 41 percent of people who where polled saying they were "not sure". This points to the fact that he lacks name recognition at this point.

So if I were Jeff Beatty I would not put so much focus on the 30 second campaign adds. I would throw most of my energy pounding the pavement meeting people, and getting myself on the news shows.

Beatty's message is simple, "Relevant Experience". He states that he had an opportunity to challenge the Bush Administration on the Iraq War prior to the invasion. He has stated several times that given the evidence that was presented to him he would not have supported the Iraq war. He points to the primary factors relating to the intelligence not coming from American Boots on the ground, but from foreign contacts who received payment based on the amount of information they gave. So in essence, the United Stated had no first hand evidence of WMD's or anything else related to our reasons for invasion.

John Kerry voted for the War.

http://www.jeffbeatty.com/

Beatty criticizes Kerry’s judgment

For those of you who do not know, Jeff Beatty is running for US Senate against John Kerry. Below is and article that blasts John Kerry for his critisizm of John McCains position on Iraq. Good stuff.

By Jeremy P. Jacobs:

Responding to U.S. Sen. John Kerry's television appearance on Sunday, Jeff Beatty, Kerry's Republican challenger, blasted the senator for criticizing another politician's judgment.

Kerry (D-Boston) repeatedly criticized presumptive Republican nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) judgment in the war in Iraq on CBS's "Face the Nation.

Beatty said Kerry is in no position to criticize McCain's judgment after voting to authorize the use of force in Iraq in 2002.

"Really what it goes to is his judgment," Beatty told PolitickerMA.com. "He's got no room to talk. He has voted for the war for all the wrong reasons. And, given the same facts, I would not have voted for the war."

When asked about Kerry appearance on "Face the Nation," Beatty said that Obama's willingness to listen to the military before withdrawing troops is at odds with Kerry's position. In 2006, Kerry, along with Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) introduced legislation calling for a specific timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

"Even right now he is still talking about his timetable to get out at any cost," Beatty said. "We can't do anything at any cost...Barack Obama himself realizes we can't get out at any cost."

Beatty said Obama's position on withdrawal is now closer to his than it is to Kerry's. "Even Barack Obama, the standard bearer of the party," he said, "has had to distance himself from Kerry's position."

The Kerry campaign dismissed the charges as trying to twist the senator's position on Iraq.

"Republican candidates," said Roger Lau, Kerry's campaign manager, "will say or do anything to avoid facing the reality that their standard bearer John McCain has a plan for staying in Iraq while Barack Obama and John Kerry have a plan for getting out of Iraq and winning the war in Afghanistan. Period. End of story."

In 2003, Beatty attended a Pentagon briefing with then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld during the run up to the war. Beatty said he was working as a security consultant on a national anti-terrorism security program. His client was invited to the briefing and insisted Beatty attend. (Beatty could not name his client due to confidentiality agreements.)

"I was presented with the same facts that Sen. Kerry was," Beatty said. "And the question comes to, are we basing this on U.S. eyes on the target [meaning we've found weapons of mass destruction] or are we basing this on a foreign agent where the more we pay him the more fantastical things he tells us."

Beatty said that following that briefing, he would not have voted to authorize the use of force.

"John Kerry had access to the same set of facts and yet he voted for the war," Beatty said. "He is just a political figure and he's not voting for the interests of the people of Massachusetts."

politickerma.com

I did tu go to skewl

--- On Wed, 7/16/08, D'Amico, Steven - Rep. (HOU) wrote:
From: D'Amico, Steven - Rep. (HOU)
Subject: RE: Vote NO on H597
To: "Don Kinniburgh"
Date: Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 4:15 PM
Dear Mr. Kinniburgh,
Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to you email. I
have only one aid, and sometimes fall behind in replying to emails.
It is my understanding that this bill did not receive a facorable
committee recommendation and will not be voted on by the House.
It is important to me to know how people in about issues that affect
them, so thank you once again for contacting me on this issue.
Sincerely,
Steve D'Amico
State Representative - 4th Bristol District State House, Room 39 Boston,
MA 02133 Rep.StevenD'Amico@Hou.State.MA.US
T: (617) 722-2014
F: (617) 626-0855
-----Original Message-----
From: bounce@bounce.votervoice.net [mailto:bounce@bounce.votervoice.net]
On Behalf Of Don Kinniburgh
Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2008 2:45 PM
To: D'Amico, Steven - Rep. (HOU)
Subject: Vote NO on H597
Representative D'Amico:
Please vote no on H597. I whole-heartedly oppose attempts to take local
control away from school administrators and teachers in regards to the
health curriculum as this legislation would do. Health education is best
handled and guided not by "one-size-fits-all state mandates" but by
teachers and school administrators who know their students and can
tailor curriculum to meet individual needs. This bill is just another
attempt by government to take local control away from parents, teachers
and administrators. Please oppose H597.
Sincerely,
Don Kinniburgh
XXX
Seekonk, MA 02771

Mass. GOP losing ground

A story from the Boston Globe. Not such great news


Mass GOP will contest about 58 legislative seats

Globe Staff / May 2, 2008
In the two election cycles since 2004, as Massachusetts Republicans lost the governor's office, every congressional race they contested, and a net of five seats in the Legislature, it was tough to imagine that things could get any worse for the chronically beleaguered state GOP.

But they have. Measured by its ability to field candidates, the Republican Party in Massachusetts is weaker than ever. While the state's top Democrats have few major legislative victories to point to, despite having a lock on Beacon Hill, Republicans are contesting only 29 percent of the 200 legislative seats in November, according to a preliminary list compiled by the secretary of state's office.
"There's nowhere to go but up," said Daniel P. Haley, who was chief of staff for Kerry Healey when she was lieutenant governor and is running against two Democrats for an open House seat in Holliston. "If nothing else, I can stand as a small bulwark against the in creasing dominance of the super majority," Haley said.
Signatures were due Tuesday in city and town clerk offices around the state, although a complete count of competitive races will not be certain until the state certifies signatures May 27. Based on who took out papers to run, Republican Party officials say they will probably contest no more than 58 of 200 legislative seats, the lowest number since at least 2000. In 2006, Republicans fielded candidates for 70 seats, which at the time was seen as a dismal failure.
Republicans currently have only 19 of 160 seats in the House and five of 40 seats in the Senate.
In addition to the bleak state legislative picture, there are Republican challengers running in just five of the 10 congressional districts, and possibly the most vulnerable - US Representative Niki Tsongas, who has held the seat for only six months - is going unchallenged. US Senator John F. Kerry also has two Republican challengers, Jim Ogonowski, a Dracut farmer and retired military officer, and Jeff Beatty, a former Delta Force officer from Harwich.
Historical tends are working against Republicans. Democrats, for example, are backed by entrenched interests such as labor and teacher unions. The state's large and small cities remain heavily Democratic, while rural and suburban communities, more likely to have Republicans and independents, are still catching up in terms of population and clout.
Republicans have found consolation in the election of Republican governors, Francis W. Sargent and William F. Weld among them, who acted as counterweights to the majority Democrats.
Republicans generally point to 1990 as their modern heyday, when Weld won the governorship, 38 Republicans were elected to the House, and 16 won a seat in the state Senate, giving Weld a Senate minority that could sustain his vetoes and allowed him to push changes and tamp down spending in a fiscal crisis.
Governor Mitt Romney vowed to be a party builder as he campaigned in 2002. And in 2004, during the midterm elections, he recruited a field to contest 121 seats in the Legislature, the biggest crop in years. Despite the high number of candidates, the party lost three legislative seats.
Then Romney launched a bid for president. "From now on, it's me, me, me," he told the Globe's editorial board after the 2004 elections.
"Whatever party building [Romney] did was to enhance his own stature," said Maurice Cunningham, a political science professor at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. "When that was done, he left, and I think he left the Republican Party in bad shape."
In 2006, Governor Deval Patrick's victory over Healey, Romney's number two, ended 16 years of Republican governors.
"It's difficult, now that we've lost our toehold on the corner office, to build enthusiasm and certainly to raise money," said Jane Swift, former acting governor. "That's not an issue that's going to resolve itself until we have a strong Republican gubernatorial candidate running in the next cycle."
The Republicans this year are generally avoiding incumbents by chasing open seats and are focused on conservative-leaning areas such as Cape Cod, the North Shore, and areas along the Interstate 495 corridor. Many of those towns have led the surge among unenrolled state voters, a shift away from Democratic identification that has given a lift, and at least hope, to Republicans. Still, party stalwarts say it has been difficult to recruit Republicans to run.
"It's tough to say to your family: 'I'm running for office. I fully expect I'm going to lose. Please give up your summer, your time, and send money you'll never get back,' " said Representative Bradley H. Jones Jr., the House minority leader. "That's tough to encourage people to do."
Critics say that having such one-party dominance on Beacon Hill results in more checks and fewer balances and limits creative tension in the political process. Several Republicans said that is the argument they will lean on heavily this year.
"When one party controls everything, nobody is looking out for the interests of the people," said Peter Torkildsen, the state GOP chairman. "The only way to do that is have a two-party system. People didn't understand it two years ago, but they understand it now, seeing what's happened with broken promises and ethics problems."
State party officials say they have trained their focus on building a stronger grass-roots organization. They have built a "voter vault" database, which allows campaign organizers to determine which voters tend to lean Republican, and they are holding training sessions to get activists involved. They are also trying to recruit Republicans to run in municipal elections, an effort state party officials say will not pay off for five to 10 years.
"We're focused on the farm team," said Rob Willington, who took over in September as executive director of the state party. Willington pointed to a series of Republican victories in municipal elections: Timothy Dodd won a selectmen's race in Westborough, Adam Lamontagne won a school committee race in Chicopee, and Mark P. Hawke won a mayor's race in Gardner.
To take a more visible role, the party has also bulked up its online presence (think YouTube videos and blog items) and become more vocal in criticizing Democrats, issuing press releases on everything from the Pennsylvania primary to the governor's approval ratings. Party officials held a press conference yesterday to discuss Ethics Commission complaints filed against House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi.
The party is trying to raise its profile, even as some of its more experienced hands get out of the game. At least three Republican lawmakers are not running again: Representative John Lepper of Attleboro, Representative Mary Rogeness of Longmeadow, and Representative Paul Loscocco of Holliston. Of the other 21 Republican incumbents, seven have Democratic challengers, so, for now, the party is still waiting for the next positive sign.
"The 2010 gubernatorial race is the next best hope," said Rob Gray, a Boston-based Republican consultant. "I don't see any changes or competitive races in terms of the congressional delegation in the near future. And it'll be as tough as it always is in the Legislature, if not tougher."

Same-day voter registration a cause for debate in area

BY MAITE JULLIAN FOR THE SUN CHRONICLESunday, March 2, 2008 11:15 PM EST
On Jan. 16, the deadline for voters to register for the presidential primary election, a whopping 117 people showed up at election offices in Attleboro to sign up.Some of them would have done it on the day of the election - if it was possible, said Joan Pilkington-Smyth, chairwoman of the city's election commission.

The expectation of even more crowds and long lines on Election Day has made Pilkington-Smyth leery of a proposal to allow citizens to register and vote on the same day.

"Trying to get as many people out to vote is a good thing," Pilkington-Smyth said. "But with people just showing up that day, the problem is going to be able to find out if they are not registered somewhere else.

"The Legislature's Election Law Committee endorsed a bill, filed by State Sen. Cynthia S. Creem, D-Newton, last week that would allow same-day registration in the 2008 and 2010 general elections.

Some local legislators think the state should give same-day registration a try.

"It is a good compromise because it is an opportunity to see how it works, and then decide what to do," said State Rep. Steve D'Amico, D-Seekonk, who co-sponsored the legislation.

Supporters say giving voters the opportunity to register on Election Day will increase participation and make the process even easier by eliminating the registration deadline.

But most election commissions in cities and towns are concerned about the law. Opponents question where the funding would come from and worry about potential voter fraud.

"We already have some difficulties verifying voters' information. We would need a lot more poll workers," said Pilkington-Smyth. "I would like to see an innovative idea to get people out to vote, but one that would look at the costs and process.

"Kevin Poirier, North Attleboro's election commissioner, said voter registration is simple already. Adding to the complexity on voting day, he said, would only increase long lines at the polling stations.

"I see it creating a chaotic situation at the polls," he said. "On the upcoming election, we'll probably have between 75 and 80 percent of registered voters voting. If unregistered voters are coming too, it will create one more backlog, and we really don't need that.

"Opponents in the Legislature have also raised concerns about the funding of such a measure.

"Though I appreciate any efforts that open up our election system to more voters, I have deep concerns about any proposal that is not crystal clear in addressing the costs associated with the necessary technology and the education of its operators," said Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham.

"Our election officials are already overburdened with unfunded mandates, as it is," he said.

The election division of the Secretary of State's Office is studying the legislation, and declined to estimate potential costs.

The governor's office said funds will be considered in the 2009 fiscal budget if the measure becomes law.

MassVOTE, a voting advocacy organization that co-sponsored the bill, estimates it would cost an average of $250 in each precinct, or $500,000 for the state. The figure is based on an average of $110 per poll worker, along with additional ballots.

MassVOTE Executive Director Avi Green said the costs would mainly occur the first year. As provisional ballots - used to cast a vote when there is some question regarding a voter's eligibility - are eliminated at polls, the funds they require would be shifted to same-day registration.

MassVOTE's estimate is based on how people move within the state and on other states that have same-day registration.

"To get 200,000 more voters is worth every penny," Green said.Maine, New Hampshire, Idaho, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Wyoming have passed similar laws. Green said four of those states were among the top six in voter participation during the 2004 presidential election.

But opponents, including Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, say there are no guarantees same-day registration would increase voter turn out.

"They are talking about something that we don't know," Poirier said. "I don't think it would affect participation."

Norfolk Town Clerk Gail Bernardo agrees.

"In Norfolk, people do register to vote," he said. "We have very few problems on Election Day."

D'Amico counters that the upcoming presidential election will bring out more potential voters than have been seen in decades."

Attention gets higher when we get close to an election," D'Amico said. "Then people who would like to vote find out that they can't because it's too late to register."

Opponents say people who are willing to vote will register, no matter what and argue that same-day registration will only increase voter fraud.

MassVOTE says New Hampshire has seen few incidents of fraud in its same-day registration. And Green said voter fraud is rare in Massachusetts.

Still, Poirier said there is great potential to take advantage of the system."I have a great objection that people just show up and register," she said. "Some candidates might bring their own people to polls and give them incentives to do so. There is no way to know what kind of frauds there will be, but I know it will happen."

Poirier said voters have a responsibility to stay active in the election process. If people are involved, and want to vote, she said, they will know when they have to register.

"If someone is not interested in registering to vote, I find it difficult to have empathy for that person," she said.

Beacon Hill’s Attempt to Weaken Prop 2.5

The House voted 111-34 to pass legislation (House Bill 4534) giving communities the option of exempting residents that are age 65 and older, who earn less than $60,000 per year, from paying for voter-approved property tax overrides. Critics correctly say the legislation seeks to circumvent Proposition 2½, the state’s tax-limiting law, by focusing on elderly voters who are seen as most likely to oppose overrides. The bill is criticized as an end-run around Proposition 2½ tax limits. The bill is now careening toward the Senate and Gov. Deval Patrick.

When asked by Boston Herald reporter Casey Ross, the governor's spokeswoman replied: “We’ll have to take it under review, but in general we’re supportive of property tax relief.” Does this indicate that Gov. Patrick supports property tax relief for all, or property tax relief for just some? We don't know, but he's been an enigma since assuming the governorship.

“This effort is very cynical attempt to do an end-run around Proposition 2½,” said state Rep. Donald Humason (R-Westfield). Passing this bill is only going to shift the burden onto the remaining taxpayers.”

Before this bill is passed more questions need to be asked and answered. What happens when Baby boomers start retiring? As many of the baby boomers begin to turn sixty-five, who is going to foot the bill if this legislation becomes law? It is clear that a heavier burden of paying property taxes will fall on middle and low-income families year after year.

This approach to property tax relief is not relief at all. This bill is confined to accomplishing only one thing: make it easier for towns and cities to increase your property taxes and permit them to expand without any limits.