MassFiscal wants to publicly give a BIG thank you to the ten lawmakers who voted on Friday against the conference committee’s secretive $40B budget. 

The bi-partisan list of lawmakers are: Senators Sonia Chang Diaz (D-Boston), Ryan Fattman (R-Webster), State Representatives Jay Barrows (R-Mansfield), Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick), Geoff Diehl (R-Abington), Shawn Dooley (R-Norfolk), Peter Durant (R-Spencer), Kevin Kuros (R-Uxbridge), Jim Lyons (R-Andover), Shauna O'Connell (R-Taunton), and Keiko Orrall (R-Lakeville).  

Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst) released the 327 page conference committee budget at 10 a.m. and called for a vote at 2 p.m., giving legislators scant time for study. 

The conference committee irons out differences between House and Senate versions of the annual spending plan. Among the changes contained in this one were increases in employers fees to fund MassHealth and the removal of important reforms to the budget-busting state health care behemoth. 

House and Senate Republicans argued that the four-hour time frame didn't allow for adequate review, and while their efforts failed, they were able to force a few roll call votes on the matter.

The lightning fast process brought to mind former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's words of advice to her Congressional colleagues so long ago:  “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what's in it.” Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Rosenberg clearly took a page out of her play book this budget season. 

Governor Baker has ten days to sign the budget and veto what line items he sees fit. MassFiscal will keep the public updated on what the Governor does and in the meantime, please view and share the MassFiscal scorecard to see updated votes and scores. More info at: www.MassFiscalScorecard.org. 

(BOSTON)—Likely voters aren’t inclined to reelect legislators who voted “yes” on the 40 percent pay increase passed earlier this year. They’re not buying arguments put forth by legislative leaders about the crucial need for a graduated income tax, either.

A poll conducted this week by nationally-recognized data specialist Advantage, Inc. revealed deep distrust amongst the electorate toward the legislature.

An overwhelming majority, 65 percent, said they would be less likely to support a legislator who voted in favor of the graduated income tax. An even larger majority, 76 percent, would be less likely to reelect one who voted to raise their own pay.

Also of note: 60 percent of those surveyed had little confidence that the legislature would spend money raised by the proposed tax hike on transportation and education, as proponents have promised. That skepticism remains strong amongst voters of every party affiliation and political ideology. Among Democrats (51%), Independents (66%), and self-identified progressives (47%) are either not very or not at all confident that, if the constitutional amendment passes, the money will go to the stated causes by the proponents.

"Massachusetts voters are smart and have a good memory. They have rejected the graduated income tax scheme five times and know if Beacon Hill has more money, they’ll just spend it. Likely voters think that a 80 percent income tax hike will be used for spending perks like a 40 percent legislative pay raise,” Paul Craney, a member of the Board of Directors at the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, said. “The pay raise may have been great for lawmakers but horrible for advocates for the tax increase.”

Take a look at the cross tabs here. 

Take a look at the top line here. 

Bob Massie, a 2018 Gubernatorial candidate seems to have broken several campaign finance regulations regarding the disclosure of his donors as well as his withdrawals from his campaign coffers. We have sent a letter to the OCPF asking them to investigate the campaign's activities. You can read the original article here.