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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, May 17, 2019 Page 25 THE HOUSE AND SENATE Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators' votes on roll calls from the week of May 6-10. Hey, Beacon Hill Roll Call Readers: Keep your eyes on the 2019 Legislature and the rough and tumble political scene in the Bay State with something that you will read every weekday morning. It’s MASSTERLIST! AND IT’S FREE! More than 17,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, start their morning with a FREE COPY of MASSterList! MASSterList is a daily ensemble of news and commentary about the Legislature, Politics, Media and Judiciary of Massachusetts drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced editor Jay Fitzgerald. Jay introduces each article in his own clever and never-boring, inimitable way. Go to: www.massterlist.com/ subscribe Type in your e-mail address and in 15 seconds you will be signed up for a subscription. CON CON VOTES TO TAX MILLIONAIRES ANOTHER 4 PERCENT (H 86) House and Senate held a constitutional convention and approved 156-37, (House approved 121-33, Senate approved 35-4), a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow a graduated income tax in Massachusetts and impose an additional four percent income tax, in addition to the current flat 5.1 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million. Language in the amendment requires that “subject to appropriation” the revenue will go to fund quality public education, affordable public colleges and universities, and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation. The proposal is sponsored by Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester) and Rep. James O’Day (D-West Boylston). In order to go on the ballot for voters to decide, it needs to twice have the votes of 101 of Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen the 200 members of the House and Senate in the current 20192020 session and again in the 2021-2022 session. The earliest it could be on the ballot is in November 2022. A similar effort by a group called the “Raise Up Coalition” to get the question on the 2018 ballot was derailed when it was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Judicial Court which said the constitution prohibits placing more than one objective in a single proposed constitutional amendment that is sought by a citizens’ group. The court’s decision noted that the proposal imposed the tax and then stipulates how the money could be spent. The current amendment is proposed by legislators rather than citizens and according to proponents, amendments proposed by legislators can have more than one objective and would not be ruled unconstitutional by the court. There was no debate on the proposal and no amendments were considered despite efforts by GOP Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading) to propose one. Jones said that Senate President Karen Spilka, who presided over the convention was intent on gaveling through the proposal quickly and deflected his attempts to offer an amendment. Jones said his amendment would have required that revenue from the new tax be spent in addition to funds already directed toward education and transportation, and not simply replace those funds. Jones was clearly unhappy with the procedure. “You know what it is?” Jones told the State House News Service. “You can quote me. It's bu**sh**. That’s what it is.” Senate President Karen Spilka said there will be debate and the opportunity to propose amendments when the proposal is debated again on June 12. Supporters say the amendment will affect only 20,000 extremely wealthy individuals and will generate up to $2 billion annually in additional tax revenue. They argue that using the funds for education and for the repair and maintenance of roads, bridges and public transportation will benefit millions of Bay State taxpayers. They note the hike would help lower income families which are now paying a higher share of their income in taxes. Opponents argue the new tax will result in the loss of 9,500 private sector jobs, $405 million annually in personal disposable income and some millionaires moving out of state. They say that the earmarking of the funds for specific projects is illegal and said all the funds will go into the General Fund and be up for grabs for anything. “The new revenue that would be raised by the Fair Share Amendment would go a long way in helping to fix crumbling roads and bridges, improving service on the MBTA and other public transportation, increasing funding for public schools, expanding access to quality early childhood education, and making higher education more affordable for students and families,” said Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester), the Senate sponsor of the proposal. “It’s also the best way to raise revenue that would make our tax system fairer and more progressive, rather than increasing taxes on middle class families who cannot afford to pay more. I’m pleased that the Legislature’s action today moves the Fair Share Amendment one step closer to the ballot.” “The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance (MFA) stands with the voters, who on five separate occasions voted against making Massachusetts a graduated income tax state, and with the state’s highest court which recently rejected a similar scheme as unconstitutional,” said Paul Craney, spokesman for the MFA. “Some lawmakers think history started in 2019, but this policy idea is the most rejected in the state’s history. The answer should always be ‘no,’ when considering removing our constitutionally protected guarantees of equal taxation.” “Community, faith, and labor groups all across Massachusetts strongly support the Fair Share Amendment because it’s the most fair, progressive and sustainable way to raise the major new revenue Massachusetts needs to invest in transportation and public education,” said Andrew Farnitano, the spokesman for Raise Up Massachusetts. “We thank the Legislature for moving the Fair Share Amendment forward today.” “If there was ever any doubt that the Legislature would expedite the scheme to tax more, today’s brief constitutional convention dispelled it,” said Chip Ford, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation. “It took longer to call the convention to order than to actually vote on and advance the socalled ‘Millionaire's Tax,’’’ Ford added. “A whopping billion dollars in excess revenue above last April’s haul poured into state coffers just last month alone but that’s still not enough for the ‘spendoholics’ on Beacon Hill. More never is.” (A "Yes" vote is for the additional 4 percent tax. A "No" vote is against it.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes $200 MILLION IN CHAPTER 90 FUNDING FOR LOCAL ROADS (H 69) House 156-0, approved and sent to the Senate a bill authorizing $200 million in one-time funding for the maintenance and repair of local roads and bridges in cities and towns across the state. The package is a bond bill under which the funding would be borrowed by the state through the sale of bonds. Other provisions include $200 million for rail improvements and $1.5 billion in bonding to allow for federal interstate repairs to advance. According to officials, 80 percent of the $1.5 billion would be reimbursed by the federal government. Supporters said the $200 million would help cities and towns keep their roads and bridges safe and allow many vital municipal road projects to move forward. No one voted against the bill but there are some legislators and city and town officials who say the $200 million that has been given for the past few years is insuffiTues. May 7 No House session cient. The Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) said it appreciates that the bill is moving forward because cities and towns maintain and repair 30,000 miles of local roads—that’s 90 percent of the roadways in the Bay State. However, for several years, the MMA has been seeking to increase the amount to $300 million. “The MMA’s long-term goal is to work with the governor and Legislature on a shared strategy to increase Chapter 90 funding and provide a multi-year framework, so that cities and towns can improve the quality of our roadways and save taxpayer dollars,” said MMA Executive Director Geoff Beckwith. Transportation House chairman Bill Straus (D-Mattapoisett) said the current $200 million is sufficient when combined with other state programs to help cities’ and towns’ infrastructure including a $50 million small bridge repair. “We have increased not just state spending, but the money we provide to municipalities in other ways,” said Straus. “I don’t agree that we’ve flatlined the expenditure. I just think we’re striving to find additional ways, either through the bridge program which I would like to see expanded or as direct budget aid to municipalities for their road and bridge needs.” (A "Yes" vote is for the bill.) Rep. Joseph McGonagle Yes HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK'S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature's job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible latenight sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of May 6-10, the House met for a total of five hours and 22 minutes while the Senate met for a total of eight hours and 21 minutes. Mon. May 6 House 11:11 a.m. to 1:27 p.m. Senate 11:02 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. No Senate session Wed. May 8 House 11:08 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. Senate 11:15 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. Thurs. May 9 House 11:04 a.m. to 11:23 a.m. Senate 11:07 a.m. to 11:12 a.m. Fri. May 10 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com

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