Page 16 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 24, 2020 BHRC | FROM PAGE 15 various modes of public transportation. During these increasingly difficult financial times it is critical that we continue to make investments in projects such as roads, bridges, sidewalks, and other various restoration projects throughout the commonwealth.” Despite several attempts by Beacon Hill Roll Call, Sen. Joe Boncore (D-Winthrop), the Senate chair of the Transportation Committee, did not respond to requests to comment on the bill. “Section 5 in the bill sets up regional taxation districts where they could change the sales or property taxes by region,” said Sen. Ryan Fattman (R-Sutton). “This is a harmful Space for Lease 3 Large Rooms, each with Large Walk-in Storage Area. or Aerobics Studio. Located at Route 1 South at Walnut Street. Rollerworld Plaza, Route 1 South, 425 Broadway, Saugus. Call Michelle at: 781-233-9507 concept for local businesses and residents. If their region decides to increase sales taxes, potential customers may look beyond these districts to shop for products. We should be working to give relief to our local small businesses during these challenging economic and public health times, not creating an extra barrier to success.” A House-Senate conference committee will attempt to hammer out a compromise version. (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Jason Lewis Yes ALLOW CITIES AND TOWNS TO RAISE TAXES FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS (S. 2813) Senate 8-31, rejected a motion to strike from the bill a section that allows cities and towns and regions to raise local taxes to fund transportation projects outside of Proposition 2½, which limits property tax increases in cities and towns. “Legislating by local tax ballot iniThank you to all the first responders, healthcare workers, and all other essential workers who are working hard to keep our community safe and healthy. RIGHT BY YOU tiatives hampers our ability to serve our communities in a uniform, progressive, equitable way,” said Sen. Diane DiZoglio (D-Methuen), who led the charge to delete the section. “Some of the tax options put forward in this regional tax increase proposal, including the sales tax and property tax components, have nothing to do with transportation but are extremely regressive and would damage our Main Streets. Now, in the middle of a global pandemic, it is astounding to me that we think this is the time to be adding more of a financial burden to our local mom and pop shops.” “It’s clear that more and better public transit is needed across the state, and it is important to give local communities and regions the ability to raise funds when they identify particular needs,” said Sen. Cindy Creem (D-Newton). “Improving access to business districts that are not currently accessible by public transit is good for workers, small businesses and the overall economy. We are giving communities this option if the voters choose to use it.” “The attacks on Proposition 2½ under any guise are relentless, always intent on chipping away at city and town taxpayers’ protection,” said Chip Ford, Executive Director of Citizens for Limited Taxation, which created the law overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1980. “Section 5 of the Senate’s transportation bond bill created a new exclusion for the citizens’ referendum law. It especially did not belong secreted into a massive borrowing bill, slipped in at the 11th hour without public notice never mind hearings,” Ford added. “Just business as usual on Beacon Hill. Citizens beware—those are the people you elected to the Senate to allegedly represent your interests.” “This is about regional em419 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 • 617-387-1110 771 Salem St, Lynnfield, MA 01940 • 781-776-4444 www.everettbank.com Member FDIC Member DIF powerment,” said Sen. Eric Lesser (D-Longmeadow). “This is about acknowledging that a lot of infrastructure development in our communities happens by region. It’s not all about top-down from Beacon Hill or top-down from the Statehouse, and it allows local communities to take some control and some autonomy over projects that are vital to them.” “The Senate is not letting the pandemic slow them down,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Mass Fiscal Alliance. “They feel they are immune from the economic hurt around them. Creating new taxing authorities is not how we’re going to get our economy running again. This is just a backdoor attempt to try to circumvent the will of the voters and undermine Prop 2 ½. These senators should be thinking about ways to reduce spending, cut taxes, and help small businesses and workers get back on their feet. In the past four months, countless Massachusetts residents lost their jobs and cannot pay their mortgages. Today’s response by the Senate is tone deaf to the financial hurt being felt around the state.” (Please read carefully what a “Yes” and “No” vote means. A “Yes” vote is in favor of deleting the local tax option and therefore against the option. A “No” vote is to leave the local tax option in the bill and therefore is in favor of the option.) Sen. Jason Lewis No INSTALL CAMERAS ON SCHOOL BUSES (S. 2813) Senate 14-25, rejected an amendment that would allow any city or town to install and operate live digital video school bus violation detection monitoring systems to enforce violations against the owner of a motor vehicle whose vehicle failed to stop for a school bus when required to do so by law. School buses with the monitoring system installed would post signage indicating the use of that system. “At least 22 states have enacted stop-arm laws to catch and punish motorists who pass stopped school buses by allowing local jurisdictions to install cameras on the outside of the bus to record illegal passings,” said the amendment’s sponsor Sen. Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen). “This is a commonsense mechanism that would help to increase driver awareness, prevent injuries and save lives, and the use of cameras for this specific purpose has widespread voter support in Massachusetts.” Opponents said that the transportation bill is focused on transportation projects and not general road safety. They said there are some safety provisions in the bill, but those provisions are focused on construction zones which make them related to the transportation bill. They noted the school bus camera idea was already considered by the Senate this past year and was rejected. (A “Yes” vote is for putting cameras on the buses. A “No” vote is against it.) Sen. Jason Lewis No 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 legBHRC | SEE PAGE 17
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