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Page 18 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 lies which are now paying a higher share of their income in taxes. Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen Note from Bob Katzen, Publisher of Beacon Hill Roll Call: Sunday, June 6 was the final broadcast of “The Bob Katzen Baby Boomer and Gen X Show” on WMEX Radio and online at www.wmexboston.com. I want to thank all the listeners, callers and celebrity guests including Jerry Mathers (Beaver Cleaver), Tony Dow (Wally Cleaver), Steve Talbot (Gilbert Bates), Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady), Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady), Robbie Rist (Cousin Oliver), Tina Louise (Ginger Grant), Jeremy Licht (Mark Hogan), Marc Summers (Host of “Double Dare”) and Frank Bilotta and Renee James (Bilotta Gallery). A big thanks to my entire production staff and correspondents including George Yazbeck, Jeremy McKinnon-Gartz, Mike Phelan, Alan Tolz, Ken Golner, Rob Stone, Len Mihalovich, Paul Yovino, Jon Aldrich, Connor Clougherty and Ben Rabinovitz. We are negotiating for a new broadcast outlet for the show. We’ll be back! “Stay tuned” and I’ll keep you posted. You can also visit us at www.bobkatzenshow. com. THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of June 7-11. TAX MILLIONAIRES ANOTHER 4 PERCENT (S 5) House and Senate held a Constitutional convention and approved 159-41, (House approved 121-39, Senate approved 38-2), a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow a graduated income tax in Massachusetts and impose an additional 4 percent income tax, in addition to the current flat 5 percent one, on taxpayers’ earnings of more than $1 million annually. 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, dubbed by sponsors as “the Fair Share Amendment” is sponsored by Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester) and Rep. James O’Day (D-West Boylston). Opponents reject that label and call it another unnecessary excessive tax. The proposal was also approved by the 2019-2020 Legislature and is now scheduled to go on the November 2022 ballot for voters to decide. Supporters said the amendment will affect only 18,000 extremely wealthy individuals and will generate up to $2 billion annually in additional tax revenue. They argued 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 noted the hike would help lower income famiOpponents argued 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 said 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. “When the Fair Share Amendment was first introduced in 2015, there were about 15,000 Massachusetts residents earning over $1 million a year,” said O’Day. “Now in 2021, there are about 18,000 residents earning over $1 million a year. Clearly, there are millionaires and billionaires who can afford to pay their fair share in taxes, which will support our neighbors and local communities with investments in public education and transportation.” “In a brash case of the pot calling the kettle black, after voting to move the graduated income tax to the ballot, Rep. James O’Day said of his targets, ‘They are the ones, obviously, that will have the ability to throw a ton of cash at this issue and that’s probably how they’re going to try to beat it,’” said Chip Ford, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation, which led the charge that defeated the last two attempts to impose a graduated income tax on the 1976 and 1994 ballots. “I hope he’s right,” continued Ford. “The reliably deep pockets opponents of any true ‘tax fairness’ and relentless advocates for higher taxes, the teachers and labor unions that make most ballot questions a financially lopsided affair sound concerned to compete on a more level playing field. So it’s game-on, taxpayers, let round six of the Tax Olympics begin. We need to hand them another grad tax defeat on the 2022 ballot—-for the sixth time.” “The Fair Share Amendment once again received strong support from legislators and, in public polling, typically receives support from more than 70 percent of voters in Massachusetts,” said Lewis. “The reason it is so popular is that most people recognize that our wealthiest residents can afford to pay a bit more in taxes to fund investments in public education and improve our transportation infrastructure that will grow our economy, expand opportunity and make our commonwealth more just and equitable for all.” “Only Beacon Hill politicians want to raise taxes by 80 percent, while simultaneously collecting more tax revenue than they know how to spend,” said Paul Craney, spokesperson for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “The voters should not forget or forgive this level of greed and they will have another chance to hold them accountable in 2022.” “Right now, our economy is working great for those at the very top, but it’s not working for the rest of us,” said Andrew Farnitano, a spokesman for the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition which has led the campaign for the proposal. “Giving every student access to a high-quality public education, upgrading our crumbling transportation infrastructure and making our public colleges and universities affordable again is the best way to lift up our economy for everyone, and to ensure Massachusetts remains a great place to live, work and raise a family. The Fair Share Amendment would provide sustainable, long-term revenue for investments in transportation and public education, without asking low- and middle-income families to pay a penny more.” A report released by the Beacon Hill Institute read, “The proposed surtax would decrease the demand for labor services and the quantity of labor services supplied. It would further increase the cost of obtaining capital services by reducing the after-tax profits that owners could plan on receiving from investments in their business. These effects would further manifest themselves as a reduction in private sector jobs, in disposable income and in state gross domestic product. In 2023, for example, more than 4,000 families would leave the Bay State with employment dipping by nearly 9,000 jobs. Workers will have $963 million less in disposable income and the state’s gross domestic project would shrink by $431 million.” “To make a fully informed decision, voters should understand what the tax changes embedded in the law will mean in terms of costs to the state’s economy,” notes David Tuerck, President of the institute and a co-author of the report. “Supporters of the millionaire’s tax ignore the reality that high-income taxpayers adjust their work effort and their decisions to save and invest, particularly when they are more willing to move.” (A “Yes” vote is for the 4 percent tax. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong No Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes REPRECINCTING (H 3863) House 113-29, approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would change how district boundaries for Congress, the State House of Representatives, State Senate and Governor’s Council will be redrawn ahead of the 2022 elections. Traditionally, cities and towns act first in the process by creating their local precincts and boundaries based on the latest decennial U.S. Census population. This time around, the Census Bureau announced in February that as a result of the pandemic it wouldn’t be able to deliver redistricting data by the expected and promised date of March 30, 2021 and have pushed the delivery date to September 30, 2021 with some information possibly arriving in August 2021. This delay makes it impossible for Massachusetts cities and towns to meet the existing statutory June 15 deadline to submit their redrawn precincts to the Legislature. The proposal, approved by the House, would change the order of things by authorizing the Legislature to take the first step by redrawing boundaries for state and federal offices using census tracts and blocks. Cities and towns would be required to complete their reprecincting work within 30 days after the Legislature finalizes districts. “This bill allows the drawing of new legislative districts in a timely manner while keeping us in compliance with state law and the state constitution,” said Elections Laws Committee chair Dan Ryan (D-Charlestown). “We do this while still allowing municipalities to draw their own precinct and sub-precinct boundaries to meet their needs.” “Any claim of urgency is a false flag intended to stifle debate and rush this legislation through,” said Rep. Shawn Dooley (R-Norfolk). “There’s technology that allows for instantaneous reformatting with the click of a mouse, so to say that we’re in a horrific time crunch and that the cities and town clerks won’t be able to get this done on a timely basis is nonsense.” “The delayed release of the 2020 Census data has made redistricting more difficult, but [the bill] is a modest, common sense change that will make both redistricting and reprecincting better for voters and local officials,” said Geoff Foster, steering committee member of the Drawing Democracy Coalition and executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “The current timeline gives municipalities an unrealistically short time period in which to redraw precinct lines.” “This complete reversal of the process would lead to unintended consequences and disruption to local governance, charters and elections in many cities and towns across the state,” said Massachusetts Municipal Association Executive Director Geoff Beckwith. “Forcing communities to shape their precincts around new state-set boundaries would lead to significant problems for communities with multiple precincts, especially those with Representative Town Meeting, as well as those localities that elect local officials in districts based on wards and precincts.” Beckwith also noted that “cities and towns are in the best position to take into account neighborhoods and racial and ethnic communities of interest when they draw precincts lines.” “The reprecincting bill was necessary to respond to U.S. Census data delays requiring a strategic and prompt response while ensuring a transparent and equitable redistricting process,” said Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley). Secretary of State Bill Galvin, the state’s chief election officer, opposes the bill and said he would urge Gov. Charlie Baker to veto the measure if it reaches the governor’s desk. “Have there been new ethnic communities come in?” asked Galvin at a hearing before the Election Laws Committee. “Have there been changes? Is there new construction? Are there new factors? Local governments are best able to deal with this.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong No CHANGES IN ELECTION VOTING LAWS (H 3862) House 128-32, approved an amendment that would make mail-in voting and early voting before the biennial state primaries and general elections permanent. Both of these methods were approved by the Legislature when the pandemic hit but only applied to the 2020 elections. “Massachusetts voters got a glimpse into an efficient, safe, and convenient way to vote that other states have long enjoyed during last year’s election, with 42 percent of our commonwealth’s voters voting by mail,” said Rep. Jack Lewis (D-Framingham). “And because of that, even in the midst of a global pandemic, we experienced turnout numbers we haven’t seen in nearly 30 years.” “I’m a little shocked that we’re doing this today as part of the supplemental budget said GOP Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “This should go through the committee process. The chairman of Ways and Means has tried to impress that upon me numerous times. I don’t understand why that’s not the case here particularly for something that isn’t timely. This doesn’t have to be done … this doesn’t have any effect on the voters for over a year.” “The operating paradigm around here is that the ends justify the means,” continued Jones as he tried appealing to members of the Progressive Caucus who often call for greater transparency, to reject the amendment because of the way it was being rushed through. “That really is the operating rule of the House of Representatives, that’s what we’ve come down to. There’s no transparency in this process. There’s no real opportunity to debate.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment making mail-in voting and early voting permanent. A “No” vote is against the amendment.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong 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 legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night 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 June 7-11, the House met for a total of eleven hours and hours and 47 minutes while the Senate met for a total of five hours and 47 minutes. Mon. June 7 House 11:01 a.m. to 1:16 p.m. Senate 11:27 a.m. to 1:22 p.m. Tues. June 8 No House session No Senate session Wed. June 9 House 11:01 a.m. to 2:41 p.m. Senate 1:17 p.m. to 2:37 p.m. Thurs. June 10 House 11:03 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. Senate 11:23 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. Fri. June 11 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com

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