BOSTON, MA - The following is a statement from Charlie Baker regarding the new budget gap in Massachusetts:
"This is just another example of Deval Patrick and Tim Cahill's fundamental incompetence when it comes to the Commonwealth's budget. In the face of the worst economic times since Governor Dukakis, their failure is intolerable. Our state's budget should be the top priority for the Governor and the Treasurer yet time and time again unanticipated spending and rising costs catch both of them off guard. Their lack of leadership on the budgetary process is unacceptable and the taxpayers and business owners of Massachusetts deserve better."
From today's State House News Service story, "New budget gap seen opening for state, could near $300M":
"The rising red ink will likely force the state to deploy some array of painful late-year budget cuts, new withdrawals from the already heavily depleted stabilization fund, and tightened spending management in the executive agencies. 'We've gotten information in recent days that suggests we have an additional $195 million to $295 million dollar exposure for this year,' Gonzalez told the News Service."
Congressman Stephen Lynch (D - MA) has been making the rounds in opposition to the Senate version of the health care bill and the procedures being used to pass it by the Democratic leadership. The South Boston Congressman had voted in favor of the original house version and the "Stupak" amendment on abortion funding. He did not state abortion funding as one of his main points of opposition.
This morning on Eagan and Braude 96.9 FM Lynch stated that he intends to vote "No" on the Senate Health Care Bill in it's current form. "If I have to vote on the Senate Bill right now as it is I would vote no." said Lynch. Lynch also referred to the "Deem and Pass" move attempted by the Democratic leadership as a "ploy," a "prank" a "pathetic stunt" and that it "hurts our credibility." "The bill is so bad that they are trying to allow members to vote on it without voting on it" and "I wouldn't insult the intelligence of the people who sent me here by trying something like that." added congressman Lynch in his blunt and honest statements. Listen to the interview here.
In an interview with Emily Rooney on WGBH he pulled no punches in his criticism of both policy and procedure. According to Lynch, the House bill had "real reform" while the Senate Bill is "pathetic," "has no real reform," "is a disgrace" and so on. This interview is embedded below.
Our friend Charley on the MTA got a little giddy this morning over the supposed CBO Score of the reconciliation package. There's a little problem though. After prodding, the CBO is now saying the following.
Although CBO completed a preliminary review of legislative language prior to its
release, the agency has not thoroughly examined the reconciliation proposal to verify its
consistency with the previous draft. This estimate is therefore preliminary, pending a
review of the language of the reconciliation proposal, as well as further review and
refinement of the budgetary projections.
So basically the CBO is saying well you asked us to come up with numbers, so here are some, but hey they don't really mean anything. Nancy Pelosi and her team used this report before releasing it to paint a false rosy picture of this bill. Charley, Nancy Pelosi just pwned you.
Karyn Polito will officially kick off her campaign for Massachusetts State Treasurer at Union Station in Worcester. Food will be offered, along with entertainment by "Usually Normal." A VIP Reception ($500 per person) will be held at 5:30 p.m., followed by a general reception ($100 per person) at 6 p.m. Please RSVP to http://www.karynpolitofortreas... or contact@karynpolitofortreasurer.com.
Parking for the event is available at the Franklin Street garage.
I have included a copy of the full invitation below the fold. Volunteers are also needed. Please contact Victor at Victor@karynpolitofortreasurer.com if you can lend a hand.
Christy Mihos' path to 15% at the Massachusetts Republican Convention next month is tenuous at best. The grapevine had Christy pegged at a support level that was much less than the 15% of delegates needed for ballot access. The fate of the Mihos campaign at the convention has been in the hands of the Baker campaign for months.
The talk in delegate circles has been whether or not Charlie would release enough delegates for Mihos to reach 15%. The Baker camp must be weighing the pros and cons of that decision as I type this. But now, does the surprise announcement of a lawsuit by Joe Manzoli, Mihos' former campaign manager, change the math?
Manzoli had been the one forging the delegate relationships especially in Central Massachusetts to get Mihos to his 15%. Since it is Manzoli with many of these relationships given the recent news, will they be loyal to him or to Christy at the convention. Here is what Manzoli told the Boston Globe.
Mihos's campaign account, on March 15, contained $4,061, and Manzoli says in the lawsuit that placing a lien on Mihos's home "is the only real security I will ever have'' to ensure that he will be paid for his work.
"My situation is very simple, and that is I love Christy, I love his message, and all that good stuff, but sometimes you have to have tough love,'' Manzoli said in an interview. "And that's really what it comes down to. I wish him well in the campaign, and I feel terrible it had to come to this.''
Are you a delegate to the Convention? If asked by the Baker campaign would you vote for Christy at the convention.
(Edited for formatting. Please remember to follow our Fair Use Policy when posting. - Paul R. Ferro
I deleted the earlier post after a call by Joe Manzoli who told me that it was not true. And well I guess at the moment Joe called me it was technically true. The suit had not been filed on Monday or Tuesday it was being filed later yesterday. - promoted by Rob "EaBo Clipper" Eno)
Republican gubernatorial candidate Christy Mihos is being sued by his former campaign manager, who says he is owed tens of thousands of dollars.
Joe Manzoli said Mihos owes him $44,500 for work he did for the convenience store magnate's bid to win the GOP nomination for governor. Mihos faces Charles Baker in the primary.
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Manzoli's lawyer said he was being paid, but those payments stopped and $44,500 is what he is still owed.
Although Mihos has pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into his run for office, his campaign has been plagued with staff upheavals and financial problems.
I haven't posted much lately and it's not because I've given up on Red Mass Group or you our readers. I am pleased to announce that I've started working on an investigative reporting project for the Pioneer Institute called Pioneer Investigates. Now I am not 100% sure where it will take me but I think the readers of RMG will enjoy what I will be doing for Pioneer.
Over the next year I'll be covering stories on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis for Pioneer. The more involved stories, of course, will be the ones on a weekly and monthly basis. If you have an idea for a story email me here and I will get back to you. Anonymous emails are always welcome.
Occasionally, I'll crosspost my Pioneer writings on RMG when I think it is appropriate and would be of interested to RMG readers. Pioneer has developed some amazing tools for citizens of the Commonwealth and I encourage you to use them. At some point I hope to walk you through them and show you what you can find.
Walk around Boston today and you see two things: office workers dressed in professional business attire and drunk revelers clad in various shades of green. The people dressed in green, chugging pints of Guinness, and listening to the Dropkick Murphy's at a deafening level are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. The closed government offices and 35,000 government workers who have the day off as a paid holiday are celebrating Evacuation Day.
The controversial holiday, formally a mere 109 years old, celebrates the evacuation of British troops from Boston after an eleven month siege known as the Siege of Boston. British troops and naval forces were facing a difficult choice: launch a full scale invasion of a very angry Boston or retreat to Nova Scotia. British forces, led by General William Howe, chose the later and retreated to Nova Scotia, effectively giving George Washington his first victory of the war.
As the Irish grew in prominence and influence in Boston the holiday took on a new meaning because it fell on the same day as St. Patrick's Day. In 1901 the state started recognizing it as a formal holiday and in 1938 in became a paid holiday for government workers in Suffolk County. Today it is estimated that Evacuation Day and its controversial sister holiday Bunker Hill Day cost the Commonwealth $5 million.
(edited to embed photo. - promoted by Mike "DD4RP" Rossettie)
As a proud parent and grandparent, I understand that one of my generation's greatest responsibilities is to plan a better future for those who follow in our footsteps. Unfortunately, I think there are too many people in Washington, D.C. who do not understand this basic concept, or perhaps do not appreciate the consequences of ignoring it.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, our national debt is estimated to reach almost $12 trillion in the near future. Some rough math shows that figure to be about $100,000 for every household nationwide.
These numbers are scary for anyone to ponder, but imagine if you were in the same shoes as my son and his wife. They're just starting out, buying their first home and raising their young child. Imagine if you were trying to do that, knowing that you had an additional $100,000 debt hanging over your head, and that the future success and prosperity of our country depends on that debt being repaid.
It's not acceptable for our nation to pass along a history of excessive spending and debt to future generations. We are at the point of risking rampant inflation and a lower quality of life for future generations of Americans. I believe that is irresponsible and morally wrong. To address this long-ignored problem will take political courage to say "no" to special interests and certain powerful constituent groups.
As a state legislator, I have experience reviewing budgets and spending requests with an eye toward fiscal responsibility. I have always found it helpful to view such proposals using a three-part test. First, I ask whether the proposal is a proper role of government. Far too many actions of the Federal government really belong best at the state and local level. Assuming that it is a proper role of government, I proceed to ask whether it's a good idea for the people I represent and for Massachusetts as a whole. Finally, I ask the most important question of all, can we afford it?
These basic questions have guided me through some very tough policy decisions in the past. I have also used similar principles in my personal life to run a small business and provide for my family. This simple test has clearly shown me when saying "no" to new spending is the right thing to do, even if it's a difficult or unpopular decision.
Sadly, I think this sort of disciplined approach is missing from both parties in Washington, D.C. Under President Obama, our national debt has increased more in the past two years than during the entire Bush administration. But, at the same time, I also fault President Bush for failing to veto appropriation bills during his two terms. It is time for elected officials to have the political courage to say "no" to excessive and unnecessary spending programs.
The only way for us to get our national debt under control and give our sons and daughters a future that we can be proud of is to take responsibility for our actions and to make smarter decisions. That requires discipline and commitment, and the courage to say "no" when necessary.
Governor Deval Patrick is trying to go around acting as if he's just one of us... as if he's just the common man. Sorry Governor but you're not the common man but you're the Coca-Cola millionaire! Sure, you can go around attacking Charlie Baker (or Christy Mihos, for that matter) but remember the ol' saying about not throwing stones when you live in a glass house.
I don't begrudge anyone their salary, I'm not the jealous type, I don't engage in class warfare (unlike say, Gov. Patrick & the Democrats). I do rage against hypocrisy and Deval Patrick, it's okay that you're a wealthy man but don't try to portray yourself as the common man. Your money came from corporate resources just as others in the race.
Here are a few quotes from MassBeacon.com. They're referring to the MassGOP House Caucus blog, The Capitol View
It continues, "Governor Patrick and attack dog Tim's attacks on Charlie Baker have been hypocritical to say the least. According to the contract Deval Patrick actually made a comparable salary to his chief gubernatorial rival while serving as an executive to Coca-Cola."
Base salary: $475,000
$1,000,000 signing bonus, with $500K paid on his first day and the rest paid on his first anniversary
Raises, bonuses, and annual incentives
Stock options that I am not even going to try and interpret
$2 million worth of restricted stock
Equity awards, expense account, retirement payments, etc. etc.
Governor Deval Patrick, you made your millions on a product that is linked to increase rates of obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, and general ill health. Now you want to impose a sugar tax on such beverages. Hypocrisy?
Gov. Patrick, you can take all the shots against Charlie Baker you want but wouldn't it be just as fair to claim that you got richer as our country, and our country's children, got fatter?
(What say you Red Mass Group? - promoted by Rob "EaBo Clipper" Eno)
"1961 Former President Harry S Truman holds a news conference to explain why he resigned as a delegate to the 1960 Democratic Convention"
Maybe we can lean from History, I feel this same thing is happening with our State Party Pushing one candidate behind the scenes, but saying they are being open and fair.
CSPAN just released it's entire video archive on the web. It has also allowed for the videos to be embedded on other websites for the first time. This new functionality is a former oppo research guy's dream.
For instance we can now easily find out what then Minority Leader Pelosi thought about the Mark Foley scandal, and what sort of actions should be taken regarding the then Speaker Denny Hastert. Let's take a listen to Nancy Pelosi shall we?
Wait, a full investigation with the Speaker testifying with a time frame of 10 days? You don't say Madame Speaker? Would you care to hold yourself to the same standard?
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, we’ve released a new video about “Evacuation Day” – one of two holidays each year that your state employees get to take off while the rest of us are working.
I want to put an end to these “hack holidays” because they represent the double standard that exists on Beacon Hill: there’s one set of rules for government and another set for the hard-working families, businesses and cities and towns of Massachusetts. Today, I rolled out ten commonsense reforms aimed at ending this double standard. You can read about all of them here.
Stay tuned for more proposals that will reform state government and get Massachusetts working again.
Some on RedMassGroup have been skeptical of my support for Tim Cahill, questioning whether he's a real-deal fiscal conservative and today I'm hoping to put that skepticism to rest. I have contended here since my opening support for him, that he is the preeminent fiscal conservative in the race, and believe the news I am about to tell you only proves my point further and removes any doubt from the claim. Today, Treasurer Tim made a pretty explosive announcement: he's against the Healthcare bill and he believes it will bankrupt our country if passed. The announcement makes him the only candidate in the race for Governor to speak out against Obamacare in the state in which it was conceived. The Healthcare bill is the most important political issue of our day and shares a very important connection to Massachusetts, and as such we deserve to know where our candidates stand. We know Governor Patrick is a supporter of the measure, and now we know there is one opponent of the bill in the race as well, and his name is Tim Cahill.
In his press conference today, Cahill outlined that the Massachusetts system that the federal bill has been drawn to emulate, is actually entirely insolvent and has had its costs balloon by leaps and bounds beyond anything in the private sector. Additionally, he went on to point out that the Massachusetts healthcare plan depends entirely upon being bailed out by the federal government, drawing the analogy that the federal government would need to be bailed out for it's version, either with higher taxes or borrowed money from the likes of China. As the Treasurer of the Commonwealth, Tim's job is to make sure Massachusetts is a prudent borrower and maintains fiscal solvency, and looking at the Healthcare program he has determined that without drastic reforms or perhaps even dismantling parts of the program the entire thing would be unsustainable. Earlier this week Drudge headlined that America might be in danger of losing its AAA bond rating according to some credit agencies, and perhaps instead of passing a Healthcare bill that will only plunge us further into debt Washington leaders should listen to people like Tim Cahill who are saying "no". As the chief bonds issuer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Cahill knows how to protect government bond ratings, and make sure reckless government spending doesn't threaten ratings either.
The Herald Reports here...
CNBC weighs in here...
The Hill writes :"This doesn't bode well for the Democrats' health care bill."
Some on RedMassGroup have been skeptical of my support for Tim Cahill, questioning whether he's a real-deal fiscal conservative and today I'm hoping to put that skepticism to rest. I have contended here since my opening support for him, that he is the preeminent fiscal conservative in the race, and believe the news I am about to tell you only proves my point further and removes any doubt from the claim. Today, Treasurer Tim made a pretty explosive announcement: he's against the Healthcare bill and he believes it will bankrupt our country if passed. The announcement makes him the only candidate in the race for Governor to speak out against Obamacare in the state in which it was conceived. The Healthcare bill is the most important political issue of our day and shares a very important connection to Massachusetts, and as such we deserve to know where our candidates stand. We know Governor Patrick is a supporter of the measure, and now we know there is one opponent of the bill in the race as well, and his name is Tim Cahill.
