In the midst of these difficult times, the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate have done what so many thought we could not do — bring true reform to Beacon Hill.
Faced with one of the most difficult financial downturns in the history of our commonwealth, we have worked to pass sensible legislation to guide us through these trying times.
The budget was perhaps one of the most difficult in our state's history. The House passed a responsible bill that balanced the needs of our commonwealth with the stark fiscal realities plaguing not only state coffers, but also the entire world economy.
There were no easy decisions in the budget. In the face of what was then a $3.6-billion deficit, we made the politically difficult, yet responsible, decision to support a measured revenue package that allowed us to dedicate $275 million to address our transportation deficit and send additional funds back to our cities and towns in the form of local aid. We believe that the revenue plan included in the budget signed by Gov. Deval Patrick on Monday — along with the passage of transportation reform — alleviates the need for a toll increase on July 1.
I know that such sacrifice by the people of Massachusetts could not be asked for without necessary reform and change on Beacon Hill. And I am proud that, in my first legislative season as speaker, the House and Senate have embraced reforms concerning transportation, pension and ethics. These reforms tackle issues and loopholes that have been entrenched in our system and left untouched for far too long.
On pension reform, the Senate and House approved landmark legislation that will shut down loopholes and eliminate the worst offenses in the pension system.
Gov. Patrick proudly signed this bill into a law that will save taxpayer money and help restore public trust in the state oversight of public pensions.
This reform removes the "king for a day" loophole and extends the "vesting" requirement of elected officials from six years to 10 years. But the bill does not stop there: It also directs the currently-established Blue Ribbon Commission on Pension Reform to examine broader issues within the system, such as eliminating termination benefits for all state employees and imposing criminal penalties for pension fraud.
On transportation reform, the House and Senate have passed a landmark bill that eliminates the Turnpike Authority, ensures toll equity and abolishes the "23 and out" rule at the MBTA, while also bringing all active and retired MBTA workers under the state's Group Insurance Commission.
The transportation reform bill (also signed by Gov. Patrick) not only eliminates the antiquated and inefficient transportation structure in Massachusetts, but it also brings considerable cost savings to our state. The bill creates a more cost-effective system under the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, a unifying agency that could potentially save the commonwealth $6.5 billion over the next 20 years.
The House and Senate completed this historic cycle of legislative reform by passing an ethics bill that strengthens current ethics, lobbying and campaign finance laws and enhances the integrity of the political process while helping to restore public trust.
The consensus bill not only bans gifts to public officials, but also increases the authority of the Ethics Commission to investigate and prosecute alleged ethics violations.
With our ethics bill, we as elected officials are sending a very clear message to everyone: We are accountable and we hear the public's cry for reform. And I believe that what we've done with our pension system, what we've done with our transportation system and what we've done with ethics, will allow us to do just that for the people of our commonwealth.
This was hard work. It required cooperation not only among your local representatives, whom I thank for their efforts, but Senate President Murray and Gov. Patrick as well. We must all come together to get through what are very difficult times.
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State Rep. Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, is speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
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