By Bob Katzen
April 07, 2008 04:32 pm
BOSTON — Here's how North Shore legislators were recorded on major roll-call votes taken in March. (Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, the new state representative for the 8th Essex District, had not been seated in time for some votes and is listed as not having voted.) :
HOUSE
1. STUDY CASINO BILL INSTEAD OF VOTING ON IT (H4307) — Voting 106-48, the House approved an amendment providing that a special committee, appointed by casino opponent Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, be created to study the "impact of casinos and the prevalence of gambling addiction and related social costs" and report back to the House by Dec. 31. Under House rules, approval of the amendment precluded a vote on the casino bill. Most amendment supporters are opposed to casino gambling and acknowledged that setting up this study would essentially kill the proposal without having a direct roll call on the casino bill itself.
Most amendment opponents favor casino gambling and said that the study would kill the bill. They noted that the impact of casinos has already been studied to death and argued that the study proposal was an anti-democratic way to avoid a roll call on the casino bill.
A yes vote was in favor of sending Gov. Patrick's casino proposal to the study committee, effectively killing it for this year.
Rep. Lori Ehrlich — Yes
Rep. Mary Grant — Yes
Rep. Bradford Hill — No
Rep. Bradley Jones — No
Rep. John Keenan — Yes
Rep. Barbara L'Italien — Yes
Rep. Theodore Speliotis — Yes
Rep. Joyce Spiliotis — Yes
2. HIKE SALARIES FOR THREE DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS (H4589) — Voting 126-20, the House approved a Democratic House leadership version of a supplemental budget that includes a $7,500 pay raise, retroactive to Jan. 1, for the House and Senate chairmen (boosting their salaries to $73,236.14 a year) and the House vice chairman (boosting his salary to $65,736.74) of the Committee on Revenue. The Senate approved the measure on a voice vote and sent it to Gov. Deval Patrick.
The vote was mostly along party lines with only one House Democrat, Rep. Harriett Stanley of West Newbury, joining House Republicans to vote against the $22,500 trio of hikes.
Supporters said that the Revenue Committee, formerly the Taxation Committee, is one of the most important and powerful committees in the Legislature. They noted that the pay of the two chairmen was cut by $7,500 in a major reorganization of committees in 2005 and argued that this pay hike simply restores those cuts.
Opponents said that the pay hikes are outrageous and unnecessary and pointed to a looming $1 billion budget deficit this year and the likelihood of cuts in important programs. They noted that the Democratic leadership a few days ago tried to sneak these raises through the House during an informal session without debate and without a roll call.
A yes vote was in favor of the pay hikes.
Rep. Lori Ehrlich — DNV
Rep. Mary Grant — Yes
Rep. Bradford Hill — No
Rep. Bradley Jones — No
Rep. John Keenan — Yes
Rep. Barbara L'Italien — Yes
Rep. Theodore Speliotis — Yes
Rep. Joyce Spiliotis — Yes
3. LOCAL AID RESOLUTIONS (H 4595) — Voting 150-0, the House adopted resolutions stating the intent of the Legislature to hike local aid above last year's level by $223 million or 4.4 percent. The total amount of local aid would jump to $5.26 billion for cities and towns across the state.
Supporters said that approving the resolutions now would inform communities how much local aid to expect so that they can plan their municipal budgets without waiting for the long state budget process to end. They argued that in light of a potential $1 billion budget deficit, the Legislature is being very generous with a local aid package that totals more than $5 billion.
A yes vote was in favor of the resolution.
Rep. Lori Ehrlich — DNV
Rep. Mary Grant — Yes
Rep. Bradford Hill — Yes
Rep. Bradley Jones — Yes
Rep. John Keenan — Yes
Rep. Barbara L'Italien — Yes
Rep. Theodore Speliotis — Yes
Rep. Joyce Spiliotis — Yes
4. 40 PERCENT OF TAX REVENUE FOR LOCAL AID BY FISCAL YEAR 2014 (H4595) — The House, by a 19-129 vote, defeated a GOP-sponsored amendment supporting a plan that by fiscal year 2014 would require that 40 percent of state revenue from the personal income tax, sales tax and corporate excise tax be distributed to cities and towns as local aid.
Amendment supporters said that the 40-percent figure is supported by the Massachusetts Municipal Association and is a fair plan that would increase local aid and lower communities' reliance on the property tax.
Amendment opponents said that the state provides 33 percent of this revenue to cities and towns. They said that while they would like to support future increased local aid, it is not wise to make promises that the Legislature may not be able to keep.
A yes vote was in favor of the amendment supporting a plan that by fiscal 2014 would require 40 percent of the state's revenue from three categories of taxes to go to local aid.
Rep. Lori Ehrlich — DNV
Rep. Mary Grant — No
Rep. Bradford Hill — Yes
Rep. Bradley Jones — Yes
Rep. John Keenan — No
Rep. Barbara L'Italien — No
Rep. Theodore Speliotis — No
Rep. Joyce Spiliotis — No
5. $1.38 BILLION FOR AFFORDABLE PUBLIC HOUSING (H4594) — Voting 157-0, the House approved and sent to the Senate a $1.38 billion housing bond package for the production, protection and rehabilitation of affordable housing across the state. Provisions include $500 million for local housing authorities to produce and rehabilitate public housing units; $50 million for community-based housing for the mentally ill and mentally retarded; and $50 million for development of community-based housing for persons with disabilities who are institutionalized or at risk of being institutionalized.
Supporters said that the state faces a lack of affordable housing units and opportunities for home ownership. They said the package would help thousands of people live in safe and affordable housing while improving their quality of life and helping the economy.
A yes vote was in favor of the housing bond package.
Rep. Lori Ehrlich — Yes
Rep. Mary Grant — Yes
Rep. Bradford Hill — Yes
Rep. Bradley Jones — Yes
Rep. John Keenan — Yes
Rep. Barbara L'Italien — Yes
Rep. Theodore Speliotis — Yes
Rep. Joyce Spiliotis — Yes
SENATE
1. $1.35 BILLION FOR AFFORDABLE PUBLIC HOUSING (H4594) — Voting 39-0, the Senate approved a $1.35 billion housing bond package to increase affordable housing across the state, which provides $25 million more each for community-based housing for the mentally ill and mentally retarded and the development of community-based housing for persons with disabilities who are institutionalized or at risk of being institutionalized than was included in the House version (see details above). A House-Senate conference committee will likely be appointed to hammer out a compromise.
A yes vote was in favor of the $1.38 billion housing package.
Sen. Frederick Berry — Yes
Sen. Thomas McGee — Yes
Sen. Bruce Tarr — Yes
2. $1 BILLION FOR LIFE SCIENCES (S2556) — Voting 32-4, the Senate approved a complex 44-section bill expanding life sciences research in Massachusetts. Key provisions include $500 million for new research facilities and labs, $250 million for research grants and $250 million in tax credits to private companies involved in the life sciences industry.
Supporters said that this important bill would make Massachusetts the global leader in life sciences and noted that it includes provisions to ensure accountability and transparency of its taxpayer-funded grants. They argued that it would create an estimated 250,000 jobs and make Massachusetts the world leader in the ongoing search for cures for diseases including cancer, diabetes, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.
Some opponents acknowledged the importance of the life sciences industry but argued that the state is facing a budget crisis and cannot afford the $1 billion. They argued that the bill helps only a very narrow group of businesses while other businesses continue to struggle. Others argued that the state should not be offering tax cuts when other important human service programs and local aid to cities and towns are severely underfunded.
The House has approved its own version of the bill. A House-Senate conference committee will likely be appointed to hammer out a compromise.
A yes vote was in favor of the bill.
Sen. Frederick Berry — Yes
Sen. Thomas McGee — Yes
Sen. Bruce Tarr — Yes
3. EXPAND INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT (S2556) — Voting 5-32, the Senate rejected a Republican-sponsored amendment making the state's 3 percent investment tax credit available to all businesses. Currently the tax is available only to manufacturers, some research and development corporations and corporations engaged primarily in agriculture or commercial fishing.
Amendment supporters said that expansion of the credit would be good for the state's sagging economy. They said that it would create jobs by helping to attract new companies to the state and encouraging existing ones to remain here by spurring investment in new buildings, manufacturing, and research and development. They noted that the tax revenue loss would be offset by a growth in property, income and corporate excise taxes.
Amendment opponents said that the extension would cost millions of dollars in revenue that the state cannot afford to lose and argued that this money should be used to fund important state programs. They argued that studies have shown this tax credit has no positive effect on employment and may in fact cause unemployment by encouraging automation.
A yes vote was in favor of the amendment making the 3 percent investment tax credit available to all businesses.
Sen. Frederick Berry — No
Sen. Thomas McGee — No
Sen. Bruce Tarr — Yes
4. LOCAL AID RESOLUTIONS (H4595) — Voting 37-0, the Senate approved resolutions promising to hike local aid above last year's level by $223 million. (See details with House vote above.)
A yes vote was in favor of the resolution.
Sen. Frederick Berry — Yes
Sen. Thomas McGee — Yes
Sen. Bruce Tarr — Yes
—
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.