I was in Boston Tuesday and Wednesday this week when the state received some good news. The State House News Service reported, “Tax receipts in April, historically the biggest month of the year for collections, surged 14.3 percent, or $359 million over April 2012. The big haul put collections for fiscal 2013 up 5.5 percent over fiscal 2012 with two months remaining in the fiscal year, and $510 million above budget benchmarks.”
That’s great news, right? $510 million more than expected was collected from taxpaying businesses and individuals in Massachusetts thus far in the fiscal year and there’s still two months to go. Wouldn’t you think that would be sufficient news for the Governor and the Democratic-controlled legislature to put the brakes on their plan to raise over $500 million more in new taxes on gasoline, cigarettes, and certain businesses?
During debates on the House and Senate floor the tax increase proponents claimed additional revenue was needed to help the state with our serious transportation infrastructure needs. Where Governor Patrick had sought $1.9 billion in new taxes however, the Speaker and Senate President felt that was too much to take out of the private sector economy so they limited their plan to around $500 million. Republicans offered an alternative plan that called for using a percentage of new growth to fund projects. It was heavily defeated.
My Republican caucus this week pointed out that the Democrats got their money in unexpected surplus revenue this fiscal year, coincidentally around $500 million more than was budgeted, so why raise taxes at all? Why add to the cost of living and doing business in a state with already high taxes when it doesn’t appear necessary?
Some Republican legislators called for the Democrat leadership to abandon their tax hike altogether. Other Republicans suggested we use some of the unexpected windfall to restore cuts the Governor made late last year, the so-called 9C cuts, when he thought revenues were going to be less than budgeted. Specifically, we wanted to restore the cuts he made to the local aid that goes back to the 351 cities and town in Massachusetts.
Again, the State House News Service reported, “In December, with tax revenues running $235 million behind projections only five months into fiscal 2013, Gov. Deval Patrick took a scalpel to the $32.5 billion state budget, unilaterally cutting spending by $225 million, lowering the state’s tax revenue estimate by $515 million and asking lawmakers for authority, which was granted, to pull $200 million from the state’s reserves to support spending. The budget picture had suddenly grown so dim that Patrick asked for permission to cut popular local aid accounts.
“Five months later, and on the heels of House and Senate passage of major tax increases, tax collections have rebounded and the Democrat-controlled Legislature and Patrick are on the verge of passing major tax increases to deliver the biggest infusion of new transportation revenues in recent memory.
“Patrick and the Legislature have added about $158 million to this year’s budget by passing a pair of mid-year spending bills, and the governor last Friday quietly filed another supplemental budget, this time asking for $119 million to address unpaid winter road-clearing bills, special election costs, summer jobs for teens, and costs associated with legal representation of indigent defendants facing criminal charges.”
I signed on to a letter from House Republican Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading) and the GOP caucus asking the Governor to restore about $24 million in local aid to communities like Westfield in accounts such as veterans benefits, homeless student transportation costs, and special education circuit breaker reimbursements, among others. It remains to be seen what the Governor will do.
I want to congratulate my Chief of Staff, Maura Cassin, and Attorney Justin McCarthy, her new husband, on the happy occasion of their wedding. They were married last Saturday at the Elms College chapel in Chicopee. Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy are off on their honeymoon for a few weeks so I’m a bit short-handed in my district office.
I’d like to give kudos and thanks to my Legislative Intern Andrew Renfro, a Westfield resident and Holyoke Community College student, who has been staffing the office each afternoon and doing a fantastic job at keeping me organized and helping the people whom I represent.
Happy Mother’s Day to Quinn’s mom, my mom and mother in law, and all mothers everywhere.
Have a great week!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of the Westfield News.
Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Maura Cassin McCarthy may be reached at their Westfield District Office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, (413) 568-1366.
Representative Don Humason may be reached at his Boston office, State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803.
Email address: [email protected]
Website: www.DonHumason.org
