Saturday, January 26, 2013
The governor's budget proposal for fiscal 2014 would raise $1.9 billion in new revenues through a combination of tax increases and eliminating some tax breaks. Is the state's economy ready for this?
After years of treading water in the state budget, Gov. Deval Patrick has put forth an ambitious $34.8 billion proposal for the coming fiscal year that would make significant investments in education and transportation by raising $1.9 billion in revenue, through a combination of tax hikes and eliminating some tax breaks. The question: Is the state's economy ready for this? To raise that funding, Patrick's proposal would increase the income tax from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent, while doubling personal exemptions. It'd also lower the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent. Several tax breaks for both personal income and businesses would be eliminated. The gas tax would be indexed to inflation, ensuring gradual increases in what people …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The two called for re-prioritizing instead of raising taxes.
Gov. Deval Patrick submitted a $34.8 billion budget proposal to the legislature Wednesday, calling for investments in trasportation, education and infrastructure and tax hikes to pay for it. And Republican State Rep. Jim Lyons is not happy with it. "To raise taxes on the hard working families of Massachusetts, $2 billion, is absolutely the wrong direction for the governor to be going in," Lyons said. "The last thing we ought to be doing in this fragile economy is punishing small bsuiness and driving them to look elsewhere outside of the commonwealth." Patrick's proposal would raise the income tax to 6.25 percent and reduce the sales tax to 4.5 percent. While agreeing that the sales tax should be reduced, Lyons took issue with Patrick's …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The plan focuses on investments in transportation and education while calling for an income tax increase coupled with a lower sales tax.
In submitting his $34.8 billion budget to the Legislature Wednesday, Patrick said the proposed income tax hike is part of a comprehensive package aimed at investing in the state's infrastructure and in driving growth. The proposal asks for an increase in the income tax from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent coupled with a reduction in the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent. It also doubles personal exemptions. Despite the proposed income tax hike, Patrick says that low and modest-income workers will pay less in taxes under his proposal, and only the "more fortunate see a larger increase." "I do not submit this proposal lightly. I understand that many households in Massachusetts continue to struggle from the impact of the Great …
Friday, January 18, 2013
Will they support a tax increase?
Gov. Deval Patrick has spoken, and so have lawmakers on Beacon Hill. In his State of the Commonwealth address Wednesday night, Patrick pushed for a $2 billion investment in transportation improvements and early childhood education and proposed raising the state's income tax by 1 percentage point to do so. He also proposed decreasing the sales tax to 4.5 percent and setting all sales tax proceeds aside to pay for infrastructure. Patrick also said he wants to double personal tax exemptions to make the increase have less impact on people who don't make much money. The Republican lawmakers representing North Andover -- State Sen. Bruce Tarr and State Rep. Jim Lyons -- responded swiftly with opposition. "Transportation and education are …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Tell us: do you think we need to increase taxes to strengthen education and transportation?
In his State of the Commonwealth address Wednesday night, Gov. Deval Patrick proposed raising the state's income tax by 1 percentage point and lowering the sales tax to pay for $2 billion in transportation improvements and early childhood education programs. "There is no good time to raise taxes," Patrick said. "I know how tough the times have been on the people and families of the Commonwealth. And though the worst of the recession is over, many, many families still face tough decisions and have deep anxiety about the future. I would not ask if I did not believe in my heart that investing meaningfully today in education and transportation will significantly improve our economic tomorrows." Income tax hiked to 6.25 percent Patrick said…
Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled legislation on Wednesday that would tighten gun control laws in Massachusetts while increasing funding for mental health services and enhancing background checks. Is this sensible?
Are new proposed laws regarding guns in Massachusetts and mental health services sensible and pragmatic steps? Or are they knee-jerk measures that won't increase safety? Gov. Deval Patrick introduced new legislation Wednesday along those lines in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Conn. "I am encouraged by the palpable consensus in our Legislature that the time for action is now. All of us must pull in the same direction to bring about real change in this state and across the country," Patrick said in a press release. The bill would require gun purchasers to undergo background checks at gun shows, reduce access to high-powered rounds of ammunition, and limit the number of weapon sales by licensed dealers to not more than one gun…
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Money would help pay to improve transportation system and education in the commonwealth.
Governor Deval Patrick is expected to propose $1 billion in new taxes to help pay to improve the state’s transportation system and expand early education programs, reported The Boston Globe. Patrick is expected to announce the plan at his State of the Commonwealth speech Wednesday night. The plan is to increase the state income tax from 5.25 percent to 5.66 percent, which would raise $1 billion. Patrick’s plan would also need to raise other taxes and fees to pay for the spending increases of $1.5 billion next year and $2 billion annually after that, according to The Globe. What do you think of the governor's proposal? Do you support raising taxes to fund these programs?
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Gov. Deval Patrick signed legislation that would require teachers, workers at child care centers and school bus drivers to submit fingerprints for criminal background checks.
Should school and child care employees fingerprinted before starting employment in order to check their criminal backgrounds? How about fingerprinting anyone who wants to adopt or foster a child? The governor thinks so. The state education office announced on Friday that Gov. Deval Patrick had signed a bill authorizing the Department of Early Education and Care and school districts to conduct fingerprint-supported national criminal history background checks on all teachers, school employees and early education providers in Massachusetts. "Prior to this law, school districts and early education providers were allowed only to conduct name-based Criminal Offender Record Information checks covering criminal history record information for …
Friday, January 11, 2013
Doing away with local housing boards is Gov. Patrick's idea for slashing public housing cost and corruption. Do you think that's a good idea?
The North Andover Housing Authority, one of 240 public housing authorities across Massachusetts, would all but vanish as part of a proposal from Gov. Deval Patrick to streamline public housing management operations. The purpose of local housing authorities is to manage and maintain subsidized housing and, often, to advocate for affordable housing for lower-income residents. The administration reportedly estimates the consolidation would save more than $10 million a year in salaries and administrative costs. According to the Boston Globe, while Gov. Patrick's proposal would centralize public housing management into six regional offices, a small number of managers and maintenance workers would remain at local housing authorities. And, says…
Thursday, December 27, 2012
The governor's Milton residence is listed for $1,500,000.
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Governor Deval Patrick’s Milton residence is on the market. The 6,880-square-foot colonial at 75 Hinckley Road, Milton, is currently listed for $1,500,000. The home, which is located in the Columbines section of Milton, has 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. The real estate listing for the 1923 colonial is available here. Patrick, who is currently serving his second, four-year term as Massachusetts Governor, has said he will not seek reelection in 2014.
Kathleen
3:54 pm on Wednesday, April 10, 2013
People ought to check out how much the state's higher education system is paying people these days. Secretaries making close to $100K. Any funding going to higher ed isn't going to pay people back by way of lower tuition costs for the tax payers who are struggling to put their kids through college. It's a farce. Every administrator in the system will be getting another big fat raise. I didn't … more ›