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State House News Service Weekly Roundup: March Madness
Recap and analysis of the week in state government.
The calendar says it's spring, but Mother Nature remains unconvinced. House Speaker Robert DeLeo can sympathize.
Nearly three full months into the year, and the Speaker seems no closer to making up his mind on taxes than he was in 2012 when he announced the transportation fix would be the first order of the business for the new Legislature.
It still might be.
House and Senate committees are still dormant, for the most part, and leaders are fixated on responding to Gov. Deval Patrick's package of tax reforms. It's usually at this point that Senate President Therese Murray tends to get antsy, and orders her Ways and Means chairman to advance something, anything, that senators can vote up or down - okay, up.
That's not the case, yet. "The committees still need time to have their hearings," Murray said this week. So what about Sen. Stephen Brewer down on the second floor? He must be cooking up something right? Sex offender registry reform? "He's cooking up the budget," Murray said.
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By most accounts, DeLeo has become a tortured leader. Monday morning meetings with his leadership team have turned into two-and-a-half hour long fence dancing sessions. Even simple questions like what committee is working on the transportation financing bill can't be answered directly.
DeLeo, by those around him, is said to be deeply conflicted, not just on how much revenue he can ask taxpayers to shoulder and from where it should come, but also what those votes will mean for his membership come election time next year. It's impossible to separate the politics, a fact not missed by Charlie Baker slowly reinserting himself into the public sphere, or Bill Weld.
DeLeo is equally unsure whether he wants to tackle the issue with a separate bill before the budget, in the budget, or in multiple steps, and is said to be increasingly peeved by Gov. Patrick's rhetoric encouraging supporters to "get in the grill" of lawmakers who lack the "political courage" to vote for new revenue.
Witness his radio interview Wednesday night when friend and host Dan Rea asked DeLeo from where he might pull new revenue considering he's not enamored with the governor's one-point hike in the income tax. DeLeo said he was entertaining Patrick's proposed sales tax on candy and soda, but then kind of quickly shot it down, saying he was worried about government becoming Big Brother.
Smart money in the building has been on the gas tax as the House vehicle of choice to close the MBTA's budget gap, invest in roads and bridges and stop paying transportation employees with borrowed funds. Gov. Patrick has stated publicly that DeLeo is being urged in that direction and Michael Widmer, of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, recommended 15 cents over three years.
How about it, Bob? "I'm not sure if I'm so crazy about that," DeLeo told Rea. So starved for hints about what goes on in the mind of the speaker, anti-smoking advocates cheered DeLeo's comments that he was taking a "serious look" at raising the per-pack cigarette tax.
Patrick is listening, too, and in the absence of anything concrete to react to he continues to beat the drum.
This week it was a roundtable of economists and business groups selectively gathered to stand behind the governor in support of his tax plan: "There's also a consensus here that the $1.9 billion we have proposed is the right number for transportation and education and we should try as much as possible to land there," he said, later adding "this is it for a time" on taxes, knowing what he gets the state will have to live with for at least a few years - the last big tax hike was four years ago.
Come to think of it, a few years was all it took for Gov. Patrick, who campaigned with "no plan" to raise taxes to alter course. Charlie Baker, no doubt, is keenly aware of being on the right side of that 2010 argument, and has begun to reinsert himself into the public discourse.
Meanwhile, 2014 continues to be a wide open field. Former candidate for auditor Mike Lake jumped into the lieutenant governor's race, Sen. Barry Finegold of Andover wants to run for treasurer, and Rep. John Keenan of Salem is reportedly exploring options. Who isn't?
Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone wanted no part of campaigning in 2014, following Scott Brown and Jim Vallee over to Nixon Peabody. Patrick now gets to appoint a new top Middlesex prosecutor, yet another avenue for Beacon Hill's ambitious.
While lawmakers fret about the tax vote they may have to take, it's unclear whether Rep. John Fresolo will be around long enough to take it. The eight-term Worcester Democrat says he does not plan to resign despite "serious allegations" - rumored to be shaded of Cusack only darker - brought to the attention of the speaker by a House employee.
DeLeo's office confirmed the House Ethics Committee investigation into an unnamed House member on unspecified charges Thursday. And while Fresolo refused to talk with the media, he at least admitted to talking with an attorney.
Fresolo may not be around long-enough to see a tax bill hit the floor, but Wayne Matewsky might be arriving just in time. Matewsky, the Everett city councilor who won the Democratic primary to replace Stephen "Stat" Smith, spent his week fending off allegations that he had berated the staff of the Texas Roadhouse and mocked a young girl with disabilities in front of her parents. The special election is scheduled for April 2.
The one forward development this week came on the gaming front with Gov. Deval Patrick and the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe agreeing to a new revenue sharing compact. The deal tiers the amount of casino revenue the tribe would return to the state - the most likely scenario being a 17 percent return.
The state stands to see no revenue, however, if the southeast region is opened to a commercial developer as well, food for thought after the Gaming Commission this week delayed a decision on how to handle the region.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The speaker wrestles with taxes.
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Iron Mike
7:26 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Mass State Rep John Fresolo seems to be the target of an ‘Ethics Investigation’ ordered by House Speaker Bob DeLeo.
OK, when you get done laughing at THAT oxymoron, – what could possibly be so bad, or so flagrant – that even a crook like DeLeo is forced to take action?
Has John Fresolo been a bad little piggy? Isn't he the guy who got 'locked in a cemetary' once?
Cool Fusion
7:36 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
The Nanny-State Souffle is collapsing into a cheesy goo.
Anna Bucciarelli
8:09 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
The minds of all of these folks are like cement ... thoroughly mixed up and set.
dana banda
8:20 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Folks, read into deleo's comments, taxes are comming to a family near you??? so remember work hard the hacks need your money for their friends, think about the new proposed rail line, only 2 billion? ya right ,,, moonbats, Baker warned us, Devo wants more , oh ya Devo's friend in higher education, $200K a year and does not work, and got another 12K for almost leaving, great job democsrats
Earnhardt
8:38 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
But Deleo is said to be "Deeply Tortured" by all of this... you can't make this stuff up!
Ken B.
9:00 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
DeLeo's ONLY consideration is what impact raising taxes will have on his demotax party's 2014 re-election possibilities........Hitting the taxpayers with another $ 2 bill to throw down the Bacon Hill rathole, not so much.
Hey, where's DeLeo's indictment ?....let's go for four convicted Demo-Felon house speakers in a row.
Rob C.
10:09 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Thanks Ken, I needed a morning laugh.
Do you really think that DeLeo is worried about reelection of Democrats in MA?
Deval, Murray and DeLeo could put up open road tolling every 5 miles on every road in the state, raise income tax to 9 percent, sales tax to 10 percent and every Dem running for reelection would get voted back in with cheers and rounds of applause from the people of the state telling them they are doing a great job.
The sheep in this state will blindly vote for whoever has the D next to their name regardless of how much they raise taxes.
dana banda
9:16 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
in the 2014 elections the robocalls will be going out to the same people,government workers and of course welfare cheats, it keeps the gravy train going, now not all of the above mentioned are hacks, i know this , but truth is as Devo says (about the fake indian) they dont care:///, if Deleo had any guts he would try to reform the waste and fraud first, I know its a pipe dream
Ken B.
10:02 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
So DeLeo is trying to keep the lid on an internal ethics investigation of fellow democrat state rep John Fresolo.
Seems a state house worker lodged a complaint against Fresolo for doing something of a sexual nature.
This should be handled by law enforcement, not behind the closed doors of democrat politicians' offices.
Putting this in perspective with recent revelations of sexual abuse in Foxboro, leads to the question, How many "DeLeos" knew about Sheehan but remained silent enabling him to abuse as he did ?
Matthew
4:29 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
This State House column is analogous to throwing a piece of raw red meat to a pack of hungry dogs. Look at you all. You're immediately at each others' throats. Is this the nation we want to live in? Do we want to be in a country where everyone hates each other and refuses to actually discuss anything?
Iron Mike
4:45 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Not sure how long you've lived in Taxachu$$et$ Matt, - or how long you've been a voter,...but 60+ years of one-party domination has sort of produced a hunger for raw donkey meat...
But go ahead,...instead of complaining about OUR comments – write one of your OWN which discusses our three (3) CONVICTED speakers, and our series of CONVICTED legislators,...and the ongoing investigations of John O'Brien's PROBATION DEPARTMENT - in the scholarly fashion you'd like us to emulate.
Nameless Conservative
10:42 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Matthew: "Is this the nation we want to live in?"
Well ... what's the alternative?
john
2:47 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Don't forget that NASCAR driver Tim Murphy or the latest guy from Worcester stealing the travel money from the tax payers.
Tyler Jozefowicz
2:55 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Mathew: It is the usual right wing trash talk for the usual suspects that frequent this blog. Of course they all think that they are " middle of the road" and reasonable. As sure as the sun rises you can rely on them to dish out the negative remarks, insults . A tip off- look for the perjorative " liberal" remarks, bad mouthing Massachusetts, personal insults , crooks language. they won't disappoint. . That is how they are built. Trace everything back to the fact that it was Obama's fault.
Called 'Obama' remorse.
cliff webb
9:41 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Matt Murphy. Yet another apologist fir the hacks.
REVENUE?
Call it what is Matt. TAXES.
DeLeo is so low he is what snakes slithher on.
Suggesting for a moment that he is tormented by how much the voters will tolerate is laughable.
He is ringing his slimy hands trying to figure out how they can get a hold of as much as they can.
For those legislative crooks who can actually read, they are now trying to see how they too could tax the saving accounts to gather more taxes as is being attempted in Cyprus. Oh, wait, sorry Matt Murphy, I meant "revenue".
Iron Mike
9:46 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Unclear to me...
Is the Matthew who keeps whining about our comments the same person as the Matt Murphy who authored the article? Anybody know?
Matthew
3:43 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
No. I post under my middle name. That's it. Put you're conspiracy to bed.
Thank you for proving my point. All I did was ask people to be good to one another. That's it. And here you are, among others, hatching conspiracies about this and that, and ranting about unions, and abortions, and gays. And all that is fine, because we all share freedom of speech and opinions.
I just can't stand the hate and anger in this country anymore. We're all people with a story to tell. And as much as I feel you want to hate me, I'd be glad to sit and share a beer with you.
Andrew Sylvia
9:55 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Comments have been deleted due to violations of the terms of use.
cliff webb
9:55 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Iron Mike. Not sure of the relationship of the 2 Matthews.
If it is, then Matthew MURPHY should be identufying himself in full.
"Debate is healthy. Hate is not".
What a good one.
If we didagree with his point we are the haters.
I disagree with gay marriage. Thus I must be a hater of gays. Right Matthew?
I disagree with any further gun control and wish the authorities would enforce the gun control laws this state has now. I must be a hater of those who wish further restrictions.
I get it Matthew.
Iron Mike
10:04 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Exactly Cliff,
These fuzzy-headed liberals all say 'they want to protect kids from violence'...
Yet they allow / encourage / force us to pay for 1.3 million abortions each year,...
...won't re-instate the Death Penalty,...
...won't keep Level 3 sex offenders locked up...
...won't toss the Teacher Unions so that sub-standard teachers can be fired...
...won't toss the gay curriculum from the schools and return sex education to the parents...
AND, they keep increasing our state and national debt – which will enslave our kids and grandkids. Go figure – liberals?
Matthew
3:38 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
No, you don't get it. There is no "relationship" to the two Matthews. I post under my middle name and that's all there is to it.
I just want people to be good to one another, no matter their differences. And before you label me some Harvard Square leftist, you're talking to a 15 year active duty member of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Hate is hate. It manifests itself in peoples' reactions to certain issues.
J.Yuma
2:28 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Take that liberals
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/24/wayne-lapierre-batters-david-gregory-why-doesnt-nbc-news-report-that-chicago-ranks-dead-last-in-federal-gun-law-enforcement/
Iron Mike
2:31 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Gregory KNOWS the answer John,...in Chicago those gun violence victims STILL VOTE!
Tyler Jozefowicz
7:48 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
" Take that liberals"? Is this third grade? Stand in the corner for time out and don't leave until I tell you to.
emillio
4:04 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Iron mike why don't you support gay curriculums that celebrate diversity and help foster tolerance in schools? Darn conservatives still think it's the white male dominated world of Jefferson and Madison.
J.Yuma
4:28 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
emillio, liberals have the ILLUSION of tolerance.
For months we have heard of Travin Martin, yesterday I wrote about a 2 year old boy shot in the head by 2 black teens and the story will soon be gone from the media and I was told race doesn't matter, so I said if that is true,...WHY THE DISPARITY in the way these 2 cases are treated? - silence
Iron Mike is the kind of guy I would want at my side in a tough spot,...the rest of you liberal ladies,- thanks, but no.
Iron Mike
5:08 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
TY John.
@ emillio: I don't want ANY sex education taught in schools other than in Freshman Biology. Certainly not Prince & Prince in kindergarten!
I've never met [as a whole] a less tolerant group of people than Massachusetts GLBT Activists – and I don't want them influencing school curriculum.
If a kid begins to find out or wonder if they are gay...I want them discussing that with their parents, - NOT teachers and school staff.
Funny that the same liberals that want to 'teach the gay agenda' in schools want us to be equally accepting of Muslims. You should research how Muslims treat gays, women, blacks, Christians, Jews, etc.
As a Conservative, I could care less about skin color. I do care about character, ideals, and values. I like my citizens self-reliant, my politicians humble and honest, and the 'Press' to actually report ALL the facts...which hasn't been the case since the 1960s.
Harriet
6:35 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
when iron mike talks about character, values and ideals, we must remember that his ideal is larry craig and his airport bathroom antics.
Avon Barksdale
5:19 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Hilariously, wackadoos who want to outlaw all abortions are almost always "fiscal conservatives." And yet they never acknowledge that 1.3 million more unplanned (and in most cases, unwanted) children each year (BTW, whether that figure is true or not I have no idea, some blowhard cited it so I guess I'll use it) would dramatically expand the welfare state and create astonishing burdens on federal, state and local resources - particularly in the area of public health. Nobody who ever stood outside an abortion clinic screaming while holding a Bible ever had a plan for how to deal with the fiscal reality of eliminating abortion. Hell, safe and legal abortion may be one of the most effective, most fiscally conservative policies out there.
Iron Mike
5:25 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
It speaks volumes to your 'humanity' that you can mock the deaths of 1.3 million babies - mostly black babies.
Now having done so, please plan on going quietly in your old age when someone decides the 'most fiscally conservative policy' is to put a needle in your arm and turn off the lights.
Avon Barksdale
5:34 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
I'm not mocking their deaths, I'm mocking you. Try to keep up.
Avon Barksdale
5:37 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
And my children have been instructed in no uncertain terms that they are to pull all plugs - short our a generator if they have to - when the time comes so that the bank account goes to them, not the healthcare system. Fiscally prudent indeed.
M C Stringfellow
8:47 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Does no good to instruct your children as to your wishes. You need a DNR, Medical Power of Attorney, Living will expressing your wishes, and a last will and testament. Of Course, all states are different. When my husband became terminally ill, we did all of the above, sent copies to family. When the time came, I followed his wishes to the letter. Family was not happy, but not much they could do. As for you money, either make all accounts joint or make sure the beneficiaries are stated clearly Also leave something to everyone that way family cannot contest because they were left out. I agree with you no tubes or wires.
Avon Barksdale
5:40 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
And who wants to spend even one more second in a hospital bed connected to wires and tubes when you can be resting on a cloud, hanging with the creator of the universe? I think you get a flowing robe too, I want mine in purple.
J.Yuma
5:54 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
"Avon"?, I love women and my preference, as well as my value, are clear.
Clearly you are confused, but don't worry. Mass. allows gay marriage...cheer up.
J.Yuma
5:56 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
" I want mine in purple." - You go girlfriend!
Sand Man
6:28 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Would some posters here be cheering on William Jennings Bryan at the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925?
You gotta wonder....
Anna Bucciarelli
6:34 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Hey you guys ... you're getting so far away from the topic. Stay on point and quit arguing ... you are going down the stupid path! ( I am enjoying it tho!)
Here's the thing as I see it: Same ol' garbage coming from the same good ol' boys in the same ol' way and using different words does not in any way change the facts. A one-party system can't work to benefit the citizens and unless we all do some hard thinking and make some touch choices come election time, we'll be stuck with this ad infinitum. Sure, our beliefs differ but I am hopeful that what we all want is a gov't. that works for ALL of us, not a chosen few. I say it's time to scrap the old ways and start anew and see where that takes us. And, and, time for term limits, which was a thing I always opposed thinking votes could terminate a position, but I've had a change of heart since the same folks keep getting voted into office no matter their failings. So, put a limit on their time, the only answer as I see it. Last thought for Avon ... purple is a royal color so I wonder if you are a member of a monarchy somewhere? Personally, I love red :)
placido
6:53 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
iron, since you say twice sex ed is best taught at home by parents:did you mom and dad properly instruct you in serial matters? I can't see mothers teaching condom banana techniques so best to leave it to the professionals. a young guy is not going to get proper info is the parent isn't supportive of the guy lifestyle.
you talk trash about the POTUS and want to talk morals, let's start with respect be it for our walker, our president or those with different orientations Mike
Avon Barksdale
6:57 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Hey, Mike just believes that what happens in the foxhole stays in the foxhole.
J.Yuma
7:01 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
The topic was "Liberals are Godless, value less, mindless, self indulgent, self gratifying
humanoids"
Harriet
7:03 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
and your favorite pol is the toe tapping larry craig. that says it all about you and your "values".
Ken B.
11:52 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Jon, what's this "thing" with you bringing up Larry Craig....creepy.
Harriet
6:39 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
he's the perfect illustration of the so called republican family values they are so proud of.
J.Yuma
7:52 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
?
Harriet
8:51 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
do you approve of republican senator larry craigs family values that he showed to the country, while toe tapping in the airport bathroom?
Iron Mike
9:05 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Craig was a jerk
– as was Eric Massa, Anthony Weiner, David Wu, Barney Frank, Gerry Studds, David Petraeus, John Edwards, John Kerry [traitor], Ted Kennedy [killed pregnant mistress], Gary Condit, Bill Clinton, Mel Reynolds, Charles Robb, Gary Hart, Wayne Hays, Wilbur Mills, Walter Jenkins, John Kennedy, David Walsh, ...how many more do you want?
Harriet
9:53 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
if you think that the D party has any more of this BS than the R party, you have OD'ed on the koolaid.
Avon Barksdale
9:59 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Honestly, who among us hasn't killed a pregnant mistress or two? Look in the mirror before you post, people.
J.Yuma
9:21 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Why do liberal women look like Janet Reno, Janet Napolitano and Hilarious Clinton, but conservative women look like Michelle Bachmann, Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter?
Must be the ideology turns them mean and ugly - inside and out.
Iron Mike
9:39 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
John, you left out my all-time favorites - Bella Abzug and Helen Thomas!
Jonathan Friedman
9:42 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
What is the purpose of this comment? Try to raise the level of the conversation.
Harriet
9:50 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
and there the reich wing goes, with their shallow, woman hating, marginalizing ways again. yet you claim there isn't a republican war on women.
Harriet
10:10 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
I'm sure your wife would be thrilled that you compare her beauty to a women with an adam's apple.
Bill Gilman
9:26 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
Several comments have been deleted from this stream. Clean it up people.
Avon Barksdale
9:57 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
"Wow, we post open political threads, we allow unmoderated comments, and we cross-post across a huge number of sites. Who could have ever foreseen the dialogue degenerating so quickly? My stars."
Mike G.
10:01 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
I have to call your judgement into question based on the comments that did not get deleted.
Avon Barksdale
10:05 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
They've really just begun the Moderation Vortex. Next phase is they post example comments at staff meetings, discuss whether or not those comment types should be deleted, then tweak the TOS to provide the rationale. Perhaps we should connect them with folks at BDC so they can save themselves 18-24 months of wasted time.
Iron Mike
9:59 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
@ Jon...
>> a republican war on women
Jon, if your favorite Democrats hadn't just killed approximately 676,000 young women by abortion last year...I might take your comment seriously.
But then 676,000 dead girl babies...kind'a hard to imagine why...?
Avon Barksdale
10:01 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
We're just trying to keep up with the Chinese. You don't want America to be globally competitive?
Harriet
10:06 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
they didn't kill them. they allowed women to have control of their own bodies, not force them to do as an angry old man sees fit. and yes, your war on women brought up the shallowness of what you perceive as beauty is. very shallow and hateful. I'm sure your mother is very proud of you.
Harriet
10:14 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
"iron" mike, and the picture that's worth way more than a thousand word! that says it all. HA.
J.Yuma
8:59 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
No one could debunk my statement. Educated beyond their intelligence by liberal indoctrinating academia.
Too easy.
Mike G.
9:59 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
Nobody cared because it was a 0/10 trolling effort, do not pass go, do not collect $200