State Legislators Who Got Rid Of Tax Free Holiday Because We Couldn’t Afford It Just Gave Themselves $18 Million Raise – Here Are Their Names
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Well, they did it. A few days after Governor Charlie Baker vetoed a bill that would raise State Legislators salaries by 40%, along with all state judges, and increase stipends and pay for housing for the governor, both the House of Representatives and State Senate voted to override his veto. Here is a list of how everyone voted:
It’s the same exact way they voted before the veto. Not a single person had the good mind to switch their vote. They’re that sure you’ll vote them in next time.
Keep in mind, these are the same buffoons who cancelled last summers sales tax holiday because they said the state could not afford to lose the estimated $26 million in revenue that would’ve been lost. Instead they approved a bill that would give them an additional $18 million ANNUALLY!!! In other words, you have to pay more in taxes to fund this. They get a break, but you don’t. Unreal.
They did this because they think you wouldn’t notice. And they used Donald Trump as a distraction. Seriously, check out the Twitter pages for some of these fools. Not one of them has mentioned voting on this raise. Instead we have Jamie Eldridge blaming Trump for everything:
(No point blocking Jamie, we have multiple Twitter handles)
Here’s Boston State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz:
In Central Mass we had four State Representatives (John Mahoney, Dan Donahue, Jim O’Day and Mary Keefe) protesting outside of City Hall to make Worcester a sanctuary city:
Worcester stands united with our vibrant immigrant and refugee community. Hate has no place in our city. #worcpoli #NoBanNoWall pic.twitter.com/CS9LSlliPm
— Rep. Jim O'Day (@RepJimODay) February 1, 2017
You might call them elected officials. The Mayor of Worcester calls them not educated stupid morons. These guys were literally protesting to make sure our city lost $59 million in federal funding. They wanted that. And two days later they vote themselves gigantic pay raises. They are crooks.
Fitchburg and Leominster both have brand new state representatives who were just elected. Stephan Hay (Fitchburg) and Natalie Higgins (Leominster) both voted to give themselves a raise. Once again, it’s their first week on the job. And they already got a 40% raise. Insane.
State Senator Jennifer Flanagan, who represents both Leominster and Fitchburg, voted for the pay raise. Here’s what she’s been up to all week:
She just voted to bring in more people who will need more money for more government services. Which is fine, so long as you’re not also voting yourself a gigantic pay raise. Which she just did.
Harold Naughton from Clinton voted for the raise. We could be here all day shaming these assholes if we wanted to. Instead we would recommend you look up who your State Senator is by clicking here, and who your State Rep is by clicking here, and email them and let them know that it’s unacceptable for them to vote themselves a pay raise while voting for a tax increase. They work for us. We have the power to remove them.
The only Worcester Representative who didn’t vote for the pay raise was Kate Campanale. Because she rocks. State Senator Michael Moore did the right thing and crossed party lines to deny himself the raise. Just like Donnie Berthiaume, Peter Durant, and State Senator Anne Gobi did. All three of them represent Spencer. Why does Spencer have better leadership than Worcester? Sad.
Shoutout to all 52 elected leaders who thought of the people first. This includes the handful of honest democrats like Dracut’s Colleen Garry (one of the best in the state), Mike Moore, and Gobi.
James Dwyer, a democrat from Woburn, also voted against it. He also sponsored a bill making the sales tax holiday permanent. See? Democrats can be normal, non-corrupt elected officials. It’s possible. Other notable democrats who crossed party lines include:
- David Calter from Kingston
- Jonathan Hecht from Watertown
- Paul Heroux from Attleboro
- Denise Provost from Somerville
- Diana DiZoglio of Methuen
- Michael Connolly of Cambridge
That’s it for democrats in the House. Just 8 of the 116 voted against the pay raise. Every single Republican voted for it.
The timing is particularly bad because the same Democratic legislative leaders now getting big bonuses decided last summer to skip the traditional sales tax “holiday” because the state could not afford to forgo the estimated $26 million in revenue that would have been lost. It was only the second year since 2004 that consumers did not benefit from the tax holiday.
It’s actually a 46% pay boost, and the annual salary will rise by over $40,000. When teachers and cops get raises, it’s 1 or 2%. And that’s after years of collective bargaining and giving something up in order to get that. Our elected leaders don’t have to give up anything. Nor do they have to bargain for their contracts. They just get to arbitrarily decide what’s fair. That’s insane.
The 27th Amendment to the Constitution says that Congress cannot vote itself immediate pay raises. If they do vote to give themselves a raise, it won’t come into effect until after the next election. It’s a brilliant Amendment that gives voters the chance to get rid of a scumbag before they can get the raise they just voted for. But on the state level no such amendment exists. Perhaps there should be. Just sayin.
The most fucked up part about this is that it was done at a time when no one would be paying attention. We’re 22 months away from any of them facing a reelection challenge. Everyone is talking about Trump, immigration, hot mics, morons, and the Patriots about to win the Super Bowl. They know this. That’s why they snuck it through now. Don’t let them get away with it. Act now.
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28 Comment(s)
VOTE THESE PEOPLE OUT!!! A relative of mine who is physically disabled and on public assistance recently was given 2% raise on monthly check and saw their foodstamp allowance reduced at the same time. Giveth with one hand and TAKETH AWAY with the other!!
I am pretty sure a person’s required intake of food to try and stay healthy doesn’t reduce or go away! Let’s GET RID OF THESE SCUMBAGS!! I would like them to move into that relative’s house for ONE MONTH to see if they could hack it! No sense of reality for the suffering people, no doubt about it, these ELITIST BASTARDS MUST GO!!!
How many Speakers of the House in Mass are doing time for corruption? These are all the Clinton following swine who entered Civil Servitude to get rich quick. Just like the neoliberal Clintons in DC.
Make no mistake, these pigs are as hated by the Sanders left as much as they are by the rt.
They condemn Trump and Wall Street executives for all the countries problems, while Trump has only been in office 2 weeks and Wall Street executives are making money for stock holders and 401ks but what do these politicians actually do to benefit anyone but themselves. They are the lowest of the low and that is why Trump is our president now because we are sick of you swamp creatures bleeding the middle class dry . We WILL vote your crooked asses out next chance we get. Then you can join all the protestors in the unemployment line.
I just read that a state pols salary will rise by $37,500 a year not including a $15,000 stipend for office expenses not including their per diem, travel, etc… Damn
And they have the balls to demand ethics training but exempt themselves because… they went to college… fucking hypocrites. If you believe these pols care about anyone other than themselves, I know a nice Nigerian prince who wants you to hold $5,000,000 for him for a small fee.
How tits must it be to have a job where YOU decide when you get a raise and how much it will be?!? Sign me up!
How many of these asshats are Republicans? I wonder where they are in this vote? These clowns who voted for this 40% raise should be ashamed of their actions. Many of them make six plus figures. With the state of affairs (budget) over runs this truly is the wrong move for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
What will you do next? Will you tax the very air that we breath? You are a joke!
Time to run against EVERYONE of these CROOKS who voted to OVERRIDE in 2018.
FUCKING crazy!! I barely get a 1% raise, and I work my ass off!!! These fuckers do NOTHING, now get paid more for it!! I hope these people burn in hell!!
You mislabeled the man second to the right in your unresarched garbage story…
Hey tony, go fuck your mother. I researched her haggard snatch last nite. Tell me how your new daddy’s dick tastes.
How cute, Donahue has a beard now. Wants to look older since he hangs with the old hacks daily.
Maybe it’s time we hold our own ‘protest’ in the manner the liberals protested in Berkeley the other day. Will that get our point across that we are sick of all this bullshit from all these hack politicians??
I’d join you, but I have to go to work
I think O’Day is an impervious ass.
Turtleboy…you’re gonna need a bigger graveyard.
These guys were literally protesting to make sure our city lost $59 million in federal funding.- False. Fact: About 2.8 M out of the 18 M is for Legislators, The rest is for the Courts etc…- Just the facts!
I Googled “state legislature pensions” and came up this nugget, which was written last year about MA, before the recent pay and expense raises:
“Nan East, writing on eHow reports: Massachusetts is one of only 10 states in the U.S. that has a full-time legislature. The base salary for all Massachusetts legislators is $61, 440 a year. Leadership positions pay more. For example, the Speaker of the Massachusetts House is paid an additional $35,000 a year over his or her regular base salary. There is also a $600 a month expense account per legislator as well as additional bonuses, tax breaks, and benefits for various reasons. Most Massachusetts legislators make at least 75,000 a year after everything available to them is added in.”
10 out of 50 states have “full-time” legislators… and there is no MINIMUM to time served in MA. One day counts as a FULL YEAR of good service for compensation and pensions.
We truly need to treat our legislators like the Tory A-holes during the Revolution. I’m ripping open some pillows now. Do any Turtle Riders own driveway resurfacing or commercial roofing businesses, and are willing to help?
Republicans voted against the pay raise. Kim Ferguson from Holden also voted against it. I will vote for her again
Still trying to figure out why Massachusetts is a blue state?
Proud to be from Spencer for a change. Also proud of Mikey Moore. He helps people not even in his district.
I am confused, did every Republican vote for it? I thought they all voted against it.
Yep, FUCK New England. House is going on the market, & moving south. I’m nobody’s fool. This state is rotting from the inside out. Enjoy your fantasyland lemmings.
Let’s not tell them I got a $3.00 increase in my social security check. One more raise like that and I will be above the POVERTY LEVEL!!!
Yet my kid has no paper, no toilet paper and had to buy their own sports uniform at school in Worcester.
If I do an outstanding job this year, I may see a 2% raise.
Such BS.
Rep. Donahue is the latest and youngest to be enrolled in the McGovern clique. Too bad a non-lemming can’t run and win a slot. Also, this raise affects their pension too. It gives them a financial boost for the rest of their lives.
Typical of blue state RINOs too. Shameful.
I’m a stupid moron with an ugly face and a smelly butt….and I like to kiss my own butt.
NOW INVITE ME TO HOST TURTLEBOY LIVE BECAUSE YOU OWE ME BIG TIME FOR ALL MY YEARS OF COMMENTING HERE!
You guys are seriously screwed.
Although it is possible to change things – Kentucky’s state legislature has gone red for the first time in 95 years, and we couldn’t be happier 🙂