MA Fiscal Alliance Scorecard Ranks Legislators
Monday, November 18, 2013
"The leadership of Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance launched a first of its kind, Beta version, online and real time legislative scorecard," said the group.
Leading fiscal conservatives celebrate the new tool. "Openness and transparency are hallmarks of democracy. MassFiscal Alliance has aggregated fiscal policy votes in a readily available format. The ease of searching for your representatives is fantastic. In addition to aggregate scores, they have given summaries of each individual bill and or amendment and whether or not they passed," said Rob Eno, of the Red Mass Group.
Worcester GOP Watch Dog
One top Worcester-based GOP activist says the tool is critical -- and provides information and de facto protection for the taxpayer. "In Massachusetts, the "Chambers of Compromise" do not look out for the interests of the small business community (the economic engine of this country) by keeping the legislature accountable for their votes that affect the small business community. This guide ranks our legislators on transparency, spending tax dollars in a responsible manner and on taxation. Since the Chambers of Compromise in this state are just networking boys clubs in this state, this guide is an excellent resource for the voter," said Chris Pinto of the Worcester GOP.
"Representatives and Senators that tell their constituents they are fiscally conservative will no longer be able to obfuscate their true records. For instance State Senator Steven Brewer represents one of the most conservative voting districts in the Commonwealth. He has an 11% MassFiscal rating, while the average Senate rating is 25%. Hardly a conservative voting record," said Eno.
SEE BELOW HOW LEGISLATORS IN WORCESTER COUNTY SCORED
"The Mass Fiscal Alliance's tracker is interesting to say the least. It is a great looking site and model and very user friendly but it is a biased litmus test. The organization is promoting a right wing agenda and my concern is that individuals are going to look at this as if it were a nonpartisan evaluation tool. If voters recognize it is a biased source then then can judge the results accordingly and to their own interests," said David LeBoeuf, a top Democratic political expert.
Democrats are concerned that the voter is being misled by the tool and that information is being misinterpreted.
"Over simplifying bills is a common practice of these score cards, but if done inappropriately is a grave disservice to the public. For example referring to the H3535.95 as "Conference Committee Transportation Finance Bill Raising Taxes by $500 Million" or H3400.101 "A Vote to Stifle Further EBT Reform" is misleading. Those clearly were not the titles of the respective bills nor necessarily the sole topic of the legislation. I am 100% in favor of these score cards editorializing, as long as fact and editorial are clearly distinguished," added LeBoeuf.
The recent appointment of former Democratic Lt. Governor Tim Murray as head of the Worcester Chamber has inflamed conservatives in Central Massachusetts.
"Small Business owners should join the Mass Fiscal Alliance and stop paying dues to their chambers with their exorbitant salaries for former politicians with demonstrated records of being anti-business while they were lawmakers," said Pinto. "The score card tells you who is good for the taxpayer and the small business owner and who is not."
Related Slideshow: Mass Fiscal Alliance Top Scoring Worcester County Legislators
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