Republicans Gear Up For Governor’s Transportation Showdown
Monday, April 08, 2013
As Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick readies for a showdown with MA House Leadership over his transportation plan, the Republicans ready an alternative plan.
“Any tax increase in this economy will have a negative impact,” said Rep. George Peterson, the Republican representative from Worcester’s 9th district.
When the debate on the floor begins Monday afternoon, House Republicans say they will try to amend the bill to remove the new taxes. Instead, they will propose dedicating a portion of annual tax revenue growth to fund transportation projects, according to House Minority Leader Bradley Jones. About 90 amendments have been filed since the plan was introduced on April 2.
The Republican plan
The Republican plan suggests cutting discretionary funding by 1.1 percent in Fiscal Year 14, which would allow $13 billion dollars for transportation projects from the state’s total discretionary budget of about $35 billion.
The GOP plan also proposes taking a quarter percentage of new growth revenue over the next three years and allocating it to the transportation budget. Using the governor’s projected growth figures, Peterson said, revenue would increase 3 percent over the next three years.
The House plan presented last week by House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) and Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) would also raise the state income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent, while lowering the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent, implement changes to the tax status of utility companies and the tax code on computer software.
Gov. Patrick, who has proposed nearly $2 billion in new taxes for transportation, opposed the House plan from the start and said he would veto it if it came across his desk in its current form. He said the House plan would lead to even higher taxes and transportation fees.
The governor + Republicans in agreement
The governor and Republicans are in agreement that the House plan does not provide adequate funding to all municipalities to repair local roads and bridges, especially in outlying areas of the state.
“The people I represent count on me not to raise their taxes,” said Republican Rep. Angelo D’Emilia of Plymouth’s 8th district. “I can’t go back to the people who elected me and ask them to dig any deeper into their pockets.”
While some of the measures in the GOP plan mirror that of the House plan, such as transferring Massachusetts transportation workers from bonded funds to the state payroll, and provide forward funding for regional transit authorities, the Republicans say their hardest sell will be convincing House leaders not to raise taxes. Republicans are outnumbered 5-1 in the House and hold only four seats in the Senate.
Monday’s debate is expected be a lengthy and meaningful, where everything will be laid out on the table, D’Emilia said.
The Republicans said they do not anticipate any of their amendments will be adopted, and the legislation will pass the House and Senate, but not without a veto-proof margin. “My Democratic colleagues are fighting with the governor,” Peterson said. “If the governor vetoes the House plan, he might end up with nothing. Then the Republican plan becomes a very viable option.”
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