At about 11 PM on Friday night, the members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives were given an 18 page “Consolidated Amendment”. That is 18 pages single spaced.
Like a box of chocolates, there is something for everyone:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/09bu…
Here are a few of my favorite “chocolates”:
$150,000.00 for the North End/West End Elderly Center [no shortage of coffee and donuts in 2009 there]; $100,000.00 for the Indian Orchard Partnership [Wonder what that is? I am sure it is wonderful, if I only knew]; $100,000 for “preliminary economic development designs in downtown Needham” [I thought Needham was doing just fine, but maybe not]; $300,000.00 for paving and construction in Holbrook – anyway, take a look and tell me what your favorite chocolates are.
I compare this amendment to “chocolates” because it was passed out at 11:00 PM or later on 5/1/08 and voted on about an hour later – after midnight on 5/2/08.
Did any representative read through, or study, these tasty tidbits that added millions to the budget – and to withdrawal from the rainy day fund? I admit I wonder. So like a box of chocolates, perhaps, this was a bit like a late night snack.
I like chocolate, but I loathe consolidated amendments. Why on earth should the House meet behind closed doors and allow members to pitch and haggle over their amendments? Make it all open and transparent!!
but I don’t know if the people’s business is better served by debating and voting on over 1500 individual amendments.
<
p>For what it’s worth, I think the legislature has miles to go technologically to foster better communication with the public. How hard can it be to link roll calls, bill texts, and bill histories on one page? Seriously?
<
p>That being said, the budget is released online the same day it becomes available. Amendments are listed online before debate starts and consolidated amendments are up throughout the week as they become available. For those of us who like to know what’s going on, this process, though not perfect, ain’t so bad.
Ought to be open and viewable by the people, no? By seeing the legislative machinations behind which amendments are adopted and which are not would allow people to figure out the allegiance(s) of their particular member. As it is now, I have no idea if my representative supported Amendment XXXX’s inclusion into Consolidated Y.
<
p>Though the legislature has gotten better, they still have quite a long way to go to catch up to the Executive branch with respect to transparency.
…which over the course of time had remained un-earmarked, as it’s distributed on a per capital basis – residents over 65 and eligible for COA services in a given community.
<
p>Now – we have an earmark for “that not less than $80,000 shall be provided to the LGBT Aging Project”
<
p>Wait’ll next year, when the COA budgets have to take cuts to fund the Afro-American, Native American, womyns, differently abled, left handed, and red haired ‘Aging Projects’ as well…
You wonder why the taxpayers are sick of the BS. The endless payoffs. You wonder why people won’t vote for 2 1/2 over rides. You wonder why people despise paying taxes for any reason.
<
p>This is why. The state legislature is stealing our tax dollars—plain and simple. They are common thieves.
I’m printing this out for ammunition at a later day and taking int to Town Meeting tommorow night. This is a real gem to entertain the townspeople.
This data needs to be analyzed in a less sensational way. It would be very interesting to see:
<
p>1) What the precise changes were (some of the sections increased funding for line items in a way that makes it difficult to determine the change — for example:
<
p>
<
p>I have no idea what agency is getting a $500k increase in funding, do you?
<
p>With others it’s difficult to figure out where the earmark is because the entire section has been replaced. Were earmarks there before the amended version? Maybe they were.
<
p>2) What the agencies typically expend funding on before the earmarks. For example, is it outrageous to expend $100,000 on the Indian Orchard Main Street Partnership? Mayne, but maybe not, if other Main Street Partnerships are already funded as a matter of practice. Are they? I have no idea.
<
p>It’s really easy to be opposed to “pork” or “earmarks”. But from another perspective, the practice could be viewed as a backdoor to ensure that a little attention is paid to groups that don’t the attention that they may deserve.
“I have no idea what agency is getting a $500k increase in funding, do you?”
<
p>Yup.
<
p>Just go to mass.gov legislative page, click on current – or former! – budget, and see who is funded by that Line Item (turns out the lucky winner is the Office of Business and Technology).
<
p>Some programs are funded annually by earmarks – children’s Cove center for abused children comes to mind on Cape. Some are goofy, gazebo-esque lines. Only YOU have the power to differentiate.
Is where the real fun is- Travel and Tourism and Workforce Development grants.