More than 100 Worcester residents turned out Monday for a community speakout in support of the Act to Invest in Our Communities Monday and heard testimony about the devastating cuts that have forced the city to lay off nearly a third of its workforce.
“We've done everything we can on the city side to keep municipal costs down,” said Worcester Mayor Joe O'Brien, who helped organize the meeting.
“We've done everything we can but in many ways we're at a breaking point. We need to find solutions to find ways to get more revenue into our community. We all have to work together on this.”
The state is facing a budget shortfall that could be as high as $2 billion. O'Brien and other Worcester residents said the cuts that would result from next year's budget would create an “unprecedented challenge” for the city.
Education Association of Worcester President Lenny Zalauskas said the Worcester schools have lost 500 teachers since 2001 and are bracing for even more cuts. State Rep. James O'Day, who is lead sponsor of the Act to Invest in Our Communities said his bill, which would raise $1.3 billion according to Mass. Department of Revenue estimates, would provide a balanced alternative to the $2 billion in cuts the House is currently planning.
“We want to have a discussion; a frank, honest and healthy discussion,” O'Day said. We need to equalize the playing field and that's what this is all about. I want to have a conversation with all of my colleagues on finding a way to make things more balanced when it comes to taxes.”
ONE Massachusetts is among many groups in the state supporting the Act to Invest in Our Communities. A hearing on the bill is scheduled for May 5 at 10:30 in Gardner Auditorium. If you're interested in testifying on behalf of the bill or otherwise showing support, please contact Yawu Miller by email: yawu@realclout.org or phone: 617-275-2918.
Not every reader will otherwise be able to track it down on their own.
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p>And, I agree with Joe O’Brien – the problem is not that our state is broke, but that we are not investing in our communities.
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p>However, Susanne Bump, the new Auditor has it right in deciding to audit the so-called “tax expenditure budget”
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p>Part of our problem is the black box, no sunset clause business giveaways.
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p>Another issue is the micromanagement by Beacon Hill – and still another is the total lack of transparency in our legislative budget process.
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p>The latest? Speaker announces closed door, no press “caucus” the very day the budget comes out where “members can air their priorities”.
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p>Members will not “air” their priorities – it looks more like leadership will demand member obeisance behind those closed doors to Room 348. I remember when there WAS actual budget “debate”. It took longer. It was “messy” – but Democracy IS messy.
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p>Please don’t discuss your budget priorities behind closed doors in Room 348 – do it in the open, on the floor of the House!
Here’s the text of the bill:
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p>http://onemassachusetts.org/si…