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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If anyone doubts that the Democratic Party is the enemy of
progressives in Massachusetts, they need to read this article (But be sure to
read between the lines.)<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/04/19/behind-ballot-question-scene-beacon-hill/XcMiM8R0RsLPTRonG5QgaJ/story.html" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline">Behind
the ballot question scene on Beacon Hill</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The legislature is anxious to pass “compromises” that will “derail”
ballot measures heading for the ballot.<span> </span>The
three measures are:<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• A minimum wage hike<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• Paid family leave<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• A cut in the state sales tax<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The Democrats have already struck a blow at workers by
giving certain employers an exemption from paying time-and-a-half when they
make employees work on Sunday and holidays.<span>
</span>Expanding the benefit for employers is apparently something being
discussed.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The legislators seem to be waiting for the Supreme Judicial
Court to rule on the “millionaire’s tax” ballot measure that is proposed for
the November ballot.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The GRP position seems to be clear, although it has never
been explicitly written down.<span> </span>I imagine
it would be<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• We support the minimum wage hike as written in the
referendum.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• We support paid family leave as written in the referendum.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• We support the “millionaire’s tax” as written in the
referendum.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• We oppose efforts of the legislature to undermine the referendum
process by passing legislation that undermines the process.<span> </span>The voters need to speak because they have
more integrity than the politicians on Beacon Hill.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">And I would suggest<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span>• We oppose exemptions from the time-and-a-half rule.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span><br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">• We support the sales tax cut <i>if </i>the millionaire’s tax is enacted.<span> </span>The sales tax is regressive and we should be
substituting progressive taxes to replace it.<span>
</span>But cutting the sales tax in the absence of the millionaire’s tax would
require cuts in state programs that are important to people of average
means.<span> </span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Would anyone be willing to write a proposal for StateCom
that makes the GRP position clear?<span> </span><span></span></p>
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