Robert DeLeo blames casino woes on Deval Patrick By Hillary Chabot | Wednesday, August 4, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Politics Photo by Nancy Lane Gov. Deval Patrick is jeopardizing his re-election and “underestimating” voters if he kowtows to liberals and kills slots, Speaker Robert A. DeLeo told the Herald yesterday, as he blamed the “rigid” governor for the [...]
“In light of the recent developments, we believe it is critical that we stand united in our shared commitment to restoring the public trust,” the statement read. “Therefore, we have agreed that ethics reform legislation will be passed and signed into law swiftly that includes the best provisions from all three of our proposals. We owe the people of Massachusetts nothing less.”
Gov. Deval Patrick is heading to the White House to meet with President Obama amid speculation he is among those being considered for a Supreme Court post.
Rather than confront the correlation between lower income taxes and higher property taxes and fees, as he did in his campaign, Patrick first cast his lot with the casino industry in a scheme ostensibly intended to increase state revenue. Now he finds himself pushing another unpopular plan to raise revenue through a proposed 19-cent per gallon gas tax hike.
Republican lawmakers went on the offensive against Gov. Deval Patrick’s tax proposals Thursday, saying Massachusetts residents are being presented with the Democrats’ “false choices” of increased taxes and tolls vs. an economic crisis of crumbling highways and limited state services.
Patrick told reporters he would be open to a smaller increase, but declined to specify a number, according to the Associated Press. When he unveiled the plan last week, he said he expected legislators to offer alternatives, but did not say how much he would be willing to yield.
He told reporters yesterday that a 4-cent increase would be enough to avert the set of toll hikes approved Tuesday but would not be enough to address all of the state’s transportation problems. He also repeated his vow to veto any bill that does not make the state’s transportation system more efficient.
Hidden deep inside Gov. Deval Patrick’s new plan is a fine-print provision linking the gas tax rate to yearly inflation-fueled hikes in the consumer price index, guaranteeing Bay State drivers will keep getting hosed at the pump long after he leaves the Corner Office.
Massachusetts will be well represented at next week’s Democratic National Convention in Denver as Gov. Deval Patrick and Sen. John F. Kerry will give key speeches on consecutive nights, officials announced yesterday.
Patrick, a longtime pal and political ally of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, will speak Tuesday night before Sen. Hillary Clinton’s prime-time talk. The night’s theme is “Renewing America’s Promise” and Virginia Gov. Mark Warner is the keynote speaker.
Making Massachusetts a national leader on clean energy
* Joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
* Worked with Legislature to develop comprehensive energy and advanced biofuels legislation to help consumers deal with the rising cost of fossil fuels.
* Passed a first-in-the-nation comprehensive oceans bill for our state waters.
* Approved the final state environmental review for Cape Wind.
* Launched Commonwealth Solar rebate program to spur installation of solar electric power.