Rep. Jeff Perry in His Own Words

Rep. Perry outlines missed opportunities by Legislature

Boston- Representative Jeffrey Davis Perry (R-Sandwich) voted against the State Budget last week stating that, "Our solution to the fiscal crisis is to increase taxes on sales, meals, telecommunications, alcohol, satellite television, hotel stays, nursing home residents and fees at the Registry. This is very disappointing.  Families are struggling to make ends meet, and if our Democratic counterparts in the House think raising every tax under the sun is going to make the lives of those families better, they are sadly mistaken."

In response to the rhetoric offered by some who supported the tax increases, Representative Perry offers a summary of several of the ideas which were rejected by the Legislature, who in the alternative, decided to raise over $1 billion dollars in new taxes.

Below is a summary of missed reform opportunities by the Majority Party:

Prohibit Benefits for Illegal Immigrants - This would have established a system of comprehensive regulations restricting public benefits for non-residents of the Commonwealth.  Mirrored after legislation which passed in both Colorado and Georgia, this measure would have ensured that taxpayer funded benefits go only to those that are eligible to receive them. The Amendment to the 2010 State Budget would demand that anyone attempting to receive taxpayer funded public benefits must first be verified by the Federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement program "SAVE."  Estimated savings in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Repeal the Pacheco Law - Since this anti-privatization measure was approved during the Weld Administration, the state has lost out on the opportunity to save hundreds of millions of dollars through the outsourcing of certain government programs and services. The law has effectively stifled state privatization efforts by keeping most work in-house, even when a private company could potentially deliver the same services more efficiently and at less cost.  Estimated savings range from $150 million-$300 million.

Implement a statewide wage and hiring freeze for non-essential government employees - Given the uncertainty of the economy and the reality of multi-billion dollar budget deficits, the Commonwealth is in no position to be hiring more people and granting pay raises.  This amendment imposes a one-year moratorium on new government hires and wage increases for the duration of Fiscal Year 2010.  Only vacancies deemed to be critical to public safety would be filled, with the prior approval of the Secretary of Administration and Finance.  Estimated savings approximately $100 million.

Require Medicaid to enroll all participants in managed care plans - Currently, only 35 percent of MassHealth recipients are members of a Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MMCO), which provide incentives for managing illnesses before they become more acute or expensive to treat.  This amendment would require all MassHealth participants to enroll in managed care plans, which have been proven to cost less while delivering superior health care.  Projects savings exceed $150 million.

Streamline the process for the sale of surplus land/allow private sponsorship of state facilities and assets - Streamlining the process for selling surplus state property by eliminating the need for legislative approval would ensure a faster, more efficient process for raising funds from unused and underutilized assets.  In addition, allowing private sponsorship of state facilities and assets presents another potentially lucrative opportunity to raise additional funding to pay for essential state programs and services. Estimated savings are over $30 million.

Other amendments included in the Republican Caucus filed and were rejected include:

• Repeal the "biotech bailout" Life Sciences Bill ($100 million)
• Eliminate the Lottery advertising account ($2 million)
• Reduce prescription medication waste ($75 million)
• Require agency reports to be distributed electronically ($10 million)

"I am disappointed to say the least. This budget is one of taxes, not one of reform" added Representative Perry.

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Broken political process on Beacon Hill

On Friday, June 19th, I along with my 16 Republican colleagues in the House and 27 Democrats rejected a reckless budget, as it was light on reform and heavy on taxes.  The Budget also harms local cities and towns, as well as public safety. Disappointing 110 Democrats followed their leadership and sent it to the Governor.

The misguided solution to the fiscal crisis was to increase taxes on sales, meals, telecommunications, alcohol, satellite television, hotel stays, nursing home residents and fees at the Registry. We also break the promise of lottery revenue being dedicated to education and consume another $199 million from the state's stabilization account. The budget also borrows from the 2011 Federal Stimulus funds to put it into balance. This is very disappointing and sets up another structural budget problem for next year.

Families are struggling to make ends meet, and if the majority of my Democratic counterparts in the House and Senate think raising every tax under the sun is going to make the lives of those families better, they are sadly mistaken. If taxes are the answer to our slow economy, it should be to lower them and let the American people stimulate the economy. Government does not need or deserve any additional tax revenue. The well publicized ethical and patronage problems within state government need to be corrected rather than additional taxation of the hard working people of Massachusetts. Sadly, it once again appears the solution to this year's budget crisis will be to continue the spending with additional taxes to fund it.

More than all of these new taxes and a lack of reform, I am deeply concerned that the political process itself is broken on Beacon Hill. Members of the House and Senate did not receive a copy of the Budget until after 10:00pm on Thursday night and we were required to vote on the Budget, which is hundreds of pages in length, the very next day. Included in the Budget were dozens of taxes and sections which were never part of the original budget debate. Such budget items never had a hearing, public input, debate or separate vote in the Legislature.

Our political process has developed under this one-party control where only a few Legislative leaders meet behind closed doors and put out bills and budgets without hearings, debates or straight up or down votes by Legislators. It is not only disappointing that so many members of the House and Senate go along with such a corrupt political culture, but also where is the media reporting such procedural abuses? By going along with the current culture on Beacon Hill, we are eroding our system of a representative democracy and encouraging improper influences into the political process.

Additionally, the approved Budget regrettably negated several Republican adopted amendments that would have actually provided cost savings including; further raising the threshold for the Pacheco Law, implementing a prescription drug waste program that would have saved millions, selling state owned land to help balance the budget and putting Mass Health recipients into managed care, which reportedly would have saved some $160 million.

I am disappointed to say the least with the substance and procedure of this Budget.  Last year, my GOP colleagues and I voted against a budget that was bloated and unsustainable.  We said that passing that budget would have long term damage and for the lack of better terms, we were right.  Had we been more responsible in Fiscal Year 2009 and now 2010, we may not be in such a dire financial situation we are today. This is indeed a sad time for the finances and political process on Beacon Hill.

As always, I welcome your comments to electjeffperry@aol.com or 508-888-2158.

Rep. Jeffrey Davis Perry

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How to get the GOP back to core principles...

Click the below link for a personal message on My GOP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4ShlmRJXkM

The title of my book "My GOP" reflects its own truth.  The words, beliefs, opinions and issue positions that follow are my own and not from any pre-approved GOP party boss or platform.  I offer them to you the reader, whether you are a right- wing nut, or a left-wing moonbat.  My first goal is to encourage my GOP to return to the party of the principles of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan.

Based on the failures of the last two elections, it is clear the American people have lost an understanding of what the Republican Party stands for.  By reconnecting with our core principles and standing firm, I believe it will not be a difficult road to win back the hearts and minds of the voters. 

I guess that is really the overall purpose of this book; to talk about my GOP, where it came from, where it is today and where it should be in the future.  Since I already fully disclosed my political bias, let me also stake out from the beginning that I am a frustrated member of the political party which I firmly believe is the best chance we have to keep America great and provide a better life for the future generations.

If we are going to achieve this as Republicans, my GOP can only do so if we get back on course, meaning back to the fundamental principles of the great people who established the Republican Party and have fostered its principles, people such as Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.  Now, please do not think I wish to take America backwards, I do not.   Our great nation always needs to be looking forward, but while doing so, we must have the lessons of our past and our core principles in our hearts and minds.

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PERRY OFFERS RESOLUTION BEFORE HOUSE PROTECTING 10th AMENDMENT

PERRY OFFERS RESOLUTION BEFORE HOUSE PROTECTING 10th AMENDMENT

BOSTON - Today, Representative Jeffrey Davis Perry (R-Sandwich) filed a Resolution before the House of Representatives to protect the Founding Fathers' intent and the Constitutional protections of the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

"The purpose of this Resolution is to clearly affirm to Congress and the President our  State's sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution and to demand that the federal government halt the practice of assuming powers and imposing mandates upon the states for purposes which are not enumerated by the Constitution of the United States of America" said Representative Perry from the State House.

As cited by the 10th Amendment Center, "James Madison, during the Constitutional ratification process, drafted the "Virginia Plan" to give Congress general legislative authority and to empower the national judiciary to hear any case that might cause friction among the states, to give the congress a veto over state laws, to empower the national government to use the military against the states, and to eliminate the states' accustomed role in selecting members of Congress.  Each one of these proposals was soundly defeated.  In fact, Madison made many more attempts to authorize a national veto over state laws, and these were repeatedly defeated as well...

The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States.  The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves. The Constitution does not include a congressional power to override state laws.  It does not give the judicial branch unlimited jurisdiction over all matters.  It does not provide Congress with the power to legislate over everything. This is verified by the simple fact that attempts to make these principles part of the Constitution were soundly rejected by its signers."

The language of the Resolution is as follows:
AFFRIMING THE CONSTITUIONAL PROTECTIONS OF THE 10TH AMENDMENT
WHEREAS,  The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States specifically provides that, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people"; and

WHEREAS,  The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being those powers specifically granted to it by the Constitution of the United States and the principle of Federalism is the constitutional division of powers between the national and state governments and is widely regarded as one of America's most valuable contributions to political science; and

WHEREAS,  The scope of power defined by the Tenth Amendment means that the federal government was created by the states specifically to be limited in its powers relative to those of the various states; and

WHEREAS,  Many federal mandates are directly in violation of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and infringe upon Massachusetts' reserve powers and the people's reserved powers; and

WHEREAS,  A number of proposals from previous administrations and some now being considered by the present administration and from Congress do infringe on the States' reserve powers and the people's reserved powers, and may further violate the Constitution of the United States; Therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Commonwealth of Massachusetts hereby claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States and this Resolution shall serve as a Notice and Demand to the federal government to maintain the balance of powers where the Constitution of the United States; and it be further

RESOLVED,  That the Clerk of the House shall immediately transmit copies of this Resolution to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of each state's legislature of the United States of America, and each member of Congress from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 "The Tenth Amendment was adopted after the Constitutional ratification process.  A primary purpose was to enshrine the fact that the individual states are unique and retain their own sovereignty.  The Constitution does not delegate to the federal government an endless supply of power.  We must always remember that the purpose of the Bill of Rights is to protect freedoms of individuals and the states, not expand the power of the federal government" added Representative Perry.

The Resolution was filed today with the House of Representatives Clerk and was cosponsored by Representatives Jones (R-North Reading), Vallee (D-Franklin), Humason (R-Westfield), Webster (R-Pembroke), Evangelidis (R-Holden), Poirier (R- North Attleboro), deMacedo (R-Plymouth), Ross (R-Wrentham), Gifford (R-Wareham), Smola (Three Rivers) and Polito ( Shrewsbury).

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Perry on Sales Tax Increase

My new YouTube message is out.   This month's message is my comments on the proposed increase in the Sales Tax.

Click here or watch the video below:

If taxes are the answer to our slow economy, it should be to lower them and let the American people stimulate the economy. Government does not need or deserve any additional tax revenue. The well publicized ethical and patronage problems within state government need to be corrected rather than additional taxation of the hard working people of Massachusetts. Sadly, it once again appears the solution to this year's budget crisis will be to continue the earmarking and pork spending with additional taxes to fund them.  

The battle continues! 

- Jeff

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