CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

Not to rain on their parade, but the negative effects of this increase will ultimately offset the increased revenues. Suffolk issued a report a few weeks ago on the proposed increase from 5% to 6% showing how that would cost $41 million in annual business investment and over 10,000 jobs. This will cost more than 10,000 jobs and further hurt the businesses, small and large, within a short drive of the borders of the State. For larger purchases a larger number of people will now be willing to drive out of state to minimize their sales tax expense. However, we are getting what we deserve when we elect a House that is primarily from a single party and inhabited by people who have not run a business or met a payroll in their lives. Time to run people with real world experience to bring some common sense to Beacon Hill.

I strongly suggest that everyone shop local as much as possible. The growth and expansion of the internet and on line shopping has led people to seek out what appears to be the cheapest prices available. However, these often do not include the ubiquitous service charges and other fees added on to the item you order. This is especially true with things such as flowers where you buy on line and pay more than you would if you went local. Yet your order is filled locally when you order over the internet only at a higher price. Found this out the hard way when I paid a $15.99 service charge only to have the local place deliver a nice bouquet. When I called to express my thanks they were happy but told me, much to my chagrin, that I could have had the same bouquet for $20 less if I had called direct to them. What I got for being lazy. Will now go to the local shop for all my local orders and not believe the internet adds when they say "local". In this time of economic uncertainty we need to support each other in our communities. Mom and Pop all the way.

Is this supposed to be a news article or an opinion piece? It looks to me to be presented as news but contains a significant amount of opinion. I am fine with either as long as the CCT is transparent regarding its positioning. One example is the reference to the rally being "sponsored" by "rich" members of the GOP as a means of downplaying the grass roots nature of the rallies. However, when Move On or George Soros support rallies to advance their positions there is no mention of wealthy members of the DNC supporting the events. If people are to make informed decisions we need a press that is open about their "leanings" so the reader is able to discern fact from opinion. Not clear in this article. CCT - need to step up the journalism please.

While it may be classic NIMBY, until the people of the Cape are willing to vote for the person over the party there will be no change. People with common sense regardless of party should be encouraged to run for all office, but the people of the Cape look first to party and then to person, if there happens to be another D running. Sorry to say, but the people of the Cape have the government they selected. Express outrage over the waste of taxpayer money and failure to follow the peoples' wishes but until the voters express their outrage with their votes then there will be no change. Sorry to say it, but it seems to be the way Mass politics works these days regardless of the level of complaints raised people still vote party over person. Would that have ended in high school but seems to be alive and well on the Cape.

I continue to be amazed by the political opposition to capturing wind energy to reduce out reliance on fossil fuels. Just this week Secretary Salazar reported that there is enough wind energy potential in the coastal areas of the US to meet ALL their energy needs. Yet the Cape Cod Commission, our other local politicians and Senators Kennedy and Kerry, to name but a few, all proclaim Cape Wind and other wind projects to be unacceptable while proclaiming their support for green energy initiatives, including wind. So what is it - do we support wind energy efforts or do we not? Time for the politicians to both follow the will of the people, ALL the people not just the elite few concerned with disruption to their views, and put their words into action. If they do not, it is time for the residents of the Cape to put their words into action and elect people who actually represent their views.

I think the issue is the changing nature of news delivery. It used to be that we watched the evening news and read the evening and morning papers for news. Now all that is available on the multitude of 24 hour news channels or on-line. Why pay for the Globe with "old" news when you can get up to date information on-line for free. (I know that I have gone from having 4 papers delivered every day to reading 7 papers on-line with no deliveries except for Sunday and I am sure I am not an abberation.) What has to change is their business model. The unions need to take note of these changes and work with the company to shift to the new media approach. Their jobs are going to change. The only question is will they change via loss or to something different.

Trying to maintain the status quo will result in lost jobs and probable bankruptcy. Time for both sides to stop posturing and work to save the company in a new form. Will not be easy but they need to recognize that the alternative is corporate and professional death.

The Republican party needs to focus on building itself. The time of destroying itself (see Joe Malone, et al) needs to be behind us. We need people who best exemplify the ideals of the state party and its voters and taxpayers. Christy is just such a person. Let's get the best people we can regardless of their connection to the "party elite" or we will have no party for the "elite" to rule over.

Let's take back the party from the Boston elite and bring real change to Beacon Hill.

Christy will be a great addition to the race. He brings the common sense of a business owner who knows what is like to have to meet a payroll as well as deal with the multitude of state agencies that inject themselves into the small businesses that drive this state's economy. He has been an advocate for the taxpayer and toll payer for years. Charlie Baker is only well known in the elitist circles and, while a potentially viable candidate, does not relate to the common "man" like Christy does.

All who prefer the ability of someone not connected to the major parties to run and succeed should support his effort.

Run Christy, Run

Rep. Perry adds something that is in short supply on Beacon Hill to the debate - common sense. There is an incredible lack of real world experience on Beacon Hill when it comes to running a business. Think about it, would you let most of the reps sun your child's lemonade stand much less your business. Yet, they make decisions that impact all of us.

We all need to remember a couple of things in this debate:

1) No amount is too small. Remember the old adage, take care of the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves. This pearl of wisdom needs to be applied to the budget debate.

2) When we hear talk of government revenue we are really talking about taxpayer expense. It is our money that they want to take and spend.

3) Everything should be on the table from pensions to salaries to per diems to entire departments. This is no time to nibble but to attack the entire pie with gusto.

We need to provide Mr. Perry with our support through contacting other reps, speaking with our neighbors and supporting candidates with common sense across the state.

An old adage of local politics is when it snows make sure the streets are plowed and make sure the trash is picked up. Privatizing the dump seems like the selectmen are grasping at straws. It has become a part of the community and more than just a place where you go to "dump" your refuse. This is in part due to the town management of the dump and the congeniality of the community as a whole. While this continue under a privatization approach? How do you contract for ambiance and friendliness? The people of Falmouth need to let the Selectmen know how they feel and the Selectmen need to listen. Let's save the dump.

I applaud Mr. Lynch for his position on the deeds tax. Now is not the time to make it harder for homeowners to sell their houses on the Cape and an increase in the deeds tax, already the highest in the state, does not help matters.

A thorough review of expenses should be part of the cutting exercise. May I suggest a review of the legal expenses for the CCC which it incurs in its pursuit of stopping the Cape Wind Project. There are plenty of well heeled residents voicing opposition to the proposal (while many other residents are looking towards the opportunity to both create jobs and showcase how we can all work with the environment to generate clean energy)so let's cut the legal expenses from the budget and let the opponents fund their own legal fight.

I am ashamed to say that I am getting used to our local politicians being as out of touch as the state and national folks. Let's buy something on the belief that you can afford it. Tried it for a new car today - for some reason they want real money. How about our esteemed Cape Cod Commissioners showing how to save for what you want, spend money wisely and build for the future. Nah, that would be no fun. And, I forgot, it not their money. What a disgrace. If the class is representative of the overall community 1 in 9 of the kids will have a parent out of work. How will they respond to having their child say they want to buy something because they believe they can afford it. Not only a bad lesson for the kids but is disrespectful of the position in which he puts the parents. Time for a change at the CCC.

Maverick - The Cape Cod Commission floated the idea of tolls on the bridges leading to and from the Cape. That is the group to which I refer. No link between tolls and Cape Wind. Just want to highlight how county government is out of touch with the people whom they proclaim to represent.

Bob

I applaud your desire and determination to learn the facts.

While you do so, consider that your county government has spent over a quarter of a million opposing this project. Not because the citizens of the Cape do not want it, but because Cape Wind does not meet with their own personal views.

Remember this is the same group that supports a toll on the bridges. Another idea that would only serve to harm the hard working men and women of the Cape.

Time to have a county government that represents the peoples' interests and not their own.

why is it that public taxpayer is being used to oppose this effort. I am in favor of Cape Wind. Can I have $250,000 to promote the benefits? This is an irresponsible use of taxpayer money. It could easily be used to fund at least 5 teachers for our schools.

When will politicians on either side of the aisle learn that it is not okay to spend OUR money on their own personal missions?

Such a disgraceful use of money in a time of need.

Cape Cod Community Members

Time for you all to contact your state representatives and senators. Patrick allocates $2,500 out of $168 million to Cape schools. All this while he proposes to increases the salaries of the 2 local island sheriffs by $26,000 each or $52,000. Over 20 times more for 2 sheriffs than for the schools educating our children.

This is unacceptable and outrageous.

We need to speak out even if we will be characterized as being "trivial". It is not trivial to want more for our children. The Patrick thinks we are trivial when we are focused on our children. They consider the salaries of 2 sheriffs more meaningful as clearly evidenced by the allocation of money.

Please register your anger and work to replace the people who enable this to continue.

Posse

Great point. Public pensions are the anchor around the public's neck and many don't even realize it yet. We, the taxpayers guarantee that the public servants will receive a set amount regardless of the investment performance in their accounts all the while our own accounts dwindle from not just the stock market but increased taxes. And the final injustice is that recipients of state pensions pay NO state income taxes.

They will argue that they pay into their plans and don't receive social security. Well, I pay into my 401(k) and social security and likely will not see much of the latter. And where is my guaranteed payout? Where is my tax free receipt of pension payments?

It is time to revamp the system before it drowns us all.

Christy is one who can help lead the charge and needs our support.

Let's see. Its harder to raise taxes than cut, but let's raise taxes now. However, in the last couple of months we have had 3 newly created or extended unfilled positions filled by current and former State Reps or others with connections at $120,000 and above. We also passed legislation to allow "volunteer" time to count towards "service" for state pensions. And they wonder why the people are mad. Maybe its time to start listening and doing some cutting and reforming. Let's start with:

1) Eliminate state pensions and transition to defined contribution only. Let's have the state employees in the same position as the rest of us. Maybe then the stock market will not be a "tracking poll".

2) Tax the state pensions. Why this hasn't been done already is criminal.

3) Reform the civil service rules to allow for layoffs of higher compensated employees rather than the newer, more motivated, lower compensated employees. Let's use merit as the measure of an employee's worth and not how long they have been there.

4) Eliminate service credits.

May not solve the problem. but let's go

It is time that we take back Our Government that is spending Our money and mortgaging Our future and that of our children.

If we do not act by electing those who have first and foremost common sense, we have no one but ourselves to blame.

To this end I have a simple question to ask every candidate for office - what job have you held in the last 10 years (pick any period you wish)? If the answer is legislator then I would recommend voting against them. Let's put some people in office who understand what it is like to run a business, manage a budget, manage expenses and has seen more than Beacon Hill.

Christy as Governor is great place to start, but let's not stop there. He will need help and friends on the Hill, in the streets and around the Commonwealth. Let's send him with his own army of common sense individuals.

The steady drip drip drip of new tax proposals threatens to destroy the foundation of the Commonwealth much like a leak in a pipe eventually bursts to show the larger problem it has become. Well the pipe is now bursting and we are all getting soaked.

Lots of focus has been given to benefits, pensions, etc. we really need to focus on the largest items in the budget to effect real change. Those items can be classified as "entitlements".

Many will claim that to cut entitlements is to be mean spirited and hurtful to those needing a helping hand to that I have 2 comments. First a helping hand is different from a way of life and it is time that all recipients understand the difference. Second, we are providing benefits to people who are in the country illegally. Putting our heads in the sand rather than facing it head on will only result in bigger issues and costs later.

I also agree that we need to reform the pension and benefits received by public "servants" but it should be part of a larger effort to reform all entitlements (Yes I am calling pensions an entitlement).

Christy

How about we add the elimination of pensions for all elected positions. Senators and Reps are supposed to be part-time positions yet they have significant benefits. Maybe eliminating the pensions will help to eliminate those who serve to benefit themselves rather than the people of the Commonwealth?

Time for "Change" and some fresh perspective from people who do not list their profession as "legislator".