COWARDS ! ! !

Massachusetts Senate Floor

Recently the Massachusetts Senate in a a cowardly voice vote voted to strike from the book the 1913 law. This law was used by former Gov.Mitt Romney from keeping the our State of Massachusetts from becoming the Las Vegas for gay "marriage" Opponents claim that the law, which was drafted at the beginning of the last century, was drafted as a bigoted legislation. Of course there is no evidence to this claim, yet it keeps popping up on the papers. The leftist liberals also wants us to believe, in fact to feel guilty, of potential economic 'fruits' that the eradication of 1913 will have for the state. The 1913 law was upheld as constitutional by the Massachusetts Supreme Court in 2006.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives where it promises to be a fierce battle. I am particularly interested on how the Springfield delegation is going to vote on this issue. We have seen our stellar representatives Ben Swan and Cheryl Coakley Rivera continuously denying the people the opportunity to be heard on State issues. As evident in their vote against the referendum question to allow the people to decide in the definition of marriage. As I have said before, this is our government and we the voters have the ultimate say !!! The people must be allow to vote on such an important social issue. The attempt to eradicate the 1913 is just another attempt by a reckless house of representatives into silencing the people from being heard.

You can't have your money !!!

Suppose that I have access to your personal checking and saving accounts. Now say, that I use half of your money for things that I think are necessary. I now save the other half. Now you come up to me and ask me " Can I have my money back?", and I reply NO !!

Sounds incredible doesn't it? Well, this is exactly what the Governor and the Legislature is doing with you tax money.

There is approximately $450 Million Dollars in the "Rainy Day fund" in Beacon Hill. The Republicans wanted to funnel that money to Cities and Towns to help alleviate the high cost of living that we are experiencing. The proposal was killed twice. The first proposal was to have a one time grant infusion to cities and towns. Imagine what Springfield could have done with the nearly $21,795,215 dollars that the city would have received as a one time grant infusion. At the very least, more roads could have been paved. The second proposal was in direct property tax relief. Click here to see how much your City/Town would have received. Gov. Patrick heavily campaigned on Property Tax relief as a center stage issue during his gubernatorial campaign. Now that he has a real chance to keep his pledge he back paddles in a big hurry. And the intrepid House of Representative has joined the Governor in refusing to give you your money back. Click here to see how the State Representative voted. Of Course our fearless Springfield State Representative delegation joined Gov. Patrick in refusing to give you your money back.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel. The group 450 Million has finished a signature drive through the state to place on the ballot a non-binding question on the November elections.
The referendum question reads.

"Shall the representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of legislation distributing $450 million from the "rainy day stabilization" fund, originally due to the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, for residential property tax relief."

Let us hope that after the question passes, as I expect that it will. The House of Representatives actually listens to the people and do as the people want and deserve, their money back !!!

Good, Now you look like an American

Picture from Flickr.com

Recently at work one of my co-workers was talking to a young man from Vietnam. My coworker was at awe with the young man's square sandals. The young man went on to explain that the sandals were a new fashion in Vietnam and that they could be bought in NYC. My co-worker complemented the young man on his shirt, loose denim jeans, his close cut haircut and his good English and went on to say, " Good, now you look like an American"

The young man and myself looked at my co-worker with a puzzle look in our faces. This comment lingered in my mind for the next few days. What does an American look like? Blond hair, blue eyes? Dark skin? Brown skin? No accent? A heavy accent? I am still trying to figure it out.

Comments like this reminds me that we as a nation, we still have a long way to treat each other with kindness and respect and that Doctor Martin Luther King's dream of not being judge by the color of your skin, but as an individual, is still not achieved.

I particularly could care two hoots as to who does not like me. I treat others as I like to be treated. I do not live my life thinking, "Oh my God I am a Minority "!! ( God do I hate that word !!) I see people as what they are, God's precious creation.

I leave you with this passage from the declaration of independence.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,..."

Have a happy fourth of July.

Ferrera a great disappointment

Springfield City Councilor Jimmy Ferrera has surely annoyed several people in the city with his arrogant refusal to schedule a hearing on the ethics proposal submitted by City Councilors Pat Markey and Bruce Stebbings. The Republican has not been shy in stating its annoyance with Ferrara on its editorial pages. Fellow Blogger Bill Dusty of the Springfield Intruder had a commical, yet critical post on Ferrera's arrogance.

I simply do not understand why Councilor Ferrera refuses to schedule a hearing on the Ethic proposal. As I have mentioned before, government must be transparent. After all, it is our government, not Ferrera's government. If Ferrera does not understand this simple concept, then he has no business in city government.

The ethics proposal submitted by Markey and Stebbings is a sensible and good thought out plan in an effort to regain the trust of the people of Springfield. I am sure that Ferrera and the councilors that voted against the proposal are hoping that the voters will forget about this issue.

Well, I want a good and transparent government. Springfield can not afford another financial crisis.

I will not forget.

Obama after the Latino Vote

Presidential Candidate Barack Obama

Barack Obama after securing the Democratic Nomination is now after the Latino vote. Sen.Obama received 35% of the Latino vote during the primaries. Sen. Clinton received 63% of the Latino vote. Clearly, Sen. Obama has a long road ahead of him to convince Latinos that he is the best candidate for the Presidency of the United States.

Sen. Obama has a Spanish website, www.barackObama.com/Espanol. Sen. Obama is touting the endorsement of Globe and Academy Award Puerto Rican actor Benecio del Toro. To win the Latino vote Sen. Obama has to to better than putting up a Spanish website and tout the endorsement of an actor.

During a CNN interview, Arturo Vargas, of the National Association of Elected and Appointed Latinos stated, " There was not a real opportunity for Sen. Obama to introduce himself to the Latino community" What? Sen. Obama has been campaigning for over a year and in all that time he did not get real opportunity to introduce himself to the Latino Community?

Among Sen. Obama's political platform, the issue of immigration promises to be carefully monitor by the Latino community. Sen. Obama supports President's Bush plan, "Comprehensive immigration Bill" to secure the southern border with Mexico and for the opportunity for some illegal immigrants to update their immigration status.
Sen. Obama stated on a May rally, " I like to express my commitment to immigration reform and to do everything I can to bring order and compassion to a broken immigration system"
However, Sen. Obama has the real problem that his Republican opponent Sen. McCain is well liked among the Latino community. Sen. McCain was among the chief architect and early supporter of President Bush's Comprehensive Immigration Bill.

If Sen. Obama really wants to be President, he should really find the time and the "real opportunity" to introduce himself to the Latino community.

I am Baffled

I am baffle with State Rep. Cheryl Coakely-Rivera recent statements regarding Gov. Patrick's bill to extend the $52 Million state loan. The Governor is proposing extending the state loan payback period from 5 years to 12 years. The bill also proposes the creation of a chief Administrator, a Financial Officer, a Director of Internal Audit and placing a binding referendum question on the ballot for the people of Springfield to decide if the want to extend the Mayor's term from 2 years to 4 years. Rivera-Coakely opposes placing the binding referendum question on the ballot, accusing the Mayor of muscling in on the bill.

Coakely Rivera has shown a tendency of not allowing the people to have a say in their government. As it was the case when she voted against placing a referendum question on the ballot regarding the definition of marriage.

Springfield desperately need a clear and transparent government. To achieve this, government must also listen to the people. Why doesn't Cheryl Coakely -Rivera like the people to have a say in their government?

How will the Trash Saga Play Out?

Mayor Domenic Sarno recently took the unusual step of responding to a councilors letter of inquiry through a public release. Councilor Rosamarie Mazza-Moriarty send the mayor a letter asking specifics questions regarding the Mayor's proposed plan to implement a Pay as you Throw (PAYT) trash collection program.

Mayor Sarno actively and aggressively campaigned for Mayor using the elimination of the current $90 trash fee as one of his major platform issues. Now that he is the mayor, he realizes that the elimination of the trash fee will be fiscally hurtful to the city. As the Mayor stated on his press release, "However, five months in office have afforded me a much clearer and comprehensive understanding of the city’s fragile financial state. At this time, it is impossible for the City to absorb the cost of waste collection and disposal while responsibly addressing our top priority of public safety." Is Mayor Sarno admitting that he did not have a clear picture of the City's Financial stability while campaigning for Mayor?

To Mayor Sarno's credit, it appears that the new system will create the same revenue as the $90 trash fee currently in place. But let us not forget that the reason that we are in this trash mess, the reason that we, the common person is paying for trash collection, is in part to the irresponsible financial practices of past administrations which were plagued with corruption. Former Mayor Charlie Ryan, brought the city back on its feet. Former Mayor Ryan made unpopular decisions and stood his ground. It appears that Mayor Sarno is now borrowing the same stance as former Mayor Ryan. At the end, it could be argue that former Mayor Ryan's strong stance on the $90 trash fee contributed to his defeat. Is Mayor Sarno heading in the same path? Is Mayor Sarno, playing a political game announcing this controversial plan so early in his term in the hope that the people will forget come election day?

The people will decide.

Franco Announces Bid To Governor's Council

Mike Franco

Mike Franco has announced his candidacy for Governor's Council, 8th District. Th District includes 93 cities and towns in Western Massachusetts. The Governor’s Council main domain is the appointment of judges to the bench. The 8th District includes 93 cities and towns in all four counties in Western Massachusetts. According to Franco’s press release, a discussion on the judiciary, particularly the re-certification of judges by the people....every four years" will be the main theme of his campaign. According to Franco’s platform, judges will continue to be appointed by the Governor with the approval of the Governor’s Council, and every term thereafter judges will be up for review before the voters in their respective counties based on predetermined set of performance criteria.

I can tell you that as a citizen of Massachusetts in particular a citizen of Springfield, I am tired of seeing judges allowing criminals to walk away with nothing more than a slap in the wrist. Drug dealers, often are back in the same spot whitin hours, dealing drugs again after they are arrested. Potential violent offenders are free on bail. Look at the recent tragedy in Springfield of Mario Hornsby. A promising young man with a bright future was gun down in his own neighborhood. The defendant, a self admitted gang member, was out on bail on a previous charge.

Judges actions on the bench have real consequences on society. I believe that they should be held accountable for their actions as well.

Read my previous titled "Who Should Judge Thee?" relating to this matter.