Beacon Hill Roll Call: April 26 to April 30, 2021
Modified: 5/7/2021 3:11:33 PM
Beacon Hill Roll Call record local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of April 26 to April 30. All the House roll calls are on the House version of a $47.7 billion fiscal year 2022 state budget. Most of the decisions on which representatives’ amendments are included or not included in the budget are made “behind closed doors.” Or in the COVID-19 era, “behind closed Zoom meetings.” Of the 1,157 budget amendments proposed, most of them were bundled into consolidated “mega” amendments. This year there were seven mega amendments and all but one, which had just one vote against it, were approved unanimously.
A note from Bob Katzen, Publisher of Beacon Hill Roll Call:
Join me this Sunday night and every Sunday night between 6 and 9 p.m. for my talk show “The Bob Katzen Baby Boomer and Gen X Show.” Jump in my time capsule and come back to the simpler days of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Upcoming guests:
Sunday, May 9: Tony Dow, best known for playing Wally Cleaver on the iconic television series “Leave it to Beaver.”
Sunday, May 16: Susan Olsen best known for her role as Cindy Brady on the classic television series “The Brady Bunch.”
Listeners are always invited to call in and talk with our popular guests.
Campaign For New Tax On High Earners Touts Widespread Support
Seventy three percent of Massachusetts residents said they support adding a 4% surtax to the state s highest earners.
Photo by Pixabay/Public Domain. Illustration by Emily Judem/ WGBH News.
Nearly three quarters of Massachusetts residents support a new 4% surtax on incomes over $1 million, according to a poll commissioned by the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
The results are being touted by a campaign to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund education and transportation projects. The public already strongly supports investments in transportation and public education and strongly supports the idea that the wealthiest among us should pay more to make those critical investments, said Andrew Farnitano, a spokesman for Raise Up Massachusetts, which wants a constitutional amendment allowing the tax to go before voters next year.
STATEHOUSE ROUNDUP: Assigned seating
Recap and analysis of the week in state government
Nine Congressional seats. Nine thousand four hundred seats for fans at Fenway Park. Two hundred seats at an indoor wedding. Zero masks when alone outdoors.
The last week of April, which also happened to be House budget debate week, was all about counting. Whether it was to add up the spending on a priority line item, calculate capacity limits under Gov. Charlie Baker s new reopening schedule or just plain count people, it seemed everyone had their abacus out.
The U.S. Census Bureau said it had counted 7,029,917 people living in Massachusetts last year, amounting to a growth rate of 7.4 percent over the last decade that mirrored the national average and eclipsed even the rosiest of projections for the Bay State.
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The House adopted a budget amendment to study sound barriers in East Somerville. (Shutterstock)
SOMERVILLE, MA State House legislators on Wednesday adopted a budget amendment that funds a design study for sound barriers along I-93 in East Somerville, Rep. Mike Connolly said.
The amendment, co-sponsored by Rep. Christine Barber, will examine barriers potential impact on mitigating noise pollution. At least $30,000 will be allocated toward the study, according to the text of the consolidated amendment.
Connolly, who represents the 26th Middlesex District, thanked House Speaker Ron Mariano and Ways & Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz on Twitter Wednesday.
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Pleased to report my amendment to fund a design study for sound walls along I-93 in East #Somerville was adopted by the House of Representatives today. Thank you to Speaker @RonMariano and W&M Chair @RepMichlewitz for working with us to address this environmental justice concern. pic.twitter.com/bJsVKW1oqW