Republicans Face Roadblocks in Massachusetts Tax Cut Efforts
This week, the Massachusetts House began discussing a $61 billion state budget. Republican representatives saw this as a chance to push for changes like lower taxes, voter ID laws, and rules about who can play in girls’ school sports. However, not all Republicans agreed, which caused some problems.
Disagreements Among Republicans
On Monday, the first day of the budget talks, Rep. Marc Lombardo, a Republican from Billerica, wanted to lower the state's sales and income taxes and make tips and overtime pay tax-free. He tried to make everyone in the House vote on his ideas, but he didn’t get enough support from other Republicans. Instead of a roll call vote, where each person’s vote is recorded, the changes were just rejected by shouting yes or no.
Lombardo thinks this lack of support is because he tried to replace the current House Minority Leader, Bradley Jones, earlier this year. “It’s another example of Brad Jones’ utter failed leadership,” Lombardo said. He believes Jones arranged for Republicans not to support him, which hurts taxpayers who want to know how their representatives vote on tax issues.
Leader’s Response
Bradley Jones, however, said he didn’t tell anyone how to vote. He mentioned that Lombardo often criticizes him on social media and doesn’t come to Republican meetings to discuss his proposals. “Members are like, 'if you want to be part of the Republican caucus and engage, then behave like an adult,'” Jones explained.
Challenges in a Democrat-Dominated House
There are 160 seats in the Massachusetts House, but Republicans only hold 25. This makes it hard for them to pass their proposals since Democrats have a strong majority. By proposing amendments and asking for debate, Republicans hope to highlight issues they care about.
Lombardo also wants to push for votes on other topics, such as voter ID and cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. “The voters are clamoring for a more affordable Massachusetts,” he said, emphasizing the need for lower taxes and secure elections.
Another Republican Effort Falls Short
Later, Rep. John Gaskey, a first-term Republican from Carver, tried to get a vote on a rule that would stop boys from playing on girls’ sports teams unless certain conditions were met. His proposal was changed by Democrats to simply call for more data on school sports, which the House accepted.
Rep. Jack Lewis, a Democrat from Framingham, argued that Gaskey’s original idea would prevent some transgender children from enjoying sports.
Looking Ahead
Throughout this week, the House will debate over 1,650 amendments to the budget. This includes 236 from House Republicans, the most they have proposed in three years. These amendments cover various topics from changing housing laws near transit stations to banning certain food dyes.
As the debates continue, it’s clear that while the Republican minority is eager to influence state policy, they face significant challenges in a House dominated by Democrats.