Keller @ Large: Mass. GOP Chairperson Amy Carnevale says state needs more two-party government
BOSTON - Chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party Amy Carnevale says a concentration of power and lack of effective two-party government is becoming a bigger problem in the state, which struggled to finalize a state budget earlier this month.
"Massachusetts is now just one of four states in the nation not to have a budget for the next fiscal year, and that's unacceptable," Carnevale said of the state budget, which was approved nearly two weeks after the start of the fiscal year. "We have seen in Massachusetts that residents depart our state because of our high tax rate, because of the unaffordability of our state, and concerns about inflation and housing. There's a lot of issues of concern, that should be of concern to our leaders on Beacon Hill and the fact that we do not have a budget designed to alleviate some of the concerns is really unacceptable.
The problem she said, is lack of effective two-party government has resulted in a concentration of power that lead to "complacency" of leaders.
Carnevale said she's also concerned that the confidence of Massachusetts businesses is dropping and says that the capital gains needs to be reduced.
"That's an indication that legislators should be running to act on measures designed to keep businesses and individuals here in the state," Carnevale said. "It points to the fact that we need accountability for our legislative leaders."
Gov. Maura Healey has pushed for a cut to the state's capital gains tax, but many Democrats have been reluctant.
Carnevale said she supports State Auditor Diana DiZoglio's lawsuit against the legislature to force them to cooperate with a proposed audit of their operations.
"I think the fact that our legislative leaders are pushing back so hard on this audit is an indication that there are issues there," Carnevale said.
Keller @ Large Part 2
Carnevale said the Massachusetts Republican Party is working on rebuilding itself, organizing its finances and filling vacancies on state committees. Now, she says, the focus is on state issues, not national ones, including former President Donald Trump's legal woes.
"I will say that as the chair of the party here in Massachusetts, I do hear from Republican legislators that they really want to focus on issues of concern in Massachusetts and having the drama associated with the former president is not helpful to those Republican's.
She said state Republicans are still looking at moving from a winner-take-all presidential primary to a proportional allocation of delegates.
"It will be a bit of a change going into the convention," Carnevale said. "We will let the process play itself out."
