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Family
Leave Act is Bad for MA
DJ Deeb, Dracut SChool COmmittee
Members
of the Massachusetts State Senate, led by Senate
President Bob Travelini, have proposed legislation that
offers Massachusetts workers paid leave from work in
order to care for newborn children or sick family
members.
At first glance, this may seem like a good idea. However,
closer scrutiny reveals that this proposal is likely to
adversely impact those it purposes to help — the
lower income and middle class workers. The proposal
will likely add to the mass exodus of residents and
businesses out of Massachusetts and cause additional
hardships on Massachusetts businesses and taxpayers.
Under a proposal offered by the Massachusetts Senate,
Massachusetts workers will be offered up to 12 weeks of
paid leave from work in order to care for newborn
children or sick family members. This bill would
pay employees on leave up to $750 per week.
This plan will be paid for by a new payroll tax of $1.50
to $2.50 per week. This proposal follows the recent
enactment of a new health care law that taxes employers,
which do not provide health insurance coverage, $295 per
worker. Unfortunately, Governor Mitt Romney
(want-to-be president) signed this bill into law last
month. So much for the “No New Taxes”
pledge made by our “Republican” governor!
Who will be hurt by all of these mandates?
Business owners and workers, of course, who are left will
be stuck paying the bills. The reality is that
people and businesses are leaving Massachusetts at
alarming rates. Nearly 233,000 people moved out of
Massachusetts between 2000 and 2005. In addition,
more than 15,000 people lost their jobs in Massachusetts
in April.
Businesses are leaving the state. Is it possible
that people are leaving Massachusetts and losing their
jobs because the “Bay State” has become the
“Pay State”? Every new government program
requires a source of revenue. Residents of
Massachusetts pay the highest taxes in the nation.
Now, Beacon Hill wants us to pay more to fund more Big
Brother Government!
Although, at first glance, providing paid medical leave
and new health care benefits may seem attractive, these
come at an extremely high cost that taxpayers and
businesses in this state just cannot afford. It’s
time to put a halt to new government programs, reduce
overall government spending, and cut taxes on working
people.
Only then will Massachusetts once again experience real
economic growth, increased productivity, retain its
workforce, attract new residents and investors, and
ultimately increase its tax revenue.
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The June, 2006 Edition
of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2006, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 8,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover, Methuen, Haverhill,
Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury and Lowell.
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