Confusion in state Senate

Earlier this week the Boston Globe released a poll. One of the less talked about parts of the poll concerned whether people trust the incumbents currently running the state and federal governments. Only 28% of respondents trust incumbents. The way the state Senate is handling the debate on casinos is another example of our ineffective state government. Check out todays story in the Globe. www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/06/30/murray_warns_of_state_loss_on_casinos/

A Bill as important as the casino bill deserves a quorum

Today the state Senate did not a have quorum so there was no progress on the casino legislation. I don't think it is too much to ask our elected officials to show up on the occasional Saturday -- especially since they make the schedule.
www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/06/26/mass_senate_holds_saturday_session_on_gambling/

Those running state governement can't deal with the problems they created

As this story from the Globe makes clear, the people running Beacon Hill won't deal with problems that are bringing the state and its municipalities to the brink of financial disaster. Problems that they created. They keep kicking the can down the road, hoping to get by the next election. We have to elect people who will be honest with us and make tough decisions.
www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/06/25/officials_give_up_on_cutting_health_perks/

Campaign update

Hi,
Happy father's day to all the dads. Can you believe that, as of about 2 hours ago, it is summer! Let me share some of the things that we've been up to.
Friday we went to the Fox 25 morning show's telecast from Cushing Park. It was a beautiful morning. Every one was thrilled to see the morning crew there. Julia Spitz from The Metro West Daily News wrote a story about it.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x792538252/Spitz-Fox-shoot-puts-spotlight-on-Framingham
Thursday we attended the Strawberry Festival in Franklin. We had a chance to make new fiends say hello to old friends, and have some strawberry short cake. Earlier in the day we attended a small business round table in Natick with Charlie Baker. It was not surprising to hear that folks who run small businesses and keep people working understand that the solution to our state's economic crisis does not involve spending more money that we do not have.
The one constant at each of these events was how happy people were to find out there was a choice this fall. Folks like the small business people in Natick and a public school administrator I met in Franklin know that state government is not getting the job done and are looking for a change.
If you have any thoughts or questions, please share them on the blog. Keep checking out the campaign blog and take a minute to become a fan of the campaign's face book page. http://www.facebook.com/McGrathForSenate?v=wall
Thanks and I'll see you soon.
Ed

Tough decisions have to be made

We all know tough economic decisions have to be made and the sooner they are made the better. Among other mistakes the people running Beacon Hill have made is counting on $600 million from the "federal government," but we don't have the money. http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/06/senate_bill_to.html

People understand the trouble we are in

While our elected officials may not understand the significance of the fiscal mess that they have created, many folks I meet out campaigning do. In past election cycles, there would be some folks who thought the state was on the right track and others who thought it was on the wrong track. I have been busy campaigning. The last few days I have been to Ashland and Framingham. I spoke to scores of people and not one thought the Commonwealth was on a sustainable economic foundation. Many folks can't explain it, but they know, in their gut, that we are headed for an economic train wreck.
Here is more evidence that those running Beacon Hill have failed. This study from Northwestern makes it clear that the Massachusetts Public Employee Pension Plan will be broke in 2026. Yet there is no plan to fix it and, almost unbelievably, my opponent and others want to borrow money from it. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1596679

How to be Charlie Baker!

I want to congratulate Charlie Baker for being bold and taking a stand to get Massachusetts working again. Here is the Globe story about Charlie's latest inititive. http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/06/baker_calls_for.html
While no one can undo the crisis caused by those running Beacon Hill alone, those of us willing to make tough decisions and work together for common sense solutions can get the job done.

Thanks To the folks in Ashland and Karyn Polito

I want to thank the folks who came out to support me in Ashland last night. It was great to see so many pumped up folks. I also want to thank Karyn Polito for her support. I look forward to working with her next year and thereafter to get the people of Massachsetts working again.

Proud to stand up for taxpayers and job growth

Below is the endorsement from CLT's 21/2 PAC. I am proud of this endorsement, because it shows my commitment to taxpayers and job growth in Massachusetts. Let me know what you think. Is the answer to our struggling economy raising taxes or controlling spending?

McGRATH WINS TAXPAYERS’ ENDORSEMENT
Edward B. McGrath has won the endorsement of CLT’s 2½ Political Action Committee in his election bid for State Senator from the Second Middlesex & Norfolk District.
CLT’S 2 ½ PAC, the political arm of Citizens for Limited Taxation, was originally created to support candidates who would defend Proposition 2 ½ in the State Legislature. It now endorses candidates who support taxpayers on a variety of issues, and uses the CLT Legislative rating to identify pro-taxpayer legislators.
Francis J. Faulkner, executive director of the PAC, said the group endorsed McGrath based on his strong consistent support for tax limitation. "We need to put people like Ed McGrath in the State Senate to continue the fight for the income tax rollback and to block any attempt to impose new taxes. Ed has also taken the taxpayer protection pledge. This pledge asks candidates to ‘oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes’ A candidate who signs the pledge is sending a message to legislative leaders that he is serious about not raising taxes and will focus instead on better management of state revenues." In contrast, his opponent Senator Spilka, received a lowly 21% on CLT’s most recent taxpayer rating.
In serving the best interests of the taxpayers and the economy, we urge the voters of the Second Middlesex & Norfolk District to elect Edward B. McGrath to the State Senate on November 2nd.

Stop the waste

The legislature has cut local aid 3 years in a row, but still wastes money on things like parties with lobbyists. Dave Wedge's story in the Herald today is another example of the reason we have to change the faces on Beacon Hill. Every dollar they waste is another dollar cut from local aid, education and help for our neighbors that need help.