Economy, Health Care Top Republican Agenda
Now that this year’s election cycle has come and gone, I for one am ready to get back to work.
While I believe the election process is critical to our state’s democracy, I feel it is time to put it behind us and move on. While I wasn’t entirely pleased with the outcome of this year’s election, I was pleased by the great gains Republicans made in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. While yes, it is a success from a partisan standpoint, I believe it is even more of a success for the people of Massachusetts who voted to restore some semblance of two-party government on Beacon Hill. I wish that desire for two-party government had been greater this election cycle, but regardless, I certainly feel some progress has indeed been made.
Back To Basics
All politics aside, the number one issue on the minds of all residents is the economy. The Bay State’s economic outlook is still very volatile. Many would have you believe things are improving while some would say we’re not out of the woods just yet. I tend to agree with the latter. Here’s what I do know for sure: Revenue collections appear to be improving but unemployment remains high, state government continues to hire while the private sector lets many workers go and taxes remain far too high while spending continues to be unsustainable. These are the facts — don’t let anyone tell you anything different.
So, the question is how do we as elected officials improve the economic situation many of our constituents are grappling with? I say, we as the State Legislature need to come out of the gate running. We need to tackle the struggling economy head on and in a cohesive and collaborative manner across party lines. While I can’t speak for the Democrats, I certainly feel comfortable discussing my goals which are also the goals of the Republican caucus.
First and foremost, we must improve the business climate in Massachusetts. We can do this by providing a more stable tax policy. We can’t raise taxes or, create new ones for that matter, if we expect small businesses to open, hire workers and thrive here in the Bay State. We must give potential and current business owners incentive. Instead it feels like Massachusetts is doing everything possible to dissuade job creation.
Health care costs are breaking the banks of small businesses statewide. With the state mandating a certain level of coverage, small businesses are being forced to reduce full-time employees to part-time and are even laying off workers to save money. That means more people collecting unemployment and less people paying income tax. Talk about a double whammy!
These are just two of many issues House Republicans are ready to go to battle over. Though there have been signs of improvement with regard to the economy, there is still a long way to go before anyone can say we’ve recovered. It’s going to take every member in the Legislature, Republican or Democrat , bringing innovative ideas to the table to not only save the state money but to also get people back to work. It’s time to put politics aside and get back to work and I for one am ready for whatever challenge presents itself moving forward.
George N. Peterson Jr. is the Republican state representative for the 9th Worcester District. He is also the House Assistant Minority Leader.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments