Andover GOP

YOUR VOTE COUNTS! Vote Scott Brown for US Senator Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010

2010-01-14T10:30:00.000-08:00

PLEASE VOTE FOR SCOTT BROWN

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Vote at the Andover High School Field House on Shawsheen Road, 7AM - 8PM

Republican State Senator Scott Brown's website:

http://www.brownforussenate.com

Get involved with the Andover Republican Party! We're growing every day!

Please contact us at AndoverGOP@gmail.com!

We need you to:

- Help us elect Republicans

- Support good government

- Hold the line on taxes

- Talk to your friends & neighbors

- Make our voices heard!

Eagle Tribune: Andover needs spending control, not tax hikes

2009-08-31T10:04:00.000-07:00

Published: August 31, 2009 01:52 am

Andover needs spending control, not tax hikes

Andover residents will be asked at a Special Town Meeting tonight to boost the local hotel tax and add a local meals tax on food served at its restaurants.

Residents should reject both measures. The increased taxes will hurt two important segments of the town's commercial base. And balancing the budget by increasing taxes does nothing to address the town's fundamental problem: an excess of spending, particularly in its labor contracts.

Andover officials say they would use the estimated $600,000 raised by the two tax proposals to help close a $2 million budget deficit. Yet town boards are split over their recommendations on the tax plan.

Both the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee will recommend against adding a 0.75 percent local component to the 6.25 percent state meals tax. The proposal would generate an estimated $276,000 in revenue for the town. The School Committee supports the meals tax.

The selectmen and the School Committee will recommend approval of an increase in the local tax on hotel stays from 4 percent to 6 percent. The local tax comes on top of the 5.7 percent tax on hotel rooms collected by the state. The Finance Committee split 4-4 on a recommendation.

However the vote on the new taxes turns out, residents will need to meet again Oct. 7 in a Special Town Meeting to balance the budget. The town cannot set its tax rate until the budget is balanced.

It is true that Andover, like other communities, has been hit hard by reductions in state aid. But in the efforts made already to address its budget shortfall, some town departments have been more cooperative than others.

When the call went out from Town Manager Reginald "Buzz" Stapczynski earlier this year for wage freezes and raise deferrals to help the town through its fiscal crisis, many town employees — including the school system's administrators, independent employees and custodians — responded. But notable holdouts included the teachers and firefighters unions, whose contracts call for 3.5 percent raises.

Raises of that level simply are unsustainable, particularly when, as former Gov. Mitt Romney noted long ago, communities are limited by Proposition 21/2 to 2.5 percent increases in their maximum tax levy.

Such raises are indefensible when they are far in excess of the increase in the cost of living. Right now, because of the recession, our economy is in a period of deflation, that is, falling prices. Many workers in the private sector are seeing no raises and even wage cuts. How can public employees defend raises of 3.5 percent? How can the municipal leaders who agreed to such raises defend them?

Those who own and manage Andover's restaurants and hotels worry that the increased taxes will drive their customers away. These business already are heavily taxed.

Until Andover gets its spending — particularly that spent on employee contracts — under control, residents should not support tax increases of any kind.

http://www.eagletribune.com/puopinion/local_story_243015204.html?dsq=15657005#comment-15657005

Letters: Say No to Higher Taxes on August 31st

2009-08-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

As printed by the Eagle Tribune and Andover Townsman.

Letter: Selectman: Focus should be on changing spending habits, not taxes

Selectman: Focus should be on changing spending habits, not taxes

Editor, Townsman:

I strongly recommend against adding a new meals tax and increasing the hotel/motel tax in Andover. Whenever there is a budget shortfall, the immediate reaction is to raise taxes, add to fees and spend down our cash reserves. Instead, our focus should be on restructuring our operating budget to ensure long-term viability. Andover currently faces a $2 million budget deficit that must be resolved quickly to ensure we can pay our bills. In the previous 12 months, our town and school labor costs have increased nearly $3 million (4 percent) which includes the publicized workforce reductions. These increases are no longer sustainable and require a change in philosophy for Andover to remain vibrant.

Recent tax changes that impact Andover citizens and businesses:

Aug. 1, 2009 - Massachusetts raised the Sales/Meals Tax from 5 to 6.25 percent

Aug. 1, 2009 - Massachusetts added a new Alcohol Distribution Tax of 6.25 percent

Nov. 2008 - Andover selectmen voted a 40 percent tax surcharge on businesses

July 2008 - Andover selectmen increased downtown parking fees 100 percent

Andover residents and businesses alike are struggling financially. During these difficult economic times, let's help each other by looking for ways to assist our neighbors in need and consuming the goods and services of local businesses. Now is not the time to add taxes that make a difficult situation even worse. I encourage Andover voters to vote "no" on both tax proposals at the Special Town Meeting on Monday, Aug. 31.

BRIAN P. MAJOR

Andover Selectman

11 Odyssey Way

Letter: Tax increase won't solve spending problem

To the editor:

"A fine is a tax for doing something wrong. A tax is a fine for doing something right."

Andover restaurants and hotels provide necessary services to both residents and businesses. They are innocent bystanders in a troubled economy, in a town and in a state that has for years spent itself way beyond its means. They are innocent bystanders in a state that has passed local option taxes to provide cover for their enormous local aid cuts and for their unfunded mandates.

Businesses already provide more than their share of taxes for Andover and state coffers. You may not be aware that in FY 2009, businesses in Andover were taxed at a rate 64 percent higher than residents. On Aug. 1, Massachusetts raised the sales/meals tax to 6.25 percent and added a new alcohol distribution tax of 6.25 percent which will be passed along to local restaurants, hotels and yes Andover patrons as well. The state also passed enabling legislation that would allow towns to raise the meals from 6.25 percent to 7 percent and the hotel/motel from 4 percent to 6 percent.

Anyone who has lived in Andover for any period of time would know that Selectman Brian Major and the editorial board of The Eagle-Tribune have both warned for years about the unsustainable increases in our labor contracts.

To understand why Selectman Major's continuing warnings were not heeded, you must understand that our town is governed by two boards: a School Committee that has total budget authority over all school matters which accounts for two-thirds of our total budget and a Board of Selectman who have budget authority over police, fire, maintenance and every other aspect of our town (the town side), and account for one-third of our total budget.

For 2010, five, of the six town-side unions thoughtfully agreed on a 1 percent giveback that has resulted in a 3.25 percent average salary increase. The firefighters union was the only holdout. It is also interesting to note that between FY 2002 and FY 2009, the number of full-time town-side employees, fire, police, maintenance, etc. decreased by 2.8 percent.

While we generally read about small contract increases like the teachers 8.5 percent cost of living adjustment or COLA over 3 years, this is but one components of their total salary. The other components are step increases, track increases and longevity increases. Consequently, the average teacher's salary increase for 2010 is 5.5 percent.

Another interesting note is that between FY 2002 and FY 2009, full time school employees increased by 14 percent while school enrollment went up 5 percent. By the way, the teachers union is the other union that has refused any givebacks, while residents in the private sector have either taken substantial salary cuts or lost their job altogether.

Our structural budget spending problem won't be cured or mitigated by further punishing our restaurants and hotels by raising their taxes and placing them on the brink of financial despair. We need to fix our structural spending problems. Please vote no on both tax increases.

MIKE MOSCA

Andover

Letter: Town Republicans say proposed taxes bad for business, taxpayers

Editor, Townsman:

At our recent meeting, the Andover Republican Town Committee voted unanimously to recommend against adding an additional 0.75 percent tax on meals and 2 percent on hotel rooms.

Many business owners in town have closed shop as a result of the national recession, and many more are maintaining very thin profit margins. Consumers already have the opportunity to shop in bordering towns that collect little or no meals and hotel taxes of their own, including sales tax-free New Hampshire. Lawrence, Methuen and North Andover have decided against raising their local meals taxes because, as Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan put it to the Eagle Tribune, "We're trying to get more restaurants to come to Lawrence, not drive them away."

Yet by adding higher taxes at town establishments, hotels and restaurants will be forced to raise prices just to break even, giving Andover an even deeper competitive disadvantage in relation to businesses in neighboring towns. Additionally, this comes on the heels of a 25-percent increase in the state sales tax which took effect Aug. 1.

Now more than ever, we need to be of service to our fellow residents and support local businesses during this time of economic need. On Aug. 31, we urge all Andover voters to attend the Special Town Meeting at the Andover High School Collins Center and vote no to higher taxes. It's bad for businesses and bad for taxpayers.

PAUL ADAMS

12 Berkeley Lane

Secretary, Andover Republican Town Committee

2009-05-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

Kerry Healey fundraises for Lonnie Brennan!

2008-07-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Former Lt. Governor Kerry Healey and the Republican Women for Lonnie Coalition will be holding a fundraiser for Lonnie Brennan's campaign for State Representative! Campaigns cost a lot of money, so please be generous and donate to this worthy cause!

DETAILS
Thursday, July 24, 2008, 7:00-9:00pm
- to be held at the home of -
Christopher Rich
292 Andover Street, Georgetown

$500 (Inner Circle--program listing)
$200 (Sponsor)
$50 (Friend)

Please make checks payable to:
The Committee to Elect Lonnie Brennan
15 Hamilton Terrace
Georgetown, MA 01833
978-352-5449

To volunteer, please contact Lonnie's Field Coordinator, Robert Aufiero, at robert@lonniebrennan.com, or 781-307-1494.

Voter anger may lead to end of income tax

2008-06-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

BY JIM HAND
SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Monday, June 23, 2008

A weak economy, soaring gasoline prices and a frustration with government could cause voters to approve a ballot initiative to wipe out the state income tax, legislators said Thursday.

The legislators said they think the move is too drastic and would cripple state services, but believe voters are looking for a way to lower their costs and lash out at government.

"I think people are frustrated and are looking at a way of expressing it," said state Rep. John Lepper, R-Attleboro.State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, agreed."

There is a great deal of frustration out there regarding the cost of everything going up," she said. "I have constituents who say they cannot afford the gas to get to work. I would not be surprised if it passed."

A group calling itself Committee for Smaller Government is sponsoring the move and has collected enough signatures to get it on the November ballot.

If passed, it would end the state income tax, which accounts for $11 billion, or almost 40 percent of state revenue."We want to save the people and the businesses of Massachusetts from economic ruin caused by high taxes and big government," said Carla Howell, leader of the group."

We want low taxes to attract business, jobs and talent into the state, rather than allowing high taxes to drive them out of state. We want taxpayers to get back an average or $3,600 every year to save, spend, or give away as they see fit," she said. "With more tax dollars back in the hands of the workers who earned it, people in need will have a real chance to better their lives through private charity that is effective, dignified and humane."

A number of groups and individuals have lined up against the measure, including social services advocates, legislative leaders and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

Even lawmakers who traditionally advocate for lower taxes, such as Lepper, say they oppose the measure as too extreme.Lepper said service for the disabled would "disappear" and other services would be greatly scaled back.

Poirier said cities and towns are hurting now with tight budgets, but the current situation is nothing compared to what would happen if the income tax was eliminated."

Can you image a 40 percent cut?" Poirier said. "I advocate for judicious cuts, but not with reckless abandon."Howell said she wants state government to cut the entire 40 percent if the measure passes, and not replace the income tax with increases in other taxes."

Politicians like to threaten to cut services people care most about so they can distract attention away from the pork, waste and sweetheart deals that they dish out to their special interest friends. But ending the income tax will force the legislature to cut the waste, which is why they oppose it so fiercely," she said.

Rep. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham, said the cuts advocated by Howell would be "disastrous."He said he would favor reasonable cuts in waste and taxes.

Both Ross and Poirier said voter anger might not be as great if the state kept its promise from years ago and lowered the income tax rate to 5 percent. It is now 5.3 percent.

They also said state government has to take steps to earn the trust of voters. In the meantime, legislators said the ballot initiative has an excellent chance of passing, considering a similar proposal got 45 percent of the vote in 2002.

Poirier said voters feel there is nothing they can do to lower gasoline or food costs and may see wiping out the income tax as the only step they can take to save themselves money.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2008/06/13/news/3296779.prt

Help Elect Lonnie Brennan State Representative!

2008-05-30T08:41:00.000-07:00

We had a successful kickoff and fundraiser for Lonnie Brennan on March 28! Thanks to everyone that donated, and showed up to support Lonnie!

Lonnie has teams hitting the streets almost daily doing voter identification, and spreading the word about Lonnie's campaign. To get involved with this effort, please contact Rob Aufiero, Lonnie's Field Director, at robert@lonniebrennan.com or 781-307-1494.

Campaigns cost a lot of money, and every little bit helps! Please help us pay for mailings, yard signs, bumper stickers, information about Lonnie for literature drops, phone calls, etc. There are no paid campaign staff, so your donation goes a long way!

Please donate at http://www.lonniebrennan.com.

Thank you and see you on the campaign trail soon!

Candidate for State Rep. Lonnie Brennan

2008-05-15T17:36:00.001-07:00

will address the Andover Republican Town Committee on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 7:00pm in the Selectmen's room (2nd floor) at the Andover Town Offices, 36 Bartlet Street.

The 18th Essex House District is one whose boundaries were written for a Republican to win! The campaign is hitting the streets hard and working aggressively to get Lonnie's message out...please join us to learn about ways to help put Lonnie over the top this year!

Check out Lonnie's website for more info:
http://www.lonniebrennan.com/

Legislative secrecy an insult to public

2008-05-15T16:41:00.000-07:00

Just in case you missed them, check out these terrific articles from the Eagle-Tribune. The story immediately below singles out Rep. Barbara L'Italien by name--the elitism and condescension is appalling.

Go Lonnie!

Our view: Legislative secrecy an insult to public
Published: May 07, 2008 04:22 am
By Taylor Armerding
Staff writer

The region's state representatives claim to do what their title implies — represent the people of their districts.

But they obviously want we, the people, just to take their word for it, since they don't want us looking on as they make some of the most critical decisions of the year — how to spend the money they take from us in taxes.

As documented by Statehouse reporter Edward Mason, House lawmakers have crafted the coming year's $28 billion budget largely out of public view. The real debate over spending occurred in private rooms, and even the orchestrated "debate" for public consumption has been taken off of television and moved only to the Internet.

But there is no transparency...at the Statehouse. The decisions are made out of public view, in a room off the House lobby manned by guards. There is eventually a public debate, but its outcome is never in doubt. The whole exercise is little more than a teleplay.

This is a travesty, and what makes it even more shameful is that the region's representatives defend it. Rep. Barbara L'Italien, D-Andover, says it is the Legislature's "prerogative" to have more "internal" discussions.

Clearly, it is not necessary to be in San Francisco, listening to presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, to find elitism. It is rampant at the Massachusetts Statehouse. Members of the Great and General Court must not be distracted by the little people watching them.

If legislators want order and privacy, they should move to the private sector. This is supposed to be a democracy, where deliberations on how to spend public money are conducted in public. And a strong voice is what they all claim they will bring to the Statehouse if we will elect them. Why can't they demonstrate that strong voice in public?

But this is the way it will remain, as long as the House remains overwhelmingly under the control of one party and there is no public outrage. If lawmakers thought they might actually lose their seats over this — yet another example of their obvious disdain for the public — those doors would open.

If voters want change, they need to exercise their own prerogative — to throw out the defenders of this corrupt system.

http://www.eagletribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_127162317.html

Brennan to challenge Rep. L'Italien again

2008-05-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Georgetown's Brennan gears up to challenge Rep. L'Italien again

By Edward Mason
Staff writer

BOSTON — Georgetown Selectman Lawrence "Lonnie" Brennan is preparing for a rematch against Rep. Barbara L'Italien, the three-term Andover Democrat.

"I'm offering voters an alternative," Brennan, a Republican, said yesterday.

He lost to L'Italien 59 percent to 41 percent two years ago, and said this time around he will make an issue of L'Italien's votes to increase taxes and spending.

So far, Brennan is the first Republican to announce a challenge against one of Essex County's 17 incumbent Democrats. The House's 19 Republicans wield little power, but Brennan said that's no reason not to vote Republican. If elected, Brennan said he'd vote for the district, not his party.

L'Italien's 18th Essex District consists of precincts 1, 7 and 8 in Andover, Precinct 2 in Boxford, Precinct 2 in Georgetown, precincts 1 and 2 of Ward 2, Precinct 2 of Ward 5, and Precinct 2 of Ward 7 in Haverhill, Precinct 7 in Methuen, and precincts 7 and 8 in North Andover.

Brennan criticized L'Italien for voting this month for a $392 million package of tax increases. The bill, which still needs Senate approval, would raise money primarily by closing so-called corporate tax loopholes and increasing the cigarette tax by $1 a pack.

He faulted L'Italien for voting against a Republican proposal to send $450 million from the state's reserves to cities and towns — money House Republicans argued the state took away from municipalities during the last recession.

"She votes against any attempt to shake loose any money from the state coffers," Brennan said.
And he blamed L'Italien for recently proposing more state spending on special education that he said would eliminate incentives for school districts to reduce costs.

Reacting to Brennan's critique, L'Italien said: "The gentleman clearly doesn't understand the role I'm playing."

L'Italien said her proposal to increase state reimbursement for special education is meant to offset one of the biggest factors in swelling municipal budgets.

Her vote against the GOP plan to tap the state reserves, she said, was fiscally responsible. In the last recession, the state drained a $2 billion reserve account. Sending that money to cities and towns now wouldn't be prudent with a recession looming.

And while she voted for the House tax package, she noted she'd proposed to protect Merrimack Valley store owners from the cigarette tax with a 10-mile buffer zone along the New Hampshire border where the tax increase would not go into effect.

L'Italien's vote to kill a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage looked as though it would be a campaign issue. Indeed, Brennan, after the vote, said L'Italien needed to be held accountable, and MassEquality, which supports gay marriage, pledged to come to the aid of L'Italien and other allies if they were challenged this fall.

However, while Brennan criticized L'Italien for her vote he said he won't make that a campaign issue. Voters, he said, have moved on.

"It's an old issue now," Brennan said.

"I'm not beholden to any special interests or party," Brennan said. "If the Republicans are wrong, they'll see me vote against them."

http://www.eagletribune.com/archivesearch/local_story_113225255.html

Join Us

2008-03-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

Our Mission
We exist to recruit and elect Republican municipal, legislative, statewide and congressional candidates. We work in concert with the MassGOP and other Republican and conservative organizations and individuals to identify and train civic-minded individuals to run for and win elective office in Andover, Massachusetts.

Welcome to our good fight.

Contact Us Today
Please call or email to see how we can specifically use your help right now!

Email:
AndoverRTC@gmail.com

Phone:
John Moffitt, Chairman (978-470-8500)
Paul Adams, Secretary (978-688-7740)

We look forward to meeting you soon and seeing you on the battlefield.

Town election day 2008

2008-03-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Please Vote Tuesday, March 25!

Support Peter Cotch for Selectman
Townsman: Selectman candidates make their pitch to voters
http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/local_story_072154328.html

Support Greg Rigby for School Committee
Townsman: Candidates advocate change, call for budget transparency
http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/local_story_072153902.html

More News:
Eagle-Tribune: Tax override proposal sparks candidate debate
http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=79358497

Townsman: $600,000 'surprise' found for schools;
Money pays teacher raises in new contract
http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/local_story_066102759.html

Townsman: Teachers prep for vote on contract;
Future affordability questioned
http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/local_story_072153404.html