Health & Fitness
Elder slams Gregoire's Anti-Education and Local Aid Votes
ELDER SLAMS GREGOIRE’S ANTI-EDUCATION AND LOCAL AID VOTES
SAYS INCUMBANT HURTING SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES
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MARLBOROUGH- For the first time in recent memory, last week the House of Representatives voted to disallow debate or amendments on local aid or education aid increases of the budget during the yearly budget process. In the order adopted, any amendments to increase local aid or Chapter 70 funds will not be allowed.
The measure was supported by Representative Danielle Gregoire (D- Marlborough) in what her opponent is calling “her most troubling vote.”
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“It’s really appalling how she could support this,” Marlborough City Councilor Matt Elder, her opponent in this year’s election, said today. “Because of Representative Gregoire, the state legislature can’t even discuss giving more local aid or chapter 70 funds back to the cities and towns of the 4th Middlesex district.”
As a City Councilor, Elder said he sees how much local municipalities depend on local aid and Chapter 70 funds. When those funds are diminished, property taxes go way up.
“I hope every resident in the 4th Middlesex District takes a hard look at their tax bills this year and if there is a big increase, realize it’s because we received less local aid because of Rep. Gregoire,” Elder said. “It will be absolutely impossible for her to go to her constituents and say she cares about education and her communities, since because of her, the House of Representatives won’t even discuss these during their budget process.”
Elder said the vote was clearly intended to help incumbent legislators to prevent them from taking tough votes on local aid and Ch. 70. “Clearly Rep. Gregoire didn’t have the leadership to stand up for her communities.”
“We need a real leader in the State House who will go there to fight for the residents of the 4th Middlesex District, and not someone who takes their marching orders from the Democratic super majority,” Elder said. The Republican leadership offered two amendments to lift these caps, both of which Representative Gregoire voted against.
