From the Green-Rainbow Party

May 5, 2011

BOSTON – This year’s state budget has revealed a yawning gap between the priorities of state legislature and the priorities of the people of Massachusetts, according to Nat Fortune, who will testify today as a Green-Rainbow Party representative at a State House hearing on budget measures.  Fortune noted that while schools, health care, social services, and environmental protection are being severely cut this year, legislators have seen fit to largely protect tax giveaways to businesses with strong lobbying presence on Beacon Hill.

“How did spending public tax dollars on public services for the public good become a lower priority than subsidizing private industries?” asked Fortune.

Fortune, who was the Green-Rainbow candidate for State Auditor last year,  took issue with the claim of the Governor and the Legislature that there just isn’t enough money to avoid painful cuts.  “The Legislature is protecting at least $2.5 billion dollars in ineffective tax giveaways and in health insurance waste.” he noted.  “Their refusal to put these things on the table is responsible for the budget crisis.  They are protecting their friends and abandoning the people who elected them.  That’s simply not acceptable.”

Jill Stein, former candidate for Governor, observed that the House recently endorsed the draconian budget by a vote of 157-1.  “The Democrats and Republicans have joined forces to push this budget through while suppressing public debate” she noted.  “This bipartisanship represents the final capitulation of the Democratic Party to the corporate agenda long advocated by Republicans. It’s unconscionable to allow this needlessly cruel budget to go forward. It’s time to stand up for the Commonwealth we deserve, and CAN afford.”

Green-Rainbow Party co-chair John Andrews announced that the Green-Rainbow Party is already recruiting candidates to run for the legislature in 2012.  “We are going to give the people a chance to vote against both Democrats and Republicans who are responsible for unfair taxes, waste, and the dismantling of services” he said.  “Legislators can ignore all the groups at this hearing if they wish – but they will have to answer for it on election day.”