The Gallivanting Governor

What's the CARBON FOOTPRINT gonna be on the trip, guv?

"Governor courting Western companies; Goal for 3-day trip: retain and add jobs" by Casey Ross, Globe Staff | January 28, 2009

Governor Deval Patrick will travel to the West Coast next week to network with executives at computer and energy companies that have large facilities here, aiming to shore up and even expand their employment and investments in Massachusetts.

Patrick's economic aides said the governor will swing through Washington, Oregon, and California to meet with business executives whose companies employ a combined 15,000-plus people in Massachusetts. He and top economic aides plan to talk with executives from more 50 companies, including Microsoft Corp., Google Inc., and Hewlett-Packard Co.

With Massachusetts shedding jobs at a rapid rate, a top aide said they are using the trip to keep the economic situation from getting worse....

So WHAT is the COST of the TRIP and WHO is PAYING, huh? I mean, we are getting TAX INCREASES and SERVICE CUTS from the guy -- as well as morality lectures regarding the agenda-pushing issues of the day!

The governor is also moving to create an industry collaborative for information technology companies, made up of executives and specialists from the industry, to advise Massachusetts on state policies to encourage growth in the sector. The state has a similar collaborative for the life sciences sector.

Translation: He is going to see how they can GIVE MORE TAXPAYER DOUGH AWAY to CORPORATIONS!

Also see: The Money Pipeline From Massachusetts to Israel

See what they are going to do with YOUR MONEY, taxpayers?

And for the LAST TIME:

"flushing . . . millions of dollars away supporting a highly profitable industry" when it comes to $300 million in taxpayer dollars for Hollywood is o.k., even as the price of a school lunch rises; paying $13 million for a computer software system that could have cost less than $3 million is all right because the winner was a close friend of the House speaker, even as my poorer-than-dirt district "has been struggling to close a $2 million budget gap."; the lottery shelling out "millions of dollars" for sports tickets for "lottery officials, their family members, and friends" is fine, even as schools are closing; making interest payments to banks to the tune of "a staggering $22 billion" for the Big Pit, as we call it around here, is required, even as bridges are neglected across the state; and again, paying off banks like UBS, who can "demand repayment of an additional $2 million a month beginning in January" while also receiving a "$179 million payment," while the state pension fund loses $1 billion dollars -- which still didn't stop the executive director from carving himself a nice "$64,000 bonus on top of his $322,000 annual salary."

Yup, the BILLION DOLLAR GIVEAWAY to the pharmaceutical corporations was a GOOD THING, even though "it's never been easy to turn a profit in biotech?" Flush that money away, too, taxpayer.

And look whose backs they are balancing the budget with: the blind, mentally ill, kids, and cripples!!

Of course, "one of the governor's pet projects, the $3 million Commonwealth Corporation, is only taking a 5 percent trim."

And that is not counting the troubles at the Turnpike!

"The authority was attempting to renegotiate terms of a complex financial deal with the banking giant UBS. Known as a swaption, the arrangement could force the authority to pay out a $450 million lump sum"

Of course, the war looters were next in line for a handout. And should the state be appropriating money for a "multimillion-dollar reconstruction" of golf courses?

Nor is it RECKLESS to BORROW the STATE INTO OBLIVION so they can PAY INTEREST to BANKS while SITTING ON $2 BILLION DOLLARS!

And did I forget about PAYING FOR the CORPORATE TV COMMERCIALS or the outlays for illegal immigrants?

Need one final insult, Mass. taxpayers?

"Town officials... are trying to decide how much of a property tax break to offer and how they can secure state funding for infrastructure improvements.... although it could take several years for the studio to realize its potential"

Also see: Hollywood, Massachusetts

Hollywood (East) Disses Veterans

More Mass. $$$ to Movie Makers

Sorry, that wasn't it:

"$5m in tax breaks going to IBM for Littleton project

The Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council approved $5 million in state and local tax breaks for IBM Corp., which recently began a $63 million expansion in Littleton. IBM vice president Bob McDonald said the company plans to create 42 jobs at the site over the next decade. McDonald said the computer giant, based in Armonk, N.Y., has already begun renovating a building and hopes to move into it next month. McDonald said the tax incentives were important, but the company would have gone forward with the expansion without them. IBM has 4,000 employees in Massachusetts, including about 2,000 in Littleton (Boston Globe October 30 2008)."

Excuse me?

A $5 MILLION TAXPAYER GIVEAWAY that IBM DIDN'T EVEN WANT?

As YOUR TAXES RISE? I notice the Globe mentions NOTHING about the guv possibly meeting with Hollywood; maybe we could get some of that money back.

Who you serving anyway, guvorner?

Patrick yesterday met with 40 information technology and academic leaders to discuss ways to expand business opportunities here and lure more employees from California and other states. He also launched a new study to profile IT companies in Massachusetts....

Yeah, FUCK the OTHER STATES!! What a CUT-THROAT economy, huh?

NO WINNERS except CORPORATIONS!

Patrick will be accompanied by two staffers from his office, four members of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, and several officials from quasi-public agencies.

And WHO is PAYING for this worthless trip, 'eh?

In addition to his meetings with IT firms, the governor is also expected to meet with life sciences and clean-energy companies, along with venture capital firms that provide seed money for new businesses and products.

Hey, when is he going to START WORKING FOR US?

Also see: Start Me Up!

Patrick's three-day trip comes as layoffs ripple through the state's economy. The state shed 17,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate soared to 6.9 percent, the highest since October 1993. The unemployment rate has risen 2.6 points since December 2007, and the number of unemployed workers has increased by nearly 90,000.

Altus Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Waltham is reducing its workforce by 100 jobs; Bose Corp., the Framingham maker of audio equipment, has announced 1,000 layoffs companywide; and EMC Corp., the Hopkinton technology firm, is slashing 600 jobs in Massachusetts.

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EMC Corp again?

"Profit declines 45% at EMC

Data storage company EMC Corp. said its fourth-quarter profit fell 45 percent as one-time restructuring expenses weighed on its results. Excluding charges, the Hopkinton company's results beat Wall Street estimates, but EMC said it would not issue any financial guidance due to the uncertain economy. EMC said its earnings for the quarter fell to $288 million.... Revenue rose 5 percent to $4.02 billion... as businesses continued to buy its typically recession-proof data storage products. EMC... is laying off 2,400 people (AP)."

And just HOW is the guv gonna PAY for all this?

HOW ELSE?

"Among Patrick's budget-balancing proposals for next year are adding a 5 percent tax to alcohol sales at package stores, which could raise nearly $90 million, and boosting fees at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, which would raise $75 million, said two people briefed on the plan. That is in addition to plans he announced earlier to raise meals, hotel, and telecommunications taxes statewide."

Yes, readers, it really is Taxachusetts! Good thing I stopped drinking!

And while he is TAKING YOUR MONEY, he is SAVING THEIRS!!!

"Patrick would divert capital gains revenue to rainy day fund" by Casey Ross, Globe Staff | January 28, 2009

Umm, guv, it is F****** POURING ALREADY, kay?

Governor Deval L. Patrick, moving to end the state's reliance on volatile tax collections from capital gains, wants to establish a new savings account to reserve some of that money for use in times of financial distress.

You mean, LIKE NOW?

Yeah, PUT MONEY ASIDE while you CUT SPENDING and SERVICES!!!

The creation of the account would significantly alter the state's method of managing its tax collections, forcing officials to separate capital gains collections from revenues raised through income and sales taxes, according to two Patrick administration officials briefed on the plan.

State budget leaders would be required to create a detailed forecast for capital gains collections at the beginning of each budget year. When revenues come in higher than expected, budget officials would have to transfer the money to a holding fund instead of spending it. At the end of the year, any leftover money would be transferred to the state's permanent savings account, known as the rainy day fund....

That's why they needed to keep the income tax and raise taxes on you when they are cutting services. So which corporations are going to benefit from the "rainy day" fund, and how much is going to be pipe-lined to Israel?

*****************

However, one top lawmaker voiced reservations about the proposal. "I wouldn't close the door on this, but there are other priorities to think about here," said state Senator Cynthia Creem, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Committee on Revenue. "We have roads, bridges, and other things in disrepair, so we could look at setting aside capital gains to maintain those resources."

What? SPEND TAX MONEY on the PEOPLE?

Ha-ha-ha-ha!!

Here in MASSACHUSETTS?

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!

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