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Lyons Sounds Off on Patrick's Budget Proposal

The two called for re-prioritizing instead of raising taxes.

 

Gov. Deval Patrick submitted a $34.8 billion budget proposal to the legislature Wednesday, calling for investments in trasportation, education and infrastructure and tax hikes to pay for it.

And Republican State Rep. Jim Lyons is not happy with it.

"To raise taxes on the hard working families of Massachusetts, $2 billion, is absolutely the wrong direction for the governor to be going in," Lyons said. "The last thing we ought to be doing in this fragile economy is punishing small bsuiness and driving them to look elsewhere outside of the commonwealth."

Patrick's proposal would raise the income tax to 6.25 percent and reduce the sales tax to 4.5 percent.

While agreeing that the sales tax should be reduced, Lyons took issue with Patrick's calls for bigger investments in education and transportation.

"The problem I have is with the word 'investment,' because that's just another word for new taxes," Lyons said.

Lyons added that he agrees with some things the governor wants to do, including increasing local aid. But for spending on transportation and education, Lyons said spending should be cut from elsewhere in the budget.

"It's about resetting priorities on Beacon Hill," he said. "The governor doesn't want to have a serious discussion about the priorities that he has already laid out. We have to look for other ideas and other ways to do things."

Related Topics: Deval Patrick and Jim Lyons

Art Barber

8:02 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Nice job, Jim! Thanks speaking up and doing your job.

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Rotbart

9:23 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Jim Lyons is a state rep who really stands up for his constituents against the big spenders of other peoples monies on Beacon Hill.
Has anybody found our state senator Barry Finegold's hiding place so we can get his views on Governor Patrick's request for this gargantuan tax increase?

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Bill Nally

10:21 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

The idea that this governor proposed $2B in new taxes without any cost cutting is preposterous. Jim, thanks for taking the lead in the fight against this massive expansion of state government and all associated tax increases!

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Cool Fusion

12:52 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Jim Lyons is the only workhorse of the currently elected Republican delegation. Brad Jones and Bruce Tarr are just worthless show horses that should be put out to pasture - ASAP. "I will forgive, but not forget" what happened at the last CORRUPT GOP caucus in Lynnfield. The current state committee members that cheated the previous new blood contenders MUST be replaced in the 2016 elections. Be engaged to get Rick Green elected at the 2014 State Convention Caucus. Someone that is capable to LEAD and guide with a true understanding of what must be done to allow us to be free and prosperous.

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Bob Samson

4:57 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Vote democrat, pay up. Its as simple as that.

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Bob Samson

12:04 am on Saturday, January 26, 2013

Ya gotta be a fool to vote for Patrick

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