ANDY FISH

ANDY FISH is a comic book artist

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Ballot Questions in Ma ELECTION DAY Nov 4th

Here they are-- what they mean and how I'm voting;
One thing about Massachusetts pols, they try to confuse the hell out of the voters so their agenda gets through.

How about this one?  Do you want the Gas Tax to continue to be raised?  In Massachusetts we pay 24c a gallon for taxes, that doesn't even consider the Federal Tax that is already on there.  The monies are supposed to go to roads but you are living in a world of rainbows and unicorns if you think ANY money collected by the state actually goes where it's supposed to.  Remember this is the state (like most of them sadly) that paid $20,000.00 for curtains for the gov's office, $30,000.00 EACH for office chairs.

So do you want to continue to throw your money down a well?  No?  Well then you have to vote YES which means repeal the law that automatically raises the Gas Tax with inflation.  We're not even voting to repeal the gas tax, too many unicorn and rainbow dreamers to do that, we're just saying "please sir, don't hurt me much more."

Question 1- Massachusetts Automatic Gas Tax Increase Repeal Initiative
If you VOTE;
NO- The Tax will automatically adjust with inflation and continue to increase annually.
YES- The Tax will freeze at 24c a gallon.

ME-  C'mon--the opponents say our roads and bridges are already in disrepair and losing this additional revenue will put us all in jeopardy. 

What is spending problem, Alex?

The monies collected from the Mass Pike Tolls was supposed to end when the road was paid for back in the mid EIGHTIES, then they used the excuse that they needed to keep the tolls to help us pay for our terrible roads and bridges, sound familiar?

We need to vote to throw every incumbent out, stop ALL new taxes,  create a spending freeze and re-evaluate the status quo-- there's also NO way I'd vote for career politician Martha Coakley either.  I not only support Charlie Baker, I like him.  He was on Bill Weld's cabinet and for those of you who don't remember, Weld was the BEST governor we've ever had, period.

Question 2- Expansion of Bottle Deposits Initiative
NO- The bottle bill will remain the way it is.
YES- Will expand the bottle deposit to non-carbonated beverage bottles (i.e. water bottles).

I don't have a dog in this race, but the argument is that all of the littered water bottles everywhere will now have some value and the people who run around with shopping carts stolen from Price Chopper will now pick up those too.

I must live in a good neighborhood because I don't see any water bottles around.

I also don't drink a lot of soda but when I do I don't take the bottles back because I can't stand dealing with those sticky bottle return machines.

I DO drink a lot of bottled water, and if this goes through, I would have to start taking these back because as I said, I drink a LOT of bottled water (and I recycle the empties).

SO I'm going with NO on this one.

Question 3- Casino Repeal Initiative
NO-  The Casino law which voters OK'd in 2011 will go forward, and Casino's will be built in Ma.
YES-  We will repeal the law and Casino's will not be allowed in Ma.

This is a tough one on the surface, the argument is we need good jobs in downturned economies like Springfield-- but logic tells me gambling brings in a seedy element which is why EVERY town in the State has said they don't want them in their backyards.

Visions of Sean Connery and Honor Blackman in evening clothes danced in our heads when we voted this one in, and then we went to Foxwoods and we realized how pathetic and un-posh these Casino's are.  It's white trash city there folks.

And good paying jobs?  Nope.  These are shit jobs.  Long hours, low wages, and the effect on the economy of the communities surrounding these places?  Crime goes up, business go under.  People don't spend the night blowing all their money at a Casino and then decide to go to your fanciest restaurant after, or take in a movie or go shopping at your mall.  All of that is already at that Casino. 

Studies have shown they only pull over at the nearby gas stations on the way out to rob it or to throw themselves into traffic (actually happened) after losing their mortgage payment.

State run gambling is a tax on stupidy, and gambling is a dirty business-- we are better than this.
Voting YES.

Question 4- Paid Sick Days Initiative
NO- Law will remain the same
YES- Will implement sick time for thousands of current employees.

There are a lot of people out there working who don't get sick time, vacations, or paid time off.  I'm one.  The Worcester Art Museum doesn't offer me a single benefit and that's what I agreed to when I signed on.

Does it suck if I'm sick and miss a class (Happened three times in fifteen years) you bet it does-- but I agreed to this.  If workers want to organize and get benefits that are in their best interests then they should do that.

But regardless of all that-- regardless of what I just vote-- I'm voting YES for my fellow employees out there because let's face it-- employers don't give a whit about us and the only way they'll actually start to take care of their employees is if we mandate it.  So screw 'em.