House Passes Transportation Bill, Both North Andover Reps Vote 'No'

Beacon Hill is moving forward on a new transportation bill, but not with support from North Andover's state representatives.

The Massachusetts House approved a bill Monday night, 97-55, that would raise $500 million in new taxes for transportation spending, The Boston Globe reported. The bill would raise cigarette taxes and raise the gasoline tax by 3 cents per gallon.

State Rep. Jim Lyons voted "no" on the bill. When the plan was introduced, Lyons criticized the bill for relying on tax hikes rather than reform.

"There are significant areas of reform that need to be done that could give us plenty of money to provide the necessary dollars for transportation," Lyons said. "Based on numbers from the administration, we're providing health care benefits to people who are basically, as they refer to them, undocumented, to the sum of $275 million. We've had an explosion of $100,000 jobs under this admin... there are legal fees that are going uncollected, $234 million. Before we should raise any taxes, we have to reform state government and hold people accountable for the tax dollars of hard working families and struggling businesses."

Gov. Deval Patrick proposed a much larger bill, which would raise nearly $2 billion in taxes -- including an increase in the state income tax -- for a much larger transportation plan. But the House and Senate agreed on a much smaller spending package with the $500 million in higher taxes.

State Rep. Diana DiZoglio also voted "no" on the bill.

"The House Ways and Means proposal is an alternative to the significantly larger tax increase proposed by Governor Patrick–I appreciate and recognize that," DiZoglio said Tuesday after the vote. "Despite that recognition, however, I do not see this vote as having been a choice between the Governor's proposal or the Speaker's proposal. Neither were acceptable options considering the current concerns of my constituents."

DiZoglio also cited North Andover's geographical location as a reason for her vote. As a New Hampshire border town, sales tax changes affect North Andover more than other parts of the state.

"While I greatly appreciate the work done by Chairman Dempsey and the Ways and Means Committee, I see the mix of new revenues as problematic for the 14th Essex District–which is made up of border communities along the New Hampshire line."