Two of Malden’s print media today have taken up a firm position behind Councilor-at-Large Craig Spadafora in his campaign to succeed Richard Tisei as the next state senator representing the Middlesex-Essex district.  The Malden Advocate and Malden Evening News, through commentary pieces, cite Spadafora as the best choice to take over this seat and help steer the Commonwealth in a new direction.  Tisei is running for lieutenant governor alongside gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker.

Check local newsstands to see the full text of the articles.  You can also view the Malden Advocate using the link above.

Late Tuesday night, October 26, the Boston Globe released a Campaign 2010 endorsement editorial, calling attention to the overwhelming lack of a two-party system in the Massachusetts Legislature.  The article specifically mentioned six individuals vying for a chance to add some much-needed balance to the Commonwealth’s lawmaking body.  Among those receiving endorsement was Malden City Councilor-at-Large Craig Spadafora, cited as a “solid choice” to replace Senator Richard Tisei, who is running alongside Charlie Baker as lieutenant governor.  Follow the link below to view the complete text of the editorial.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2010/10/27/in_open_seats_a_chance_to_help_build_a_two_party_government/

Why I’m Voting for Craig Spadafora, State Senate

State Senate candidate Craig Spadafora comes from a prominent Malden family. He is a well respected four term Malden City Counselor-At Large and is endorsed by the current State Senator, Richard Tisei. A Senator who has done an excellent job representing this district over the past twenty years. If that’s not enough I have a few more reasons I would like you to join me in voting for Craig Spadafora on November 2nd.

1. Craig Spadafora is a financial analyst who understands business and how government can either help or hurt growth. I can think of no individual Massachusetts needs more than Craig Spadafora as a State Senator during these troubled economic times.

2. I would like to see balanced government back in Massachusetts. In a vibrant two party system the good ideas rise to the top during debate. When one party holds power too long they get lax and complacent leading to the many scandals we’ve seen recently on Beacon Hill.

3. Katherine Clark is a nice person but she is wrong on the issues. She has voted for eight tax increases over the past few years. Increasing taxes is absolutely the wrong thing to do during a recession.

4. I noticed many union members holding signs for Katherine Clark during the Primary voting September 14th. My friends who voted at other polls in Wakefield reported seeing nine at each poll location staying there from seven in the morning to seven at night.

When a vote in the Senate requires her to choose between the unions or us, will she choose us?

This year is so important and the choice so clear, please join me in voting for Craig Spadafora-State Senate.

Thank you.

Bob McCorry

34 Woodland Rd

Wakefield MA

617-780-2812

Craig Spadafora has won the endorsement of CLT’s 2 ½ Political Action Committee

in his election bid for State Senator from the Middlesex & Essex District.

CLT’s 2 ½ PAC, the political arm of Citizens for Limited Taxation, was originally created to support candidates who would defend Proposition 2 ½ in the State Legislature.  It now endorses candidates who support taxpayers on a variety of issues, and uses the CLT Legislative rating to identify pro-taxpayer legislators.

Francis J. Faulkner, executive director of the PAC, said the group endorsed Spadafora based on his strong support for tax limitation.  “We need to put people like Craig Spadafora in the State Legislature to continue the fight for the income tax rollback and to block any attempt to impose new taxes. Craig has also taken the taxpayer protection pledge.  This pledge asks candidates to ‘oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.’  A candidate who signs the pledge is sending a message to legislative leaders that he is serious about not raising taxes and will focus instead on better management of state revenues.”  In contrast his opponent, Rep. Clark, received a lowly 13% on CLT’s most recent taxpayer rating and voted for the sales tax increase.”

In serving the best interests of the taxpayers and the economy, we urge the voters of the Middlesex & Essex District to vote for Craig Spadafora on November 2^nd.

Says increase would discourage businesses from adding jobs

State Senate candidate Craig Spadafora today called on the Legislature to block a scheduled unemployment insurance rate increase for employers, saying the added cost of doing business will hurt job growth in Massachusetts.

With rates scheduled to jump by 40 percent — or an average of $258 per employee — beginning on January 1, Massachusetts currently ranks among the top three costliest states in terms of employer contributions.  Spadafora said the Legislature should either freeze the rate or reduce the amount of the increase.

“This is absolutely the worst time for the state to be hitting up employers for a rate hike, with over 300,000 residents out of work and many smaller companies still struggling to stay afloat,” said Spadafora.  “If this rate increase is allowed to go into effect, it will eliminate any incentive for employers to expand and create new jobs.”

Spadafora has pledged to make job creation a top priority if he is elected to the Senate.  He recently received the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business, the country’s leading association of small and independent business owners, for his commitment to “the needs of thousands of Main Street small businesses and their more than one million employees in Massachusetts.”

Spadafora’s opponent, State Representative Katherine Clark, was given a failing grade of 50 out of a possible 100 for her voting record on small business issues by Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the state’s largest employer group.  Only 11 of the House’s 160 representatives earned a lower grade than Clark on AIM’s 2009-2010 Legislative Scorecard, which was released on September 29.

“Katherine Clark tries to portray herself as a friend of small business, but her voting record suggests otherwise,” said Spadafora.  “In the race to represent the Middlesex and Essex District, I offer the best choice for creating a more favorable business climate and getting people back to work.”

For more information, please visit www.spadafora4senate.com.

Spadafora says job creation will be his top priority

A newly-released business scorecard gives State Representative Katherine Clark a failing grade for her voting record on issues impacting the state’s employers.

Clark received a score of 50 (out of 100) from Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the state’s largest employer group, on its 2009-2010 Legislative Scorecard, which was released on September 29.  Only 11 of the House’s 160 members earned a lower grade than Clark, who is running for the soon-to-be-vacated State Senate seat for the Middlesex & Essex District.

Malden City Councilor Craig Spadafora, who is also running for the Senate seat, said Clark’s poor showing is not surprising, given her support for a series of tax increases that have hurt small businesses.

“Representative Clark’s voting record has been marked by one tax increase after another, and those increases have had a chilling effect on small businesses and contributed to our state’s record unemployment levels,” said Spadafora.  “Over 300,000 Massachusetts residents don’t have a job, but if I’m elected to the Senate, I will do everything I can to improve the state’s business climate and get those people back to work.”

Spadafora recently received the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation’s leading association of small and independent business owners, which cited his commitment to “the needs of thousands of Main Street small businesses and their more than one million employees in Massachusetts.”

“Thank you for standing with us on the issues important to small business,” NFIB/MA State Director Bill Vernon wrote to Spadafora in a letter announcing the organization’s endorsement.

View the full report here: http://www.aimnet.org/Content/NavigationMenu/GovernmentAffairs/AIMLegislativeScorecard/default.htm

Clark gave governor expanded powers to cut $128 million for cities and towns

State Senate candidate Craig Spadafora today accused his opponent of not being honest with Malden voters about her commitment to local aid when just last year she voted to give the governor expanded 9C powers that resulted in a $128 million reduction in state assistance to cities and towns.

“Once again, Katherine Clark is trying to run away from her own voting record and pretending to be something that she isn’t,” said Spadafora.  “Apparently, she’s forgotten that she voted to give Governor Patrick expanded 9C powers last year, which he used to cut Malden’s local aid by $1.5 million.  If she is so concerned about Malden’s budget problems, then she has to take some responsibility for what’s happened because she gave the governor the authority to cut local aid.”

In Massachusetts, the governor has limited “9C” powers that allow him to make unilateral reductions in the executive branch of government to maintain a balanced budget when revenues fall short of projections.  However, the governor needs legislative approval before he can cut from other areas of the budget, including local aid.

On January 14, 2009, the House of Representatives voted 132-22 to give Governor Patrick expanded 9C powers.  Two weeks later, he used this authority to reduce local aid by $128 million.

“Twenty-two representatives stood firm and voted against giving the governor these expanded powers because they knew local aid was on the line and they knew the cuts would be devastating, coming halfway through the fiscal year,” said Spadafora.  “The bottom line is, Katherine Clark had an opportunity to stand up for our cities and towns, but instead she turned her back on them.”

Spadafora noted this is not the first time Representative Clark has tried to distance herself from a controversial vote.  He cited her support for a series of tax increases over the last 2 ½ years, including a higher sales tax, meals tax, alcohol tax, lodging tax, telephone tax, satellite dish tax, cigarette tax and taxes on businesses.

“We’re starting to see a pattern here,” Spadafora said.  “Katherine likes to portray herself as a savior of small businesses and someone who cares about creating jobs, but she’s supported eight tax increases totaling over $1 billion which have crippled employers and stifled jobs creation.  Now she’s trying to pass herself off as someone who will protect municipal services, but how is cutting local aid by $128 million helping cities and towns?

“My opponent and I agree on one thing, and that is that Malden’s next senator must be willing to fight for increased local aid,” he added.  “I’m committed to doing just that, but Katherine Clark’s record proves she’s no friend of cities and towns.”

State Senate candidate Craig Spadafora, who has pledged to oppose any new tax increases if elected in November, today criticized State Representative Katherine Clark for voting to raise taxes eight times since taking office in 2008.

Citing the state’s 8.8 percent unemployment rate, Spadafora said the series of tax increases Clark has supported — including raising the sales tax by 25 percent last year — have made Massachusetts less competitive while increasing the burden on taxpayers and hurting small businesses.

“During one of the worst economic recessions since the Great Depression, Representative Clark has chosen to raise taxes by more than $1 billion rather than supporting the fundamental reforms needed to rein in state spending and create a more favorable business climate,” said Spadafora.  “She tries to portray herself as a friend of small businesses, but she can’t hide from her anti-business and anti-taxpayer voting record.”

During the 2 ½ years she has served in the House, Clark has voted to increase not only the sales tax, but also the meals tax, alcohol tax, telephone tax, satellite dish tax, cigarette tax, lodging tax and taxes on business, which has led to the loss of jobs across the state.

“My opponent has not ruled out voting for more taxes after the election, but the residents of this district just can’t afford to get hit with any more,” Spadafora said.

A new report by the Pioneer Institute and the Massachusetts High Technology Council shows that most business leaders blame the state’s “uncompetitive” and “unpredictable” tax policies for creating a poor business climate and stifling jobs creation.  CEO Magazine declared Massachusetts one of the five worst states for business in a 2010 survey, and a report released by CNBC in August ranked Massachusetts 39^th in business costs and 41^st for cost of living.

“Study after study has shown that taxes are hurting our state’s ability to attract new businesses and retain existing ones,” said Spadafora.  “More than 300,000 Massachusetts residents are unemployed, and the only way we can get these people back to work is to focus on reducing the tax burden on small businesses, not adding to it as Representative Clark has done.”

In addition to his no new tax increases pledge, Spadafora said voters can expect him to be non-partisan and responsive to their concerns.

“The voters of the Middlesex & Essex district need an independent voice who will stand up for them on Beacon Hill, and not just vote in lock-step with party leadership,” he said.  “My opponent has voted 98 percent of the time with the House Speaker, but I will put the interests of the people ahead of political interests.”

http://www.nfib.com/newsroom

Should Massachusetts sales tax be rolled back from 6.25 to 3 percent?

I support lowering the sales tax to 5 percent to provide relief to taxpayers and retailers. Reducing the sales tax to 3 percent would mean more cuts in local aid, which would be devastating to communities. A 5 percent rate would provide taxpayers with a break without jeopardizing municipal services.

Craig Spadafora