My Voting Record, to Date

I am happy with my account of my first 100 days, however, but for my tax vote, I didn't discuss voting. Unsurprisingly, at least one Attleboro resident made note of how he doesn’t like my voting record in a letter to the editor in the Sun Chronicle. Unfortunately, this resident never asked me why I vote the way I do, but the ‘why’ matters immensely. Even when I voted with Republicans, my critic still accused me of voting with Democrats. Other times my cross-party vote is not acknowledged for no other reason than I am a Democrat. 

First, the outcomes of the votes are already pre-known to the House Democrat and Republican leadership. When the GOP isn't happy about something, they often file policy amendments in a budget debate. However, it is bad legislative process to do ‘policy’ in ‘budget’. They require two different processes.

Critics have said that I don’t break with the Speaker. Nonsense! As a percent of votes taken, I’ve broken voting with my party leadership more than the last two Reps broke with their respective party leadership combined.

Government Accountability

I campaigned on government accountability and I have lived up to it. I don’t even need to get into what I do behind the scenes on this issue. Just look at my record.

Concerning the tax amnesty amendment I voted on, critics said I voted with the Speaker. I did not. Roll Call reported on April 28 that I voted with Republicans on this vote.

There are a lot of ways to raise revenues without raising taxes, which I have written about, several of which I have sponsored as bills and testified on, including measuring prison sex offender programs for effectiveness.

Critics didn't mention that I voted with Republicans on votes to “Crack down on the misuse of EBT cards” and against a “Delay [to] new EBT card technology.” Finally, I voted against the Inspector General enforcement of DTA waste, fraud and abuse because the IG doesn't have the ability or willingness to take on law enforcement functions. 

Photo IDs seem to make sense, but what critics don't understand about putting photo IDs on EBT cards is that study after study finds that photo IDs are not cost effective and don’t reduce fraud and abuse. Even Mitt Romney, when he was Governor, opted not to support photo IDs on EBT cards. Critics had the opportunity to attend the DTA Commissioner’s talk on 9 May that I arranged. Had they, they could have asked the Commissioner what is being done to effectively reduce DTA waste, fraud and abuse. Had they, they would have heard what effective steps the DTA is taking.

There are two reasons for my no vote on publishing committee votes. 1) Voting records are already online and Roll Call publishes my votes ever week; I voted against redundancy since a vote in committee would be the same as a vote on the floor. 2) More importantly, what critics doesn't understand is how voting for the ‘House Rules’ process works. This is very important. House ‘rules’ is internal process, not external law. When voting on the House Rules, virtually no one breaks party lines, D or R. One local Republican Rep, who I won’t name, admitted to me it would be “crazy” to vote against leadership during 'House Rules' votes. He continued that it is a good way to make sure you get on the wrong side of your respective party leadership, which is needed to get things done, D or R. Let me put it like this; Republicans don't break Party line on 'House Rules' votes, so what's the big deal?

Budget and Transportation

One critic claimed that I “voted for the budget that is dependent on the higher taxes which is intellectually dishonest”. No its not. We had the higher taxes debate. Much to the displeasure of my Democratic Leadership, I voted with the Republicans against higher taxes; we lost that issue. So we move on.

Through amendments, Republicans advocated and voted for spending on their interests throughout the budget week in a budget that made use of higher taxes, but then they voted against the budget. If I voted for a budget that included higher taxes in voting for the House budget, in their voting against the budget every Republican effectively voted against funding senior citizens, schools, public safety, transportation, and every other public service. I'm not about to vote against critical services to score political points. 

I voted against the GOP transportation plan because it wasn't a real plan. Several GOP Reps admitted to me they knew it wasn't going to pass and that it would take money away from other, vital programs. But most importantly, it never went through the Joint Committee on Transportation hearings to be vetted.

Voting is less than 2% of this job. Anyone who judges someone by looking at 2% of what they do is cherry-picking for political purposes. And if my critics would like to know what I do the other 98% of the time, all they needs to do is call me or look at my website to access my public Facebook  page for the daily progress updates I post nearly everyday.

I am advised not to respond to my critics false charges since they will never be happy with me even if I voted with Republicans 100% of the time. I respond because 1) I care about every constituent's concers, even the ones who don't support Democrats, and 2) to set the record straight since the accusations against me have been patently false, such as my 'tax amnesty' vote, or not voting for accountability or against waste, fraud and abuse, such as several DTA related votes and my program measurement bills.

Paul Heroux is the State Representative from the Second Bristol District and he welcomes your phone calls at his home at 508-455-2547 and emails at paulheroux.mpa@gmail.com.