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Health & Fitness

On Jobs, Poverty and Unemployment

Attleboro has an unemployment rate that is higher than the state's average. So it is a fair question to ask: what has your state Rep done about jobs?

When I was campaigning for state Rep I did not talk much about jobs because I do not believe it is normally the role of the government to create jobs.

However, Attleboro has an unemployment rate that is higher than the state’s average. So it is a fair question to ask: what has your state Rep done about jobs?

Legislation

I saw a common need that 600 schools throughout Massachusetts all had. These 600 schools lacked the necessary internet infrastructure to educate in the twenty-first century and to administer the new on-line PARCC test, which is replacing the MCAS. I personally created and led the initiative to get $38 million out of the House Bond Committee and then out of the House for this infrastructure. This is expected to pass through the Senate, and then it will be up to the governor if he wants to spend the money. The Constitution says that the Legislature approves the money being spent but only the Governor decides if it is spent.

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Spending $38 million in internet infrastructure will create dozens of jobs all over the state including jobs in our community.

Another bill I filed would be of great benefit to a business right here in Attleboro, Knobby Krafters on North Main Street.

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If you ever see me wearing a suit you will probably see on the lapel of my suit a pin given to me by the House that reads “Commonwealth of Massachusetts, House of Representatives.” What you can’t see is the backside of the pin (and I will show anyone who wants to see it) which reads “Made in China.” When I saw that I was offended.

I filed a bill that would require state government purchases to be required to be made in Massachusetts first, and when not available made in the USA, and when not available from the USA, then from overseas. This bill has not yet had a hearing but I am working on it.

Constituent Service Work 

That is what I have filed in terms of legislation. But there is more to work than just filing bills. I have taken on dozens of constituent cases helping people connect with either the Career Center in Attleboro or helping people get unemployment assistance from the Department of Unemployment Assistance. In the dozens of cases I have worked with, I have only personally been able to discern that on two occasions were people looking for a hand-out, not a help-out of their situation. Rightly, they were denied benefits by the state.

Poverty and Unemployment 

This issue of unemployment raises the question of poverty. Each month at the United Way on Maple St, I meet with a group of about twenty local social service providers called the Self Sufficiency Coalition. We recently watched a video called “Bridges Out of Poverty”, which talked about several reasons for poverty.

The first reason is the ‘behavior of the individual’ - lazy people don’t want to work. On the other end of the extreme are political and economic structures -  we are losing manufacturing jobs; that the middle class is shrinking; there is economic disparity; and that full time employment can still leave someone in poverty. Another reason is an absence of human and social capital within a community - the lack of employment, education or skill sets.

Minimum Wage

Finally, let’s consider the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation. I support raising the minimum wage, as do many area Republicans. My concern is with indexing it to inflation. If we have a negative inflationary period the pay checks of people on minimum wage will get smaller. So I proposed to the Speaker and Ways and Means Chair that we have a floor on minimum wage changes at zero percent inflation. On the other end, if we have high inflation that will hurt businesses with employees on minimum wage. As such, I proposed a ceiling at 2.5 percent inflation. 

When the floor or ceiling is crossed, we vote to change the minimum wage. This will make it so that the legislature votes based on the economic conditions of the day under extreme inflationary conditions.

Under my proposal, no one gets everything; everyone gets something. That, in my opinion, is the sort of balanced approach that I think my constituents expect from me.

Even if you don’t agree with what I think and do, which is fair, at least these columns let you know what I think and do, which is transparency.

Paul Heroux of Attleboro is the State Representative from the Second Bristol District. Paul welcomes you calls at 508-639-9511 or paulheroux.mpa@gmail.com.

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