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Politics & Government

Martinez Says Budget Should Be In Print

 

 

 

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Tuesday, June 28, 2012                                                                      Contact: Tom Firth  - 978-828-0877

Find out what's happening in Westonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

MARTINEZ SAYS BUDGET SHOULD BE IN PRINT FOR 24 HOURS

 

Chelmsford, MA – Today Sandi Martinez, Republican candidate for State Senate in the Third Middlesex district, criticized the Massachusetts State Senate for failing to allow for the budget to be in print for 24 hours.

 

“This week has once again showed that the legislature not only doesn’t get its work done in a timely fashion, but it lacks transparency,” said Martinez.

 

For weeks, behind closed doors, 6 members of the legislature have been negotiating the differences between the House and Senate version of the budget.  Late last night it was announced that there was a deal in place and that both the House and Senate would be voting on the bill today.

 

“No one knows what is in the budget other than 6 legislators.  That’s plain wrong.  This is not a transparent process and it is not reflective of a democracy,” said Martinez.  “If the budget had been completed earlier, there would not be this rush for a last minute passage.  I strongly believe that the public has a right to know what is in this budget.”

 

Martinez suggests that the reason the budget is being passed so quickly is so the public will not have the time to react. 

 

“People have been very upset with the abuse of EBT cards.  Major reforms were included in the House version while the Senate only passed weak reforms.  Taxpayers have a right to look at what reforms were included.  All we are asking is for 24 hours of review.  That’s reasonable when you are spending $32 billion,” said Martinez.

 

Last month Martinez endorsed an integrity plan that calls for ending the legislative exemption from the public records law and the open meeting law.  She also supports requiring bills to be in print for 24 hours before passage.

 

Sandi Martinez is a member of the Republican State Committeewoman for Massachusetts Third Middlesex Senatorial District.  She has also served on many boards and committees, including seven years as a Chelmsford Town Meeting Member, eleven years on Chelmsford Youth Soccer Board, and is a Blue Star Mother (BSM) , as well as the BSM Representative to the Bedford VA Hospital.

Martinez founded her own IT Consulting Company, providing consulting and contract services for IBM Mainframe customers, installing, tuning and troubleshooting operating systems and program products.  She lives in Chelmsford with Lou, her husband of 30 years, and they have four grown children, three of whom are serving or have served in the military – 2 active duty Marine sons, and a daughter who spent eight years in the Air Force.  Their youngest daughter is currently working as a researcher at the Joslin Diabetes Center, in Boston.

For more information on Sandi’s candidacy, voters can visit her website at www.SandiMartinez.com or call the HQ at 978-710-3556.M

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