Good Grief, Charlie Baker

Charlie Baker is going to have to do some serious spin on this on…

As Republican Charles Baker seeks to capture the independent vote that bolstered U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s win, a Herald review shows Harvard Pilgrim tripled the former CEO’s annual salary as it hit consumers with a 150 percent increase in premiums.

Brown rode to victory as an independent voice on health care, a position critics say Baker will have a tough time following with those numbers.

Baker defends his record and argues that Gov. Deval Patrick is late to the health-care discussion. He said he’s been “shouting from the rooftops” about the need for hospitals and medical providers to make the cost of health care more transparent, and pushing for legislation that would control costs.

“My salary’s been a matter of public record for 20 years, and I’m probably the only candidate,” for whom that’s the case, Baker said. Baker’s salary as CEO of Harvard Pilgrim surged from $548,351 in 1999 to a high of $1.7 million in 2008. He earned $1.3 million in seven months in 2009 before he resigned to run for governor last summer, filings with the state Attorney General show.

Over the same period, premiums at Harvard Pilgrim went up by 100 to 200 percent.

When Baker took the reins in 1999, rates on Harvard Pilgrim’s most popular plans ranged from about $166 to $187 a month per member. Those rates soared to $425 to $483 a month, as of April, according to filings with the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.

Two months ago, the Commonwealth elected a Republican to the Senate due in part to his promise to be the 41st vote against the health care bill. With health care being at the front line of today’s political battleground, will those same voters ignore the fact that Charlie Baker was “part of the problem” with the health care industry?

“You have to look at him as the incumbent in terms of health-care costs,” said Democratic operative Michael P. Shea. “If you look at his salary and the increases that people are paying now, how can he say he did a good job? It’s absolutely fair to pin this on him. He hasn’t shown he’s part of the solution, he’s part of the problem.”

Patrick is expected to keep the focus on health care – and keep the heat on Baker – as he proposes a so-called soft cap on premium increases. His plan pits him squarely against health insurers in an intensifying three-way race that also features unenrolled candidate Tim Cahill, the state treasurer.

Baker said Patrick is trying to shift the focus.

“This probably beats talking about spending and taxes and unemployment if you’re him,” Baker said. “I’ve supported a lot of things that would put my organization and my industry at risk. I have no idea if it’s going to be good or bad for my company or my industry, but it’s the right thing to do for the people of Massachusetts. I got a lot of grief from people for doing that.”

Sooner or later, he will have to address the real issue, rather than playing the “I’m rubber and you’re glue” argument, just Deval Patrick will have to answer to his criticisms too. A guy making nearly $2 million a year, while us regular people are paying painfully high health care premiums…maybe, according to Harvard Pilgrim, he did deserve the salary bump…but anyone who didn’t see their salaries triple may think differently.

The Short Lived RMV Tax

That didnt’ last long at all.

Gov. Deval Patrick today announced he’s not only rescinding a controversial new $5 fee levied by the state Registry of Motor Vehicles he will even refund those who already paid it.

The move comes a day after the Herald reported the Patrick administration had quietly slipped in the new fee, surprising even members of the Legislature. Critics branded it a “back door” tax on the poor and the elderly.

Patrick said today the negative response was heard loud and clear.

“I appreciate what the registrar and secretary are trying to do, but we’re going to have to look for another way to do this because the push back has been actually quite understandable,” Patrick said.

“We want to make the government as responsive as possible but I think this is one we need to think about in a different way,” the governor added.

Patrick said earlier today the idea was to move more RMV transactions online, but he didn’t want to burden taxpayers during hard economic times. The fee will be rescinded as soon as possible.

RMV began charging the fee yesterday, for anyone who walked into a branch office to renew a license, a registration or request a duplicate license. Anyone who called and talked to an RMV employee to conduct those transactions was charged the fee, as well.

Motorists who used the RMV’s website to conduct business or their automated telephone system were not charged.

State lawmakers who were stunned by the new fee applauded the decision to rescind it.

I’ve believed for a long time that Deval Patrick is trying to tank his reelection “campaign” in order to keep his promise that he will, in fact, run for reelection–but lose. This sets him up for a cushy job in the ill-fated Obama Administration without being called a liar… he’ll be called a moron, but not a liar when it comes his promise to seek reelection. I think this back-door RMV tax that failed faster than he put new drapes on the windows is as close to proof as we’ve seen this year.

RMV Tax?

If someone can explain the sense in this, I’m all ears:

Gov. Deval Patrick is quietly whacking beleaguered Bay State motorists with a $5 fee to use Registry of Motor Vehicle branches to renew their licenses and registrations, outraging critics who say the “back-door tax” hits poor and elderly drivers the hardest.

The fee, which goes into effect today, comes on the heels of a $10 license renewal increase last year.

“In this economic climate we shouldn’t be nickel-and-diming people for mandated services,” said state Sen. Steve Baddour (D-Methuen), who co-chairs the Legislative Transportation Committee, and is planning to look into repealing the fee.

Republicans said residents ought to be able to walk in and use their RMV branches without penalty.

“This is a back-door tax that hits the poor and elderly the hardest,” said Tarah Donoghue, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Republican Party. “They can’t afford or don’t have Internet access and computers. The Patrick-Murray administration is burdening those people who can afford it the least.”

Customers will incur the new $5 fee if they speak with an RMV representative on the phone or go in to one of the 30 branches for the following services:

• Renewing your driver’s license (except for the 10-year renewal required in person);
• Getting a duplicate license or Massachusetts ID;
• Renewing your registration; or
• Requesting an attested driving record.

The fee won’t be charged for transactions completed online, by mail, or over the RMV’s automated phone system.

I just don’t get this. This is essentially a tax for interacting with state employees in lieu of utilizing automated or online services. I find this particularly odd because it’s usually the other way around, and dubbed a “convenience fee.” I’ve gotten my fair share of parking tickets around the Boston area, and wouldn’t you know it, if I wanted to pay my fine online, I was charged a fee; if I paid in person or by mail, no fee.

So which is it? Are we to be levied with fees for utilizing online services, or in-person services? Either way, it’s absurd. More transactions online mean less people to pay at the RMV, so it ends up in a cost savings and it saves people time. It’s a win-win. But charging people to waste their time in line, dealing with people who really couldn’t care less about helping you, for that you are charging a fee?

Screw that. My license expires next year, and since I renewed online 5 years ago, I have no choice but to go stand in line at the RMV, and I’ll be damned if you try to charge me an extra fee to do that.

Governor Patrick Proposes New Hack Job

Deval Patrick wants to create a job…unfortunately, it’s one that is not at all needed, and is only open to current hacks.

Gov. Deval Patrick – who just days ago insisted his plan to install electronic tolling on the Pike was preliminary – has hit the gas on the proposal and is conducting an under-the-radar search for a big wheel to steer the high-speed drive-through system.

The new internal position – posted two days ago – is open only to state employees and could pay up to $102,000 a year to implement “the planning, design, and construction of the future electronic toll system for (the Massachusetts Department of Transportation),” according to a job posting obtained by the Herald.

“I’m sure they already have somebody in mind,” said House Minority Leader Bradley Jones (R-North Reading), who was surprised how quickly Patrick’s election-year push was fast-tracked. “It’s just consistent with him saying one thing and doing another.”

Isn’t there someone already on the payroll of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation who, as part of their regular stated duties, could do exactly what this job entails at no additional cost to the taxpayers?

The new “deputy director of statewide tolling” would study several electronic systems that would get rid of toll plazas and install sensors to toll motorists as they drive at highway speeds. They’ll also explore other changes such as getting rid of the paper tickets used on the Pike.

“This is an internal job search that will identify existing talent to help the Highway Division explore efficiencies in tolling that would make things easier for drivers and more cost-effective for MassDOT,” Durrant said.

The job description, however, said the employee will “transition . . . existing toll collection operations to Open Road Tolling or All Electronic Tolling.”

The tolling deputy director would also assess installation costs, savings from axing toll takers, and traffic improvements, according to the job posting.

The position would “appropriate outreach and communication effort for the project, designed to ensure awareness and understanding of (electronic tolling) for customers, media, elected officials, and key stakeholders.”

Are we to believe that once a “Toll Czar” position is filled, said “Toll Czar” won’t need a staff of underlings to do the work of the “Toll Czar” in his or her stead? I believe it’s safe to say that this is not merely a $102,000/year commitment to the taxpayers; expect a full staff of people to handle the job that should be the responsibility of the current staff of the Department of Transportation.

Side note: does the Commonwealth know how to create jobs that are under $100,000/year?

Take A Seat, Senator

Scott Brown is asking to take the seat the people elected him to serve in.

Massachusetts Sen.-elect Scott Brown on Wednesday demanded to be seated immediately, saying that while he is set to be sworn in Feb. 11, “there are a number of votes scheduled prior to that date.”

In a letter from his lawyers to Gov. Deval Patrick and Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, Mr. Brown argues that the results of the special election in Massachusetts on Jan. 19 are not in doubt and he should be able to take the seat right away.

“We represent Senator-elect Scott Brown. We understand that the election returns from Massachusetts cities and towns were transmitted this morning to the State Secretary’s Office and by the State Secretary to the Governor’s Office. While Senator-elect Brown had tentatively planned to be sworn into office February 11, he has been advised that there are a number of votes scheduled prior to that date, For that reason, he wants certification to occur immediately. As he is the duly elected United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, he is entitled to be seated now.

“Accordingly, on behalf of Senator-elect Brown, we request that the results of the special election January 19, 2010, be certified without delay and that a duplicate be provided me in hand no later than 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2010, so we may deliver the original by hand to the Secretary of the United States Senate in time to allow Senator-elect Brown to be administered the oath of office by the Vice President tomorrow afternoon,” wrote lawyer Daniel B. Winslow.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seemed amenable to the demand. “Once we get his certificate we expect to swear him in tomorrow afternoon as early as five o’clock, which is earlier than he suggested,” Jim Manley, Mr. Reid’s spokesman, told The Hill on Wednesday.

As it’s been pointed out before, I’ll point it out again for those who haven’t heard a million times: Niki Tsongas was elected via special election on October 17, 2008, and the very next day, she cast her first vote.

Enough said. Seat Senator-elect Scott Brown immediately.