My Turn: Western Mass. legislators toe the line against overdue audit

Diana DiZoglio speaks while running for state auditor during a Boston campaign rally in November 2022 in support of the statewide Democratic ticket.

Diana DiZoglio speaks while running for state auditor during a Boston campaign rally in November 2022 in support of the statewide Democratic ticket. AP

Massachusetts State House

Massachusetts State House AP FILE PHOTO/ELISE AMENDOLA

By MATT L. BARRON

Published: 10-02-2024 6:44 PM

 

I was very disappointed to read the comments of some area lawmakers in the Sept. 30 Recorder opposing Question 1 on the November state ballot, which would allow our state auditor to audit the Legislature.

Between 1987 and 1992, I served as a legislative assistant to three state legislators in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Back then, we had real small “d” democracy on Beacon Hill. Committee chairs were empowered to run their panels collegially and independent of House leadership. The annual state budget was debated and amended in the open, in the House chamber — unlike now, where it is crafted behind closed doors in Room 348 off the House lobby, where the press and the public are forbidden to enter.

In the intervening years, more and more power has been concentrated in the hands of the House speaker and Senate president. The result is we now have the most opaque and secretive state legislature in the nation and one of the least accountable to its Bay State residents.

Question 1 enjoys broad public support, as witnessed by recent polls. A MassINC Polling Group survey of 800 likely voters, conducted Sept. 12-18, found 70% of respondents would be voting yes to only 8% opposed. In addition, the poll showed 47% of voters surveyed disapprove of the job lawmakers are doing. Forty-two percent said they approved, and 11% said they were undecided. When left-wing organizations such as Progressive Massachusetts and right-wing groups like Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance are both backing the ballot measure, you know that the need for open and transparent government transcends ideology and partisanship.

The attacks on Auditor Diana DiZoglio by state Sen. Jake Oliveria, D-Ludlow, accusing her of a “politically motivated power grab” are disgusting and way out of line. When Oliveria first ran for the House in 2020, he enjoyed the endorsement and support from DiZoglio, which he sought in his campaign.

At that time, before he was elected to the Senate, he supported her platform for auditing the Legislature — openly and supportively campaigning for her and beside her. No doubt this was to help himself defeat his primary opponent at the time.

Now that he is elected to the Senate, however, he has done a complete 180 on the issue. He conveniently left out of his accusation that this was some right-wing agenda that his own state Democratic Party has formally endorsed this proposal, alongside left-wing groups like Progressive Mass and Our Revolution.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Adult facing ‘life-threatening’ injuries after being struck by train in South Deerfield
New state law designed to boost boating safety with mandatory course
Alternative housing found ahead of Days Inn shelter closure on Friday
Paula Betters to retire after 10 years as Erving Senior & Community Center director
Greenfield Police Logs: Jan. 28 to Feb. 9, 2025
43-year-old man struck, killed by Amtrak train in South Deerfield

Rep. Aaron Saunders, D-Ludlow, is also flat-out wrong and looking to give himself and his leadership team cover by asserting that Question 1 would bring about “political interference … into core legislative functions.” Enough with the poppycock fear-mongering.

An audit is simply an analysis of what’s already happened in the past and a way to analyze documents, such as receipts, for claimed taxpayer-funded expenditures, which legislators are currently refusing to share with the public. These documents should be a matter of public record anyway. But because the Legislature also conveniently exempts itself from public records law, we taxpayers are denied access to even viewing how they spend our money. They tell us that they audit themselves, and thereby want to continue to have the right to deny us access to receipts and documents related to their spending.

Other states allow the auditor to conduct audits of the legislature. Massachusetts is unique in allowing its Legislature to reign supreme, without checks and balances, by other branches. The Legislature itself audits the executive branch agencies through their Committee on Post Audit and Oversight. How interesting that they conveniently leave this fact out of the conversation whenever they accuse the executive branch of overstepping, essentially saying, “an audit for thee, but not for me.”

Question 1 simply allows an audit of what should already be matters of public record. The strong resistance by legislators suggests there is something that the House speaker and Senate president, who rule with iron fists, are intent on hiding from the public. It’s not a good look.

Yes on 1.

Matt L. Barron is a political consultant based in Chesterfield.