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This is the 2006 campaign website of Owen R. Broadhurst. Please note the campaign committee has long since been dissolved; that Mr. Broadhurst is not seeking public office at this time; and that the website is restored only for historical interest and Mr. Broadhurst's own personal amusement.
Owen R. Broadhurst on Google
Read the Valley Advocate article on my campaign!
Valley Advocate article on-line (link)
Support the Yes on 3 for Kids Campaign
Vote Yes on 4!
Vision & Integrity
Tax Reform
Tax loopholes for lobbying interests, massive cuts in income taxes, and
tax breaks for mutual fund companies and defense contractors within the state have
resulted in higher property taxes, regressive fees, and an oppressive burden on cities and
towns to maintain municipal services and schools. For the sake of all of our communities within the district, the time is now for legislators to work towards basic tax
fairness, a lower total tax burden for district voters and families.
Those earning the least now pay the most to maintain state and municipal
services. The state can increase revenue by more than 15% while lowering the tax burden
for more than 80% of its citizens, but our Democratic legislature would rather try to squeeze blood from a stone. The wealthiest 1% pays only 4.6% of its income in
taxes, so why should 80% of the population pay more than 8%? The Commonwealth is
starving its communities to provide welfare for Raytheon and Fidelity. Meanwhile, the less
one earns, the larger the bite on one’s paycheck through property tax, sales tax, and fees.
Health Care Reform
Monstrous cuts to MassHealth have led to staffing shortages in hospitals and
nursing homes, and have an adverse impact on care. The one solution, the sole and only solution, is single payer
health care. Declining vigilance in infection control, greater falls, and
malnourishment in nursing homes is not a fable- but is a fact of life. Single-payer health
insurance, higher staffing ratios, and the proposed affordable health care Constitutional
amendment must be mandated and implemented immediately for the sake of the most
vulnerable, and for the sake of us all. Health care’s a human right. We need affordable,
equitably financed health insurance. We require universal coverage. We need a Health Care Trust.
Sustainable Development
The state has a major role to play facilitating community directed
sustainable development, but has unfortunately dropped the ball. Town of Agawam voters beat back a major big box shopping
complex, and I have urged a retail size cap and the mandating of fiscal impact studies in Agawam. Town of Russell voters are presently in for the fight of their lives against a disastrous new bio-mass power plant proposal.
Cities and towns, however, cannot long hold out against the very rending of their social
fabric unless the state steps in and assists. We need increased and improved mass
transit, tax credits for small local independent enterprise, and discounts on worker
compensation insurance for businesses with excellent safety records. We need incentives
for locally produced renewable energy, food and agriculture. We need to more speedily process
agricultural preservation restriction requests. We must never again face the likes of the section 548 auction law.
Genuine Democracy, Genuine Transparency
This candidate endorses rule reform in the House, opposes capital punishment, urges
real reimbursement rates for providers, supports full reproductive freedoms, urges
indexing of the minimum wage to the rate of inflation, and seeks the re-establishment of
Clean Elections. I would oppose informal sessions and unannounced hearings, urge
formal session schedules, and insist on formal roll calls. Cities and towns should be
restored 100% of lottery revenues, and equitable disbursement of Chapter 70 funds. I
support full restoration of funding for family planning, card check neutrality legislation,
doubling of the personal and dependent-care income tax exemptions, doubling of the
low-income tax credit and rental deduction, raising the state income tax rate to 6%, and lowering the sales tax to 4% with a portion earmarked for cities and towns.
I condemn the Jones-Stanley bill, oppose expedited permitting, urge Chapter 40Q’s repeal , and
support reform of Chapter 40B to raise the fraction of affordable units, provide real oversight, and
keep developers from hiding their profits. I deplore so-called outside sections that shield
legislators from accountability, support the program of the Massachusetts Coalition for
Healthy Communities, and oppose cost/benefit analysis requirements on environmental
and public health agencies. Throughout the months ahead, I shall expound on this
program for social and economic justice, democratic oversight and transparency,
community based sustainable initiatives, and real tax reform. I look forward to real
debate about real issues impacting real lives in our communities.
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