Representative Jay Barrows Has Done It Again

Representative Fred "Jay" Barrows has done it again! There is no doubt that Representative Barrows rates an A+ for seizing every opportunity in his first term to use his vote to promote the interests of business at the expense of the average person. The most recent example was his joining a small minority of state lawmakers in voting to allow the continued use of trans-fatty acids in Massachusetts restaurants. And as if that were not enough, Barrows was so proud of this vote that he touted it in guest columns in the Mansfield News and the Norton Mirror.

Lets review a couple of other typical Barrows' votes during his first term:

1. House Bill 4387 proposed to provide relief for families on the brink of foreclosure. The bill aimed to: (a) Require thousands of unlicensed, non-bank loan originators to pay an annual $500 licensing fee and to undergo criminal background checks (b) Require in-person counseling for first-time home buyers prior to purchasing variable sub-prime loans (c) Give homeowners 90 days to make any overdue mortgage payments and stay in their homes instead of allowing the lender to demand payoff of the entire mortgage all at once if the borrower fell behind in payments.

This bill passed the House by a vote of 150 to 3. Barrows was one of the 3.

2. House Bill 2840 proposed to provide some property tax relief for a few of our poorest senior citizens. The bill said: (a) If you are age 65 or older, and the house in which you live is your principal residence, and your real estate tax exceeds 10% of your total income, and your income and your spouse's income is not more that $60,000, you would be eligible for an exemption from the amount that a successful Proposition 2 1/2 override would add to your property tax bill. (b) To get the exemption, you would have to apply for it to the board of assessors in your town. The assessors would then review your income tax forms from the previous year to confirm that you are eligible for the exemption.

This bill passed the house by a vote of 110 to 35. Barrows was one of the 35.

There was one case I did note where Representative Barrows appears to be supportive of families--House Bill 2966, which, among other things, proposed that property and casualty insurance should be made tax deductions on the state income tax. While Barrows did not initiate the bill, he did sign on as a co-sponsor. But wait. That bill would make insurance more affordable for more people--even those who buy their insurance from the Barrows Insurance Agency in Mansfield. That business, of course, is run by Jay Barrows.