Those of us from the Bay State know what kind of leader Mitt Romney really is. If you’ve ever wondered why Romney is down 20 points in his home state, this is your chance to find out why.
Tell Your Story
Romney accepted a $25,000 statue as a gift says former Bain staffer
While working at Bain Capital from 2002 to 2003 as support
staff, my colleagues and I were instructed to deliver a statue appraised
for $25,000 as a gift to Governor Romney from his partners at Bain
Capital. In 2002, I saw a fax from the NY Fed Chairman inviting one of
Mr. Romney’s chief deputies at Bain to lunch to discuss ways to shape
the direction of the economy.
This struck me as Bain having back door access to power that others did not have. While he was Governor, it was not unusual to see Mr. Romney at Bain Capital huddling with his advisors. This, too, was a Bain back channel to power and influence that others did not have.
- Bobbi,Cambridge
This struck me as Bain having back door access to power that others did not have. While he was Governor, it was not unusual to see Mr. Romney at Bain Capital huddling with his advisors. This, too, was a Bain back channel to power and influence that others did not have.
- Bobbi,Cambridge
Romney’s bait and switch on tuition. Fees skyrocket.
Romney says those who pass the high-stakes test at a certain
rate get free tuition at state institutions, it’s really almost
nothing.It’s the fees that are the killer.
-Trudy, Westfield
-Trudy, Westfield
Mitt Romney made us 47th in job growth.
Mitt Romney claims he was a job creator but during his term as
governor MA was number 47 in job growth. His company, Bain Capital,
bought KayBee Toys, loaded them with debt and then sold them. Several
hundred people lost well paying jobs. The company had been making money
but not enough for Mitt. Bain also owned Bright Horizons Day Care in our
local hospital but its own employees could not afford to send their
children there.
-Carla, Pittsfield
-Carla, Pittsfield
Romney made our classrooms into test prep factories.
I work in Higher Education. Romney slashed budgets and raised
fees on students. Romney claims that Mass. students were first in
education. While they may score high on achievement tests, they are not
college ready as a result of measures pushed by Romney. Classrooms are
simply test prep factories. Simply put – his education policy was a
disaster and we are still feeling the effects.
-Trudy, Westfield
-Trudy, Westfield
My annual property taxes were $4400 per year before Romney took office and $6400 after he left office.
I am a retired school teacher who resides in Winthrop, MA.
Governor Romney slashed state aid to the cities and towns leaving them
with two options: Lay off municipal workers or raise local taxes. During
his 4 years as governor, less affluent towns were forced to lay off
police, firemen, teachers, and other municipal workers to make up the
budget shortfall created Governor Romney’s policies. Our town was among
them. We were down to the bare bones budget until our we voted on and
passed a 6.2 million dollar override. My annual property taxes were
$4400 per year before Romney took office and $6400 after he left office.
When Governor Romney says he cut taxes only tells half the story. The
state taxes were cut, but the local taxes increased more. Many local and
services were cut. Many new state fees were introduced. The net result
was the average homeowner of our commonwealth was paying more for fewer
services. Governor Romney is a master of this shell game. Governor
Romney is a hypocrite as well. Several times he tried to pass pension
reform and cited the abuse of the pension system as reasons for reform.
Just before he left office he tried to slip a $125,000 per year pension
to his campaign manager Eric Ferhsten. The Boston Globe uncovered his
scheme and made it public. His poor performance as Governor is why
Massachusetts will vote 2-1 against Governor Romney for President.
- Robert, Winthrop
- Robert, Winthrop
[Don, Milford] Mass knows Mitt? No one including Mitt knows Mitt.
Each morning during the Mitt the Twit years, the Boston Globe
would have another crazy idea Mitt had proposed. The following morning
there would be a retraction. Most of the time he was out running for
President and bad mouthing Massachusetts. We have had some lousy
governors but he is right up there with the worst. Mass knows Mitt? No
one including Mitt knows Mitt. His position on any issue will change in
the next hour.
- Don, Milford
- Don, Milford
[Anne, Cotuit] Scholarships were really a few hundred dollars.
You know that claim he makes about the scholarship for
qualifying high school seniors that provides them with a “free ride” to
any state school? Well, in reality it amounts to a few hundred dollars;
tuition only, no fees, no room and board included. We were so excited
when our daughter qualified, and just as disappointed to learn it really
didn’t amount to much; like most of his proposals, it sounded way
better than it was.
- Anne, Cotuit
- Anne, Cotuit
[Jim, Sudbury] There is a good reason why he chose not to run for reelection.
There is a good reason why he chose not to run for reelection.
He would never have made it It should also be pointed out that it was
during his predecessor as governor, Bill Weld, when Massachusetts school
children performed very well. Weld should be given the credit.
- Jim, Sudbury
- Jim, Sudbury
[Lynn, North Attleboro] No wonder he is at 30 per cent here.
I was an elected member of our local school committee when
Romney became Governor. Although we are a suburban community, we have
non-English speaking children in our system. Romney eliminated
bi-lingual education funds for Massachusetts Once he decided to run for
President after 2 years as Governor, he went around the country making
jokes about Massachusetts and its citizens. No wonder he is at 30 per
cent here.
- Lynn, North Attleboro, MA
- Lynn, North Attleboro, MA
[Claudia, Stow] A mortgage now costs more than three times as much to record.
Mitt always likes to mention how he didn’t raise taxes in
Massachussets. What he did do was raise fees in the state. He raised the
recording fees for documents related to land. So to record a discharge
of a mortgage you paid off it would cost over 3 times as much. To record
a trust, it would cost almost 5 times as much. A mortgage now costs
more than three times as much to record. It was sneaky.
- Claudia, Stow
- Claudia, Stow
[Marcel, Pepperell] You just cannot trust this man.
Mitt Romney brags that he knows how to cross the aisle and work
with legislators from the opposing party. Let’s be clear. The reason he
signed legislation sent to him when he was governor of Massachusetts is
that the Massachusetts legislature is so over overwhelmingly Democratic
that any legislation that he vetoed, or would have vetoes, would be
easily overridden by the legislature. It had nothing to do with
bipartisanship. As soon as he was elected Governor he went out of state
to campaign for President. He was not only out of state more than in it
he denegrated and lambasted the very state of which he was Governor. You
just cannot trust this man.
- Marcel, Pepperell
- Marcel, Pepperell
Romney didn’t care about saving money for a rainy day.
We are struggling with the poor financial state of Massachusetts
due to the fact that Romney didn’t care about saving money for a rainy
day. When that day came, his tax policies left us without proper
resources.
- David, Amherst
- David, Amherst
Romney emptied the State Rainy Day Fund
Romney emptied the State Rainy Day Fund — used to keep the state
economy stable during hard times — in order to give tax breaks to the
wealthy. He cut funding to the cities and towns causing our property
taxes to go up. Our fees (i.e.: auto license, dog license, business
permits, etc) doubled, while teachers, police and fire-fighters were
laid-off. He spent his last year bad-mouthing the state at several
Republican gatherings. When he left office, his staff removed all the
hard-drives from the state computers to bury his tenure, leaving a check
to cover the cost for new hard drives. In my opinion: that is like
robbing a bank and leaving an I.O.U. I would like to see the campaign
wind-down with the slogan: Ask Massachusetts!
- Roger, Haverhill
- Roger, Haverhill
He will do anything to put the title President of the United States next to his name.
I took a giant leap of faith and voted for Mitt. His record as a
jobs creator in the state speaks for itself. In the third debate he
tried to take credit for Massachusetts’ excellent public school ranking,
when in fact it was his predecessor who enacted the policy that created
the improvements. As was the case of most everything else, Olympics
included, he stood on the sidelines and tried and take more credit that
he deserved. I truly believe that he has the potential to be a more
dangerous president, if that’s possible, than George W. Bush. Willard
Mitt Romney is a crook who will do anything to put the title President
of the United States next to his name.
- Carey, Brighton
- Carey, Brighton
I remember being impressed with Romney’s “Health Care for All” plan…
I remember being impressed with Romney’s “Health Care for All”
plan, an idea that, for some warped reason, he now disavows. Romney’s
bid for governor was fueled by his running the Utah Olympics, an event
largely made possible through sizable Federal government subsidies. He
was a mediocre governor and is completely lacking in the qualities
required to be the leader of our country. The polls speak volumes:
Romney’s approval rating in MA is hovering around 30%.
-Elena, Cambridge
-Elena, Cambridge
Special interests over public interest.
Breastfeeding offers important health benefits for mothers and
babies. The American Academy of Pediatrics and many other health
professional organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six
month. Formula company “goodie bags” for new mothers with samples,
coupons and advertising send a message that the hospital providing this
“gift” endorses early formula feeding and that this practice undermines
breastfeeding initiation. The public health, breastfeeding, and
childbirth communities support banning those bags. In 2006, Governor
Romney blocked this ban, which was supported by the Department of
Health. He stood on the side of powerful corporate interests rather than
the Commonwealth’s mothers, babies, and families. Since his tenure, all
hospitals in the Commonwealth have voluntarily eliminated this
inappropriate practice. I cannot vote for someone who repeatedly
prioritizes policies for special interests over policies for public
interests.
- Carol, Natick
- Carol, Natick
Romney has no intention of working with us.
Romney was a carpetbagger taking advantage of a weak Democratic
candidate to shove his way into office. He had no interest in running
the state and spent most of his time out of state complaining about how
mean we all were. Even members of his own party couldn’t work with him.
It’s not because he was a “severe conservative” that he’s so unpopular
now, it’s because he had no intention of working with us, he just wanted
a stepping stone to where he is now.
- Heather, Cambridge/Somerville
- Heather, Cambridge/Somerville
Disgraceful, disgusting, and amoral.
For the last two years of his Governorship. Romney toured around
the country campaigning for his “presidency-in-advance” by telling
nasty jokes about Massachusetts, the state he was sworn to protect and
promote. Disgraceful, disgusting, and amoral.
- C.W., Newton
- C.W., Newton
Terrifying to think of Romney as president.
I was a State Employee then, (I’ve been retired for ten years
now) and it was a struggle to get a pay increase, or anything while he
was in office. He was the worst governor we ever had, it’s terrifying to
think of him as president.
- Alexandra, Wareham
- Alexandra, Wareham
We are still cleaning his BS up all these years later.
He didn’t ask for the binder full of women. Womens’ groups
brought it to him. He was known to ask why more male weren’t sent to him
for positions as judges! I could go on. He wouldn’t win for dog catcher
in Massachusetts! We are still cleaning his BS up all these years
later.
- Kerry, Boston
- Kerry, Boston
I still remember the humiliation…
My daughter shared the experience of what it means to be a
leader when Mitt was governor. Mitt likes to brag that he did not raise
taxes in Massachusetts and balanced the budget. He does not talk about
the impact of his decisions. The public high school my daughter attended
was forced to make hard choices to maintain the level of education that
it had historically. This meant extra curricula activities such as
sports and drama saw severe cuts in funding. The only way too extra
curricula activities was by instituting user fees. As the parent of the
team captain, I had the unfortunate responsibility to inform parents of
the user fees and to gently remind them to pay if they wanted their
child to continue in the activity. I still remember the humiliation in
the voices of her peers’ parents as they told me that their children
could not participate in the sports because they did not have the spare
cash to pay the user fees for the sports. Ultimately, the teams were not
inclusive in her public school because the children from upper middle
class families were able to participate because their parents paid the
user fees. Parents who did not have the extra money did not have the
reward of seeing their children succeed in areas that were outside of
the academic classes. As for me, the amount I needed to pay for user
fees for her to participate in extra curricula activities year round at a
public high school exceeded how much taxes had gone up in previous
years.
- Fern, Williamstown
- Fern, Williamstown
Liar, Faker, Millionaire.
Yes, I know Mitt. I’m a resident of Cape Cod and i think the
most astounding fact about Mitt is that he brought obamacare to mass,
though like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I knew, from the moment that he
chose to be a Mass Resident what he came here for. And yes, he ran for
President more than six years. Liar, Faker, Millionaire.
-Janet, West Falmouth
-Janet, West Falmouth
Romney’s war on EMTs
Governor Romney promised not to raise taxes when he was
governor, but what he did do was raise fees. As a certified basic EMT in
Mass, I have to re-certify every two years. I have to pay for
continuing ED classes, then I have to take a 24 hour refresher course,
all so I can work for a company that starts pay at 11 dollars an hour. I
also have to pay a fee to the state to process the re-certification
paperwork. When Romney came in as governor, that fee was 75 dollars.
When he left, it as 150 dollars! That is so I can do a job that pays
less than 30,000 dollars a year.
- Todd, Framingham
- Todd, Framingham
He was pro-choice as governor; now he’s pro-life. I think he’s just pro-Mitt.
He was pro-choice as governor; now he’s pro-life. I think he’s
just pro-Mitt. He was in favor of Obamneycare; now he’s against it. He
was pro-gay rights; now he’s against them. Romney is a well-oiled
weathervane. He will do anything, say anything to get himself elected.
- Nancy, Malden
- Nancy, Malden
Constant Bickering
The only think I can remember about Mitt as governor is his
constant bickering with the turnpike authority. I don’t think he
accomplished whatever he was all worked up about, but there was a lot of
noise. I will give him credit for signing in Romney Care. It has saved
me a lot of money on my own insurance and on that of my employees. It
works really well. What I can’t understand is why he doesn’t think its
good enough for the rest of the country.
- Maureen, Bradford
- Maureen, Bradford
I pray he does not become our President.
Mitt was gone almost half the time that he was “Our Governor.” I
would like to have a Governor like our President. I wrote to our First
Lady, Mrs. Obama and within one week, I received an answer and an
instruction to always let her know if there was anything else that she
could help me with. Of the four letters sent to Governnor Romney, no
answer. I pray that he does not become our President.
- David H, East Brookfield
- David H, East Brookfield
He local aid to towns, causing towns to raise property taxes.
When Mitt Romney was Gov. of Massachusetts he cut state taxes,
but raised fees on everything making it very expensive for small
businesses. He local aid to towns, causing towns to raise property
taxes. Mr. Romney did no favors to Massachusetts business or tax payers
- R. Wayne, Holbrook
- R. Wayne, Holbrook
I wanted to throw a shoe at the T.V. when he said he was proud of my state.
Romney spent more time bashing Massachusetts than he did
governing it! I wanted to throw a shoe at the T.V. when he said he was
proud of my state. It isn’t his state. He is going to lose Massachusetts
by 20 percentage points. That should say it all.
- Carolyn, Cambridge
- Carolyn, Cambridge
Mitt Romney did not go out and SEEK “binders” of resumes…
Actually, Mitt Romney did not go out and SEEK “binders” of
resumes of prominent, capable women to help head up his cabinet and
departments. Instead, women’s groups sought HIM out and asked why he had
so few women as candidates for his cabinet and departments. That’s how
it really happened.
- Donna, Winthrop
- Donna, Winthrop
His positions change as readily as the weather in New England.
Romney’s record in job creation was appalling and his management
of the state’s budget left huge deficits. He is a pragmatist whose
positions change as readily as the weather in New England. He is not a
reliable national leader for the future of the United States and our
standing internationally.
- Robert, Newton
- Robert, Newton
He was not a governor, but a boss.
He was not a governor, but a boss. He sent 800,000 jobs to
China, and my poor mother in law at 80+ years, saw her home taxes go up
every year so that she had to have help from all of us to keep her home.
Her daughter and son in law lived with her along with another son so
she could get by. We are still trying to bail out from him. But I think
the strangest thing I was told by someone that worked for him was the
elevator in the State House. He decided it was going to be his. So no
one was allowed to use it, and I mean NO ONE except him and everyone
else had to use the stairs. Now I have to wonder if a person working
there had a medical problem, or a heart attack while he was in office,
on the 4th floor, the paramedics would have had to carry that person
down 4 flights of stairs as the elevator was off limits! Far as I know,
this is a very true story. It was such a relief to see him go
- Ruth, Acushnet
- Ruth, Acushnet
Betrayal of same sex couples.
I will not be voting for Mitt Romney because of his despicable
betrayal of same-sex couples and their families in Massachusetts. When
he campaigned for the Senate in 1994, and again for Governor in 2002,
Mitt Romney claimed to support gay rights. But after the state Supreme
Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to bar same-sex couples from
marrying in 2003, Romney began pushing for a constitutional convention
to overturn that ruling. The Boston Globe revealed today that as
Governor of MA, he refused to allow the state birth certificate form to
be amended for babies born to same-sex couples, instructing that the
words “father” or “mother ” be crossed out and “second parent” inserted
by hand. I have two gay siblings, and I will not forget Mitt Romney’s
betrayal of them.
- Cara, Framingham
- Cara, Framingham
Romney made it so it took a year to get my Social Security Disability Insurance
How he affected me? I had to wait about a year before I was able to receive my SSDI and it was a very difficult year for me.- Judy, Holyoke and Springfied
