Candidate About The Issues  Rosanne M. Frieri 2nd Berkshire District Candidate Frieri Calls for Property Tax Reform and Relief for Homeowners   Richmond Second Berkshire District state representative candidate Rosanne Frieri is calling for immediate property tax reform and relief for homeowners.  “The property tax system is simply unjust to homeowners and does not have adequate checks and balances to protect homeowners from disproportionate assessments,” explained the Richmond Republican.  “Property tax laws by design place every property owner at a distinct disadvantage,” adds Frieri.  Frieri has met with property owners and reviewed multiple complaints that the Department of Revenue and other state agencies have largely ignored. “It is outrageous that homeowners continue to have their property taxes raised in a market that has not just slid, but avalanched downhill since 2006.  On top of that is a property tax system with outmoded laws that favor assessors and place every homeowner at substantial risk for an unfair assessment.”  Frieri also cites another troubling trend of escalating property tax rates in small towns that offer few services. “What are these good citizens getting in return for the high property taxes they pay?” asks Frieri. Frieri lists a multitude of problems with the current property tax system, from assessors with no meaningful oversight to an Appellate Tax Board that has no enforcement power.  Additionally current laws force homeowners to pay their property tax bills in full on incorrect assessments or their right to appeal is disallowed, foreclosure sales are not factored into market value, and the appeals process is too complicated and costly. According to Frieri, property tax issues are impacting everyone negatively, from business owners to homeowners to renters who have property tax increases passed on to them by their landlords.  “Many people are unemployed, or on fixed incomes such as the elderly and our war veterans.  Under the current property tax system they are faced with losing their homes to seizure unless these skyrocketing property taxes are paid, and how are they supposed to pay them?” asks Frieri.  Frieri is committed to advocating property owners’ rights and sponsoring bills to reform the property tax system, which has not undergone a major reform in over thirty years with many of the laws dating back to Colonial times. Frieri’s Position on School District Consolidation   If it improves the quality of educational services being delivered to our students and reduces the financial burden for tax payers then it seems that it would be a viable option that merits due consideration. However, in no case should consideration of consolidating administrative resources be construed as any kind of consolidation of classroom resources. In other words, I do not advocate reducing the number of teachers in direct contact with students. (Reducing redundancy can oftentimes produce substantial savings for taxpayers).   Second Amendment   Rosanne is a strong and passionate supporter of our citizens’ individual right to keep and bear arms. She believes the ability to carry a firearm is an individual protected civil right under the Second Amendment and that the right to self defense is a basic right. Budget & Spending   We need to return to a fiscally responsible, common sense approach to spending that allows our country to prosper and create jobs. You can’t spend money you don’t have. Being a single income person I have to prioritize and live within my budget. Our government should be no different. Our families and small businesses can’t continue to pay the price enough is enough. I will sign any legislation for taxpayer protection. The last thing families need is a tax increase. Our elected leaders must be willing to make the same hard decisions. I will be that kind of leader. Jobs & Economy   I believe in nurturing new opportunities for business owners. I understand the critical role that entrepreneurs and small business owners play in a vibrant economy.  I know that small business, not the government, create jobs. I was a small business owner and appreciate how hard it is to make a small business succeed.   I feel we should help small business create jobs by: ·          Lower taxes on small business, making it easier to create jobs. ·          Reduce over-burdensome regulations that make it difficult for small businesses to succeed. ·          Pass meaningful health care reform that allows the cost for small business providing health insurance for their employees, to purchase insurance across state lines to increase competition, and allow small business owners to pool together to obtain better insurance rates.   Crime & Safety   I believe we have to stay tough on crime to keep our children safe and public officials honest. We must have laws in place to crack down on sexual and internet predators. We must prosecute the offenders of white collar crimes and public corruption cases, regardless of person’s political party. I also support the Quinn Bill and will support the enactment of such legislation and funding to continue this program. Dairy Reform   We must look at existing programs and explore new ways to maintain a vibrant dairy industry. Most of the dairies that have survived to-date will find it difficult to make it through another downturn. The overall loss of cash-flow, coupled with losses in real estate values, has diminished or nearly eliminated some of our most progressive and forward-looking farms. Farms will continue to be in jeopardy until the disparity between how milk prices are determined and the cost of milk production. Reform would reward farmers financially for making environmental improvements and improve the responsiveness of the federal milk pricing rulemaking process. Health Care   With heath care costs growing at unsustainable rates, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small business to  provide coverage for employees and more expensive for families to obtain affordable coverage. Congress needs to enact meaningful health care reform that lower costs and improve quality. I will sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care without growing government.     For further discussion on any of this issues, please contact me. Rosanne M. Frieri at 413 698-2283