TARR IN THE NEWS | 1.15.26

'Senate Wants Monthly Disclosure of Ballot Question Financing'

By Sam Drysdale | State House News Service

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EXCERPT BELOW:

"Sen. Bruce Tarr said the bill is important because it recognizes that funds raised for proposed ballot questions should be subject to the same standards of transparency and accountability as other political activities in the state. But, he said those standards should apply to local ballot questions too.

He introduced an amendment that requires anyone who has given $1,000 to a local ballot initiative to be subject to the same campaign finance reporting standards as statewide initiatives.

Tar said if the Senate did not adopt the amendment it would lead to the question of “what are we doing?”

“Transparency for some but not for all. Transparency for state questions, but not for local questions, it would be unconscionable to leave these local ballot questions out of the reporting that we contemplate today,” he said.

DiDomenico said he agreed with the intent of Tarr’s amendment, but noted the bill is dealing with statewide ballot questions only and that municipal ballot question committees do not report finances the same way. So, changing the local reporting requirements would affect local clerks and lawmakers haven’t had a chance to discuss those effects with the stakeholders, he said.

DiDomenico and Sen. John Keenan agreed there are other bills that the amendment could be better suited for.

Keenan said Tarr’s amendment could apply to a bill (S 506) that requires any person, corporation, association, organization or other group that spends or commits to spend $1,000 or more in the aggregate to influence a warrant article or vote on an article at a town meeting to file detailed reports with the town clerk. That bill is before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Senators voted 31-6 to reject the amendment."

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Read the full article

https://pro.stateaffairs.com/.../senate-wants-monthly...

TARR IN THE NEWS | 1.22.26

'2 Injured in Wrong-Way Crash on Route 128 in Danvers'

By Caroline Enos | Gloucester Daily Times

EXCERPT BELOW:

"Area legislators, including Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, and local and state officials have been meeting periodically to consider ways to prevent such crashes in the future.

The North Shore Regional 911 Center has already taken an “action step,” establishing a policy and priorities for wrong-way driving incidents for telecommunication purposes.

 
Read the full article


https://www.gloucestertimes.com/.../article_1c1b00cb-d32c...

This Thanksgiving, We're Grateful for Victoria Mori Daigle and Hirak Shah

Tonight, on the eve of Thanksgiving, I want to express my deepest gratitude for two immensely talented and dedicated members of my team: Victoria Mori Daigle and Hirak Shah.

At its recent Fall Meeting, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) presented them with MAPC’s Legislative Staff of the Year Award—an honor that could not be more deserved. It was my privilege to offer congratulatory remarks at the ceremony and highlight the extraordinary work they do every single day for our constituents and the entire Commonwealth.

Victoria has taken the lead since the very beginning of the North Shore Water Resilience Task Force, guiding its early work, facilitating critical conversations, and helping build trust among 17 municipalities and countless partners. Her dedication has been the momentum behind this regional effort from day one.

Inspired by that commitment, Hirak has strengthened and advanced our legislative work—drafting and filing key amendments, supporting major policy initiatives, and helping secure essential state budget funding that ensures communities have the resources they need when challenges arise.

Both Vicki and Hirak are diligent, dedicated, and valued staff members who never forget that our constituents are at the center of everything we do. Every day they give their very best to efforts like the North Shore Water Resiliency Task Force, that is forging a new path for collaboration in our region for the Ipswich River and the public water supplies that people depend on.

I deeply appreciate the partnership of MAPC, and the commission's recognition of these two outstanding public servants.

Their combined efforts are creating real, measurable progress for the communities and constituents we serve, and I am profoundly grateful for their dedicated service, their professionalism, and their unwavering commitment to public good.

Congratulations, Vicki and Hirak, on this well-deserved distinction —and thank you for all you do.

Remembering Merlin Hunt Jr.

 

I consider myself fortunate to have known and to have called Merlin a friend. It was an honor to share a few words in his memory at his burial, and I’m grateful that some of those reflections were included in the Gloucester Daily Times' article by Gail McCarthy 'Legacy of Merlin Hunt Jr. lives on in those he mentored or assisted on the roadways.'


EXCERPTS BELOW:


"At his graveside service, Tarr reflected on “Tally’s University,” and being among the alumni of youth who worked there driving tow trucks and pumping gas.

Started by the Taliadoros brothers, Tarr said the second-generation immigrants quickly realized the surname was too long to fit on a tow-truck door — hence it was shortened to Tally’s.

“My family started the company after World War II and over the years it’s been a place where folks got their first job or had an in-between job. For many, it was the beginning of their working career and my uncles used to say it was ‘Tally’s University’ because folks had to learn a lot of things there — about people, the importance of work and being responsible for a lot of different things,” Tarr said. “It taught a lot of life skills, a lot of lessons about business and treating people fairly and with respect.”

AND

Reflecting on Hunt as a young man, Tarr said he was one of Tally’s longest-serving and most dedicated employees. Tarr recalled how Hunt would drive his pick-up truck to work to sleep in it overnight at the garage so he could be on hand to answer the AAA phone calls and respond at once.

“Merlin was legendary because he was the person who would be out there in a blizzard when a plow truck tipped over or when other very challenging situations developed. He was always there,” Tarr continued. “Everyone loves to watch these Weather Channel shows, like ‘Heavy Rescue,’ but in those days we didn’t have that type of modern equipment and hydraulics. We had only ingenuity and our wits to figure it out and Merlin represented the very best of that and a get-it-done attitude.”

“He gave people jobs when they really needed it, whether it was for six months or ten years,” Tarr said."


Read full article


https://tinyurl.com/4d6c9d4c

Statement on the sinking of the F/V Lily Jean

TARR IN THE NEWS | 1.28.26

'Report: Tax Cut to Cost State $5B' 

By Christian Wade | Gloucester Daily Times

EXCERPT BELOW:

"BOSTON — A proposal to cut Massachusetts’ personal income tax to 4% would cost the state government an estimated $5 billion a year in lost revenue, according to a new report from a left-leaning policy group, which warns the move would trigger deep cuts in public services.

Inching toward the Nov. 3 ballot is a proposal by the Massachusetts High Technology Council, Pioneer Institute and other groups to reduce the personal income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, which backers say would save individual taxpayers an estimated $3,000 during that period."

"Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, have filed bills every legislative session to lower the rate, but their proposals have been stymied in a Legislature controlled by Democrats."

Read the full article

https://www.gloucestertimes.com/.../article_a1272d38-43a9...

 

TARR IN THE NEWS | 1.26.26

'Damon and Walker named to clamming expansion task force' | By Amy Palmer

Thank you to The Local News for their continued, informative coverage of the newly-formed Shellfish Harvest Expansion Task Force, its membership and our upcoming meeting in February.

EXCERPTS BELOW:

"The task force, led by Sen. Bruce Tarr, will examine multiple options to increase the shellfishing capacity in the area after FDA regulations closed the Ipswich river flats nearly two years ago. Local clammers have long relied on those flats during the winter.

 
“We know it’s not a replacement for that winter fishery, which is particularly important, but we think we’ve pursued that as far as we possibly can right now,” Tarr said. “None of us wants to walk away, so this is an attempt to look at other options, to try to do what we can do.”"

AND

"The group will include Tarr, Rep. Kristin Kassner, Shellfish Constable Matthew Bodwell, Wayne Castonguay of the state’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), and representatives from the town’s water and wastewater departments.

At the first meeting, which is expected to take place in February, the committee will put all of the options for shellfish expansion on the table, from relocating the wastewater treatment outfall pipe to dredging the river to reclassifying and expanding certain harvesting areas.

The task force is expected to make its final set of recommendations by Dec. 31. Tarr said the group can continue to meet and make recommendations if need be, but he doesn’t want it to become an “endless pursuit without results.”"

Read the full article by Amy Palmer

https://thelocalnews.news/.../damon-and-walker-named-to.../