Nick Pirro - People Over Politics

04/28/2025

🚨 Just under two weeks ago, House leadership dropped a $61.4 BILLION budget. 🚨

Despite falling revenues and a bleak economic outlook, the FY26 House budget is up 6.4% from last year — and over 50% higher than a decade ago.

Instead of tightening their belts like Massachusetts families, they filed 1,650 amendments — the most in at least 14 years — to tack on even more spending.

Where’s your money going?
🔹 $200M stashed away for hypothetical higher ed cuts — instead of helping trade schools where students are actually in demand.
🔹 $500K for a new DEI manager — another political hire instead of helping core services.
🔹 $100K to buy electric cars — for one city only.
🔹 $45M+ in sweetheart union raises while families tighten their belts.
🔹 $500K more for migrant services — with less accountability.
🔹 $258M to expand rental voucher programs statewide.
🔹 $207M for RAFT — a "temporary" rental program that’s quietly becoming permanent.
🔹 $475M in childcare grants — without tackling underlying cost issues.
🔹 $1.95B spent from Fair Share tax hikes — while taxpayers see no real relief.
🔹 $31.56B dumped into healthcare — nearly half the budget — with no serious investment in preventative care or promoting healthier choices to lower long-term costs.

Meanwhile, emergency services at Nashoba Valley Medical Center are still closed — and the residents in that region remain without local access to lifesaving care.

Massachusetts families are expected to do more with less.
✅ It’s time the House did the same — and it’s time we start investing smarter: in the trades, in preventative healthcare, and in basic services our communities need.

04/22/2025

🌍 Happy Earth Day, Massachusetts! 🌍

As we embrace renewable energy, let’s ensure our goals don’t overly burden families or make life unlivable. Beacon Hill needs to stay in touch with how people actually live, instead of pushing ideological goals that ignore economic realities. No family should have to choose between heating their home, keeping the lights on, or feeding their children. Let’s push for realistic, practical solutions that benefit everyone in our state.

04/17/2025

It’s been weeks since I submitted certified complaints to the Massachusetts Attorney General, State Auditor, and the Colonel of the State Police regarding serious legal and financial concerns inside the MSP’s so-called Compliance Team.

To date—not one of them has provided a meaningful response.
Only a formal acknowledgment of receipt from the Auditor’s office.
Radio silence from the Attorney General and the Colonel.
Why the silence?

At the center of this is a program designed and enforced by Retired Major Brian Watson, who retired from MSP and immediately returned in the same role. In just five years, he has personally received nearly $500,000 in taxpayer-funded salary—on top of his pension.
How is this even possible? Who approved this? And to what benefit for the taxpayers?

This Compliance Team has cost taxpayers approximately $5 million in payroll and related expenses for other active and retired MSP personnel—with no measurable benefit to public safety or law enforcement.

Meanwhile:

Contractors were forced to sign contract amendments or be removed
The program mandates QR code tracking of private consumer data, with no legal authority or consent
MSP is enforcing rules they previously disclaimed under oath in federal court
Insurance companies were given a seat at the table in shaping internal enforcement policy
This is no longer about public safety—it’s about a select few within the Massachusetts State Police—led by Watson—operating without oversight, expanding their authority behind closed doors, and enriching themselves at public expense.

If those in charge won’t answer, I will keep asking—and I’ll begin releasing follow-up letters.

Massachusetts residents deserve answers.

04/16/2025

📣 BIG UPDATE: Democratic House Leadership Pushes Back on Voc Tech Overhaul 🚨

For months, I’ve been calling out Sen. John Cronin’s support for a plan that would force Monty Tech, Nashoba Valley Tech, and every vocational school in Massachusetts to abandon their admissions process in favor of a lottery system — removing the ability to consider attendance, discipline, effort, or even student interest.

Some dismissed it as political.

But now, Democratic leadership in the House is stepping in to say what so many of us have been saying all along:

🧱 Don’t dismantle what works.
✅ Expand access — don’t lower standards.
✅ Involve educators — don’t ignore them.

Rep. Frank Moran (D – Lawrence), a senior Democratic leader, has filed legislation to pause these changes and create a new task force that finally brings vocational administrators to the table. This is what real leadership looks like — listening to the people on the ground instead of pushing an ideological agenda.

Sen. Cronin is now doubling down on a plan that was rushed and rejected by educators — but he’s no longer the only voice in the room.

As someone who’s worked with co-op students for 20+ years, served on Monty Tech’s advisory board and watched my own child graduate from the program, I’m not afraid to speak up — because I know what’s at stake.

🗓️ The deadline to submit your public comment is April 18. I’ve already submitted mine ✅ — and now momentum is on our side.

📬 Submit your comment here:
👉 https://www.doe.mass.edu/bese/regs-comments/default.html

A top House leader is looking to upend the years-long process to adopt new admissions policies governing the state's vocational high schools.

04/11/2025

Another day, another “public servant” putting themselves first.

This time it’s State Rep. Chris Flanagan (D – Dennis) — arrested and federally indicted for allegedly stealing $36,000 from a Cape Cod trade association to cover his mortgage, buy campaign t-shirts, create fake endorsements… and yes, pay for psychic services.

Apparently, he couldn’t foresee the indictment.

Instead of representing the people of Dennis, Yarmouth, and Brewster, Flanagan allegedly:
🔹 Created fake personas
🔹 Filed fake expense reports
🔹 Lied to campaign finance officials
🔹 And called it “reimbursement”

The Governor has called for his resignation. Beacon Hill leadership? Still “monitoring.”

Massachusetts deserves better than a system where accountability only comes after a perp walk. We need transparency—not tarot cards.

BOSTON – Massachusetts State Representative for the First Barnstable District has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly orchestrating a multi-faceted scheme that defrauded a local trade association of tens of thousands of dollars, used to fund personal and political expense...

04/10/2025

📣 I Spoke Up for Tech Ed — Will You? ✅
Support Monty Tech, Nashoba Valley Tech, and all our vocational schools across Massachusetts!

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is proposing major changes to how Tech schools admit students — and it could seriously weaken programs that are already working.

As a co-op partner for over 20 years, a parent of a Monty Tech graduate, and an advisory board member for the Masonry program, I’ve seen the success of these schools firsthand. They give students purpose, skills, and pathways to careers — but only when those students are prepared, engaged, and ready to succeed.

Under DESE’s proposal:

❌ Schools would lose the ability to consider attendance, behavior, or even whether a student wants to attend.
✅ All applicants would be placed into a lottery, regardless of readiness or interest.

Let’s be clear:
🎯 The issue isn’t that Tech schools are turning students away unfairly — it’s that they don’t have enough seats.

Instead of lowering standards, the state should be: ✅ Investing in more capacity
✅ Building more shops, hiring more instructors
✅ Expanding opportunities for students who want to be there

🗓️ The public comment deadline is April 18.
📬 I’ve already submitted mine ✅ — and I hope you will too.

✍️ Share your voice here:
👉 https://www.doe.mass.edu/bese/regs-comments/default.html

Let’s stand with Monty Tech, Nashoba Valley Tech, and every Tech school doing the hard work of preparing the next generation — and let’s give them the support they deserve.

’tLowerStandards

04/10/2025

Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to read is true. The names have not been changed — and none of them are innocent.

While families across Massachusetts were being told to “use less electricity” and handed a $50 credit to deal with outrageous energy bills…

Eleven Beacon Hill lawmakers were off on a 3-day trip to Canada — funded by Hydro-Québec, the same utility company with a 20-year contract to power our state.

Flights, hotels, meals — over $1,300 per lawmaker, courtesy of a company with everything to gain from influencing energy policy.

Let’s take a look at who went — and more importantly, why:

✅ Sen. John Cronin (D-Fitchburg)
Sits on energy, infrastructure, and budget-related committees.
Direct influence over projects like Hydro-Québec’s.

✅ Rep. Michael Kushmerek (D-Fitchburg)
Vice Chair of the Energy Committee.
Helps write the rules for utility companies — like the one footing the bill.

❓ Rep. Meghan Kilcoyne (D-Clinton)
Vice Chair of Health Care Financing.
No known role in energy policy.
Why was she on a utility-funded energy trip?

⚠️ Rep. Jeff Roy (D-Franklin)
Former Chair of the Energy Committee.
Removed after it was revealed he was in a relationship with an energy lobbyist.
Now back — on a trip paid for by a utility company.

✅ Rep. Mark Cusack (D-Braintree)
Chair of the Energy Committee.
The top regulator of utility companies in the House.

✅ Sen. Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport)
Chair of Senate Ways & Means.
Controls state spending — including infrastructure and energy investments.

✅ Rep. Aaron Michlewitz (D-North End)
Chair of House Ways & Means.
Same story — top budget power, total influence.

❓ Sen. Jacob Oliveira (D-Ludlow)
Vice Chair of Election Laws.
Not tied to energy policy.
Why was he there?

❓ Rep. Danielle Gregoire (D-Marlborough)
House leadership — but no clear role in energy or infrastructure.
Why was she there?

✅ Rep. Kathleen LaNatra (D-Kingston)
Co-chair of Federal Funding & Policy Committee.
May influence how federal energy funds are tracked and spent.

✅ Rep. Michael Finn (D-West Springfield)
Co-chair of Bonding & State Assets.
Involved in funding major infrastructure — including utility projects.

Some of these lawmakers write the laws.
Others control the funding.
And a few… well, seem to have just gone along for the ride.

All while we’re told to turn down the thermostat and wait for relief.

This isn’t about partisanship.
It’s about access.
It’s about ethics.
It’s about who Beacon Hill is really working for.

Legal? Maybe.
Ethical? Not even close.

A group of Massachusetts lawmakers who visited Canadian hydroelectric facilities in March were ferried there on the dime of a public utility company that runs a power line between Quebec and Ayer, …

04/03/2025

To Senator John Cronin, Rep. Michael Kushmerek, and Rep. Natalie Higgins:

Your outrage over $200 million in federal education cuts to Massachusetts might sound convincing—if it weren’t coming from the very people who control the state budget. And the only thing your statement doesn’t offer? A solution.

You hold the supermajority. You set the spending priorities. Yet instead of taking responsibility, you blame Washington and issue a press release. That’s not leadership—that’s grandstanding.

It’s easy to point fingers at federal cuts. What’s hard is making tough decisions with the budget you actually control. If you truly cared about protecting education, you’d be cleaning up the waste and mismanagement in your own backyard.

I believe education should be a top priority. Our students and teachers deserve real support. But no department should be immune to scrutiny. There’s no question some school spending is inflated or misused—and every city and town in Massachusetts needs to take an honest look at where taxpayer dollars are going. Education shouldn’t be the first place we cut—but let’s not pretend it’s perfectly efficient either.

Meanwhile, the state spends over $1 billion a year on services for individuals here illegally. That’s five times the amount you’re protesting. Imagine if even half of that were invested in our schools—into classrooms, special education, and student resources. Think of the position we’d be in.

Fiscal responsibility means making hard choices. You don’t always get what you want—you get what you can afford. If any family or small business managed their budget like the state or federal government, they’d be bankrupt. Taxpayers are expected to live within their means. So should government.

Before you point fingers at Washington, take a look in the mirror. The public sees through the political theater. If you’re serious about helping our schools, start by fixing the budget you control. That’s where real leadership begins.

03/24/2025

📣 The Lunenburg Select Board is calling on Senator Cronin and Representatives Scarsdale and Kushmerek to take immediate action to increase Local Aid to our municipalities.

It’s frustrating that our local leaders have to demand this level of basic advocacy. Why aren’t our elected officials already pushing for these changes? If they are working on it, the public deserves better communication.

We need leaders who show initiative—and keep us informed every step of the way.

📣The Lunenburg Select Board demands advocacy from State Senator John Cronin, State Representative Margaret Scarsdale, and State Representative Michael Kushmerek, and immediate action from the Legislature to increase Local Aid to municipalities.

03/20/2025

🚨 EXPOSED: MSP’s Power Grab & Taxpayer Abuse 🚨
For too long, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) has been operating beyond its authority, imposing illegal mandates, coercing businesses, and misusing taxpayer dollars to expand its control. Today, I am taking a stand.

📢 I have officially submitted formal complaints to both the Massachusetts Attorney General and the State Auditor, demanding a full-scale investigation into MSP’s unlawful overreach, contract coercion, and financial misconduct.

Before I go any further, I want to make one thing very clear:
➡️ I have many friends who are both current and former members of the MSP. This is not about the dedicated men and women who serve with integrity—it’s about the unchecked individuals in leadership who have gone too far, abusing their power and imposing illegal rules that hurt small businesses and waste taxpayer money.

🚨 Here’s what MSP doesn’t want you to know:
✅ MSP is forcing towing companies into contracts under duress—comply or be shut out.
✅ They are unlawfully regulating towing rates, which is the exclusive authority of the Department of Public Utilities (DPU).
✅ They are collecting private consumer financial data without legal justification.
✅ They have spent over $5 MILLION in taxpayer money creating a self-imposed regulatory body that has NO legislative approval.
✅ They are funneling public funds into post-retirement salaries for former MSP officials to enforce policies that should not exist.
✅ Their policies overwhelmingly benefit big insurance companies while crushing small businesses.

The MSP’s job is to enforce the law, not create it. Yet, these unchecked individuals are expanding their power, overstepping their authority, and acting as both the judge and jury when it comes to towing businesses in Massachusetts.

📢 This is bigger than the towing industry.
This is about holding government accountable, stopping overreach, and ensuring that public funds are used for public safety—not political power plays.

I encourage anyone who has been affected by MSP’s regulatory overreach, contract coercion, or financial misconduct to come forward.

🔹 If you support government accountability, SHARE this post.
🔹 If you’re in the towing industry, comment with your experiences.
🔹 If you believe in transparency, demand answers from our state officials.

The truth is out now. They can’t ignore it any longer.

03/10/2025

Lunenburg Needs You!

I’m here at the Citizens Party Caucus, where nominations are being made for key town positions in the May 17th Election. Want to make a difference? There are open seats waiting for strong community voices—maybe yours!

Let me know ASAP if you’d like me to nominate you!

02/25/2025

Why Is Senator Cronin Pushing to End Merit-Based Admissions?

Imagine this: A mobility-impaired student passionate about IT and cybersecurity spends hours mastering coding, troubleshooting networks, and developing digital security skills. Their hard work and dedication earn them top grades and recommendations, preparing them for a future in one of today’s most in-demand fields. But instead of being placed in a program where they can thrive, a random lottery system assigns them to welding or masonry—trades that rely heavily on physical labor and don’t match their abilities or career goals.

Does that sound like equal opportunity? Or is it setting students up to fail?

This is exactly what could happen if Massachusetts moves forward with a blind lottery system for vocational school admissions—removing grades, interviews, and recommendations from the process. Hard work and dedication would no longer matter—only luck would.

And here’s the contradiction: Senator John Cronin—who attended the taxpayer-funded, highly selective West Point—benefited from a system that rewards merit, not chance. West Point doesn’t accept cadets based on luck—they select cadets who’ve proven themselves through hard work, teacher recommendations, interviews, and academic grades. So why is Senator Cronin pushing to eliminate those same principles for vocational schools? Is this really about fairness—or is he following orders?

Why is it acceptable for Senator Cronin to benefit from a system that recognizes effort while telling Massachusetts students that their hard work doesn’t matter? Why should vocational school admissions ignore a student’s academics, teacher recommendations, and interviews when those criteria opened doors for him at West Point? Is it only “fair” to reward hard work when it benefits him?

In the Real World, Success Is Earned—Not Random.
Employers don’t hire through a lottery. They choose the most qualified, dedicated individuals who’ve proven their skills through hard work. Removing merit from vocational admissions sends the wrong message: that effort doesn’t matter. And placing students in trades that don’t match their abilities doesn’t create opportunity—it creates obstacles.

Equal Opportunity Doesn’t Mean Equal Outcome—Especially Without Equal Effort.
Vocational schools should reward students who exhibit strong work ethic, personal responsibility, and a genuine interest in learning a trade. Equal opportunity means giving every student a chance to pursue a career that aligns with their strengths—not guaranteeing the same outcome regardless of effort or behavior. A blind lottery is not the answer.

The Real Problem Is Capacity—Not Admissions.
Vocational schools turn away qualified students because there aren’t enough seats. Instead of lowering standards, we need to expand vocational programs so that every motivated student can pursue their passion. And here’s a solution: Redirect funds from “free community college for all” to vocational schools and workforce retraining programs—helping students learn skills that lead to good-paying, in-demand jobs and retraining those who have degrees that no longer serve them in today’s economy.

We Need More Skilled Workers—Not More Degrees With No Demand.
While free college sounds great, many graduates end up with degrees that don’t lead to jobs. Meanwhile, industries like IT, construction, electrical work, plumbing, and manufacturing are desperate for skilled workers. Expanding vocational education and workforce retraining would prepare students for careers that support their families and strengthen our economy.

So, Senator Cronin—if merit-based admissions were good enough to open doors for you, why slam those doors shut now?

Our kids deserve more than a game of chance—they deserve the opportunity to earn their success through hard work, dedication, and talent. Instead of gambling with their futures, let’s invest in expanding vocational education and creating pathways that reward effort and passion. Because in the real world, success isn’t handed out—it’s earned.

👉 Do you think vocational schools should be allowed to use selective criteria such as attendance, grades, interviews, guidance recommendations, and disciplinary infractions when admitting students? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Last year, a Globe analysis of recently published admissions data found the existing admissions system disproportionately denies marginalized students access to vocational schools.