Friday, Jan 9

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That's gfofundme.com to start your fundraiser. gfofundme.com. This is a commercial message brought to you by GoFundMe >> Corner. >> Without further ado, >> WBSM presents the Vary Richard Show streaming live on WBSM.com and the WBSM app. Call 508996500. Text us using app chat on the WBSM app. Now, the Barry Richard Show. >> All right, welcome back to the program. It is Friday afternoon, hour number two, and it is 107 and we have mostly cloudy skies right now. You just heard some showers uh are expected in a couple of batches, some tonight, some tomorrow, and should be out of here by Sunday. So, uh we'll uh we'll see how that plays out. We'll pass that on to you as we get new information about the weather right through the weekend. So, you can plan your weekend, right? Weather is very important in the weekends and what you're going to do. Um, it's always nice to know that the WPRI TV12 weather center is watching and uh ready to uh keep you informed about the weather. So, all right, a lot of things going on. Watching over my shoulder here um as we speak about the um latest round of um peaceful protests in Minnesota. It's amazing how people get arrested at peaceful protests, right? But they managed to find a way as well as those damned stormtroopers. They just, you know, look for reasons to shoot people and arrest people and so on and so forth. But I guess about a dozen people have been arrested. You know, I'm scanning over the crowd from Minnesota and it appears though a lot of older folks um as we've seen become the norm at some of these rallies, especially the no kings rallies and so on and so forth. So we'll um we'll watch that story for you as well. But here at home, um, new year, final year of the, um, term for the legislators, quite possibly the final year, uh, for Mora Healey as governor. She faces three Republican challengers and one Democrat challenger going into the election year. And the problems continue to mount controversies for Mora Healey. And one of those controversies is DEI hire, a guy by the name of Lamar Cook, who's 45 years old. and he just wow he just happened to be caught allegedly smuggling drugs through the governor's Springfield office back in October and she said shame shame shame and fired him uh and then turned around and gave him like 31,000 plus in compensation for unused vacation days and leave buyback and so on and so forth and then said oopsy daisy that was a mistake didn't mean to do that beyond that she's not saying a whole lot more about it. And Tim Dunn, of course, political reporter for the Boston Herald, has been all over this and some other stuff going up on the hill and he's with me on the line right now. Tim, how are you? >> I'm great, Barry. Thanks for having me. How you doing? >> I'm doing great, thanks. I always appreciate you being with us. So, um, >> sure. >> What's the mood up on the hill these days? A lot of things going on. And I know you wrote this week too about um um Tibet's nut finally being paid off uh her her severance pay or her the balance of her salary that we owed her for the rest of this year. And uh what what's the mood seem to be like right up there right now? >> Well, it's very busy up there now. I mean, it was a a wall during the uh during the the holiday break and the six week break the legislature got, but um it it seems to be uh you know, everyone's getting back into pace and uh you know, as you just mentioned, you know, money seems to be a very generous thing. people are offering around on Beacon Hill to, you know, certain special people. >> Yeah. So, what what about this Lamar um Cook dude? Um so, is is is the administration in panic mode over this or is the press actually chasing her around on this? >> Um well, it seems like mostly, you know, myself at the Herald and um I will give credit to one WBUR reporter, this guy Chris Vanbos Kirk. He's been he actually was asking some questions about it, too. And um but no, for the most part, you know, you don't see the globe asking about it. you don't really see any of the other stations asking about it, but uh the the sentiment I'm getting from them is maybe a quiet panic because it seems that they like they they know they're going to do they're going to deny till they die and fake it till they make it with this thing. But uh this this Lamar Cook thing is really as a journalist the gift that keeps on giving. There's some new update, some new blunder we keep finding with this stuff. And um yeah, this this latest $31,000 payment, you know, as a as a contract buyout, you know, for this guy after he was fired, being arrested for these crazy charges. And we asked the governor myself about that yesterday. And uh you know, she one refused to tell us if, you know, numerous times if anybody had faced any disciplinary action. All she did was say, "We've taken action, but she never said if anyone was fired, anyone was suspended, talked to, we you know, spoken to." Um, the other thing she did was I I I asked her myself. I said, "Governor, uh, is this an acceptable excuse at your level to have a mistake? You're attributing this to a mistake. How is that an acceptable excuse?" And she all she did was really draw back on her time as attorney general and how uh gungho she is about prosecuting bad guys and blah blah blah. >> Yeah. Right. So, Lamar, where is he right now? Is he is he in jail or is he free or do you know? The last we had was that the um that the I think it was just yesterday he got his bail denied still. And it's probably for many reasons. I mean, right, we also reported this week that right before he got arrested, he was about $10,000 in credit card debt. He uh the governor's office tried retrieving these funds that they paid out to him mistakenly. And they they said when they went to go get the funds, surprise surprise, he had insufficient funds in his two accounts and they couldn't get it back. And um you know, it's just it kind of goes on and on, but as of right now, he's sitting in he's still in jail in the county in the Hampton County jail out in Springfield. >> Well, he's got enough money to get his bail paid, right? And >> or at least pay a lawyer or something. >> Yeah. So, how does this happen? And what is the process, Tim, for this? Um does he have to put in a claim for that buyback? Did he put in a claim and say, "Hey, you guys owe me this much money?" >> The thing that's crazy, Barry, is no. He they just gave it to him. That was a that was a standard I guess if you know for any non you know any any employees who who aren't terminated with with cause they would get that you know as a standard practice. You get your whole vacation and then 20% of your sick time which we actually cover with other employees in our um tax dollars at work series we're doing here at the Herald. And that's ridiculous enough. I mean that's unheard of in the uh in the private sector. Usually it's you lose it or you you use it or you lose it. And um and so he was getting that and but it's clearly written as the as the governor's office told us and and not only their protocol but state life if you're fired for cause you're you're you're not entitled to that. And apparently somebody made an error and paid it to them anyways and so far they can't get it back. You know, we had a former speaker of the house, Salamy, um probably while you were still in grade school who wound up going to uh prison and he lost his uh his pension and and all that. He wound up getting sick and dying and his wife actually went to court trying to fight to get the money and she she was unsuccessful. I mean, so clearly um you know, there are rules about this kind of stuff. So, who's what who would have made this decision on it? would that been the treasur's office? >> So they all the governor's office did was attribute it to an error in the human resources department. Um you know of you know you can blame somebody lower. >> Yeah. >> Um so I guess that's where the mistake lies. But as you just mentioned with pension barrier interestingly actually we've been uh me and my boss have been talking at the Herald with a pension expert. We're trying to get some more information and we're we're going to start digging. But according to him you know Massachusetts is a very tough state to take pension away. So, he still very well may get a pension. It's not confirmed, but wow. >> You know, that that could be the next update here. >> So, it's possible he could keep this money. >> Yeah, he might he might get paid for life despite trafficking cocaine. >> Wow. All right. So, um the other DEI hire, Monica Tibbitz nut, uh something happened with her. She was um from what I'm hearing from from what Holly Robot tells me, she was led out of there um escorted out of the building when she was let go. Um, so I don't know whether that's true. She she said I have no proof of that, but that's what I hear. But anyway, they parted ways. Tibbit Nut and and Moraley, she left and we vowed to pay her the rest of her salary, which is what, over $200,000. And >> yeah, $26,000, Barry. She what happened with her and I I can't confirm what Holly said either. Uh but I what I do know is that um you know last year and and since she got appointed the transportation secretary back in 2023 she had been a bit controversial and actually you know I'd probably describe it as a headache for the Healey administration. She uh right out out the gate in 2023. She pitched an idea that was not approved by Governor Healey to put tolls at the New Hampshire border and that was then the governor had to walk back after people were rightfully so outraged and same with New Hampshire. they were outraged. And then uh in 2024, in late 2024, uh she had this this meeting uh she had she had a meeting with these constituents. And she was just very pro, you know, had a lot of provocative language was was, you know, demeaning truck drivers and and and uh and high, you know, high and low gasoline per mileage, you know, vehicle users. And she was uh, you know, threatening to use her authority as as a special power and and all these different things. and uh the governor had to walk back those comments, but she still kept her position. Now, you go to a uh service plaza deal on on the highway. I believe it was on I think it was the Mass Pike. It was supposed to be for a service plaza deal with the state. >> Yeah, it was the Pike. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. She had favored a company that was found to have, you know, the rival company would have had a better uh deal for the taxpayers. The company she chose would have cost taxpayers $900 million. And and after all these blunders in October 2025, Healey had uh demoted her to uh a senior advisor role, which you know, I've heard some say, I can't confirm, I heard some say it's pretty much a do nothing role, and she could keep her secretary salary of $26,000. >> Yeah. Unbelievable the the crap that goes on. In fact, you wrote extensively about this in the Herald this week, and folks can find it uh online. Uh it disgraced former transportation secretary Monica Tibbit's not officially off state payroll. Well, thank goodness for that. Uh, so the legislaturator's back up on the hill and I guess next week they got a whole bunch of stuff going on um, uh, in terms of taxation and I guess the the local option tax going to come up in the Senate. Um, that would give local communities uh, the opportunity to raise more taxes, including a 5% tax on the excise tax uh, that they charge people to. I guess there's also a um uh an opportunity to increase the meals tax and the hotel tax and so on and so forth. Um what are you hearing up there on the hill? Is there any any you know anybody talking positively about this stuff? >> I haven't heard anything much yet. I mean I know uh the Senate President Karen Stilka did release a a press release and this was for all the tax bills they have they're scheduling debate for next week as you mentioned. Um, no, not not much movement yet in my end on uh on different, you know, in specific state senators or any other legislators. But yeah, one of the big one of the big uh ticket items on that debate for, you know, local property taxes, it has to involve also with the 13% hike that Mayor Woo installed in Boston. You got a lot of reaction from there. So, there's going to be there should be a good debate to follow next week. >> Yeah. And that's one that needs um that needs legislative approval, right? The uh the property tax increase that she's seeking. Yeah. And that could set a precedent. >> I do have a I do have one quote actually from a local legislator from state senator Michael Rodriguez. He was included in this press release as I'm seeing and uh he's quoted as saying these local options have real impact on increasing affordability for everyday base. Uh I am I am proud the Senate is prioritizing these common sense measures in our first major act of the new year particularly as the cost of living, home values, and household expenses continue to skyrocket. That was Michael Rodriguez. Yeah, he's a he's a Westport guy and he represents Fall River and the people in Fall River are just rolling around in dough so they can uh they can afford a 13% uh you know property tax on on their on their abodess, right? And because this would be a precedent setting thing. I mean if this passes then why couldn't other communities do the same thing? >> Exactly. Exactly. >> And uh so you know the good folks in New Bedford and Fall River and elsewhere I can expect to see some of that too. Um you know a lot of things going on. I mean, we're seeing investigations now into uh uh SNAP and daycare and all of these other things in other states. And I guess there are five hot states right now that the Department of Justice is looking at. We're not one of them. Um but we certainly know that there anybody who knows anything about anything knows there's fraud in Massachusetts just because there's fraud everywhere. Whenever you have these kind of entitlement programs, there's fraud there. Um so I guess they they've got to start putting their budget together. the more healy's got to get her budget together and she's looking at um a reduction in federal money for some of these u some of these programs and um so what is the the word up there that you're hearing in terms about a budget coming up? Is she going to she talking about any cutbacks or uh um anything that's going to change uh over what they've been doing? Maybe going after the rainy day account what about $9 billion in the rainy day account. What's the other scuttle budget here? So, not not too much action on that yet. We we we did get told by her press people we should we should expect to start hearing things next week, but uh I think they're having a you know they're kind of getting back into the new year themselves and everyone's getting back from vacation and you know how much they love vacation up in Beacon Hill. Um they you know she did make some announcements regarding other things that aren't really budgetary actually. She she's investing millions of dollars. I think the number is 250 is what where we asked her these questions yesterday at this press conference she had about uh making a um an optin affordable care act uh part of the u part of the health connector here. It's kind of you know just because of the federal government canceling out those subsidies for the affordable care act. So she's making that possible with that much money here. But that's really the only kind of budget related thing she's brought up lately. But I again we should expect to get into that next week. But on the front of of uh of the fraud stuff that you were saying, Barry, is we actually are going to be investigating some suspicious things in Massachusetts when it comes to fraud. Um just as an example of stuff I'm looking into, uh there's uh a few different um places in Boston. There's uh one of them is the Somali Elders and Children's Network. I looked up. Incredibly, they have that business where you think people would need to go into that's in apartment 3B. I forget the name of the apartment complex, but it's across the street from TUS Medical and there's two other businesses that provide all kinds of kinds of services. So, there's things if you really look into the um you know, the Secretary of State's office website with all the listings of uh different entities. A lot of kind of suspicious similar to Minnesota stuff going on in Massachusetts. Another thing is daycarees. You know, there's like I think like over 4,000 or 5,000 daycarees in a 20 mile radius in Boston. It's it it equates to something ridiculous with how many daycarees there would be available. And so we are looking into this stuff. >> Wow. Well, I mean anywhere where you have a a large number of people that are getting entitlements um there's, you know, certainly going to be the opportunity for for fraud and and various other things. And you know, we always see that um um every quarter the um the auditor Daglio and and the auditor is prior to her too. It's not just exclusive to her, but they release a um a report on on food stamp fraud and and all that kind of stuff and how much money people were trying to get away with. And we see uh we see millions of dollars. And again, I apologize. I don't recall whether it was your reporting or somebody else's on the um uh the Haitian uh store owners. What was it a $7 million snap fraud in two two Boston area stores that was going on? Um >> yeah. Yeah, that was our um that was our reporter Lance Reynolds. He's a he's a new young reporter. been there um he's been there for a couple years and uh no he took the lead on that. He he nailed it. It was yeah about $7 million and um that in the Haitian snap broad they ran it out of a store probably smaller than the studio you're sitting in, you know, and uh and they they made all sorts of money off off of that fraud. So it does exist here. It does exist here. >> Can't wait can't wait for Bond's office to get here. Tim Dunn, great work as always. Keep it up. Keep um keep letting me know what you're working on and we'll get you on the air as much as possible. Otherwise, we'll plan on next Friday at 1 o'clock. Yeah, it sounds good to me, Barry. Looks forward to it. >> All right, we'll do it. Thanks, Tim. Appreciate it. Good work. Thanks, >> All right, we finally got somebody biting into the rear ends of these folks up in Boston and Beacon Hill and um and uh he's uh um I think he's going to do do a good job this year for us and he's he's going to be right here on the air with us filling us in on everything that's going on. Between him and Holly Robashad, I think we locked out. 5089960500 is our number. Let me grab the break. We'll come in right. Imagine if today was the day your idea changed someone's life. Imagine if you could help someone pay for college. Help your community build a new playground or help a child make it to that dream competition. With GoFundMe, it's all possible. GoFundMe is the world's number one fundraising platform, trusted by over 190 million people. Every week, ordinary people meet their goals and do extraordinary things. Your ideas matter. GoFundMe isn't just for emergencies. Want to raise money for your kids' soccer team or raise funds for a small business, a creative project or event? GoFundMe helps you turn ideas into reality. And help adds up. Fundraisers you start for someone else raise up to five times more. So think right now who could use your help. Change rarely comes from waiting. It comes from someone deciding today I'll start. Don't wait for someone else to bring change. Today start your fundraiser in just minutes at gofundme.com. That's gofundme.com to start your fundraiser. gofundme.com. This is a commercial message brought to you by GoFundMe. >> Hi, I'm Vanessa Williams and I want to share with you the role that diabetes has had in my family. I lost my grandmother at the early age of 64 due to complications with diabetes. She was warm, generous, and a constant encouragement for me to follow my heart. And did you know that African-Ameans experience chronic kidney disease at a rate that's 25% higher than white Americans? And we're almost four times more likely to develop kidney failure. Diabetes and high blood pressure are leading causes of kidney disease, which can result in kidney failure, needing dialysis, or a kidney transplant. The good news is that you have the power to check out how well your kidneys are doing and learn ways to prevent them from failing. So go to your doctor and get yourself checked out. Visit linkbyloetv.org to learn more. Get the facts, get checked, and get help. >> Back to Barry Richard on WBSM. Call 508996500. [Music] >> Together we learn to read and write. A child is black. The child is white. The whole world looks upon her side. A beautiful side. >> All right, welcome back. 126 on a Friday afternoon. So Dan Bonino is reporting on a um letter which he has posted on his page here uh indicating that Minnesota Governor Tim Walsh and the Attorney General Keith Ellison um have officially been referred to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation and prosecution over the fraud in Minnesota. And um interesting to hear from Tim Dunn just a few moments ago that um the Herald is looking into the possibility of the very same type of fraud going here uh involving uh Somali run daycare in Massachusetts. and I'll be looking forward to hearing more about the um about the results of their investigation. Um you know, you're talking with Tim about some of the bills expected to come up next week and there's another one that is scheduled for a hearing. I'm not sure what day it is, might be Thursday. um on a bill that was uh um filed. It's the brainchild of Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Cream. Cynthia Stone Cream uh whose district includes Brooklyn, Newton, and Welssley. She 82 years old. She's filed legislation based on laws she says have been adopted in Colorado and Minnesota that reduce vehicle miles while addressing environmental concerns. She's looking essentially for the state to set limits on the use of private vehicles. Is actually coming up for a hearing next week in Massachusetts. the People's Republic thereof, right? Legislation that would restrict the amount of miles and hours that you can operate your vehicle, your motor vehicle. Again, she says um similar legislation has been um approved in uh Colorado and Minnesota. Cynthia Cream, in case you didn't know, was a Democrat. Maybe we're not able to figure that out. Uh her legislation is an act aligning the Commonwealth's transportation plans with its mandates and goals for reducing emissions and vehicle miles traveled. It's the name of her bill. It's a bill S2246. If you want to look it up, it's S.2246. A summary of CRE's bill says it would require the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's uh transportation plans to provide a reasonable pathway to compliance with our emissions limits for the transportation sector. Otherwise, it would have to be amended to include greater investment in public transit, bike and pedestrian infrastructure or other clean transportation objects or uh options, not objects. Um, CRE's bill establishes an inter agency coordinating council similar to the existing coordinating council for EV charging infrastructure to come up with a whole of government plan to reduce vehicle miles traveled and increase access to transportation options other than personal vehicles. Cream told a hearing of the telecommunications, utilities, and energy committee earlier this year. Colorado and Minnesota have adopted similar requirements which have successfully reoriented their transportation plans toward a responsible balance of investment in highway, public transit, and active transportation projects. We could do the same thing here, she said. She said electric vehicles are quote certainly a major piece of the puzzle but cautioned against over reliance on any single decarbonization strategy. So what do you think about this? A a a a piece of legislation coming up next week for debate. um a whole of government plan to reduce vehicle miles traveled and increase access to transportation options other than personal vehicles. So the this woman is 82 years old. She's but she's um the Senate majority leader. She's got clout. She's been around for a long time. She's got a lot of supporters. is proposing legislation to reduce the amount of miles that you can put on your car. The the number of hours that you can drive your car, the number of miles. Now I my guess would be I mean this is just purely speculation. You would be um monitored somehow maybe through some type of transponder or whatever and they would be able to record the number of miles that you travel. And after you've reached your allotted number of miles, you would either be assessed a massive tax or um I don't know, who knows? Maybe the transponder can shut your car off. So, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts can't get the trains to run on time, can't figure out how to keep um accused drug traffickers from uh getting vacation day payouts of $32,000. Can't figure out how to just say no to criminal illegal aliens. But we can figure out how many miles that you ought to drive in your personal private car. I I would imagine there are many ways to um enforce this. If you are in violation or you do not pay whatever fines or whatever, they can refuse to renew your license. They can refuse to renew your registration. Is this the kind of government you want running your state? Is this the kind of state you want to live in? I mean, this is the administration and the Democrat party in Massachusetts that um wants to tell you what kind of uh furnace or what time type of uh energy you can heat your home with, how to construct your home, uh you know, so on and so forth. I mean, it's non-stop. everything they they want to demand of you. Demand that you have to pay for electric charging stations as part of your utility bill and and so on and so forth all the way down the line. And now they want to monitor how many miles, how far you go with your car, what is your usage of your car so that they can penalize you for violating what they say is a proper number of miles to drive. Is this what you want? 5089960500 you're next in WBSM. Good afternoon. >> Hey Barry, good afternoon. Good to talk to you my friend. >> Thank you. >> Um, thank you. Hey Barry and happy new year. >> Happy New Year to you as well. Thank you. >> Thank you Barry. Hey so you know this I'm getting I am beyond frustrated with the state and I'm I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here. But you just brought up something once again nailing the the hardworking voter again. I should say the hardworking taxpayer. They they want to take I I commute 120 miles a day. That's where I make my money. I have to do that. So, in order to pay these ridiculous electric and gas bills and everything else that comes with this stupid state, I've got to travel that way to make this money to have a halfway decent living because I'm nervous about paying the next bill. And these fools and all I don't know why they want to do something like this are continuing to try to bury us the hardworking hardworking taxpayer and if I cannot for the life of me figure it out but I am beyond frustrated and I am surprised nobody's snapped yet because I'm looking at these gas and electric bills that people have to pay including my own and it's going to push people over the edge. How are people doing it that are on fixed incomes? How can they how can we survive in this damn state anymore? You know, >> let me ask you this. If this if this thing becomes law and there becomes a limit on how many miles you can drive your car each year, um would you be able to do your job? >> I would I would I would be at be to answer your question. I I I'm getting ready to retire now. And this is the scarier part about that. The scariest part is because now I just got my highest gas and electric bill I've ever gotten in my life. >> Wow. And I am I I'm a conservy beyond my budget. And I said to my wife, if they continue this in this state, and it's the politicians and the people that vote for him. If this continues, I am going to be forced to move out of the state I was born in, raised in, went to school in, I moved away from, and came back to. This sucks. And I hate it because I'm at a point where I can still move because I'm that age. But what about the folks that can't? What about the folks that can't afford to pack up and go? But they'll lose their homes. The politicians are screwing us. And I'm I I'm beyond frustrated. I don't even know what to do. If there was a group I could be part of and storm that storm the Beacon Hill, I would. I am beyond frustrated because they're burying us, Barry. And I I listen to you all the time. I know you share my frustration. A lot of other people do. What do we do about it is the question. >> I you know um the the very first thing you know what the most frustrating part about it is there are not enough people like you. And um and I sit here every day trying to tell people um that they should pay attention to this stuff. And unfortunately um the next election rolls around and the same people get elected over and over and over again. And the politicians know that. They understand that the voters don't care enough. They don't pay attention enough and they're going to go out and just keep voting for them over again and over again. So I don't I wish I could sit here and say here's this the you know the silver bullet. Here's what to do. Here's what we can do. Um, but unless you can get people to actually go to the polls and vote for somebody that is not going to do these things to us, that's going to reform, you know, here we are looking at the budget, right? So, um, we just we just had a budget. They passed a budget back in July, right? They had to pass two more supplemental budgets to get through the fiscal year. Nowhere did they cut taxes. Nowhere did they, you know, cut spending or anything like that. and they're coming back and they want to raise taxes. They're going to raise local option taxes. They're going to, you know, the property tax. They're going to give Michelle Woo a 13% property tax on homeowners. And you know damn well if she gets it, everybody else in the state's going to get it. Um 5% excise or 5% tax on your excise tax. Um and and now they're going to tell you how many miles you can drive and if you drive more than that, they're going to tax you on that. people. I don't know what it takes to get people angry or to get people to get involved in the system, but until we can do that, we're we're screwed. >> Exactly. Two things, Barry. I honestly believe, and I'm not conspiracy theorist kind of guy. I believe that in this state, if you look at the way it's gone for years and years and and the lack of Republicans or any other independent in in office, I believe the elections are rigged in this state. And and I don't put it past any one of these crooked these crooked uh politicians to be a part of that. I just don't look at the speakers of the house. How many we've had been indicted and gone to jail. There's there's a problem in the state and I believe they've got the the corner on it and they know that and we're going to get walked on. So I love the idea of people going out to vote. What Democrat goes out and votes now and thinks this is these are great ideas. All in the name of what? Climate change. Go to India. Go to China. I've been there. There there's this spoon. >> Well, you know, here's another part of the problem. I got to move on to the next call. But here's another part of the problem. When you do get people excited enough to go out and vote for like say an audit, um 72% go out and vote for an audit, the governor and the attorney general say, "Sorry, we're not going to do that." >> And they just totally defy the vote. Now, do you think that anybody is going to The attorney general will not enforce the law. Do you think she'll get reelected? I'll bet she gets elected in a landslide. Do you think the governor is going to get reelected? I'll bet you the governor wins in a landslide. Um so what do you do? You pack up and you move. I And I'm with you on that. The only reason I can't go anywhere right now is I've got uh elderly in-laws and thank God they're still with me, but they're in their 90s and we just can't say, "Well, we're moving to Arizona or whatever because uh you know, we need to take care of them." But I'd be with you. I'd be packing and I'd be moving along with you if I could. >> And Barry, I'm in the same boat as taking care of an in-law living or in my house and and one of us has to be here all the time and that's what I'm doing now. But and that's why I'm retiring and it's they're just cornering us and I'm Barry I hate it. I hate the fact that politicians are forcing me to leave my state. That burns me on my backside so bad. But thank you for the time, Barry. >> Appreciate your call. And the doctor is in. That'll be 5 cents, please. And if you feel the need to vent, that's what I'm here for. Thank you, my friend. 5089960500. You're next on WBSM. Good afternoon. >> Hi, Barry. Hi. Somebody else. Somebody else to vent. Um, let's see. Just got my gas and electric bills. $1,100 for a single family cape and that >> wow I got well I got talked into those mini splits okay by the government you know big refunds this and that they're horrible and electric >> wow >> so then um of course the taxes in good old yepy manipo said I'm paying over $8,000 for a single family cake over $8,000 now that just jumped up >> can you believe it >> yeah well wait now if if the if the if the legislature votes to let Michelle Woo impose a 13% property tax on local um property owners in Boston. That's going to be that's precedent setting. So the rest of the state cities and towns are going to be able to do that too. So are you ready for that? What would that mean to you? A 13% property tax. >> Well, it's just unbelievable. I do the same thing as you. I'd be looking to move. Unfortunately, like you, I have family members here. I have grandkids and kids here. So, you know, I don't want to go all alone down to Florida and then not see my grandkids. So, I'm kind of in the same boat. >> So, then what do we do? We go we got to formulate a plan. We got to do something else, right? We've got the Democrat party has every statewide office in this state, right? They've got the two US Senate seats. They've got every single um seat in the House of Representatives. They've got uh a um a super majority in the legislature. Um, they've got the governor, they've got the treasurer, they've got the lieutenant governor, they've got the auditor, they've got the secretary of state. So, what do we do? I mean, um, we need to do something, but we need to get turn our anger into action and we got to get rid of these people. >> Too many people work for the state or they're in the elite unions. I mean, you're just really swimming upstream. >> Unbelievable. Good luck to you, my friend. Appreciate it. 5089960500 $1,100. E, you're next in WBSM. Thanks for hanging on. >> Well, it's like I've said on your program before, you mean the state's telling us how to live by putting things in like electric charging stations in a garage even though I don't own an electric car. Why am I not surprised on this? But getting back to your question about doing something, what the problem is is once I' and I've said this before, we need almost like a messiah, meaning somebody to lead the charge because there's money involved to be able to pull this all together to remind people weeks leading up to election time, hey, look, these guys did this, this, and this. And once again, you know, I'm independent, but once again, you know, the Republicans are not, you know, taking charge of using these things as examples of why they got to kick these people out because I think we've had this conversation where they don't want to make any noise because they like their little cushy location that they are in the state right now. They don't want to get pushed out by, you know, Democrats against them. So, they're kind of keeping quiet, but still, you got to they got to do something because, you know, we're all going to be paying the price. And I'm willing to bet on this car thing, somehow the politicians are going to write the laws in such a way where they're not going to get charged because what happens if I take the car, I want to go to Rhode Island. >> Well, it was like Yeah, it was like Obamacare, right? The the legis the the Congress passed Obamacare, but they were exempt from it. We had to buy it, but we they were exempt from it. Of course, we've got to travel to work every day at the state house and we're important people. So, we are exempt from this. We shouldn't have to have limits. That's of course >> you want to go on vacation. You say you want to go to see visit the White Mountains and all. Now, never mind thinking about the money. Now, you got to start think about, hang on, how much mileage do we have left to play with. >> That's that's a new game. Yeah. >> You follow what I'm saying? >> Yep. Yep. And it's like, okay, so now that's going to hurt tourism Massachusetts because hell, why am I going to want to go to Plymouth if all of a sudden, nope, I need x number of miles so I can be able to go back and forth to my job. >> Yeah, sorry, Nanny. You got to walk to the doctor today because I don't have any more miles on my car. I just can't do it >> right. You know, because I'll probably figure that they'll nail you is when it comes to inspection time. That'll be the easiest way to figure out your mileage because they have to mark it when you go for your sticker. So, I'm figuring they'll go, "Okay, so January 1st you had, you know, uh 100,000 miles and and all you're allowed is, you know, to do say, you know, uh thousand miles on >> Well, they they use the transponders. Yeah, they use the transponders on the highway, too. I mean, you go you drive up to Logan Airport and you get a thing in the mail uh you know, a couple of weeks later saying, "You owe us so much money for uh because we you know, we scanned your your license plate." And uh it wouldn't take too much to be able to to do that. And you get bills, you know, coming in left and right for everything. Um the government is too big. It's corrupt as hell. And it is too much into our business right now. We have got to break the strangle hold of the Democrat party in this state. >> Take money because you're going to have to put be able to pay for like uh the billboards going to Boston when it comes election time. Hey, don't forget this one did this and this one did that. Are you happy? Elections coming up. decide to vote, you know, for Jane Doe or Joe SMO or whatever, you know, you got to do it. You the people need to be reminded as what's been said before, you know, short-term memory, but you've got to bring up that anger again around election time, you know, and that's the only way you're going to get these people out. Thank you, my friend. I got to hold you there. I got to get a break and 5089960500. Stay right there. Your calls are important. They're >> Imagine if today was the day your idea changed someone's life. Imagine if you could help someone pay for college. Help your community build a new playground or help a child make it to that dream competition. 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This is a commercial message brought to you by GoFundMe. >> Why? >> As a veteran of the United States military, I can finally get the opportunity to enjoy special events like a date with my wife or going out together with my family and friends. Things that we couldn't afford thanks to Vectics. Every empty seat at a concert, a game, motorsports, or a play is a missed opportunity to say thanks to a veteran and service member. We can help. We can give our veterans a special event where they too can create their own cherished memories. Find out how by visiting www.vetix.org. [Music] That's www.vetix.org. Find out how you can make a difference in a veteran's life. >> Back to Barry Richard on WBSM. Call 508996500. [Music] Oh, it's so nice to be with you. >> Indeed it is. 150 on a Friday afternoon. 5089960500 is our number. Let's grab another call. You are next. Thanks for hanging on. >> Hi Barry. First of all, with you. Happy New Year. >> Thank you. Happy New Year. >> First time I've spoken, first time I've spoken to since then. So, I have a class C camper and I like to get in the camper with my wife and we travel across the country to go see those great places that you went to see when you traveled uh in that rental camper. So, as soon as I leave the state, how does how does the state of Massachusetts have jurisdiction over how many miles I travel once I leave the state? >> I don't think they would. I think this would be um for miles traveled on Massachusetts roads because they wouldn't have Yeah. They don't have the jurisdiction to tax you outside of their borders. >> Yeah, that's right. So, how you know how unfair this is? Like when I was growing up, I didn't have this kind and I was able to travel and throughout Mass to conduct my business back in the day when I ran the business, you know, when I I'm I'm retired now. So all these young people that are working in Massachusetts, they this is another tax, this is just another money grab for and the young people who who don't vote or many times vote uh Democratic, they should wake up. You know, they're not inheriting the same America of freedom, liberty that we did. Every time they're restricted at everything they do, every time they turn around, there's someone slapping a a new tax on them, a new requirement, they should be in total revolt. And if they don't do that, you know, and by the way, like my wife and I, we have I have we have the class C camper, but I have a pickup truck that I drive and my wife has her car. So, let's say if I we start getting close on the car because we use the car a little bit more than my pickup truck, then I can just switch over to the pickup truck and and and mile that out. This is stupid. I mean, there's so many workarounds to this and and it's so unfair to the young people. We didn't have all these re stupid restrictions. You know, you you >> Well, you know, it's like um it's it's like they say about socialism, right, which we're seeing taking hold in this country now. You're seeing it in New York and you're seeing it in Massachusetts. You're seeing it all over the place. uh you vote your way in and then you got to shoot your way out. Well, the people of Massachusetts voted for this stuff. I didn't vote for it, but they did. Enough people did. Um and uh it continues. They they continue to expand their their reach here in Massachusetts. And unless we do something, and I'm not advocating violence at all, but you know, it's funny. You see all of these people that are out on the streets hey ho hoing all week long against ICE and everything else. Why are there not people heyi ho hoing about mileage taxes and uh you know uh paying money to uh this this drug guy that's sitting in jail uh you know buying his vacation days out. Why why nobody protesting all of that kind of stuff? Uh when you don't protest and you don't vote or you don't vote against them, they just take that as a um you know as a a nod of approval. They they must like what we're doing. We keep doing it. One other thing before we we we've already argued that uh a couple days ago you were doing a whole thing about the Dartmouth Mall and I'm sitting here in my workshop right now just taking a break cuz I'm retired. I'm looking at a Pioneer Boom Box. >> Oh my god. Yep. Yep. >> A Pioneer Boom Box that I bought in 1978. It was the first big thing I bought would cost 270 bucks. >> Wow. In >> 197 That was a lot of money back then. Yep. >> I bought a Nantucket Sound in the Dartmouth Mall. Remember Nan Tucket Sound? >> I certainly do. You know, we actually had a discussion about this a while ago, maybe a year or so ago on the air about the old days and and how we had our speakers and and you blow the windows out and you know, your mother and father would scream at you and everything, but you could hear your music all over the neighborhood. Listen, my friend, let's pick this up another day cuz I'd like to uh to do that, but I've got to get a break in and wrap up the hour. Appreciate your call. Thank you. 5089960500 is our number. And I just want to let you know that if you are looking to buy, sell or rent, you can make it happen with Leforce Realy and Swift Beach real estate. Laforce Realy offers a free market analysis and a triage list to help you get the most value out of your property. With decades of experience in both construction and real estate, President Bill Bashant and his team, well, they know how to help you get the best deal possible. They specialize in vacation rental properties and are now taking listings for both seasonal and yearly rentals. Hey, you know what? Before long, you'll be looking for that summer cottage trade. Uh, put your needs first with Leforce Realy because you're their number one priority. Get started today at least.com. That's the force realy.com. They're also accepting new agents right now as well. And please, when you contact my friends and particularly Bill, tell them Barry sent you, won't you do that? All right, quick break. We're coming right back, stay with us. >> All right, 159 on a Friday afternoon. Well, if you were blasting those pioneer speakers back in the day, uh, chances are this one of the songs from the 1970s that would have come out. Rattling the windows, rattling the walls, rattling your mom and dad's heads. RIGHT. TURN OUR MUSIC DOWN NOW. EVERYBODY LISTENS to music on their cell phones and with their, you know, earbuds or or, you know, stuff like that. Whatever happened in the days of big speakers with bass and woofers and tweeters and all that kind of stuff, people don't appreciate good music anymore, I guess. I don't know. All right, 5089960500 is the uh is the phone number. And we're going to pause for the news at 2 and we'll check with ABC. Double check with my