Alicea is seeking re-election in the 6th Worcester District, comprised of Charlton, East Brookfield, Oxford’s Precinct 2, Southbridge, and Spencer’s Precincts 1 and 4. 

Question 4 is only on the ballot in select legislative districts because the questions supporters could not gather enough signatures to put it on more ballots across the state. That in turn is due to the Question 4’s thin support on a statewide basis. Question 4 directs the state representative to seek approval for $450 million in state lottery aid from the state’s “rainy day” fund. Ironically, it exempts the district’s state Senator from this requirement.

“I am all for sending more local aid to cities and towns and I’ve voted to do just that for this budget cycle when we sent more than $5 billion to our cities and towns,” Alicea said. “Question 4 represents the height of irresponsible budgeting from the party that has already wrecked the economy, and my opponent’s support for it shows how out of touch he is with what’s best for this district.”

“I voted to give the district responsible, sustainable amounts of local aid and not to spend emergency funds that we might need next year because the economy is much worse now,” Alicea continued. “The Republican plan for this emergency money is like using your 401K to buy groceries. You don’t do that unless there is no other choice.”

Alicea explained that during the last legislative session, the Republicans wanted to take $450 million from the state’s rainy day fund as a one time unrestricted payment to the Commonwealth’s 351 cities and towns. That would have left the so called rainy day fund with $1.8 billion in it. 

It is worth noting that during the last recession, the rainy day fund the Republicans wanted to raid this year went from $1.7 billion to $366,000. It is also worth noting that anything paid for with this one-time $450 million payment would be unfunded next year, leaving a $450 million hole in next year’s municipal budgets amidst a weakening economy.

“With the economy as uncertain as it is, I’m glad we did not spend that money in this budget cycle because we may need every dime of it next year,” said Alicea. “I hope we do not, but responsible budgeting in this climate demands that we keep our reserves as high as possible.” 

Alicea said the fact that Question 4 ignores the other legislative branch, the Senate, indicates that the question’s Republican supporters only want to use the question to bash Democrats who voted for responsible budgeting. 

‘The bill was a ruse designed to use against people like me who voted for fiscal responsibility during the budget process,” Alicea said. “The economy was showing signs of weakness when the Republicans introduced the bill and it has only gotten worse since.”