May 26, 2020

Dear Governor Baker,

You’ve no doubt noticed how prominent Massachusetts Democrats have been quick
to criticize any and all efforts to allow the reopening of the Commonwealth’s
businesses.

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley recently took to social media to claim that “policy
decisions that offer a false choice between public health (and) economic recovery
will hurt our communities,” while still other Democrats on Beacon Hill have criticized
your administration directly, accusing you of “deciding how to balance death and
the economy.”

By now, it should be clear: the shutdown of private businesses, large and small, has
given the Democratic Party -- the party of government overreach -- a political
boost. This disastrous pandemic has led to unconstitutional decrees being set in
stone almost overnight, creating what is unquestionably a dream scenario for the
Democrats -- stifle independence, entrepreneurship, and personal responsibility,
and you create a world dependent upon the state.

We write to you today to urge you to push back, publicly, on the Democrats’
demands to keep Massachusetts shuttered.

We write to you today to remind you that the most regulated businesses in the
Commonwealth, our nursing homes, also happen to account for more than 61
percent of all COVID-19-related deaths.

We write to you today to convey the frustrations of small business owners, who
have had to padlock their doors while their big-box competitors across the street
are allowed to remain open.

We write to you today to remind you that the Massachusetts business community
lives and breathes on the ambitions, creativity, and dreams of its residents, but will
die a painful death if it succumbs to the whims of an unelected bureaucracy. These
business owners realize the importance of maintaining a hygienic environment -- if
the public does not trust them and their products, no amount of government
intervention will keep them afloat.
While many Republicans may disagree on the speed of reopening, one area of
common ground we can all agree on is the need to reopen Massachusetts.
Moreover, Senate President Karen Spilka has acknowledged in conversations with
local officials that the Commonwealth faces an $8 billion budget deficit if our
economy remains locked down.

“Do not use the governor's January number when he came out with his budget; it's
simply not relevant anymore,” Spilka told local officials in her district Tuesday night.

This precipitous drop in revenue can only be halted by the reopening of our
businesses. Meanwhile, out-of-work business owners must still somehow find a way
to pay rent, the Commonwealth’s workforce must eventually have to pay an income
and property tax, as well as take care of their families. Democrats like to talk about
fatalities associated with this virus, but still unknown yet just as tragic are the
deaths that will occur due to alcoholism, drug use, and suicide, all of which will be
on the increase as long as residents are forced to lock themselves away.

Ten weeks of lockdowns have been enough. We’ve flattened the curve, prevented
our hospitals from being overwhelmed, and sacrificed our liberties. We’ve watched
as a hyper-partisan media has misfired on their forecasts of doom.

To rebuild our economy, the solution is not more regulations but less bureaucratic
interference. Americans, especially here in Massachusetts, continue to battle this
deadly pandemic and are more than capable of continuing to open the economy
safely.

We support your efforts to continue to aggressively fight the virus and to continue
to reopen Massachusetts.

Sincerely,

Jim Lyons
Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman
Nick Boldyga State Representative 3rd Hampden Southwick

David Decoste State Representative 5th Plymouth Norwell

Peter Durant State Representative 6th Worcester Spencer

Marc Lombardo State Representative 22nd Middlesex Billerica

Joe Mckenna State Representative 18th Worcester Webster

Alyson Sullivan State Representative 7th Plymouth Abington

Mike Case State Committeeman Berkshire,  Washington

Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden

Robin Almgren State Committeewoman Berkshire,  Tyringham

Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden

Robert Aufiero State Committeeman Fifth Middlesex Melrose

Caroline Colarusso State Committeewoman Fifth Middlesex Stoneham

Nancy Stanton-Cross State Committeewoman First Bristol &  Westport 

Plymouth

Richard Baker State Committeeman First Essex &  West Newbury

Middlesex
Amanda Kesterson State Committeewoman First Essex &  Gloucester
Middlesex

Sid Starks State Committeeman First Hampden &  East 

Hampshire Longmeadow

Deborah Martell State Committeewoman First Hampden  Ludlow

& Hampshire

Dennis Galvin State Committeeman First Middlesex Westford

Kathleen Lynch State Committeewoman First Middlesex Westford

Tom Mountain State Committeeman First Middlesex &  Newton

Norfolk

Susan Huffman State Committeewoman First Middlesex  Newton

& Norfolk

Lori Kelly State Committeewoman First Suffolk Boston

Paul Ronukaitus State Committeeman First Suffolk and  Winthrop

Middlesex

Joyce Kelly State Committeewoman First Suffolk  Revere

and Middlesex

Patrick Crowley State Committeeman First Worcester West Boylston

Anthony Ventresca State Committeeman Fourth Middlesex Billerica

Helen Hatch State Committeewoman Fourth  Woburn

Middlesex

Nathan Bech State Committeeman Hampden West Springfield

Marie Bergeron State Committeewoman Hampden West Springfield

Jay Fleitman State Committeeman Hampshire,  Florence

Franklin & Worcester

Mary Lou Stuart State Committeewoman Hampshire,  Northampton

Franklin & Worcester

Todd Taylor State Committeeman Middlesex &  Chelsea

Suffolk

Regina Taylor State Committeewoman Middlesex &  Chelsea

Suffolk

Susan Dunnell State Committeewoman Middlesex &  Hudson

Worcester

Matthew Sisk State Committeeman Norfolk &  Braintree

Plymouth

Kathleen Sullivan-Moran State Committeewoman Norfolk &  Quincy

Plymouth
Thomas Maloney State Committeeman Norfolk & Suffolk Norwood

Lynne Roberts State Committeewoman Norfolk &  Norwood

Suffolk

Patricia Saint Aubin State Committeewoman Norfolk, Bristol  Norfolk

& Middlesex

Steve Fruzzetti State Committeeman Norfolk, Bristol &  Milton

Plymouth

James McMahon State Committeeman Plymouth &  Bourne

Barnstable

David Collins State Committeeman Plymouth &  Weymouth

Norfolk

Janet Fogarty State Committeewoman Plymouth &  Weymouth

Norfolk

Brock Cordeiro State Committeeman Second Bristol &  Dartmouth

Plymouth

Jill Ussach State Committeewoman Second Bristol  New Bedford

& Plymouth

John McCarthy State Committeeman Second Essex Peabody

Ann Richard State Committeewoman Second Essex Beverly

Brian Genest State Committeeman Second Essex &  Dracut
Middlesex

Evelyn Curley State Committeewoman Second Essex  Andover

& Middlesex

Richard Berrena State Committeeman Second Hampden  Holyoke

& Hampshire

Linda Vacon State Committeewoman Second  Holyoke

Hampden & Hampshire

John Miller State Committeeman Second Middlesex Winchester

Danielle MacInnes State Committeewoman Second  Medford

Middlesex

Marty Lamb State Committeeman Second Middlesex  Holliston

& Norfolk

Geoff Diehl State Committeeman Second Plymouth  Whitman

and Bristol

KathyJo Boss State Committeewoman Second  Whitman

Plymouth and Bristol

Steve Aylward State Committeeman Second Suffolk  Watertown

and Middlesex

Debby Dugan State Committeewoman Second Suffolk  Watertown

and Middlesex
Stephen Zykofsky State Committeeman Third Essex Lynn

Amy Carnevale State Committeewoman Third Essex Marblehead

James Dixon State Committeeman Third Middlesex Waltham

Frank Ardinger State Committeeman Worcester &  Lancaster

Middlesex

Susan Smiley State Committeewoman Worcester &  Lancaster

Middlesex

Maureen Maloney State Committeewoman Worcester &  Milford

Norfolk

Michael Valanzola State Committeeman Worcester,  Wales

Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex

Lindsay Valanzola State Committeewoman Worcester,  Wales

Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex

John Cowie RTC Chair Adams

John Moffitt RTC Chair Andover

Jon Fetherston RTC Chair Ashland

Jeffrey Bailey RCC Chair Attleboro

Tommasina Olson RTC Chair Belmont

Jeff McGraw RCC Chair Beverly

Janet King RTC Chair Bolton

Louis Murray RCC Ward Chair Boston

Barbara Bush RTC Chair Boston

Christine Casebolt RTC Chair Boxborough

Bonnie Johnson RTC Chair Boylston

Charles Klauder RCC Ward Chair Chelsea

Michael Benn RTC Chair Concord

Ian Dargin RTC Chair Duxbury

Myles Heger RTC Chair East Bridgewater

Kim Hyland RTC Chair Fairhaven

John Strang RCC Chair Fitchburg

Doug Dawes RTC Chair Georgetown

Ashley Sullivan RCC Chair Gloucester

Steven Melanson RCC Ward Chair Gloucester

John Hashem RTC Chair Groveland

Michele Mills RTC Chair Hanson

Rene Lafayette RTC Chair Hubbardston

Peter Benton RTC Chair Longmeadow

Lynda Clark RCC Ward Chair Lowell

Jerry Leone RCC Chair Malden

Elana Doyle RTC Chair Mashpee

Joseph Dennis McMath RTC Chair Marshfield

Cirino Costa RCC Ward Chair Melrose

Peter Fuller RTC Chair Middleborough

James Hannon RTC Chair Middleton

Elizabeth Kaponya RTC Chair Needham

Linda Allen RTC Chair Newbury

Terry Sack RCC Ward Chair Newton

Joshua Norman RCC Ward Chair Newton

Mark Cestari RCC Ward Chair Newton

Charles Gangi RTC Chair North Andover

Jeffrey Yull RTC Chair North Reading

Richard Merritt RTC Chair Norwell

Raymond Younghans RTC Chair Orange

Peter O'Meara RTC Chair Orleans

Carrie Parker-Piel RCC Ward Chair Quincy

Steven Tougas RCC Ward Chair Quincy

Jean Ulysse RTC Chair Randolph

Daniel Ensminger RTC Chair Reading

Jonathan Ring RTC Chair Rockport

Linda Kaufman RTC Chair Sharon

Jack Barron RTC Chair Southborough

Robert Horacek RTC Chair Southwick

Brian Kennedy RCC Ward Chair Taunton

Ken Pappas RTC Chair Tyngsborough

Elizabeth D'Amato RTC Chair Waltham

John DiMascio RTC Chair Watertown

Virginia Gardner RTC Chair Wayland

Carl Nelson RTC Chair Wellesley

Mark Churchill RTC Chair West 

Bridgewater
Richard Coughlin RTC Chair Weymouth

David Sanders RTC Chair Wilbraham

Steven Miller RTC Chair Williamstown

Daniel Nakamoto RTC Chair Winchester

Paul Caruccio RTC Chair Winthrop

James Duncanson RCC Ward Chair Worcester

Paul Franco RCC Ward Chair Worcester

Jacqueline Kostas RCC Ward Chair Worcester

Mary Hepburn RTC Chair Wrentham

Thomas Beals Member Acton

Mary Farley Member Acton

Michele Calvanese Member Agawam

Luan Giannone Member Andover

Dona Kwolyk Member Andover

Eugenie Moffitt Member Andover

Sean O'Toole Member Andover

Keith Saxon Member Andover

Henry Farnham Member Barnstable

John Shea Member Barnstable

David Sorensen Member Barnstable

Joseph Picone Member Belmont

Carmela Picone Member Belmont

Catherine Umina Member Belmont

John Umina Member Belmont

James Avallon Member Beverly

Paul Fitzgerald Member Beverly

Linda Zuern Member Bourne

William Cargill Member Boxford

Michael Guerin Member Boxford

Jon Sorenson Member Boxford

Brad Wyatt Member Boylston

Adam Lange Member Brewster

Dick Schrader Member Brewster

Jean Fleury Member Brookline

Joanna Gleason Member Brookline

Thomas Luster Member Brookline

Helen Marrone Member Carver

Mariah Hunt Member Clinton

Leah Allen Member Danvers

Mark Mezzina Member Danvers

William Belknap Member Dartmouth

George Writer Member Dedham

Miriam McCaig Member Duxbury

Matthew Skowron Member Easthampton

Kathleen Carter Member Fairhaven

Raymond Gastonguay Member Fitchburg

Mary Lotze Member Fitchburg

David Coffey Member Foxborough

Kathleen Will Member Georgetown

Jeanne Cianciola Member Hanover

Thomas Costello Member Hanover

Nancy Foster Member Hanover

Kathy Miller Member Hanover

Annette Benenato Member Hanson

Jeffrey Hadley Member Harwich

Dean Knight Member Harwich

Irma Lauter Member Hingham

Barbara McAlvin Member Hingham

William Wise Member Hingham

Chryso Lawless Member Holliston

John Coutinho Member Hopkinton

Claire Bonafe Member Hudson

Elizabeth Cahill Member Lancaster

Katie Darwin Member Lawrence

Maria Perez Member Lynn

Richard Wood Member Lynn

Sharon Randall Member Marblehead

Carleton Burr Member Marion

Julie Delillo Member Melrose

Stuart Wingard Member Methuen

George Davey Member Middleborough

Sandra Comastra Member Milford

Margaret Myatt Member Milford

Ann Ragosta Member Milford

Kristina Etter Member Nahant

Claire Dix Member Newbury

Evelyn Noyes Member Newbury

Sande Young Member Newton

Kevin Zurrica Member Newton

Virgina Alfano Member North Andover

Ralph Barbagallo Member North Andover

Marie Barbagallo Member North Andover

Daniel Connelly Member North Andover

Felecia Elias Member North Andover

Paul Gangi Member North Andover

David Hruban Member North Andover

Ryan Losco Member North Andover

Kelly Marie Member North Andover

Helen Mooradkanian Member North Andover

William Swiggart Member North Andover

Anselmo Tabit Member North Andover

Mirtha Tabit Member North Andover

Wendy Wakeman Member North Andover

Debra Tucker Member North 

Attleborough
Patricia Walsh Member North 
Attleborough
Andrew DePatie Member North Reading

Dick Mottolo Member North Reading

Richard Stratton Member North Reading

Linda Stratton Member North Reading

Irene Yull Member North Reading

John Graf Member Peabody

John Medlin Member Pembroke

Jennifer Gavrichev Member Pepperell

Pavel Gavrichev Member Pepperell

Russell Theriault Member Quincy

Dennis Dorandi Member Reading

Lou Valanzola Member Rockland

Diane Parisi Member Rockport

Agatha Bodwell Member Sandwich

Gene Parini Member Sandwich

Mark Snyder Member Sandwich

Carol Vietor Member Scituate

Tina Kasimer Member Sharon

Susan Price Member Sharon

Keri Bouthiller Member Stoneham

Armand Brandao Member Taunton

Bill Coke Member Topsfield

Jeffrey Shaw Member Uxbridge

James Kidd Member Waltham

Stephen  Neffinger Member Ware

George Gardner Member Wayland

Jeffrey Horan Member Wayland

John Toto Member Wayland

Scott Fallavollita Member West Newbury

Kathy Cavaliere Member Westborough

Joseph Considine Member Westborough

Sally Ward Member Westborough

Joseph Fleming Member Weymouth

Mary Hanron Member Weymouth

Marie Stoeckel Member Weymouth

Kelly Richards Member Wilmington

Anthony Conte Member Winchester

Ted Kostas Member Worcester

Karen Seigenberg Member Wrentham