$100K for Fall River Autism Playground Denied, $25K for Boston Cats Approved — Silvia Targeted for Audit Support

Democrat Leadership reduced Fall River State Rep. Alan Silvia’s $100k earmark request for a sensor friendly playground in Fall River developed primary for kids with autism while funding $25,000 for Boston’s Forgotten Felines.

The move is likely in retaliation against Silvia for teaming up with State Auditor Diana DiZoglio in her fight for the 72% voter approved audit. Silvia filed an amicus brief with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) supporting Auditor DiZoglio’s attempt to audit the state Legislature and he voted against a Democrat transparency bill that would have killed any chance of a full legislative audit.

Legislators who supported killing the audit, like Fall River’s Carole Fiola, received full funding for many of her earmarks.

This is not the first time Democrat Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Ronald Mariano has retaliated against Silvia. Years ago, Silvia detailed how he voted against a bill Mariano wanted and the Speaker removed Silva from a committee chairman role costing Silvia $20,000 a year.

Silva hasn’t been given a chairman or vice chairman role in 4 years, costing Silvia $80,000.

Chairman and vice-chairman roles, and the $20,000 that goes with it, have been used as “compliance pay” to ensure Democrats vote along party lines. Since there isn’t any way to punish Silvia, Mariano has moved on to punishing Fall River’s kids with autism.

Democrat leadership fully funded $25k for Boston’s Forgotten Felines, prioritizing cats over Fall River’s autistic youth community.