House · Democrat

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

Former member, served 2015–2022 in the sessions covered here · 16th Middlesex

Data through FY2026; built October 19, 2026.

Residence

Lowell

First elected

House 1994

Occupation

Legislator and Realtor.

Left office

left to take office: City Manager of Lowell, Massachusetts (term began April 11, 2022) (by April 11, 2022)

Seats held, General Courts 189–194 (the FY2017–FY2026 budgets)
Session	Chamber	District	Lines
189th (2015–16)	House	16th Middlesex	2011 lines
190th (2017–18)	House	16th Middlesex	2011 lines
191st (2019–20)	House	16th Middlesex	2011 lines
192nd (2021–22)	House	16th Middlesex	2011 lines

Posts and stipends

Thomas A. Golden, Jr. was paid $178,376 in leadership and committee stipends from 2016 to 2022.

Posts and stipends by session (stipends by calendar year)
Session	Posts	First year	Second year
189th (2015–16)	Chair, Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy	not available	$7,500
190th (2017–18)	3rd Division Chair	$30,000	$30,000
191st (2019–20)	3rd Division Chair	$32,496	$32,496
192nd (2021–22)	Title not in the roster records; a stipend was paid	$34,085	$11,799

Posts: the Legislature’s leadership and roster records as compiled for this project; where those name no post, the member’s committee chair, vice-chair and ranking roles from the Legislature’s member profiles. Stipends: additional compensation in the Comptroller’s payroll data (CTHRU dataset 9ttk-7vz6), 2016–2026; 2026 is the year to date. Stipends for 2015 are not available. Base salary is not included.

The district

16th Middlesex on its 2011 lines: 2 cities and towns, 44,714 residents (2020).

Lowell 73%, 28% of the town · Chelmsford 27%, 34% of the town

Percentages are each place’s share of the district’s 2020 residents; for a town split between districts, the share of the town inside this one follows.

Population-weighted Fairness Index of the district’s cities and towns: 60 for all state aid and 47 for discretionary money (50 is a fair share).

Local earmarks are counted three ways. District money uses the first, clauses that name a place in the district; the second table adds organizations located in the district (placed in the district) and state facilities located there (everything placed). Three ways to count a local earmark.

District money, first measure: enacted earmarks in clauses naming a place in the district, by session (district money, not the member’s)
Session	District	Dollars	In corrective clauses	Per resident per budget, rank	Without corrective clauses, rank
189th (2015–16)	16th Middlesex	$162,000	$0	$3.62 · 58th of 160	$3.62 · 56th of 160
190th (2017–18)	16th Middlesex	$418,000	$0	$4.67 · 61st of 160	$4.67 · 61st of 160
191st (2019–20)	16th Middlesex	$493,000	$0	$5.51 · 40th of 160	$5.51 · 38th of 160
192nd (2021–22)	16th Middlesex	$737,000	$0	$8.24 · 58th of 160	$8.24 · 54th of 160

District money is where enacted earmarks land, by the place a clause names, mapped to districts by 2020 population; it is not attributed to the member and does not include leadership’s base-text money that names no place. Ranks are of district money per resident among the chamber’s districts, 1 = most. “In corrective clauses” is the part carried by a Ways and Means chair’s corrective amendments, which is leadership’s money; the last column gives the per-resident figure and rank without it. Sessions are labeled by the General Court that enacted each budget. Per-resident figures use the district as drawn for each session (2011 lines through the 192nd General Court, 2021 lines from the 193rd), so they will not equal a session’s dollars divided by the resident count above.

The same district on the other two measures, by session (enacted; includes any corrective-clause money)
Session	District	Placed in the district	Per resident per budget, rank	Everything placed	Per resident per budget, rank
189th (2015–16)	16th Middlesex	$183,000	$4.09 · 68th of 160	$183,000	$4.09 · 71st of 160
190th (2017–18)	16th Middlesex	$432,000	$4.83 · 74th of 160	$502,000	$5.62 · 67th of 160
191st (2019–20)	16th Middlesex	$430,000	$4.81 · 79th of 160	$528,000	$5.91 · 63rd of 160
192nd (2021–22)	16th Middlesex	$638,000	$7.14 · 89th of 160	$737,000	$8.24 · 82nd of 160

Budget amendments

Thomas A. Golden, Jr. sponsored 51 budget amendments in FY2017–FY2026, asking for $138 million in all.

Amendments sponsored

FY2017–FY2026 budgets

Adopted, known outcomes

55%

18 of 33

Chamber rate, same ask sizes

55%

expected at the chamber’s rates

Of the 33 with a known outcome, 18 were adopted (55%). At the chamber’s adoption rate for amendments of the same size, about 18 (55%) would have been.

Largest enacted items matched to an amendment Thomas A. Golden, Jr. filed (strong text matches)
Year	Amount	Enacted budget text (excerpt)	Amendment
FY2022	$200,000	“the River Hawk New Venture Fund at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell for the continued implementation of a business development grant program…”	H4000 #925
FY2021	$75,000	“Project Learn, Inc. for the continued implementation of programming in the city of Lowell for the purpose of improving college and career readiness…”	H5150 #301
FY2022	$50,000	“the African Community Center of Lowell, Inc. in the city of Lowell”	H4000 #920
FY2022	$50,000	“Hope Dove Inc. in the city of Lowell”	H4000 #922
FY2022	$50,000	“the repair and restoration of the Veterans memorial in Vinal square in the town of Chelmsford”	H4000 #934

Strong matches: 7 enacted items, $525,000 (the member’s share where several amendments claim one clause). House attribution is inferred throughout, because the House adopts most amendments inside consolidated amendments.

29 outcomes are inferred by matching amendment text to the House’s consolidated amendments, because the House records most amendments only as “Consolidated A–G.” Ask size is the larger of the earmark dollars and the line-item change an amendment requests; bands: no dollar amount, under $50,000, $50,000–$250,000, $250,000–$1 million, $1–5 million, $5 million or more. Leadership’s unattributed base-text and corrective-amendment money is never assigned to a member. The comparison describes outcomes; it is not a measure of merit.

Bills sponsored

Thomas A. Golden, Jr. filed 135 bills as lead sponsor in these sessions; four were enacted on their own. In completed sessions, 3% of their lead bills were enacted on their own, against chamber medians of 3% to 7% for the same sessions.

Most bills die in every legislature, and many policies pass inside other bills; the chamber median for the same session is the fair comparison.

Bills filed as lead sponsor, by session and outcome
Session	Chamber	Lead bills	Enacted	Folded into an enacted bill	Sent to study	Reported favorably, then died	Reported adversely or withdrawn	No action	Enacted rate	Chamber median	Cosponsored
189th (2015–16)	House	35	1	0	25	7	1	1	3%	6%	80
190th (2017–18)	House	33	1	1	20	9	0	2	3%	7%	85
191st (2019–20)	House	31	2	0	15	12	0	2	6%	4%	125
192nd (2021–22)	House	36	0	1	22	8	0	5	0%	3%	49

Enacted bills as lead sponsor

H199 (189th): An Act further regulating the recorking of wine · Chapter 297 of the Acts of 2016
H4508 (190th): establishing a sick leave bank for David Palazzo, an employee of the Department of Developmental Services · Chapter 241 of the Acts of 2018
H4222 (191st): An Act amending the charter of the town of Chelmsford to change the name of the board of selectmen to select board · Chapter 164 of the Acts of 2020
H4350 (191st): An Act providing for the city of Lowell municipal elections · Chapter 225 of the Acts of 2020

Outcomes are the furthest point each bill reached in the record. “Folded into an enacted bill” means the history names the enacted bill that absorbed it. “Passed both branches; no chapter recorded” means the bill was enacted by both branches and laid before the Governor, with no chapter or veto in the history; in the 194th General Court such bills are shown as laid before the Governor (pending). The 194th General Court is in session until January 2027, so its open bills are pending, not dead, and its rates (*) are not comparable with completed sessions. Chairs and leaders control the calendar, which raises their rates. Source: malegislature.gov bill histories.

Recorded votes on accountability measures

Thomas A. Golden, Jr. cast 58 yes-or-no votes on the 58 accountability roll calls in this file (seven yes, 51 no).

Roll calls on rules, audits, public records, term limits and pay
Date	Measure	Vote	Chamber result
January 25, 2017	Recommit the 2017 pay-raise bill (H.58) to Ways and Means	No	Yeas 35, nays 125
January 25, 2017	Amd 3 (Lyons): legislators' raise not effective until next General Court	No	Yeas 40, nays 120
January 25, 2017	Amd 5 (Lyons): cap the increases at 4%	No	Yeas 36, nays 124
January 25, 2017	Engrossment of the pay-raise bill (stipend increases)	Yes	Yeas 116, nays 44
February 2, 2017	Amendment 1.0 (Geoff Diehl): Text of the proposed House amendment (Representative Diehl) to the House Bill relative to Rank and File (House, No. 2017)	No	Yeas 34, nays 124
February 2, 2017	Amendment 3.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): 24 Hour Time Frame for Bills to Be Acted On	No	Yeas 35, nays 124
February 2, 2017	Amendment 4.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Access to Information	No	Yeas 35, nays 124
February 2, 2017	Amendment 9.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Emergency Scheduling of Hearings	No	Yeas 38, nays 121
February 2, 2017	Amendment 10.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Equal Representation on Ethics Committee	No	Yeas 35, nays 124
February 2, 2017	Amendment 15.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Inoculators	No	Yeas 37, nays 122
February 2, 2017	Amendment 16.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Local Aid Resolution	No	Yeas 38, nays 121
February 2, 2017	Amendment 27.0 (James J. Lyons, Jr.): Defining and Limiting Informal Session	No	Yeas 34, nays 124
February 2, 2017	Amendment 20.0 (Shaunna L. O'Connell): Public access to House financial accounts audits	No	Yeas 34, nays 125
February 2, 2017	Amendment 21.0 (Shaunna L. O'Connell): Public access to committee votes	No	Yeas 41, nays 118
February 2, 2017	Amendment 5.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Local Aid Resolution	No	Yeas 37, nays 122
February 2, 2017	Amendment 11.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Committee Roll Calls on Website	No	Yeas 38, nays 121
February 2, 2017	Amendment 13.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Reports of Conference Filing Deadline	No	Yeas 37, nays 122
February 2, 2017	Amendment 14.0 (Shaunna L. O'Connell): Public access to committee votes	No	Yeas 38, nays 121
January 30, 2019	Amendment 1.0 (Jonathan Hecht): Time to review bills	No	Yeas 55, nays 103
January 30, 2019	Amendment 2.0 (Jonathan Hecht): Time to review amendments	No	Yeas 47, nays 111
January 30, 2019	Amendment 3.0 (Jonathan Hecht): Committee materials and votes	No	Yeas 49, nays 109
January 30, 2019	Collective bargaining for House employees (curb on leadership control of staff); not a disclosure/power-of-leadership rule in the narrow sense (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 9, nays 149
January 30, 2019	Amendment 11.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Access to Information	No	Yeas 40, nays 118
January 30, 2019	Amendment 12.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Emergency Scheduling of Hearings	No	Yeas 35, nays 123
January 30, 2019	Amendment 14.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Committee Polls – 2 Hours	No	Yeas 44, nays 114
January 30, 2019	Amendment 16.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): House Audits	No	Yeas 35, nays 123
January 30, 2019	Amendment 17.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): HWM Reports on Bills	No	Yeas 33, nays 125
January 30, 2019	Amendment 19.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Local Aid Resolution	No	Yeas 32, nays 126
January 30, 2019	Amendment 20.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Review of Consolidated Amendments	No	Yeas 32, nays 125
January 30, 2019	Amendment 22.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Committee Votes on Website	No	Yeas 44, nays 113
January 30, 2019	Fingerprint remote voting from committee rooms (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 32, nays 125
January 30, 2019	Amendment 25.0 (Marc T. Lombardo): Matters considered in an informal session	No	Yeas 32, nays 125
January 30, 2019	Amendment 31.0 (John H. Rogers): Relative to Rule 18C	No	Yeas 43, nays 113
January 30, 2019	Amendment 32.0 (Patrick Joseph Kearney): relative to Rule 100 ( c ) 3	No	Yeas 5, nays 152
January 30, 2019	Amendment 33.0 (Patrick Joseph Kearney): relative to Rule 20A and Rule 33A	No	Yeas 5, nays 152
January 30, 2019	Equitable office space (leadership allocates offices) (contested meaning)	No	Yeas 11, nays 146
January 30, 2019	Amendment 38.0 (Denise Provost): To assure adequate time to prepare and file amendments	No	Yeas 44, nays 113
January 30, 2019	Amendment 41.0 (Russell E. Holmes): Equal Pay Amendment II	No	Yeas 5, nays 152
January 30, 2019	House rules (H2019), rules package: on adoption of the order (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 125, nays 32
January 30, 2019	Conference-committee appointment deadline; adopted 157-0 (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 157, nays 0
January 30, 2019	Amendment 11.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Committee Roll Calls on Website	No	Yeas 47, nays 110
January 30, 2019	Amendment 12.0 (Marc T. Lombardo): Informal Session	No	Yeas 36, nays 121
January 30, 2019	Joint rules (H2021), rules package: on adoption of the order (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 157, nays 0
February 24, 2021	Amendment 8.0 (Erika Uyterhoeven): Public Committee Votes and Testimony	No	Yeas 36, nays 122
February 24, 2021	Amendment 3.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Electronic Poll	No	Yeas 38, nays 121
February 24, 2021	Amendment 6.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Procurement Amendment	No	Yeas 34, nays 125
February 24, 2021	Amendment 11.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Conference Committee Report	No	Yeas 35, nays 123
February 24, 2021	Joint rules (H68), rules package: on adoption of the Order (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 128, nays 31
July 7, 2021	Remote voting for members on military duty; adopted 160-0 (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 160, nays 0
July 7, 2021	Amendment 2.0 (Tami L. Gouveia): Speaker Term Limits	No	Yeas 35, nays 125
July 7, 2021	Amendment 6.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Emergency Scheduling of Hearings	No	Yeas 30, nays 129
July 7, 2021	Amendment 9.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Committee Polls - 2 Hours	No	Yeas 35, nays 124
July 7, 2021	Amendment 11.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Access to Information	No	Yeas 33, nays 126
July 7, 2021	Amendment 13.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Review of Consolidated Amendments	No	Yeas 32, nays 127
July 7, 2021	Amendment 12.0 (Bradley H. Jones, Jr.): Committee Votes on Website	No	Yeas 38, nays 121
July 7, 2021	Amendment 16.0 (Erika Uyterhoeven): Public Committee Votes	No	Yeas 41, nays 117
July 7, 2021	Amendment 3.0 (Christopher M. Markey): Review Period for Released Bills	No	Yeas 39, nays 119
July 7, 2021	House rules (H3930), rules package: on adoption of the order (contested meaning)	Yes	Yeas 129, nays 29

Votes marked “contested meaning” are rules-package and public-records passage votes; reform advocates were on both sides of them. Descriptions are the project’s plain summaries of each question, or the question as recorded for rules-package roll calls; the official record is on malegislature.gov. Votes are facts; no score is computed.

Campaign money in

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.’s committee reported $238,000 in contributions of $250 or more in years the member served, 2015–2022.

By year (years in the Legislature)
Year	Contributions
2015	$46,000
2016	$17,000
2017	$37,000
2018	$39,000
2019	$45,000
2020	$13,000
2021	$40,000
2022	$2,000

By kind of contributor
Kind	Total	Share
Individuals	$186,000	78%
Political committees and PACs	$47,000	20%
Unions and associations	$5,550	2%

Individuals’ money by the employer they reported
Employer reported	Share
A named employer	73%
Self-employed	19%
Retired	2%
Not employed	1%
Homemaker or at home	1%
Not reported or withheld	4%

Not counted as contributions: $16,000 in other receipts of $250 or more in the same years (candidate loans and the candidate’s own money, transfers, refunds, bank interest and aggregated small receipts).

The same committee also reported $0 in years the member was not in the Legislature (2026), for example while running for another office. Those receipts are not in the totals above.

Largest employers and organizations
Employer or organization	Kind	Total	Contributions
EVERSOURCE	individuals, by employer	$17,000	26
TRINITY AMBULANCE	individuals, by employer	$7,000	14
MADISON SECURITY	individuals, by employer	$6,000	9
MA & NORTHERN NE LABORERS' DISTRICT COUNCIL POL ACTION COMM	committee or PAC	$4,000	8
ESSEX GROUP MGT	individuals, by employer	$3,500	4
MA ASSOC OF REALTORS POL ACTION COMM - MA RPAC	committee or PAC	$3,300	7
LOWELL GENERAL HOSPITAL	individuals, by employer	$3,250	4
MASSACHUSETTS BRICK LAYERS PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE	committee or PAC	$3,000	6
USW LOCAL 12012	union or association	$2,800	7
ASSOCIATED SUBCONTRACTORS OF MA PAC	committee or PAC	$2,750	7

Source: Office of Campaign and Political Finance, itemized receipts of $250 or more since 2015; OCPF filer record: Golden Jr. Committee (CPF 12600). Individuals are grouped by the employer they reported; no individual contributor is named, and an employer field that is a person’s name is withheld. Massachusetts bars business contributions to candidates. Employer shows affiliation, not instruction.

Sources

Every figure traces to a public record.

Facts only: posts, stipends, sponsored amendments, enacted items, roll-call votes and district money. No score or grade is computed. Associations shown here are not evidence of cause. Method.