The Final Hurdle to Ballot Status for END the Income Tax Initiative (MA)

Center for Small Government ^ | May 2, 2008 | Carla Howell

[Disturbin]

Together, you and we cleared the first 4 hurdles to putting the END the Income Tax Initiative on the November 4th Ballot.

First, we wrote the legal language for the Initiative - and got it legally certified by the Attorney General's Office.

Second, we collected 76,085 certified petition signatures to qualify our END the Income Tax Initiative for legislative action - and move it toward the ballot.

Third, we survived an under-the-radar, stealth campaign run by the Massachusetts Teachers Union to disqualify our ballot initiative.

Fourth, although the Massachusetts Constitution requires the state legislature to take testimony on and vote on our END the Income Tax Ballot Initiative, the legislature refused to obey the Constitution. The legislature refused to invite us to give testimony. They refused to vote on our initiative.

Fortunately, the legislature cannot exercise a "pocket veto," cannot block a ballot initiative by refusing to comply with the state Constitution. A Massachusetts Supreme Court decision allows our Initiative to move forward - even when the legislature violates the state Constitution.

Now we're headed toward the final hurdle to putting our initiative on the ballot November 4th.

What's the final hurdle?

We have to collect 20,000 raw petition signatures between May 9th and June 9th. We have to submit these signatures to 351 different towns and cities, get them certified, pick up the petitions - and, finally, turn them in to the Secretary of State's Office.

Then, we're on the November 4th ballot.

Last fall, with your support and your help, we collected 5 times this many raw signatures: 100,000. And we got a great 76% certification rate - and 76,085 valid/certified signatures.

But we only have 31 days to collect these last 20,000 signatures. And the voters who signed the first petition cannot sign this one.

Because we cherry picked the best locations for signature collecting last fall, we have to find a number of new, high traffic locations for this petition drive. It's harder.

But the payoff and benefits are so much sweeter.

Remember the newspaper, radio, TV, and Internet coverage we received right after we filed the 76,085 certified signatures in late November?

Imagine double or triple that news coverage when we turn in the final petition signatures just weeks from now.

Just for starters.

Imagine another 2 nationally-syndicated Associated Press articles on us. We got that in late 2007 and early this year.

Imagine repeated newspaper, radio, TV, and Internet news stories. Throughout Massachusetts. We also got that in late 2007 and early this year.

Imagine more polling on END the Income Tax - showing we're in a dead heat - just as we were in the late January 2008 poll by State House News Service.

This can happen, it might happen, and it will happen if you help us get over this final hurdle now.

We've got to collect 20,000 petition signatures - starting May 9th - and ending June 9th. We have to hire petitioners and get them working.

This 31-day surge will cost $47,000. Last fall we showed you that we could get the first petitioning done inexpensively and on time. We kept our promise to you.

You've been told that one person cannot change the world.

You've been taught that one person cannot change America.

You've been told that it's too late for change.

You've been taught that you cannot change things.

You've been browbeat with the belief that you cannot do enough or give enough to make a difference.

You were lied to.

You can make a difference. One person can make a difference. One person can set change in motion.

You can make a difference today.

We need to raise $47,000 to collect 20,000 petition signatures.

We have to start now. We must do this in 31 days.

Will you donate part of the $47,000 we need now?

Will YOU please chip in $500 or $250 or $150 right now - to help collect the last 20,000 petition signatures in these last 31 days?

Maybe you're doing well financially. Or perhaps you've come into a financial windfall. Or perhaps you just know that now is the time to help in a substantial way. If this is you, will you please make a generous donation of $10,000 or $5,000, $2,500 or $1,000 today?

Is your budget tight? Are you carefully watching your spending? But you want to help with something? Please know that your donation will make a difference. Will you please donate $85 or $65 or $45 today?

Have you already donated? Can you help once again? We value you. Will you please donate what you can today?

Please contribute now by credit card by clicking:

https://secure.bluehost.com/~savyonco/ms/sga/sga2.php

Or please write your check or money order out today and mail it to:

The Committee For Small Government 6 Goodman Lane Wayland, Massachusetts 01778

Thank you!

Because of you, small government is possible,

Carla Howell & Michael Cloud

[Disturbin]

As Howie Carr says, who DOESN'T want to vote themselves a 5.3% pay raise?

[C210N]

I presume this is to not only rid us of the 5% surcharge, but the base 5% too?

Interesting idea: since Beacon hill couldn't go thru with clobbering just the surcharge, lets teach 'em a lesson, and remove the whole ball-o-wax.

[Dick Bachert]

Answer:
The idiot liberals who have kept Ted Kennedy in office all these years and are so guilt-riddled at having inherited all grandpa’s dough that they feel somewhat compelled to financially flagelate themselves with high taxes (while most of their dough is sheltered from said tax by means of complicted trust arrangements.)

Their motto: I UPPED MY NET WORTH — UP YOURS!!!

[Disturbin]

The nutty part is that we have a 5.3% rate now.

We used to have 5.8, but were able to get it “lowered” to 5.3%

Then we VOTED IN a cut to 5% but the speaker of the house was able to block that somehow, so it stands at 5.3%

Now, when you file your state return here in MA, there is a checkbox asking you if you’d like to pay the higher rate of 5.8%

Not surprisingly, none of the MA politicians pay the higher rate.

[Disturbin]

Exactly. According to Carla, the income tax revenue comprises only 37% of the state revenue. So guess what? They will have to cut spending, or else raise “fees” which will hopefully outrage everyone and wake them up — enough with the spending already!!!