Posted on 08/05/2008 5:24:11 AM PDT by Brilliant
Massachusetts is about the last place one would expect a tax revolt, but that's what's brewing in Beantown. The state board of elections recently certified that citizen activists have gathered the 125,000 signatures required to qualify an initiative for the November ballot to eliminate the state income tax.
The Small Government Act would repeal the 5.3% income and wage tax, as well as the state capital gains tax, which reaches as high as 12%. The ballot initiative would replace the $12.5 billion in taxes with . . . nothing. "One of the points here," explains Carla Howell of the Committee for Small Government that is driving the referendum, "is to force the state legislators to start cutting the bloated state budget." The political shock of having no income tax would force the pols on Beacon Hill to make the difficult spending choices they now refuse to make.
The referendum may seem the longest of long shots in a state represented by some of Congress's biggest spenders. But the same initiative was on the ballot in 2002, and though the political establishment roared with laughter through Election Day, the measure got 45% of the vote. This time pro-tax forces such as the Massachusetts Teachers Association are planning to spend millions of dollars warning of Armageddon.
They have cause to be worried. A Fabrizio poll for Citizens for Limited Taxation discovered that the average Massachusetts voter believes that 41 cents of every state tax dollar are wasted. Coincidentally, that's the share of the state budget funded by the income tax. One big drain is a pension program that doles out billions each year to double-dipping pensioners and state workers retiring at taxpayer expense in their late 40s or 50s...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Good for them! I know some people in MA and the ones I know are nice people.
We almost got this passed last time. Not that it matters. It doesn’t have the force of law until the legislature endorses it, which it won’t. But it will carry moral weight.
Time to vote the Massholes out of Taxachusetts!
With love from the Berkshires!
*grumble*
we already passed this petition and voted to roll the income tax back to 5% in 2000
the state said FU to the people just like they did on gay marriage
In MA, the people have a voice, and they occasionally vote the right thing. And then the governor, or the judges, or the state legislature says, "Nice try. We're not going to pay attention to you peasants."
Even if this passes, no change will occur, and the sheeple here will tolerate the abuse.
it was passed in 2000 by THE PEOPLE and repealed by THE STATE in 2002
In 2002, lawmakers halted a gradual income tax rollback approved by voters two years earlier, prompting howls that they were bucking an edict from the populace.
A few years ago... a ballot question on reducing the the MA income tax to 5% was voted for. The Legislature ignored it... proclaiming that the state couldn’t afford the loss of revenue. They’ll do the same with this...
How do these people continue to get re-elected? I don’t live in Mass., but it seems to me that most people are sick of the taxes and yet these people continue to dominate the political scene. I don’t get it.
I also expect The Great and General Court (legislature) to repeal this at quantum speed with no electoral reprecussions.
Some of us are small government Massholes, thank you. :) We appreciate Maineacs and Newhamsters, but we will always be Massholes.
The Berkshires are treated badly, I agree. As are those of us along the Mass Pike West of the Big Dig, as we are required to pay for the elaborate mess that South Shore demands for free.
I wish that someone other than Howie Carr would point out that the Esther Williams Tunnel should be sold.
Dem Governor of NY, David Paterson is looking at the state budget there and proposing the sale of state items, such as bridges, etc as the state can’t pay for them.
Even if we do get this passed, it will be blocked by the legislature...However, I think it sends them an important message to them to tighten up and that the tax payers will not tolerate an increase to pay the debt of the big dig...
By the way, I’ve been seeing that the new big dig “greenway” areas are beginning to become the newest “camp-grounds” for all of our homeless vagabonds.
“The state board of elections recently certified that citizen activists have gathered the 125,000 signatures required to qualify an initiative for the November ballot to eliminate the state income tax.”
It will pass, the courts will say no go and the people will continue to vote these politicians into office.
I have no sympathy for morons.
Wait until Taxachusetts residents start coughing up for winter heating. They’ll be looking for some kind of relief and elimination of the state income tax will appear very attractive.
“How do these people continue to get re-elected? I don’t live in Mass., but it seems to me that most people are sick of the taxes and yet these people continue to dominate the political scene. I don’t get it.”
All that’s necessary is a simple walk among the somnambulates of Boston and you will be enligthened as to why...There’s also a lot of money grabbing and union nonsense that keeps these people getting elected as well.
Because the recipients of these tax dollars are allowed to vote too.
ML/NJ
“Because the recipients of these tax dollars are allowed to vote too.”
...and of course that too.
It's a bizarre state. My state rep is a Republican (yes, we do have some). Recently my town was considering a big boost in the property tax rate (already very high). Our state rep showed up at the Town Meeting and made an impassioned speech, calling on all the citizens to vote in favor of the tax increase. Ummmmmmm, MA Republicans probably aren't like the Republicans in your part of the country.
Anyway, the citizens voted against the tax increase. But the GOP didn't gain any friends that day.
You've been through Southie then....LOL
I live in North Carolina and you’re right... with the exception of Senator Dole most Republicans aren’t like you’re guy. He should have been run out of town sitting backwards on a horse.
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