Posted on 02/16/2003 10:01:02 AM PST by SamAdams76
Have you noticed the new check-off line on the Massachusetts state income-tax form? It allows all good-hearted liberals, if they so desire, to reject the current 5.3 percent rate, and instead pay at the old 5.85 percent rate.
So if you earned $50,000 in taxable income in 2002 and owe the commonwealth $2,650, you can now opt to pay an extra $275.
You can do it . . . for the children. For the most vulnerable members of society. For those who fell through the safety net, who are victims of the Reagan-Bush recession blah-blah-blah. . . .
Now the liberals can put their money where their big fat mouths are. If they really support higher taxes, then here's an opportunity for them to pay their ``fair share.''
This appears to be the perfect solution to the state budget ``crisis.'' Let those who demand higher taxes pay them, and the rest of us mean-spirited types who work two or three jobs to make ends meet can keep a few more bucks in our own pockets.
God knows there are enough liberals around here who want higher taxes - for somebody else, anyway. In 2000, when a referendum on cutting the state income tax was on the ballot, 41 percent of the Massachusetts electorate said no, don't reduce the income tax.
In all, 1,055,161 citizens said they preferred high taxes. So if these million-plus kind-hearted individuals pay at the higher rate, we should be awash in cash, right?
Er, wrong. You see, it's apparently one thing to demand higher taxes on somebody else. It's another thing altogether when a liberal is asked to pay with his own cash.
According to the Department of Revenue, as of last Monday, 404,000 people had filed their 2002 state income tax forms.
Of those first 404,000 filers, exactly 140 had opted to pay at the higher rate - one-thirtieth of 1 percent. Those 140 filers' extra payments have thus far amounted to exactly $12,146. According to my figures, that means that those opting to pay more have an average annual income of less than $20,000.
``It seems likely,'' said a DOR spokesman, ``that a lot of those who checked the box aren't paying any taxes anyway.''
Funny how that works, isn't it? Did you ever notice how most of the reps, both locally and nationally, who are always clamoring for higher taxes represent districts teeming with the shiftless, the promiscuous, the drug-dependent and the undocumented. That is to say, non-taxpayers.
Two of the biggest proponents of ever-higher taxes are the leaders of the Legislature - House Speaker Tommy ``Taxes'' Finneran and Senate President Bobby ``Trav'' Travaglini.
As career solons from the City of Boston, they must be honorable men, so I wanted to ask them if they'll be paying their income taxes at the optional higher tax rate.
Remember, it's for the children.
First I called Tommy Taxes' flack to confirm that Mister Speaker would be paying the higher taxes he so desperately wishes to impose on the rest of us. My call was not returned.
Then I phoned Trav's new flack with the same question. Will Trav be paying his ``fair share'' of 5.85 percent?
That call was not returned either.
So this voluntary tax-increase check-off is a wonderful innovation. It's easy to talk the talk, but now we'll see how many will walk the walk - very, very few would be my guess. Thank you Citizens for Limited Taxation for inserting this little poison-pill reform into the tax code.
Meanwhile, the state's budget ``crisis'' deepens. Consider Franny Joyce, the one-time tin-whistle player in Billy Bulger's band. After a lifetime at the trough, Franny is being kicked down the stairs at the Mass. Convention Center Authority with a mere $500,000 kiss, and his final bonus is only $80,000.
I would love to hear from any legislators or mayors who have decided to pay more taxes than they're required to. Before I write you up, though, I'll need some proof that you're actually paying your ``fair share.'' It's not that I don't trust you but . . .
Please, all you tax-fattened hyenas, feel free to call and tell me of the sacrifices you're making for the children. When the phone don't ring, I'll know it's you.
But then I thought about it and said "What a brilliant idea!"
As Howie points out, we have a lot of liberals in these parts who are always clamoring that we don't pay enough taxes. This presents a perfect opportunity for these whiney liberals to put their money where their mouths are. And as Howie points out, only 140 out of 404,000 filers, or 0.07% of them, have elected to pay at the higher rate. Let's see...that means that in Massachusetts, 99.93% of all resident are cold-hearted conservative Republicans. And you all thought we were a liberal state!
I love it!
This is sheer genious. We have exposed the liberals for the frauds that they are. Now if only President Bush would put something similar on the federal 1040 form. Then the next time some liberal, like Ted Kennedy, challenges him on his tax cuts, Bush can always come back with "So Sen. Kennedy, surely YOU elected to pay the higher tax rate? You did, didn't you?"
Now that is the kind of universal drug coverage I can get behind!
BTW, Nashua is the closet NH town to where I live. It's an absolute zoo up there. As soon as you cross the border, you'd think you entered a major city. The entire border is ringed with superstores and chain stores of every kind and the traffic is worse than in Boston. And over 90% of the license plates in the parking lots are from Massachusetts. I'm sure a lot of Mass. liberals are among these tax-evaders!
Thanks, Sam. We appreciate all you flatlanders do for our economy up here.
Glad to oblige. I'd live up there too but I don't want to pay your property taxes! (Which are triple what they are down here.)
It is generally understood that New Hampshire has some of the highest property and vehicle taxes in the nation. Here is a PDF I found bearing that out.
Anyway, the property tax can vary greatly in NH from town to town. What town do you live in? Perhaps you live in a small town further up north. Generally if you go to a larger town with a good school system, your property taxes are going to be much higher. I know somebody at my work who moved to Derry and his property taxes tripled from what he was paying in Mass. for an equivalent home.
I also have a 4-bedroom house with 2-car garage and half acre and I pay about $3800 a year here in Mass. I don't pay much sales tax because as I said, I just go to New Hampshire for all my big-ticket items (and even many routine purchases). Income tax is a wash because even if I moved to NH, I would still be taxed at 5.3% because my job is in Massachusetts. In fact, many people living in southern NH work in Massachusetts because the employment situation up there is terrible. If my wife and I could find the kind of jobs up there we have down there, we'd move up there in a heartbeat, even with the higher property taxes.
FOFLOL...Democrats are the Party of Greed BUMP!!
What a great idea that was!
BTW, my initial calculation was incorrect. I misread Howie's statement that 1/30th of 1% elected to pay the higher tax. I thought it was 1/13th.
So instead of 99.93%, it is 99.97% of all Massachusetts residents who are cold-hearted, conservative Republicans! And you thought we were a liberal state! I wonder if Teddy Kennedy checked off the higher rate. Bet you a bottle of Chivas Regal that he didn't!
Although if those stereotypes are true, then which party has a vested interest in keeping poor people poor, and which would like them to become rich?
That's a darned good idea...he should at least PUBLICALLY, on TELEVISION, challenge rich Democrats who whine that his 'tax custs only benefit the wealthy' to donate an $$$ amount to the US Treasury. Takers would have to accept publically and pledge a $$$ amount...when they don't pay, news gets leaked to more conservative representatives of the media.
I'd LOVE to see the Clintons, Kennedys and Daschles squirm out of THAT!
P.S. : I don't suppose there's any way some enterprising reporter could find OUT if Teddy checked the higher amount? Has anyone ASKED Teddy if he did?? That might cause the state to leak in self defense...
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....
This ought to be called the "Not From MY Pocketbook" campaign.
And if anybody takes issue with that, why then, I'll always have this article to thrust in their faces.
I tell you, it's a wonderful feeling to know that my fellow Massachusetts residents have finally come out of the closet to declare their true political feelings and to tell the government to get your damn hands out of our pockets!
BTW, that extra $360 I have in my pocket by telling the government to go stick it? Worry not, for it's going to a good cause. That's exactly how much I contribute to Free Republic each year! Thank you Massachusetts for giving me this wonderful opportunity to take some of my hard earned money away from your clutching hands so that I can contribute it to a good cause!
I would do the same thing too if I lived in Massachusetts.
However, is there any possibility that the state police would arrest or cite you for buying out of state? I have heard that Pennsylvania does that for residents who go to New Jersey or Delaware to buy alchoholic beverages.
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