Speaking of Massachusetts’ new uber-liberal Democrat governor, Deval Patrick wants to give Massachusetts cities and towns the ability to levy other taxes, aside from the property taxes they control now.
Governor Deval Patrick’s administration is preparing a push to give Massachusetts cities and towns more freedom to raise taxes and fees, as a new report suggests Boston will lose talent and businesses to other similarly-sized cities because it is hamstrung by state constraints.
Because businesses and employees want to pay more taxes? Oh sure, they say that it’s designed to shift the burden from property taxes to other kinds of taxes, but does anyone seriously believe that once the genie is out of the bottle, local officials will try to keep the tax burden at the same total amount?
Be prepared for local income taxes and local sales taxes. What Massachusetts truly needed to become a socialist paradise was a Democrat governor to go along with the Democrat legislature. Oh, and Patrick is offering pay raises to the legislators if they support his legislative proposals. Doesn’t that sound like bribery to anyone else?
Technorati Tags:Massachusetts, Patrick, taxes
If the state needs money, why not cut spnding? Why not put in red light cameras? Why not levy a sales tax on liquor? This would be good in Boston where student and people like me without cars buy their beer or wine and can’t go to New Hampshire easily.
Taxachusetts….
“Governor Deval Patrick’s administration is preparing a push to give Massachusetts cities and towns more freedom to raise taxes and fees,…”
No wonder why some places in the Northeast continue to suffer a brain drain of young people and companies moving out of state.
Dom, I feel for you guys in Massachusetts, I really do, but…
…I live in Illinois, one of the most corrupt and inefficient states in the US, near Chicago which perfected corruption, with loads of Catholic Democratic politicians (state and local) who could operate their own abortion mills and still receive communion while humming a Haugen-Haas tune, in the 9th Congressional District represented in Washington by Jan “the Red” Schakowsky—whose hubby is a guest of the feds. When the Cook County board president—who named the newly rebuilt Cook County Hospital after himself—took ill, his son—a wet-behind-the-ears-nondescription was elected to fill his place—overseeing billions!.
I quit smoking not simply because of my health, but the taxes are paying to keep these leeches in office.
Dpt: Note that the primary idea is the “freedom” for cities and towns. The taxpayers exist to pay taxes to support gov’t, whereas the gov’t should exist to serve the needs of the taxpayers.
John: There was a story on the local news last night that said that the Massachusetts Legislature is the most expensive in the nation, costing $51 million per year for salaries, perqs and administration. Yet, the Senate was in session for the equivalent of 13 8-hour days last year and the House for about 30. I think Massachusetts might give Illinois some competition for most corrupt, although I’m pretty sure Rhode Island still beats both.
“Dpt: Note that the primary idea is the “freedom” for cities and towns. The taxpayers exist to pay taxes to support gov’t, whereas the gov’t should exist to serve the needs of the taxpayers.”
Noted! It is one of the great freedoms that our country was founded on…errr…hmmm…I don’t recall reading about that “freedom” in my public school history class. Leave it to a politican to find such a freedom.
I live in California now and have recently discovered a “perk”, taxpayer financed of course. Our 10 year old minivan failed the smog check and California has informed me of a government program where the state (i.e. the taxpayer) will pay up to $500 in repairs to get it in compliance.
No wonder California has such budget troubles.
Massachusetts had a well-earned rep for being Taxachusetts a generation ago. But for now that is a moldy trope; we’re pretty middle-of-the-road when you account for all fees and levies at all levels of government.
That could well change with Deval’s proposal, which I suspect will go nowhere fast unless it’s limited to certain limited sales/use taxes (eg, hotels, restaurants, not general retail) rather than income taxes.
Deval is smart. If people complain about taxes he can point his finger to local officials and not himself.
The danger of having a liberal Democrat governor in a state so totally liberal Democrat in the legislature served by a mass media that is under the massive influence of the super-liberal NYTIMES-BOSTON GLOBE (“All the news that’s sick to print.”)is fast becoming apparent. Governor Patrick is fast back-pedalling on just about every campaign promise he made. Is doing all he can to loosen things up for convicted criminals (his opponent was butchered and called a racist for stating his record proves he would do such). And -after very weak criticism- issuing arrogant, belligerent statements defending his use of a state helicopter for expensive political jaunts that a Republican woman governor was crucified by local media and Dem pols for using to go to her home in far Western Mass. to be with her family on special times.
This state is going to make the Long’s corrupt Louisiana look like a model state.
One thing to remember about Massachusetts… in towns with a Board of Selectmen type of government, no tax increases if not :
1. approved to go to the ballot at TOWN MEETING (where every registered voter can voice their opinion) and then
2. passed on a ballot initiative.
It is still the purest form of government.
Now if you live in a city, BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!
C’mon, Dom—don’t you feel undertaxed?