Will No Sale Tax vote pass in Massachusetts? (Clinton: how much, buyer)

[findingmesomeday]

Considering how disproportionately state funding comes down to local towns and how bloated the state government is, I wholeheartedly support this. I do agree that the opponents are using scare tactics. There have always been property tax overrides when towns need money beyond their budgets and those will continue. It's actually a better way to do business because the decision of whether or not to spend the money and how and where it will be spent, rests with the local town citizens rather t han some large county or state governing agency.

[VlyRoadKid]

Whatevuh! This is Taxachusetts...and taxed we shall be until maybe, Barack Obama ends it! I'm a staunch Democrat and accept taxes as a way of life, like the Swedes. I just WISH someone would use it to end the idiotic ways they USE our taxes, like the Big Dig and Education "Reform"! (As IF!), and put it toward something USEFUL.

---Retired teacher

[richardhead]

How the H*** is Obama going to end us being taxed? Is he going to make campaign promises like his buddy Deval Patrick to reduce our property taxes? (BTW, who are the morons, wait...I know who they are, I live in this state, who actually voted for Patrick believing a Gov. could reduce property taxes? Another example of why you should have minimum IQ tests before you can vote /rant). Ok, back to taxes in this state, I agree with what was mentioned up thread, I would much rather pay more in local property taxes (where my fellow townspeople can appropriate where the money goes) and reduce the amount that goes to the state only to be redestributed to communities far away. And one last point, anyone who uses that stupid arguement that state income taxes will "repair our roads, pay for police and fire protection" obviously again have no clue, state roads are maintained via the gas tax (and of course tolls, not counting the large percentage of tolls used to pay salaries of toll takers who only have their jobs because of cronyism), and of course police and fire (as well as your school district) is funded via local (i.e. town) property/excise and other taxes and fees.

This state is corrupt, and voting to repeal the state income tax will help curb (but not eliminate) this corruption, as there will be less no-show jobs for political hacks to fill with friends and families, no "free" tuition for illegal aliens at our state colleges and hopefully more local input as to where our tax dollars go.

[clevedark]

Massachusetts is way down on the list when it comes to state taxation--something like #35, the last time I read. And I'm sure it's just as far down when it comes to corruption. You're talking to someone born and raised in NJ, which is probably number one on the list for both.

I'm afraid that if the income tax is repealed, towns that need state aid will suffer. The rich towns will always take care of themselves. It's the income taxes of the rich that make of the vast majority of the income tax collection. It's a progressive tax--take from the rich to help the poor.

But if someone believes that an extra $2000 dollars in their pocket is going to make a real difference in their lives, there's not much anyone can do to convince them otherwise.

Just like poor people (oh I forgot, everyone is middle class) who vote Republican--it's a puzzler.

[ChunkyMonkey]

I'd rather have income tax then high property taxes like NH. When I'm old and retired, I won't have to pay income tax but probably will have to pay property tax. We all pay for services one way or the other. If question 1 passes, look for the legislature to either end the proposition override or null it.

[TomDot]

Originally Posted by VlyRoadKid

Whatevuh! This is Taxachusetts...and taxed we shall be until maybe, Barack Obama ends it! I'm a staunch Democrat and accept taxes as a way of life, like the Swedes. I just WISH someone would use it to end the idiotic ways they USE our taxes, like the Big Dig and Education "Reform"! (As IF!), and put it toward something USEFUL.

---Retired teacher

How about pension reform?
The public services unions in this state are the reason we are in this mess.
When someone who works for the state is able to retire at the age of 45 with full pension and full medical then that is a problem. It is bankrupting all the towns in the state and no one is talking about this.

Do you realize that the Massachusetts state budget has more than doubled since 1992?
We have nothing to show for it either!

[clevedark]

Exactly. High property tax is a killer, especially for retired people. When I moved to Mass from NJ I was amazed at the number of gray haired people I saw. They just don't exist in NJ. They move away as soon as they can because the property tax is insane. There's also a healthy income tax, but that's another story. Heck, sometimes you even pay two income taxes, one to NJ and one to NY if you work there.

But we're talking about Mass, not NJ. Just want to let you all feel better about things here in Mass.

[clevedark]

I'm afraid most states are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy--if not from pensions, then from healthcare. Or other things I know nothing about. It's crazy out there.

Of course if we lived in Alaska things would be perfect.

[Cart24]

Would someone please explain to me how the state will cope with that loss of revenue?

Both the Beaon Hill Institute and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation recommend voting NO on the ballot.

I agree that the state needs to cut back spending in many areas, starting with Pension reform (which to his credit Gov. Patrick is attempting to do)

[findingmesomeday]

I can't believe the people of MA are going to vote down this measure.

To the person who said that poor towns don't get equal distribution and that richer towns will take care of themselves? Well, I live in one of those"richer" towns and we've had to vote overrides in the past 3 years in a row for the schools because funds are distributed disproportionately to need, with the "poorer" towns getting the bulk of the available money.

Talk about the ultimate economic stimulus. No income tax is an extra $3k or more in your pocket PER YEAR. I've yet to vote in a property tax override--even one that funded our $54 million high school--that cost me more than that in a year. In fact, they were all far less.