Alliance to Roll Back Taxes Charges Ahead

Everyone should have their eyes on a Massachusetts ballot question this year as to whether or not the state should reduce sales taxes from 6.25 percent to 3 percent. Politicians and unions have aligned in opposition, advising people to reject the proposal. Fortunately, voters are fed up and have other ideas.

54 Percent Favor Cutting Taxes

The Patriot Ledger reports Sales tax rollback wins support of 54 percent in poll

By a 10-point margin, Massachusetts voters favor slicing the state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent, according to a State House News Service poll – a ballot referendum that would chop roughly $2.4 billion from Beacon Hill coffers and has drawn opposition from all four gubernatorial candidates.

The rollback earned 54 percent support in the survey of 400 Massachusetts residents conducted at the end of August, with 44 percent against the ballot measure, known as Question 3, and 2 percent undecided. The survey has a margin of error 4.8 percent.

The Legislature and Gov. Deval Patrick raised the sales tax from 5 percent to 6.25 last year to close a multi-billion dollar budget gap. Patrick has described the prospective revenue loss from the rollback as “calamitous,” while soft-pedaling answers to media inquiries about whether he would adhere to the mandate. Asked Tuesday whether Patrick would implement the rollback, communications director Kyle Sullivan said, "Yes," and referred to Patrick's previous assertions that he would "respect the will of the voters." During a Tuesday night debate, Patrick said "If the voters vote in that way, then I don't think we have any choice but to respect the will of the voters."

Republican Charles Baker, Patrick's closest rival, has said he would implement the tax cut, though he does not support it. Baker wants to bring the sales tax rate back to 5 percent, its level prior to last year's round of tax hikes.

Independent Treasurer Timothy Cahill is "concerned" with the prospect of the lost revenue, his campaign spokeswoman said last week, but would follow through with the mandate.

Measure Sponsored by the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes

Inquiring minds are reading About the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes

We’re the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes, a non-partisan, grassroots campaign committee formed to put Question 3, the 2010 Massachusetts ballot initiative to Roll Back the Sales Tax to 3%, on the ballot and to give you a way to vote yourself a tax cut this November 2nd.

We represent everyday workers and taxpayers from all walks of life who believe taxes are too high and government spending is too high.

We run ballot initiatives because they are – bar none – the single most powerful tool available to voters. In fact, they are the only means currently available to cut taxes in Massachusetts (or just about anywhere). They give voters a chance to directly cut their own taxes and force overdue cuts in government spending.

Only a handful of groups have managed to put just one statewide tax cut initiative on the Massachusetts ballot in the last 20 years. We have succeeded in qualifying three ballot initiatives, all in the last 10 years, by collecting thousands of signatures statewide and meeting the requirements of six separate signature drives (two required to place each initiative on the ballot).

We’re funded by individuals who make modest donations and who will get no government hand-out in return.

More than 99% of the opposition’s donations come from government-funded Special Interests, i.e., paid for by your tax dollars – not from the general support of individual taxpayers and voters.

In contrast, our opponents are groups which profiteer from high taxes, high government spending, and government protections: Teachers Unions, Government Employee Unions, Government Contractor Unions and politically-connected corporations.

Our campaign was formed by co-sponsors Carla Howell, Chair, and Michael Cloud.

Carla Howell and Michael Cloud also head the Center For Small Government, a unique organization which advocates specific proposals to shrink the size, scope, authority, taxation and spending of today’s Big Government.

Support the Alliance

I do not live in Massachusetts but I am sending in a donation anyway. Please Join the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes! and do the same.

It is very important to support such organizations. They are massively underfunded compared to the opposition.

About all you need to know about Question 3 (the proposition to reduce state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent) is that it is opposed by a coalition of major unions including the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the National Education Association and the Service Employees International Union, and all of the politicians who want more of your tax dollars to waste.

Public Unions and Politicians Conspire to Raise Your Taxes

Whenever unions and politicians conspire to raise your taxes, you know the taxpayer is going to get the short end of the stick. This happens because politician are willing to buy the votes of union members who vote in big blocks.

Chris Christie Leads the Way

Sadly, none of those running for Governor of Massachusetts is of the caliber of recently elected New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

The wimps in Massachusetts refuse to do what needs to be done. In contrast please consider Governor Chris Christie on Who's to Blame for Teacher Layoffs

Undoubtedly, the teachers' union and the police and fire unions will start a campaign "this will hurt the kids and services". No it won't. Any cutbacks that come from lowering taxes will be the direct responsibility of the unions who do not understand economic realities that the average taxpayer cannot afford what the unions want.

Goal of Unions is to Raise Your Taxes for Their Benefit

The goal of unions is always to raise your taxes so they get more benefits than you do.

Instead of raising taxes, it's time to cut benefits of the politicians and the public unions. Unfortunately, the political wimps in Massachusetts don't have the courage to do what's right. However, the gubernatorial candidates in Massachusetts have pledged to honor the will of the voters. Voters can and should force this issue.

Send a Message! Vote Yes on 3!

It's time to send an unmistakable message to the politicians and public unions that enough is enough. If you live in Massachusetts, please vote YES on question 3. Everyone, everywhere should support these initiatives with donations. Please send a donation to the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
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