House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo today plans to push a 1.25 percent sales tax increase, which would bring the state's 5 percent sales tax to 6.25 percent, and bring in an estimated $900 million in new revenue.
He wants to dedicate about $275 million to transportation - a maneuver designed to avoid increasing the state's gas tax, as Governor Deval Patrick has proposed, according to a State House source briefed on the plan and a briefing document obtained by the Globe.
Okay, raise your hand if you honestly think that raising the sales tax to 6¼% will alleviate the desire to raise the tax on gas in MA. No takers, eh? Now just why d'ya think that is? Maybe because MA politicians - even more than politicians elsewhere - never met a tax increase they didn't like?
What slays me is that the comments on that story. Over and over, cries and threats of "VOTE THEM OUT" are splayed across the screen. Yet, as sure as the sun rises in the east, 99% of these hacks will be voted right back into office with overwhelming majorities in the next election. The people have gotten used to taxing Peter to pay Paul, a maneuver that almost always has the approval of Paul.
It may surprise people to learn I don't really oppose this measure - but then again, I live less than 10 miles from tax-free New Hampshire...
That is all.
6 comments:
Here in Nevada, we have an atrocious 7.75% sales tax. We don't have any state INCOME tax, however. So I guess it evens out in the end. Hopefully. Somehow...
Yes, Massachusetts, raise those taxes! Higher and higher. The poor schmuck at minimum wage takes the biggest hit proportionately with a sales tax. Or an increase in the gas tax. Ah well...
Christina,
We currently have a 5% sales tax *and* a 5.3% income tax. They're trying to push the sales tax to 6.25% and the income tax up to 6%...
libertyman,
*AND* it will absolutely kill businesses in MA anywhere remotely near the NH border...
And those !#@$&^&$#@$%# voted for it.
Let's see... feathers? Check. Tar? check. Rope? check. Are there some good sturdy trees on the Common?
Connecticut has had 6% for nigh a decade. And CT has a hefty income tax too boot. We lowered the gas tax in the mid 90. I think we lowered it by 33 cents and wound up like the 5th highest gas tax at the time.
I remember when a band came and played in Connecticut and asked what we were famous for. There was silence, then someone muttered "taxes".
Then everyone started jeering, "Taxes, taxes...."
The band leader asked again, no really what are you all are famous for here in Connecticut.
Brief pause of silence followed by even more jeers of "Taxes, taxes, taxes."
Smartest thing I ever did was move from CT to PA.
I'm glad I have a gas guzzling full size F150, cause now I can gas guzzle my way up to the NH border and fill that sucker up with all of my tax free purchases once a month. I just bought a home so I'm buying fairly major items like washers, driers, lawn mowers, a whole set of lawn and garden tools, fertilizers, etc etc.
Not a cent will be spent in MA for any of it. New Hampshire Stimulus Plan '09.
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