Monday, August 11, 2008

Taxes Going in the "Right" Direction?

The Globe was on target with 90% of today's lead editorial on the fact that Massachusetts is 23rd in the country in taxes (certainly not "Taxxachusetts"), but they just lost me with this claim at the end,

The report shows the tax burden here declining steadily since 2005, when Massachusetts ranked 18th among the states....

In November, voters will be faced with a ballot question to eliminate the state income tax. The tax foundation's report shows Massachusetts moving in the right direction.
In what world is a scenario that's forcing school closures across the state and dozens of layoffs every year in municipalities big and small a good thing? The tax burden in Massachusetts is falling rapidly, but citizens across the state (if not at the Boston Globe) are quickly realizing that things aren't going in the "right" direction. There are severe repercussions when we can't even pay for the most basic of services. We're all suffering because of it.

I'm sick of the MSM continually propagating the Republican talking point that there are no good taxes. It's utterly absurd and a gross violation of the job the media is supposed to be doing.

5 comments:

massmarrier said...

When constantly lowering (or eliminating) taxes leads to collapsed highways and worse, it's nothing to seek or brag over achieving. As a result of our dropping our tax rates, we now face much higher bills for infrastructure.

No thanks.

Anonymous said...

Two problems Ryan

1) The Globe is a Republican mouthpiece? I've heard it all.
2) The idea of additional new taxes is a non starter because of the fact that taxpayers do not trust Deval, Sal, and the rest of the thieves on the hill.

It's too bad because we actually are in tons of trouble.

Peter Porcupine said...

Ryan - Mr. Anonymous is on to something. FWIW, I've voted FOR overrides in my town, when convinced that the cause and spending plan are both sound. What people DON'T trust is the ability of the state to carefully spend tax dollars, and husband resources to meet crises instead of benefit friends and punish enemies.

Which is what has caused the trouble - not so much the desire for taxes as what they propose to spend the taxes on...

Ryan said...

Anon,

Who said the Globe was a Republican mouthpiece? I said that the Globe, along with much of the MSM, has largely succombed to the meme that smaller taxes are better.

On point number 2, prove it. They elect them in over and over and over again, so I'm highly dubious to your claim.

PP,

I don't disagree that lack of transparency and the perceived lack of transparency has contributed to the problem. However, what I've addressed here is certainly not only contributing to the problem, but also the perceived problem. Most of the waste is gone now, after all, along with a lot of the stuff that wasn't waste at all - and, in fact, quite necessary things that we're going to be paying for tenfold down the road, like our roads and bridges.

Anonymous said...

Ryan:
Prove what? It is my opinion. I have never voted for Sal and wonder if the ethics crowd will toss him sooner rather than later. If the gov ran today he's lose if someone with a pulse ran agaunst him.
Sorry

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