MassPoliticker says the House just passed, by overwhelming numbers, a tax holiday in August. For the price of stimulating $3.2 million, it costs the state over $16 million. Now that's some great economic planning!
Meanwhile, there's talk that Representative Donato is stalling the repeal of 1913's laws that prevent out of state glbt couples from getting married here, something that's only awaiting the House's passage before Governor Patrick signs the bill and it becomes law. Not okay.
Other bills the House may skip? The Global Warming Solutions Act - a bill that has the numbers to pass, but just needs to get on the docket - is another bill the Senate passed and the House has yet to do so. It would reduce and cap emissions, making Massachusetts a leader in Global Warming.
If anyone has an objection to the House's priorities, find your legislators and make a phone call. Also, make sure to give the Speaker's office a ring. It's time these bills and measures have the priority in legislation they deserve. GLBT people have waited long enough on 1913, while the environment can't afford to wait anymore for Global Warming action.
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7 comments:
That 16 million doesn't make sense, because they calculated it based on the sales on the tax-free day. If there was no tax-free, you wouldn't see spending anywhere near that level, therefore the number isn't accurate.
Maybe, but I have high doubts that the economic 'stimulus' is worth the costs to the state. People are going to spend the money anyway, this just means they'll spend it all over two days, so they don't have to pay taxes on it.
I also think your 3 million in stimulus is a BS number.
I work at a retail store, and I've looked at the actual numbers. Normally for a saturday, they expect about 30-50K in sales for the day. On the tax free day, they sold upwards of 200K.
There's no way that 3 million number is accurate.
I'm not so sure, Joe. Studies like this are nonpartisan and usually very good. The $3.2 million may be the figure of money that wouldn't otherwise have been spent within a certain time frame. For example, parents getting their kids back-to-school close would spend their money sometime in August, so you can't claim that as new spending due to the tax holiday. Maybe you can claim that they're buying one extra shirt as new spending, or that x% of the costumers are actually from NH and RI and are coming here for the tax-free day, instead of shopping closer to home, etc.
back-to-school clothes, not close. LOL.
There isn't any tax on clothes, Ryan.
Really? I didn't know that.
Back to school laptop notebooks, then =p
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