It’s Back to Taxachusetts

by David Trumbull

June 26, 2009

The Massachusetts Republican Party has called on Governor Deval Patrick to veto the proposed state budget and save more than 15,000 jobs jeopardized by a slew of increased taxes. Such substantial taxes will cripple Massachusetts businesses and force families to dig deeper to subsidize waste and mismanagement in state government.

“Passing this budget would be like laying-off the entire town of Northborough, and that would be unacceptable and devastating to those workers and their families. This state is spending millions on a handful of life sciences jobs, but the Democrats think nothing of taxing to death 15,000 jobs,” said Jennifer Nassour, Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party. “Governor Patrick can either increase the state’s unemployment rate by signing the budget, or he can veto this disappointing and toxic plan, and spare working families from the misery of losing their jobs and paying more in taxes on everyday items.”

The fiscal year 2010 budget passed by Beacon Hill Democrats raises taxes by nearly a billion dollars, and proposes an outrageous 25 percent increase in the sales tax, as well as a laundry list of additional taxes and fees on hard-working citizens. The passage of a 25 percent increase in the sales tax and the removal of the sales tax exemption on alcohol will collectively destroy 15,000 jobs in Massachusetts, according to combined estimates from the Beacon Hill Institute and the Massachusetts Package Stores Association.

The Republicans, of course, are right on this. Bay Staters cannot afford tax increases in this economy when workers are losing their jobs or taking cut-backs. But tax increases it’ll be. Governor Patrick has shown himself to be just as indifferent and uncaring as the legislature with regard to the struggles of working class citizens of the Commonwealth. As <>Rush Limbaugh says, “Elections have consequences.” Well, we have elections again in 2010. It’ll be up to the Republicans to put forth candidates who will earn the voters’ support by standing with, not against, the people as we work our way out of this recession. The Democrats certainly won’t be any help.

[David Trumbull is the chairman of the Boston Ward Three Republican Committee. Boston's Ward Three includes the North End, West End, part of Beacon Hill, downtown, waterfront, Chinatown, and part of the South End.]

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