"Question 1 backers launch appeal; Urgently seek donations for ads" by Donovan Slack, Globe Staff | October 28, 2008
Just days after a poll showed flagging support for eliminating the state income tax through ballot Question 1, proponents of the measure fired off an urgent appeal for donations yesterday to keep their radio ads on the air.
The e-mail appeal said radio stations would cancel the ads unless backers paid $81,000 within 72 hours. "We need you. We need your contribution now," said the e-mail, signed by Question 1 petitioners Carla Howell and Michael Cloud, the founders of the Committee for Small Government.
Campaign finance records show the group has so far been outspent by opponents of the ballot question by more than 8 to 1, with a group called Coalition for Our Communities spending $3.5 million by Oct. 15 on its campaign opposing the measure. The Committee for Small Government had spent $400,000 by that date.
Howell, a Libertarian, said in an interview yesterday that the appeal for donations was for a specific radio ad campaign designed to swing "no" votes to "yes" votes. Backers are hoping to shift 200,000 voters with the ads, the e-mail said. Howell did not say the group was running out of money but conceded, "We're not swimming in it."
Meanwhile yesterday, a business-funded watchdog group released a report indicating that passage of Question 1 would be detrimental to the city of Boston's ability to provide basic services, such as education and public safety.
I'm so sick of the WASTE-IGNORING, CORPORATE-WELFARE IGNORE, Chicken Littles!!!
The Boston Municipal Research Bureau predicted repealing the income tax would force the state to cut roughly $300 million in local aid to the city, a figure that represents 12 percent of Boston's annual operating budget.
You know what? get it from Hollywood, 'kay?
Also see: Massachusetts Gives More Money to Hollywood
Nearly 85 percent of the city's $2.4 billion budget is allotted for schools, police, fire, public works, and mandatory expenses such as health insurance and debt payments.
That is why I would tell the BANKS to FUCK OFF!!!
They are BLEEDING US DRY with their DEBT SLAVERY!!!!
Leaving those expenses intact if Question 1 passes would require the elimination of every other city department, including the library, neighborhood community centers, services for the elderly, and the parks and transportation departments, the Research Bureau's analysis said.
See that chunk of sky just fall down?
Of course, "flushing . . . millions of dollars away supporting a highly profitable industry" when it comes to $300 million in taxpayer dollars for Hollywood is o.k., even as the price of a school lunch rises; paying $13 million for a computer software system that could have cost less than $3 million is all right because the winner was a close friend of the House speaker, even as my poorer-than-dirt district "has been struggling to close a $2 million budget gap."; the lottery shelling out "millions of dollars" for sports tickets for "lottery officials, their family members, and friends" is fine, even as schools are closing; making interest payments to banks to the tune of "a staggering $22 billion" for the Big Pit, as we call it around here, is required, even as bridges are neglected across the state; and again, paying off banks like UBS, who can "demand repayment of an additional $2 million a month beginning in January" while also receiving a "$179 million payment," while the state pension fund loses $1 billion dollars -- which still didn't stop the executive director from carving himself a nice "$64,000 bonus on top of his $322,000 annual salary."
Oh, and did I not mention the $1 BILLION dollar giveaway to the pharmaceutical corporations, even though "it's never been easy to turn a profit in biotech?" Flush that money away, too, taxpayer. Of course, the war looters were next in line for a handout. And should the state be appropriating money for a "multimillion-dollar reconstruction" of golf courses?
Nor is it RECKLESS to BORROW the STATE INTO OBLIVION so they can PAY INTEREST to BANKS while SITTING ON $2 BILLION DOLLARS!
Need one final insult, Mass. taxpayers?
See: Massachusetts Gives More Money to Hollywood
Yup, but they are going to CUT VITAL JOBS and SERVICES!! Don't you just get SICK of the BULLSHIT?!!!!
Well, HERE'S MORE!!!
Last week, a report commissioned by Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation reached similar conclusions, saying the measure "goes too far." That report said repealing the income tax would force the state and cities and towns to raise other taxes and fees, including tolls, state college tuition, and property taxes, and ultimately make the state a less desirable place to live or do business.
It ALREADY SUCKS BIG TIME!! STAY AWAY of you CAN, America!!!
Supporters of Question 1 said yesterday that both reports were issued by groups that have a stake in keeping the income tax. "All of these groups are funded by or represent financial corporations and other businesses that profit from high government spending," Howell said.
YUP!!!
A similar ballot question in 2002 garnered 45 percent of the vote, only 6 percentage points short of passage. --more--"
And in a FAIR ELECTION it passes; however, that is not what we are gonna get (we never do here in Massachusetts)!!!
