Related: Globe Selling Sales Tax
Taxachusetts Auctioning Up Sales Tax
"Business girds for battle on sales tax; Leaders blast plan as threat to economy" by Matt Viser, Globe Staff | April 25, 2009
Business groups have started mobilizing to fight a proposed increase in the state's sales tax, launching orchestrated letter-writing campaigns, meeting with lawmakers individually, and flooding legislators with letters opposing the increase.
Associated Industries of Massachusetts, which began asking its members to start lobbying Thursday afternoon, said they sent nearly 1,400 letters in less than 24 hours. "I don't think they get it," said Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, which began distributing fliers opposing the sales tax increase to lawmakers yesterday. "In my 20 years, this is the biggest threat that I've seen to Main Street Massachusetts."
Or they just DON'T CARE!! We know whom our legislators are serving (if not themselves), and it's not us.
Business groups are reacting to proposals that House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo has said he is open to, including raising the 5 percent sales tax to as high as 7 percent. But DeLeo has assiduously avoided staking out a firm public position and refused to address reporters yesterday after meeting with House members for nearly four hours....
DeLeo spent much of yesterday in meetings, trying to figure out what his leadership team wants to do....
I'll bet he comes out for a tax hike!!!
I'll bet my chances are better than the "lottrey!"
"Speaker pushing sales tax of 6.25%; Cites $900m yield for state" by Matt Viser and John C. Drake, Globe Staff | April 27, 2009
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....
Hey, I got a winner!!!!!
State Representative Martha Walz, a Boston Democrat, said she supports the proposal and believes consensus is building in the House for the increase. "There are certainly some number who want a zero percent increase, and some would go as high as 2 percent," Walz said yesterday. "But even with a 1.25 percent increase, there are going to be significant budget cuts. This is not a cure-all."
But state Representative John Binienda, a Worcester Democrat and former chairman of the revenue committee, said he was opposed. "Our economy is in bad shape right now, and I just think that by increasing the sales tax, it's just another drawing card to New Hampshire."
Yup, ONLY TEN MINUTES AWAY!!!!
The move to increase the sales tax will pit DeLeo and top House lawmakers against the state's business community. Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, called the proposed sales-tax increase "a stake through the heart of Main Street," saying the sales tax is already too high. Raising the tax, he said, will drive consumers to the Internet and to tax-free New Hampshire, and "put at risk thousands of small-business jobs."
And they were already on life support.
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Well, I gotta stop blogging now. Looks like I'll be taking a trip north today.
