“Tonight we saw an ambitious plan
to dramatically increase state spending, and the corresponding tax burden on
the citizens of Massachusetts. Transportation and education are important
priorities that we all share, but those priorities come in the context of an
uncertain economic recovery, a state budget is wrestling with a gap of $540
million, and too many people that are unemployed or underemployed.
We need to have a discussion that
first focuses on what we need, what state government has already committed to,
and what people can afford. Only then can we have a serious debate about
revenue.
When we do, we all need to realize
that changing tax rates isn’t the only way to increase revenue. Building a
stronger economy with more taxpayers is also important, and we need to fully
understand the adverse impacts a nearly $2 billion tax increase will have on
the economic growth we need for the sustainable revenue to fund priorities like
transportation and education.”
