Ballot questions.

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepip08/pip08idx.htm

How are you voting?

1) Yes.

2) Yes.

3) Not sure, but leaning towards no.

Where do you expect MA to get money? From property taxes?

Eliminating the state income tax will simply mean our property taxes and,, therefore, rents will double. It is a very bad move.

They have no income tax, and people pay dearly with property taxes in order to support education and basic services. My parents sold a second home there because their property taxes nearly doubled every year due to a growing need for more schools and services.

Most of the Barbara Anderson and Carla Howell crazies are voting to lower the income tax. They are part of that sad but vocal minority in MA. Lowering the income tax coupled with decreased federal funding is a recipe for disaster. Our roads and bridges are in rough shape, our educational system is declining, etc. Anyone who votes to lower the income tax has his/her head up his ass.

I really don't mind paying income taxes (FWIW... I work in public safety, and I'm a dues paying union member), but myself and other tax payers are sick and tired of the waste... over spending... inflated salaries and pensions... bloated budgets... needless bureaucracy... etc.

If this measure passes, it will at least send a message to them to cut the crap and clean up their act.

Given the current economic hardships, I think question 1 stands a good chance of passing... close maybe, but it just must sail with voters (recall how close it was last time... closer than anyone had predicted).

Not that it really matters... if question 1 does pass, I fully anticipate our glorious leaders to pull a fast one and find some way to negate/circumvent the wish of the voters.

:eyes:

Gheesh!! You sound soooooooooo republicon! :puke:

My husband and I are on fixed incomes. We live in a very rural community, and our property taxes have more than doubled since we bought our home here 13 years ago. We get almost NO services for our tax money. No trash collection...no street lights...crappy road maintenance...one (!) full time police officer...the only funded ambulance service belongs to a nearby town, etc.

What we pay for is the ambiance of the place and the privilege of living in one of the prettiest of the Hilltowns.

We just can't afford another property tax increase



That's why I'm voting NO on question 1.

The no income tax ballot issue is pure bullshit. And I find it odd that anyone but a freakin' libertarian or republican would ever vote Yes on the measure.

What I posted on the issue in another forum:

If the income tax thing passes the state loses 12 billion dollars in revenue. That ain't pocket change. That's 40% of the state budget. And there's only one way to make up that money. By raising other taxes to OBSCENE levels or cutting necessary expenses and shifting the burden to towns and municipalities (although getting rid of that ridiculous police detail program would free up a chunk of the budget).

The number one place where we'll see an increase is property taxes. We already have some of the highest property tax rates in the nation. An income tax is spread more evenly- the wealthy pay more, the poor less. Property tax doesn't work that way- it's decidedly uneven. There are a great many Massachusetts home owners who could be considered "house poor." Yeah, they own a house. But they are decidedly middle and lower-middle class. Depending on the set up either their mortgage payment will go up or they'll face a giant bill for their property tax every quarter. Considering the housing crisis we are already facing/in, this would only exacerbate the problem.

Not having income tax benefits one group of people: the wealthy and upwardly mobile. As a DINK I'd save a whole heckuva lot of money if there were no state income tax. I just have a problem with the poor family in Lowell or Fall River paying for my roads and police officers and firemen.

With state money frozen and can never be touched the hit would take almost 60% out of funding according to Jim Braude. That would kill towns and cities.

Don't do it!! We're already in enough trouble finacially in MA...

we need that income tax to maintain a quality of life here.

Voting yes on 1 makes no sense.

Mailed in my absentee ballot yesterday, actually.

I was surprised that, apart from McKinney and her running mate, there were no Green-Rainbow candidates on the ballot.

I can understand people wanting to vote yes on question one. However, even if it passes the legislature will never let it go through the way it is written and I don't care how binding it is. Hopefully 2 leads to legalization and three doesn't save any dogs...they just move out of state. Dogs can't be legally killed in Mass.

Not sure how a progressive can vote YES on 1.

I am not sure on 3. My feelings lead to YES, but I wished that nobody would have to lose their job.

2 is a no brainer.

Some of you will see a fourth question on your ballot:

http://www.securegreenfuture.org/

This is a non-binding call for more aggressive action on creating a healthy and sustainable ecology and economy.

We cannot afford to eliminate the state income tax, this state is falling apart. If they don't get $$$ from the state income tax, they'll come at us from another direction.

2 and 3 are really just personal opinions.