I also question her "MA is 8th or so in tax burden." She doesn't think the other methodology for measuring works (the one that puts MA 37th or thereabouts). She thinks measuring by per-$1000 percentages is the wrong way to do it. That it's … [Read more...]
Question 1 misses its target
In taking aim at big government, proponents of Question 1, which would repeal the state income tax, are about 400 miles off target. They blame Beacon Hill for high taxes and government waste, whereas the real culprits reside far to … [Read more...]
Fight The Dumb Idea: How much would your town lose?
The folks fighting The Dumb Idea (i.e. the income tax abolition) have a nifty tool to show how much your town would lose in funding for necessary services. It's schools, cops, firemen, bridges, etc. etc. etc. Well, for me in Medford, … [Read more...]
Should I cover over my Patrick sticker?
Some background first. Faculty and staff at UMass get no raises except through new contracts, which normally come every three years. If the state doesn't want to pay raises, they can simply stall negotiations and the old … [Read more...]
Question 1, Framed
On the "Yes" side, the chief idea is that of convenience. "Vote yes on Question 1 for consumer choice and convenience."First off, if you really stop and think about it, convenience and consumer choice are not really the same thing at all. … [Read more...]
Ballot questions: Yes on 1 and 2, maybe on 3
Here are our opinions on the ballot questions for Tuesday.We support Question 1, allowing supermarkets to sell wine. We've yet to see a convincing argument why they shouldn't. The danger to mom-n-pop liquor stores is vastly overstated. As … [Read more...]
Tom Reilly revisited, again
I noticed we hadn't discussed Tom Reilly for a few days, so I figured I'd note his endorsement of ...No on Question 1. - Dan … [Read more...]