CLT NEWS RELEASE
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
"Live Free And Buy"
Citizens for Limited Taxation wants to
“live free and buy” with the new Republican legislators.
Since the Legislature has refused to honor the voters’ will on rolling
back the state income tax rate to 5%, and won’t roll back the sales tax
rate to 5% either, the new idea by the new Republicans is an interesting
way to focus on the Taxachusetts (5th highest per capita tax burden)
problem.
CLT is happy that 19 of the legislators our 2½ PAC supported won, and
we’ve been looking forward to working with them; with this new proposal,
they clearly aren’t waiting until the New Year to make their victories
count.
— 30 —
NEW GOP LEGISLATORS TO PROPOSE
EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR TAXPAYERS
Voters Urged to Sign Petition for "Live Free and Buy" Sales Tax
Credit
BOSTON (December 23, 2010)-- Newly-elected Republican legislators
gathered outside the House GOP Leader's Office at the State House on
Wednesday with an early Christmas gift for Massachusetts taxpayers:
a proposed tax credit to abolish the state sales tax on the first
$4,800 of purchases each year. While the effect of the new law on
state revenues would be the same as rolling back the sales tax to
5%, the tax credit approach would make the first $4,800 of purchases
from Massachusetts stores completely tax free. Representative-elect
Dan Winslow, of Norfolk, introduced the idea with an open challenge
to New Hampshire Republicans by asking "Why go to New Hampshire to
Live Free or Die when you can stay in Massachusetts to Live Free and
Buy?"
The Live Free and Buy law would allow taxpayers to claim up to a
$300 credit on their income taxes for every dollar spent on
Massachusetts sales tax. For a two person household, that equals
$9,600 of tax-free purchases in Massachusetts each year for
merchandise, meals and vehicles.
"The Live Free and Buy tax credit will grow jobs, improve the local
economy, and allow Massachusetts businesses in our border
communities to compete across state lines," noted Winslow. With the
upcoming fiscal year expected to have a $1.5 billion gap between
revenues and spending, Winslow stated that the Live Free and Buy law
would first be effective in time for next year's holiday shopping
season to minimize disruption of the upcoming budget, and then fully
implemented the following fiscal year. Republicans plan to make
specific proposals to cut $1 billion of fraud and waste from state
government spending.
Winslow urged voters who like the idea to sign an online petition at
www.livefreeandbuy.org as well as to obtain more information
about the proposal.
Winslow is the Representative-elect for the towns of Medfield,
Plainville, Norfolk, Walpole, Millis and Wrentham.
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Paid for by the Dan Winslow Committee
www.danwinslow.com
Citizens for Limited Taxation ▪
PO Box 1147 ▪ Marblehead, MA
01945 ▪ 508-915-3665
