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CLT UPDATE
Thursday, May 5, 2016

Tax Freedom Day finally arrives in Mass.
Today, at long last, you start keeping what you earn


Saying state spending had risen 50 percent since 2006, Andover Rep. James Lyons appealed to his colleagues Monday to pass a budget amendment reducing the sales tax to 5 percent from 6.25 percent. The House instead voted 112-42 to study the idea.

Rep. Stephen Kulik argued for an amendment to study the proposal, saying its passage would reduce state revenues by $1 billion. "It's critical funding," he said, noting the proposed House budget increases state spending by $1.1 billion.

Lyons suggested tax policy studies favored by Democrats over the years have not been conducted. "I've been in here five years, I haven't seen a study yet," said Lyons, who, with Rep. Brad Hill of Ipswich, said northern Massachusetts residents have long spent their shopping dollars in sales tax-free New Hampshire.

"At some point, if we are serious about economic growth, we have to reduce the tax burden," Lyons said.

State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016
Sales tax cut runs into resistance in Mass. House


House Democrats successfully moved Monday to study a proposal to exempt cities and towns from paying 24 cents a gallon in gas taxes, avoiding a direct vote on the proposal.

State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016
House Dems cool to muni gas tax exemption


The Massachusetts House on Monday shot down proposals to increase the gas tax and put a cap on the state's film tax credit program as they began to dispense with more than 1,300 amendments to the annual state budget bill.

The House swiftly took care of more than 30 revenue-related amendments to the $39.48 billion budget, rejecting four and voting to study two others. The rest were withdrawn by their sponsors after behind the scenes talks.

State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016
House protects film tax credit, rejects gas tax increase


After rousing debates Monday night wherein Democrats roundly defeated two Republican local aid amendments, House lawmakers unanimously passed two rafts of amendments tacking nearly $22 million onto the annual budget bill.

Republicans first sought to devote to local government coffers any state tax revenues that exceed budget-writers expectations for fiscal 2016....

Rep. James Lyons, an Andover Republican, and other members of the minority caucus, next turned their attention restricting local aid for so-called sanctuary cities, claiming their stance towards immigrants in the country illegally flouts federal immigration law.

"Does the rule of law even matter in this state?" Lyons asked. The amendment would prohibit unrestricted local aid from going to cities or towns found to be in violation of a particular section of federal law.

"I find this interesting that the amendment is trying to take discretion away from municipalities," said Attleboro Democrat Rep. Paul Heroux, noting the earlier amendment sought to give local governments more control over spending.

The Lyons amendment failed on a straight 34 to 118 party-line vote....

Democrats and Republicans came together to unanimously pass two consolidated amendments, adding $19.9 million in spending on a local aid and education amendment, and $1.8 million in spending through an amendment dealing with transportation, state administration and constitutional offices.

State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016
House adds early ed spending after debates over local aid


The Massachusetts House passed a $39.56 billion fiscal 2017 budget Wednesday afternoon, shipping its spending plan to the Senate which plans in May to debate its vision of what state spending should look like beginning July 1.

The budget was approved after two-plus days of deliberations marked by light and sporadic debates, with most of the decisions made in a House ante-room where lawmakers were instructed to go and talk to Ways and Means Chairman Brian Dempsey about their thousands of amendments.

Lawmakers added $86 million in spending to the bottom line through nine "consolidated" amendments compiled by House leadership and passed unanimously.

The final budget passed 156 to 0 with three Democrats not recorded.

In closing remarks where he thanked members and staff as votes were being tallied, House Speaker Robert DeLeo boasted at the House's record of producing budgets that are "on time and in balance." ...

House members agreed to pack into the budget scores of earmark amendments designed to pay for local projects. If the Senate does not agree to those earmarks, they could still be included in the final budget if a six-member conference committee is amenable....

Aside from what industry officials describe as a hospital tax and lawmakers classify as an assessment, the budget does not include any new taxes or tax increases. The House rejected an amendment to raise the gas tax by 3 cents per gallon and avoided a vote on reducing the sales tax to 5 percent by voting to study that issue instead.

On Wednesday, the House added to the budget a measure sponsored by Republican leadership that would bring Massachusetts into compliance with the federal Real ID Act. Some Democrats objected saying they were caught off guard by the major policy decision....

The budget provides "targeted investments" to support the early education workforce, including a $15 million salary reserve, $2 million for access to early education programs and $18.6 million for kindergarten expansion grants.

The spending plan approved Wednesday also includes $159 million more in local aid than the current year's budget.

"I think it's a good document, local aid was prioritized in a way that satisfied a lot of members on my side of the aisle. That was one of the number one priorities across the board," House Minority Leader Bradley Jones said. "It goes off to the Senate now and we'll see what the Senate does. Hopefully we continue to make progress toward having a budget to the governor's desk in time so he can exercise his judgment."

State House News Service
Wednesday, April 27, 2018
House unanimously approves $39.56 billion budget


We finally get to celebrate on Thursday.

What’s Thursday? It’s Tax Freedom Day. It is the day we are no longer working to pay our tax burden.

Since Jan. 1 we have yet to work one day for ourselves. All of the hard work has gone to pay our federal, state and local taxes.

Of course, Tax Freedom Day comes later in Massachusetts than most other states. We work an extra 11 days for the government. That’s why we have earned the nickname Taxachusetts. And it’s well-deserved.

During last week’s 2½-day House budget debate over spending $40 billion of our tax dollars, there was an attempt to raise the gas tax once again. Memories are short on Beacon Hill. In 2013 the gas tax was raised three cents and linked to inflation. Fortunately, voters rejected taxation without representation and repealed the linkage in November 2014.

The Boston Herald
Monday, May 2, 2016
Living up to the nickname Taxachusetts
By Holly Robichaud


This year, Tax Freedom Day falls on April 24, or 114 days into the year (excluding Leap Day).

Americans will pay $3.3 trillion in federal taxes and $1.6 trillion in state and local taxes, for a total bill of almost $5.0 trillion, or 31 percent of the nation’s income.

Tax Freedom Day is one day earlier than last year, due to slightly lower federal tax collections as a proportion of the economy.

Americans will collectively spend more on taxes in 2016 than they will on food, clothing, and housing combined.

If you include annual federal borrowing, which represents future taxes owed, Tax Freedom Day would occur 16 days later, on May 10.

Tax Freedom Day is a significant date for taxpayers and lawmakers because it represents how long Americans as a whole have to work in order to pay the nation’s tax burden....

Tax Freedom Day Arrives on May 5th in Massachusetts

Tax Freedom Day is the day when Americans have finally earned enough money to pay off their total tax bill for the year. In 2016, Massachusetts taxpayers have to work until May 5th (47th earliest nationally) to pay their total tax bill.

The Tax Foundation
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Tax Freedom Day Arrives on May 5th in Massachusetts


Chip Ford's CLT Commentary

One week after the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed its $39.56 billion FY 2017 budget and sent it on to the Senate, Massachusetts taxpayers today at long last celebrate our Tax Freedom Day.

Tax Freedom Day is when taxpayers begin working for themselves, if all income since January 1st was used to pay just each of our individual federal, state, and local tax burden.  That's 125 days (17 weeks and 6 days) that every cent we earned has been taken by government on all levels to feed itself.  Now we can start keeping what we earn, thank you Big Government.

Americans will spend more on taxes in 2016 that it will on food, clothing, and housing combined.

Then there's the annual federal budget deficit.  The Tax Foundation reports:

Since 2002, federal expenses have surpassed federal revenues, with the budget deficit exceeding $1 trillion annually from 2009 to 2012. In calendar year 2016, the deficit will grow significantly, from $592 billion to $698 billion. If we include this annual federal borrowing, which represents future taxes owed, Tax Freedom Day would occur on May 10, 16 days later. The latest ever deficit-inclusive Tax Freedom Day occurred during World War II on May 25, 1945.

That's just the annual federal deficit not the $19 TRILLION and growing accumulated federal debt!  Never mind the off-the-charts federal and state unfunded liabilities!

According to the Washington DC-based Tax Foundation, on average Tax Freedom Day nationally occurred on April 24th, eleven days before Massachusetts, which is the 47th state to reach its Tax Freedom Day.  The only states behind us and still waiting are New York (#48), New Jersey (#49), and Connecticut (#50).

The next time someone tells you Taxachusetts doesn't tax us enough, ask "What's enough?" there are only three states in the nation that tax its citizens more than Massachusetts.  Are any of them taxing "enough" yet?


As you can imagine, I've been running ragged here at CLT since Barbara's passing there's so much to do and only so much time in a week to get it done before the next week starts the following day.  The around-the-clock caring for her is behind me but time remains insufficient.  There's just not enough of it in a day, a week.  I moved on to the daunting process of clearing out her home and home office of all the CLT records, paperwork, files, and office equipment, moving everything into my rooms and office while simultaneously taking over all her duties, learning my many additional new responsibilities such as CLT's accounting, bookkeeping, and banking systems and methods.  It's coming together day by day and we hope you'll bear with us during this period of adjustment.

Chip Faulkner and I are also planning a "celebration of life" remembrance for Barbara as so many friends, members, and even some of her opponents have suggested.  Personal invitations to our event will be sent out soon.  If you wish to attend, reserve the afternoon of Sunday, June 5th in your date book, and watch your mailbox at home for the arrival of your invitation.  It's at the printer now.
 

Banner (under construction) for our June 5th remembrance event

Chip Ford
Executive Director


 

State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016

Sales tax cut runs into resistance in Mass. House
By Michael Norton


Saying state spending had risen 50 percent since 2006, Andover Rep. James Lyons appealed to his colleagues Monday to pass a budget amendment reducing the sales tax to 5 percent from 6.25 percent. The House instead voted 112-42 to study the idea.

Rep. Stephen Kulik argued for an amendment to study the proposal, saying its passage would reduce state revenues by $1 billion. "It's critical funding," he said, noting the proposed House budget increases state spending by $1.1 billion.

Lyons suggested tax policy studies favored by Democrats over the years have not been conducted. "I've been in here five years, I haven't seen a study yet," said Lyons, who, with Rep. Brad Hill of Ipswich, said northern Massachusetts residents have long spent their shopping dollars in sales tax-free New Hampshire.

"At some point, if we are serious about economic growth, we have to reduce the tax burden," Lyons said.

Led by House Speaker Robert DeLeo, the Legislature and former Gov. Deval Patrick raised the sales tax in 2009 from 5 percent to 6.25 percent.

Rep. Angelo Scaccia said Speaker DeLeo was a fiscal conservative, despite increases in the gas and sales taxes under his watch.

"I don't think anybody in this world can call you a tax-spender," he said, referring to DeLeo.

As a gubernatorial candidate in 2010, Charlie Baker favored reducing the sales tax rate to 5 percent.

State officials have routinely relied on one-time revenues to support state spending, and this year's budget proposals take steps to reduce reliance on non-recurring revenues while building the state's rainy day account to nearly $1.5 billion.


State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016

House Dems cool to muni gas tax exemption
By Michael Norton


House Democrats successfully moved Monday to study a proposal to exempt cities and towns from paying 24 cents a gallon in gas taxes, avoiding a direct vote on the proposal.

Rep. Brad Hill said Massport and the MBTA are already exempt from paying the tax and told his colleagues the issue doesn't require additional study. If passed, the amendment would be tantamount to a local aid increase, he said. "The further amendment will once against disallow our cities and towns from being exempt from this gas tax," Hill said.

Rep. Stephen Kulik, recommending a study, said the amendment was a "perennial" and called investments in local aid a "hallmark" of the House's $39.5 billion budget. Cities and towns deploy many vehicles that use public roads and the gas taxes they pay come back to communities in the form of public investments, he said.

The study amendment prevailed on a vote of 114-38.


State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016

House protects film tax credit, rejects gas tax increase
By Katie Lannan


The Massachusetts House on Monday shot down proposals to increase the gas tax and put a cap on the state's film tax credit program as they began to dispense with more than 1,300 amendments to the annual state budget bill.

The House swiftly took care of more than 30 revenue-related amendments to the $39.48 billion budget, rejecting four and voting to study two others. The rest were withdrawn by their sponsors after behind the scenes talks.

The gas tax and film tax credit amendments, both filed by Rep. Angelo Scaccia, were rejected on voice votes.

Calling it the "biggest boondoggle" he has seen in his long legislative career, Scaccia argued for Massachusetts to cap its film tax credit at $40 million. Gov. Charlie Baker has also targeted the credit, which supporters say has enabled the state to grow its film industry sector.

"We have to get rid of this boondoggle," said Scaccia.

House leadership has traditionally provided strong support for the tax credit. House Majority Leader Ronald Mariano opposed Scaccia's amendment, noting a Braintree company employs 14 accountants who work in the sector and "wouldn't be here if we didn't have a film tax credit."

Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante described the credit as a benefit for parts of the state that miss out on programs geared toward urban areas or specific industries. She pointed to several movies filmed in her North Shore district, including The Proposal, The Perfect Storm and Joy.

"I don't begrudge gateway cities and larger cities for the amount of money they get, I do not begrudge Boston from having a whole MBTA travel system," Ferrante said. "However, it is upsetting to me when I hear folks from larger cities complain about a program that directly results in a benefit for my district and to other districts that simply do not qualify for the benefits that larger cities get. I also am concerned and upset when I see tax credits go mainly to the businesses of white collar workers, because once again those aren't the tax credits that benefit my district."

Scaccia had also sought to increase the state's tax on gasoline from 24 cents per gallon to 27 cents per gallon, saying during debate on the amendment that he was "not here to raise taxes per se" but wanted to address the way the state pays for transportation. The gas tax increase could help the MBTA move away from using capital funds to pay for operating expenses, which "does not make financial sense" Scaccia said.

Rep. Geoff Diehl, a chief proponent of the 2014 ballot campaign that repealed automatic gas tax increases, countered that the MBTA has sufficient revenue to cover its personnel expenses and road construction but must manage its money better. He said Massachusetts spends over four times the national average to repair roads, and 49 percent of the gas tax revenues go to the T.

During his arguments for an amendment to study reducing the state sales tax to 5 percent, Scaccia noted the MBTA was one of the few areas targeted for major investments in the budget, with $93 million more.

Michael Norton contributed reporting


State House News Service
Monday, April 25, 2016

House adds early ed spending after debates over local aid
By Andy Metzger


After rousing debates Monday night wherein Democrats roundly defeated two Republican local aid amendments, House lawmakers unanimously passed two rafts of amendments tacking nearly $22 million onto the annual budget bill.

Republicans first sought to devote to local government coffers any state tax revenues that exceed budget-writers expectations for fiscal 2016.

Mansfield Republican Rep. Jay Barrows and others argued the transfer of up to $100 million received in excess of the expected $26.8 billion tax haul could be used to provide some relief for local taxpayers through their local government.

Democrats countered that the amendment would tie lawmakers' hands, claimed the budget already contributes substantially to local aid and foreshadowed unanticipated needs cropping up later in the year.

"It's our job, let's just do it," Dartmouth Democrat Rep. Chris Markey urged his colleagues ahead of the 37 to 118 vote rejecting the amendment. Democrat Reps. James Dwyer, Colleen Garry and Tom Stanley voted with the Republicans to sequester the money for local aid.

Rep. James Lyons, an Andover Republican, and other members of the minority caucus, next turned their attention restricting local aid for so-called sanctuary cities, claiming their stance towards immigrants in the country illegally flouts federal immigration law.

"Does the rule of law even matter in this state?" Lyons asked. The amendment would prohibit unrestricted local aid from going to cities or towns found to be in violation of a particular section of federal law.

"I find this interesting that the amendment is trying to take discretion away from municipalities," said Attleboro Democrat Rep. Paul Heroux, noting the earlier amendment sought to give local governments more control over spending.

The Lyons amendment failed on a straight 34 to 118 party-line vote.

Paul Craney, executive director of the conservative Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, opined on Monday's floor action that those concerned with local control "lost tonight" as "the majority of lawmakers refuse to assert themselves."

Democrats and Republicans came together to unanimously pass two consolidated amendments, adding $19.9 million in spending on a local aid and education amendment, and $1.8 million in spending through an amendment dealing with transportation, state administration and constitutional offices.

Amalgamations of various legislative proposals filed by members of the House, the consolidated amendments are assembled by House leadership, generally receive scant public discussion and usually pass overwhelmingly.

One provision adopted by the House would temporarily increase the amount of time when someone can vote in a city or town after moving from that municipality to elsewhere within the state.

Originally filed by Rep. Angelo Scaccia, a Boston Democrat from the Readville neighborhood, the amendment would extend to a year and a half the grace period when citizens can vote at their old residence after moving to a different part of the state - reverting it back to a six-month grace period right after November's election.

The House also added requirements for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to assemble a working group charged with expediting high-speed passenger rail service from Springfield to Boston and included language about pedestrian and cyclist safety to the state's driving learner's permit statute.

The House also moved to increase by 50 percent a proposed salary reserve for early education and care providers - a profession that lawmakers have said suffers from high turnover because of low wages.

The provision adopted Monday night would boost the size of the fund from the $10 million proposed in the initial Ways and Means budget to $15 million.

Lawmakers plan to return to the House chamber to resume debate over the budget Tuesday with roll calls set to begin at 11 a.m. A consolidated amendment covering social services and veterans affairs is scheduled to be available in the chamber an hour earlier.


State House News Service
Wednesday, April 27, 2018

House unanimously approves $39.56 billion budget
By Michael P. Norton, Andy Metzger and Colin A. Young


The Massachusetts House passed a $39.56 billion fiscal 2017 budget Wednesday afternoon, shipping its spending plan to the Senate which plans in May to debate its vision of what state spending should look like beginning July 1.

The budget was approved after two-plus days of deliberations marked by light and sporadic debates, with most of the decisions made in a House ante-room where lawmakers were instructed to go and talk to Ways and Means Chairman Brian Dempsey about their thousands of amendments.

Lawmakers added $86 million in spending to the bottom line through nine "consolidated" amendments compiled by House leadership and passed unanimously.

The final budget passed 156 to 0 with three Democrats not recorded.

In closing remarks where he thanked members and staff as votes were being tallied, House Speaker Robert DeLeo boasted at the House's record of producing budgets that are "on time and in balance."

Last year, House and Senate members agreed on a final budget a full week into the fiscal year and Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed $162 million, as the legislative and executive branches differed on the bottom line.

With the additional state spending tacked on through the consolidated amendments, the House budget finished the week about $10 million higher than the $39.55 billion spending bill submitted by Baker in January. This year the House was about $4.7 million more frugal than last year in adding to the Ways and Means bottom line through consolidated amendments.

Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Executive Director Paul Craney, whose organization has frequently used budget-week roll call votes to target incumbent Democratic lawmakers, criticized the process.

"If you blinked, you could have missed it. In just about a week's time, House leadership unveiled its version of the 2017 budget, 160 house members submitted more than 1300 amendments, no more than 20 meaningful roll call votes were taken, and the budget was passed on to the Senate. Seems like a little more deliberation is due for a $40 billion budget," Craney said.

House members agreed to pack into the budget scores of earmark amendments designed to pay for local projects. If the Senate does not agree to those earmarks, they could still be included in the final budget if a six-member conference committee is amenable.

Governors over the years have often frowned on earmarks, which limit the discretion of executive branch officials to make spending decisions.

Aside from what industry officials describe as a hospital tax and lawmakers classify as an assessment, the budget does not include any new taxes or tax increases. The House rejected an amendment to raise the gas tax by 3 cents per gallon and avoided a vote on reducing the sales tax to 5 percent by voting to study that issue instead.

On Wednesday, the House added to the budget a measure sponsored by Republican leadership that would bring Massachusetts into compliance with the federal Real ID Act. Some Democrats objected saying they were caught off guard by the major policy decision.

The Real ID Act, a federal post-2001 anti-terrorism initiative, requires states to begin issuing secure and compliant forms of identification that for many residents will replace their current drivers' licenses.

Baker administration officials briefed legislative leaders last month on a bill the governor filed last October to bring Massachusetts into compliance, warning that without action this year residents might have to start carrying their passports to access federal buildings or travel through domestic airports by January.

The budget provides "targeted investments" to support the early education workforce, including a $15 million salary reserve, $2 million for access to early education programs and $18.6 million for kindergarten expansion grants.

The spending plan approved Wednesday also includes $159 million more in local aid than the current year's budget.

"I think it's a good document, local aid was prioritized in a way that satisfied a lot of members on my side of the aisle. That was one of the number one priorities across the board," House Minority Leader Bradley Jones said. "It goes off to the Senate now and we'll see what the Senate does. Hopefully we continue to make progress toward having a budget to the governor's desk in time so he can exercise his judgment."

House Republicans sought to sequester up to $100 million in excess state tax revenues to send to cities and towns, but were rebuffed by Democrats.

The fiscal 2017 budget approved Wednesday will fund 45 new addiction treatment beds at Taunton State Hospital.

The Legislature has increased funding for substance addiction services by more than 65 percent since fiscal 2012, according to the speaker's office.

The Massachusetts Cultural Council expressed disappointment that the budget, in the end, funded the MCC at $12 million, down $2 million from fiscal 2016. The council said more than 100 lawmakers had signed on to an amendment to boost support to $17 million, but were rebuffed by House leaders who added a more modest $2 million through the amendment process.

"Once again citizens across the Commonwealth joined a broad-based campaign to restore state support for the arts, humanities, and sciences," said MCC Executive Director Anita Walker. "We came up short in the House. But we know that increased state investment is the only way to truly capitalize on the economic, social, and educational potential of the nonprofit cultural sector. So we will redouble our advocacy efforts through the Senate budget debate and beyond."

Matt Murphy contributed reporting


The Boston Herald
Monday, May 2, 2016

Living up to the nickname Taxachusetts
By Holly Robichaud


We finally get to celebrate on Thursday.

What’s Thursday? It’s Tax Freedom Day. It is the day we are no longer working to pay our tax burden.

Since Jan. 1 we have yet to work one day for ourselves. All of the hard work has gone to pay our federal, state and local taxes.

Of course, Tax Freedom Day comes later in Massachusetts than most other states. We work an extra 11 days for the government. That’s why we have earned the nickname Taxachusetts. And it’s well-deserved.

During last week’s 2½-day House budget debate over spending $40 billion of our tax dollars, there was an attempt to raise the gas tax once again. Memories are short on Beacon Hill. In 2013 the gas tax was raised three cents and linked to inflation. Fortunately, voters rejected taxation without representation and repealed the linkage in November 2014.

Earlier this year, the state Senate passed a new tax on paint, giving shoppers another reason to abandon the commonwealth.

It doesn’t end there. Beacon Hill politicians are also working on legislation to allow new local option taxes on gas and other items as if we don’t pay enough in property taxes.

Another reason for our state’s nickname is that, no matter what, you cannot escape taxes. During the Patrick administration, the Department of Revenue started collecting taxes on trucks and trailers stored here even if the sales tax on the vehicles was paid in another state. What sort of tax is this? It is called a “use” tax.

This usage tax doesn’t just apply to trucks. It can be applied to furniture and boats. If items are used in Massachusetts within six months of purchase, DOR has the right to collect a 
6-percent use tax. Who knew? I guess John Kerry did when he docked his yacht in Rhode Island. The DOR even has a boat unit to collect these taxes.

Why are we Taxachusetts?

It might be due to our professional politicians.

New Hampshire operates with no sales or income taxes and they only pay legislators $200 per year. On the other hand, we pay legislators $65,000 per year and get a hefty tax burden in return. If representatives cannot spend more than 2½ days debating spending $40 billion, maybe we should pay them the same salary as their New Hampshire counterparts. It would force them to get other jobs instead of thinking of new ways to tax us.

Holly Robichaud is a Republican strategist and a six-time Pollie Award winner.

 

NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml


Citizens for Limited Taxation    PO Box 1147    Marblehead, MA 01945    508-915-3665

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