CLT News Release
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
No to the “Fair Share
Amendment”
To:
Members of the Joint Committee on Revenue
April 10,
2019
RE: S.16
/ H86 — “The Fair Share Amendment”
Contact:
Chip Ford, Executive Director
We recognize, with the
number of co-sponsors of
S.16 and
H.86, the so-called "Fair Share Amendment," and the thirst on Beacon
Hill for ever more revenue, that opposition at this stage is likely
futile. Nonetheless Citizens for Limited Taxation again goes on the
record in opposition to another attempt at a constitutionally graduated
income tax.
We can't conceive of
how anything can possibly be more fair than every taxpayer paying
an equal tax rate on whatever their income. The higher one's income the
more in taxes one pays. How can imposing a different tax rate on some
and not on others by any stretch be termed "fair"? It is the
antithesis of fair.
Please recognize that
assaulting "the wealthy" — the most mobile population — will only serve
to motivate many of the commonwealth's higher earners and businesses to
relocate to more tax-friendly, greener pastures. Even New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo belatedly recognized this. In announcing his state's
“unexpected” $2.3 billion revenue shortfall in February, he warned: "'I
don’t believe in raising taxes on the rich. That would be the worst
thing to do. You would just expand the shortfall. God forbid if the
rich leave.'"
Yes indeed.
It is something you
should consider carefully before rubber-stamping this proposal with your
vote. When wealthier Bay State taxpayers flee, who will pick up and pay
their "fair share" burden, their taxes which now already provide a
disproportionate amount of state revenue, and state spending?
We think we know the
answer to that rhetorical question. CLT hopes the Legislature and
especially taxpayers don't need to learn it the painful way.
We also recognize that
the battle to prevent this proposed amendment to our state constitution
will more than likely go to the ballot box once again. That's where
voters have defeated various past graduated income tax schemes all five
times — in 1962, 1968, 1972, 1976, and 1994.
We hope it won’t be
necessary to do it for the sixth time.
Taxpayers of all
incomes are counting on you to take this under thoughtful consideration
before voting.
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Citizens for Limited Taxation ▪ PO
Box 1147 ▪ Marblehead, MA 01945
▪ (781) 639-9709
