BOSTON -- A feisty Steve Grossman came out swinging against Gov. Paul Cellucci last night,
accusing the governor of misrepresenting how much money the average family would save
under his tax cut proposal.
In the first of several planned debates between Cellucci and prominent Democrats on Question
4, which will appear on the state's November ballot, the Newton businessman and the
governor squared off for a half-hour at the New England Cable News studios. Grossman, who
has announced his candidacy for governor in 2002, called the plan irresponsible. Cellucci
accused Grossman of using scare tactics.
Cellucci, a fiery debater, outlined four reasons why he thinks taxpayers should support the
personal income tax rollback from 5.85 percent to 5 percent over three years. He said voters
should support Question 4 because it will force the Legislature to keep a promise, help keep
Massachusetts competitive, give money back to working families and force the Legislature to
impose fiscal discipline.
When the Legislature raised taxes, lawmakers maintained that it would be a temporary tax
hike. Cellucci said it's only fair to give the money back, which he said would save the
average family of four up to $500 a year.
"If you have a teacher and plumber with two kids, they'll save over $400 with this tax cut,"
Cellucci said. "Why don't you trust that family to spend their own money?"
Grossman said Cellucci's numbers are wrong. The average family making $50,000 a year will
save just over $200 annually, Grossman said.
"The average family of four will get back $4.20 a week," Grossman said. "That's a small
submarine sandwich and it doesn't even include the chips."
Grossman also contended that the proposal will benefit the state's wealthiest 1 percent the
most, leaving the rest of the taxpayers behind.
But Cellucci stood by his numbers, saying the tax cut applies to every taxpayer. It's a
proportional tax cut, he said, so everyone benefits. The wealthiest will get the most back
because they pay the most taxes.
If taxpayers have more money in their pocket, they'll have more money to spend to keep the
economy strong, Cellucci said.
"The dirty little secret is this: When you cut taxes, you increase revenue," Cellucci said.
Grossman's message was less focused, at times straying from the topic to criticize the
governor on other issues, such as the Big Dig's overruns. Even so, Grossman may have
surprised some people with his pressure on the governor.
But the governor stayed right with Grossman, and was perhaps too eager, interrupting
Grossman several times to get his point across.
"I thought it came off as a mean attack-dog approach," said Jim St. George, executive
director of the Tax Equity Alliance for Massachusetts. "It's a lousy way to help people
understand the issue."
But supporters of the tax cut said it was important for Cellucci to show leadership on the
issue.
"The governor had been advised to be calm and friendly, and thank heavens he didn't listen
to anybody," said Barbara Anderson, executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation. "I
was glad to see the governor stand up to him and it was nice to see someone who didn't
memorize his statements."
While Cellucci criticized Grossman for using rehearsed statements such as calling the
governor's plan a "tattered, tired piece of clothing," the governor repeatedly referred to
"fuzzy numbers" -- the same phrase Texas Gov. George W. Bush used on Vice President Al Gore
during Tuesday's debate.
Cellucci said the Legislature made a promise and, now that the state has an unprecedented
surplus with billions in reserve accounts, the time to give back is now. Over the first
three months of this fiscal year, he said, the state has taken in $360 million more than
initial projections, putting the state on pace for a billion-dollar surplus.
"This is not the government's money; it's the people's money," Cellucci said.
But Grossman said the taxpayers would rather invest the money in paying down the state's
debt, which is the third highest in the nation. He said they would rather use the money to
reduce class sizes and help senior citizens pay for prescription drugs.
Grossman also indicated that it was hypocritical of Cellucci to criticize the Legislature
for not keeping a promise, when he said Cellucci promised over and over that the Big Dig was
"on time and on budget."
But Grossman never directly answered why the Legislature shouldn't live up to the promise.
Cellucci, who said Grossman was doing what he could to avoid arguing the merits of the
tax-cut proposal, said the only thing he promised voters was that he would not raise taxes.
The bottom line, Grossman said, is the money won't make much difference to the average
family. The best plan is to invest the money for the future, he said.
"This governor's plan is a flawed plan," he said. "This governor's plan is a tattered, tired
piece of clothing. The choice is clear: Vote for your future."
Cellucci's next debate opponent is Treasurer Shannon O'Brien. The debate will be taped
Thursday, Oct. 12, and aired on WBZ-TV Channel 4 on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 11:30 a.m.