BOSTON -- In a possible preview of the 2002 governor's race,
Treasurer Shannon O'Brien slammed Gov. Paul Cellucci's proposed tax cut, saying it ultimately would cost taxpayers by
making it harder to pay down the state's escalating debt.
"We've doubled our debt in the past 10 years from $6 billion
to $12.4 billion," O'Brien said yesterday during a sometimes testy half-hour debate with Cellucci at WBZ-TV, Channel 4. "If
we don't pay it down now, we will be paying billions more in the long term."
Cellucci rejected O'Brien's argument, saying there is no
guarantee the Legislature would spend the extra money to bring the state debt under control. He said the $1.2 billion the
state will lose under the cut would be better spent by families.
An average family of four would save about $400 under the
cut, Cellucci said. The savings is closer to $200, O'Brien countered.
"Why don't we trust that family to make decisions about that
$400 rather than trusting the government?" Cellucci said.
The final verdict on Cellucci's plan to reduce the state's
income tax rate from 5.85 percent to 5 percent is in the hands of voters. The proposal -- known as Question 4 -- is one of
eight questions on the statewide ballot Nov. 7.
To help win public support for the tax cut, Cellucci offered
to debate top Democrats -- all of whom say the tax cut would hurt the state's ability to pay for education, health care and
other priorities.
O'Brien and other opponents have their work cut out for
them. Early public opinion appears to be running in favor of the tax cut. A recent poll by the University of Massachusetts
showed 72 percent of voters support the question.
The Campaign for Massachusetts' Future, which opposes the
question, has raised about $972,880 so far and plans to take their message to the airwaves in the closing weeks of the
campaign.
Cellucci's Tax Rollback Committee, which has raised about
$657,271 so far, also plans to run television ads before the election.
O'Brien likened the state's rising debt to a credit card.
She said she will be required to issue $3 billion in debt this year, equal to about $500 for every man, woman and child in
Massachusetts -- or about $2,000 for a family of four.
"The dirty little secret is that the debt we're issuing
right now will increase their credit card," O'Brien said. "You're putting $200 into their pocket, yet taking $2,000 out
and putting it on the credit card."
Cellucci said there are other reasons to cut taxes. He said
it will make Massachusetts more competitive with other states with lower taxes. He also said it would force the Legislature
to live within its means.
A tax cut would also help lawmakers live up to the pledge
they made when they raised taxes during the state's fiscal crisis of the late 1980s, Cellucci said. Lawmakers promised to
roll the tax back to 5 percent once the crisis passed, he said.
"The people of this state have waited 11 years for the
promise to be kept. I don't think they should have to wait another five or six or 10 years," Cellucci said, pointing to
the $4 billion Massachusetts has in reserves as more proof the state can afford the tax cut.
Cellucci last week debated the tax cut with former
Democratic National Party Chairman Steve Grossman, who has said he plans to run for governor in 2002. O'Brien has also been
mentioned as a possible Democratic gubernatorial contender.
Cellucci has scheduled two more tax cutting debates against
Democrats said to be eyeing the corner office in 2002: House Speaker Thomas Finneran (Oct. 21) and Senate President
Thomas Birmingham (Oct. 30).