THE ISSUE
An anti-tax group is preparing yet another petition drive to lower
the Massachusetts income tax to 5 percent.
OUR VIEW
Someone has to try to force our legislators to keep their promises.
Once again, all the might and power of the state will be arrayed
against them. They may well fail.
But if we are to be a self-governed people, not sheep led by foxes,
they must try.
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends," as Shakespeare's
Henry said.
It has been 10 years since the Legislature raised the state income
tax rate from its "permanent" level of 5 percent. The "temporary"
increase was needed to cope with a budget crisis brought on by recession.
But as soon as the recession ended, the Legislature promised, the tax
rate would return to its permanent level.
Ten years.
In that time, the Legislature's leaders have lied, cajoled,
manipulated, and used their cunning political skills to keep the tax money coming in. The
rate is still 5.95 percent, despite the state's running surpluses in the hundreds of
millions.
Look at what they've done:
The "temporary" tax rate has been in place for 21 of the
last 24 years.
Senate President Thomas F. Birmingham has actually denied that the
Legislature ever made any such promise. State Sen. Susan Tucker of Andover recalls
otherwise.
Instead of lowering the rate, last year the Legislature passed a tax
cut by increasing personal deductions, thus conditioning their subjects to the permanence
of the higher tax rate.
And citizen petitions to place on the ballot a referendum to lower
the tax have been attacked by public employees unions and overturned by a cooperative
judiciary, whose pay depends on the good graces of legislative leaders.
The anti-tax group Citizens for Limited
Taxation is trying again, beginning the process of collecting the 57,100
certified signatures needed to bring the question before the Legislature and, ultimately,
get it on the ballot.
It is a long, arduous process fraught with legal challenges at every
step.
We wish CLT the best in their effort. They are fighting the good
fight.
When our legislators lack the integrity to keep their promises,
someone has to try to force them to do the right thing.