NEWS RELEASE
JUST THE FAX, MEDIA: #2
Am I an average family?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2000
Contact: Barbara Anderson (508-384-0100) or
Chip Ford (781-631-6842)
Opponents of Question 4 insist that the average family will
get just enough from the income tax rollback to buy "a submarine sandwich, no chips, a week."*
Why do opponents of Question 4 want us to give our lunch
money once a week to the state Legislature?
News flash: If Question 4 passes, the "wealthiest one
percent"* of taxpayers, who have been paying the temporary income tax hike for eleven years on their high income, will no
longer be paying the temporary income tax hike on their high income.
The average family, whatever that is, which has been paying
the temporary income tax hike on its average income, will no longer be paying the temporary income tax hike on its average
income.
The low-income family, which hasn't been paying an income
tax at all because it falls below the "no tax status," will still not be paying the temporary income tax hike.
A rate cut is not a spending program. The commonwealth will
not be "squandering"* money on the rich; rather, the commonwealth simply will not be collecting the temporary tax
hike from the rich or from us average taxpayers, anymore.
We know we are not rich, and we do pay taxes, so I guess
we're average taxpayers. How much we get will depend on whether you count down from 5.95%, which was the income tax
rate when we began this campaign, or from 5.85%, which because of a legislative phase-down
is the rate this tax year, or from 5.8%, which is the legislative rate next year, or from 5.75%,
which is where the Legislature stopped and is therefore the actual cut from the initiative petition
alone.
Whether it's used for a submarine sandwich, just the chips,
our fuel bills, our college savings account, or the charity of our choice, we want our promised rollback. Those rich friends
of Steve Grossman who "don't want their tax cut"* can also pay our share. Send the check
directly to the Department of Revenue, and thank you.
* All quotes taken from debates with Question 4 opponents.