Action Alert

Vote No on Question 1

Question 1 is the proposed law to eliminate the state personal income tax.  Citizens will vote on this initiative at the polls November 4^th.  This binding referendum will cut the state personal income tax in half on January 1,   2009 and take $12.7 billion - nearly 40 percent – out of the state budget as of January 2010. The League considers Question 1 to be a reckless proposal that could increase local property taxes, cause sweeping cuts in education, cripple our public safety departments, and speed the deterioration of our infrastructure.  We encourage all citizens of the state to Vote NO on Question 1 in the interest of preserving vital services for the citizens of Massachusetts.

Reasons to Vote NO on Question 1

·     Elimination of the state income tax will result in $12.7 billion being removed from the state’s tax base, more than a third of the state’s $27 billion budget.   The state would raise the sales tax and fees to make up for the decreased funding.

·    The federal government requires matching funds from the state for several types of aid.  If funding is cut to programs such as Medicaid on the state level, the federal funding will also be eliminated and lead to probable lawsuits against the state for failing to fulfill government mandates.

·    State aid to local government (the majority of which is earmarked for K-12 education) would suffer a 40 percent cut in funding, forcing towns to either roll back services or seek more overrides, increasing the property tax to maintain basic services .

·    Public Safety will be at risk with fewer emergency response personnel, longer 911 wait times and fewer police officers and fire fighters as first responders.

·    Education will suffer.   This means not only limited academic tutoring, arts activities, after-school programs and sports opportunities for our children but also fewer teachers for required classes, larger classroom sizes and more school closings.

·    Infrastructure will deteriorate with less money for our roads, bridges and public transportation systems.  This would mean more crumbling roadways, potholes and repair bills for drivers and a greater risk of train derailments and bridge collapses.

• Healthcare services will be cut affecting senior citizens, working families and people with disabilities.  Federal Medicare matching funds will be lost if the state does not contribute its share.

·         Elimination of the income tax could negatively impact the state bond rating, increasing interest rates and taxes in other areas. 

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Please contact us at: www.lwvma.org or 617-523-2999, to see how you can help and/or get more information on this issue.

For more information contact fiscal policy specialist June Micheals.