In Massachusetts, one of the questions on the ballot is whether or not to remove the state income tax. Click here for more detailed info from the experts. But I support this for a number of reasons, mostly relating to how the government does not spend its money effectively.
A survey found that 41% of Massachusetts tax money is wasted. Where did it all go to? Projects like the Big Dig (which is actually pretty safe as it is. That one woman who died was due to one mistake which was promptly fixed), $60,000 to $70,000 a year paid to toll collectors - plus benefits, plus pensions. This is for UNSKILLED jobs – counting and making change. A job that can be done by public schools 5th graders, high school dropouts, people trying to get off welfare, or even mentally challenged individuals who want to be contributing members of society.
More importantly, this money-- money from your pockets, MA taxpayers-- goes straight to the pockets of your elected officials. Health benefits, excessive pay for employees, and thieves like Diane Wilkerson. As commentator Howie Carr noted, Wilkerson is bound to fall. But she's just the tip of the ice burg.
We also have poster boys like John Rogers. He's bought a vacation home off of state income tax money from his friend, also in the State House. Rogers gave his friend $196,000 in return for a piece of the banking pie. His friend used that money to pay his own mortgage on his vacation home that he and Rogers co-own.
I also remember reading about a guy, Walter Fender, in the small town of Marshfield (that I honestly never heard anything significant about until this point) who got some $64,000 a year from the State Income Tax for a disability pension. What caused his disability? SNOWFALL. No joke. Snowfall? In December/ January? In MASSACHUSETTS? OH MY GOD, IT'S THE APOCALYPSE! WE HAVE SNOW IN WINTER IN ONE OF THE COLDEST STATES IN THE COUNTRY. And don't even get started on the seaweed. The seaweed on the beach was making him sad. Snow + seaweed obviously = depression. So you get 64k a year from the taxpayers for it? What a crock of bull!
But, according to Fender's lawyer, Vincent Murray, it was not just about snow and seaweed. “Another department employee died suddenly, his replacement tried to kill himself, and then another employee died of Legionnaires’ disease.”
So I should get 64k a year because I too hate snow and seaweed and a relative of mine recently died, and another seems well on the way? If so, hook me up. But unfortunately, this game of favorites only benefits the politicians you elect.
"But we won't be able to pay for necessary services!", some may argue. But oh contrare, we give the government billions of tax dollars a year in the first place. That's what they spend on these social services-- not the income tax. The government needs to actually be effective with their revenue and income, and not waste 41% of it. That's just ridiculous.
Edited to add: And if you're really worried about increasing other taxes, have no fear. In Massachusetts, there is a state law that any tax increase higher than 2.5% needs to be voted on in a people's ballot. All you need to do is vote no. And if they increase other taxes at rates slow enough not to need the vote, for god's sake, get out there and protest, if you don't like it. It's your First Amendment, so put it to good use.
