Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Statement on Governor’s State of the State Address
Tonight I released the follow statement regarding
Governor Patrick’s State of the State address where he announced a plan to
raise the state income tax to 6.25% to fund transportation and education
initiatives:
Tonight
we saw an ambitious plan to dramatically increase state spending, and the
corresponding tax burden on the citizens of Massachusetts. Transportation and education are important
priorities that we all share, but those priorities come in the context of an
uncertain economic recovery, a state budget is wrestling with a gap of $540
million, and too many people that are unemployed or underemployed.
We
need to have a discussion that first focuses on what we need, what state
government has already committed to, and what people can afford. Only then can we have a serious debate about
revenue.
When
we do, we all need to realize that changing tax rates isn’t the only way to
increase revenue. Building a stronger
economy with more taxpayers is also important, and we need to fully understand
the adverse impacts a nearly $2 billion tax increase will have on the economic
growth we need for the sustainable revenue to fund priorities like
transportation and education.
