Issue Position: On Taxation: Ensuring Fairness and Accountability

Issue Position

Massachusetts is in the mid range of states regarding both its overall tax burden and its business tax climate. Nevertheless, it has one of the most regressive tax systems in the country. This is because most of our revenue comes from a flat income tax and a flat sales tax. Flat taxes mean that people who earn less pay a much greater percentage of their income in taxes than do people who make more. This is not simply a matter of fairness: it restricts consumers' disposable income, and starves the economy of the demand necessary for businesses to thrive and add jobs. Massachusetts' voters have a right to address tax fairness on the ballot, and I joined Governor Baker when I voted to advance the so-called "millionaire's tax" for that reason. I oppose casino gambling and expansion of the lottery to include the use of credit cards or on-line gaming because gambling revenue is yet another form of regressive taxation that will make it harder for us to create productive jobs. We can all agree that none of us want to pay more than is necessary in taxes, and all of us understand it takes revenue to run a free society. So the issue for me is more than just the level of taxation: it includes the sources of that revenue, what we do with the tax revenue we collect, and how we protect it from being wasted. I will not vote for a tax increase that is not absolutely necessary, but I will consider the need to raise revenue fairly when it allows the Commonwealth to thrive, such as when we must maintain or improve our transportation infrastructure.

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