Attorney General Maura Healey appears to be of two minds in relation to taxes.
“Right now, as I travel the state, there is a real issue with affordability,” she stated Sunday. “It gets to the quality of life and it gets to Massachusetts competitiveness and we’ve got to be working really hard in this state to drive down the cost of housing, of childcare. One way we’re going to get there is through tax reform and relief that’s comprehensive.”
Healey joined hosts Janet Wu and Ed Harding on WCVB’s political speak present “On The Record,” the place the Democratic candidate for governor stated that the state regulation requiring the return of about $3 billion needs to be adopted as written and that tax cuts proposed by Gov. Charlie Baker in January ought to nonetheless be thought of by the Legislature.
“We need tax relief. I have long encouraged the Legislature to act, both in terms of giving the nearly $3 billion in surplus back to taxpayers, as they are required to by law, and to pass tax reform,” she stated. “Gov. Baker put forward a really sensible package on tax reform.”
In January, Baker proposed tax reduction for renters, low revenue households, older residents, and modifications to each the property and capital good points taxes, Healey reminded the hosts.
“That needs to happen,” she stated. “Again I hope that we see the Legislature move on that quickly.”
However, in relation to taxing high-income residents, Healey says she might be voting in favor of the Fair Share Amendment, or poll Question 1 in November.
That query will ask residents if the state’s structure ought to embrace an modification requiring revenue over $1 million to be taxed an extra 4% over the state’s flat revenue tax fee and the cash be spent on transportation and schooling.
Proponents say it’s simply the wealthy paying their justifiable share. Healey appears to agree and has campaigned alongside Question 1 advocates.
“I’d vote yes,” she stated. “This is a really targeted measure that is going to affect less than 1% of the population here in Massachusetts.”
Opponents of the measure say it should make the state much less aggressive.
“If passed, Question 1 would be one of the state’s highest-ever tax increases at a time when our state already has the biggest budget surplus in its history,” stated Dan Cence, spokesperson for the Coalition to Stop the Tax Hike Amendment.
“The deceptive wording of the question leads voters into believing that this is uniquely a tax on individuals earning a million or more dollars annually, but in reality, the Tax Hike Amendment would nearly double the income tax rate on tens of thousands of small business owners, homeowners, family farmers, retirees, and other Massachusetts residents,” he stated.
The poll query, together with Healey’s job software, might be determined by voters on Nov. 8.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”