Massachusetts Question 3

On my state's ballot this Tuesday is a ballot question that would roll back the state sales tax from 6.25% to 3%. http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepip10/pip103.htm I guess recent polling indicates the question will probably lose, but it's still close. I just have to throw out a little "what are they thinking" note to proponents.

It's estimated (by both sides) that this change would decrease state revenues by $2.5 billion in FY 2012. Where do proponents think this money is going to come from? OK, people are angry about government, but do they seriously think we can wipe out this much cash from state programs without serious consequences?

Massachusetts has been laying off state workers throughout many departments. There's no fat to cut. If you're angry about high pensions for state workers, this law isn't going to change that one bit- we'll still owe pensions and retirement benefits to those workers, only we'll have to cut aid to cities and towns to pay for them, and now property taxes are going up instead. Or towns will be laying off more police, fire, and teaching staff.

These kinds of votes seem more like tantrums than thoughtful dissection of policy. Government has to be funded from somewhere. I would love to see anti-tax types propose ballot initiatives that cut programs and local aid- then we'd be voting like legislators have to when they're formulating a budget, considering the consequences of our tax cutting. There's no such thing as a free lunch.