With regard to tax expenditures, I think it is important that the legislature review and reconsider the many tax expenditures it has imposed on local governments. Millions of local tax dollars are lost as a result of the huge local property tax breaks private golf courses and public utilities receive. For example, the Oakley Country …
Continue reading “Tax Expenditures Imposed on Local Governments”
Many citizens would welcome lower taxes, but most also question the effectiveness of special tax breaks for particular groups or industries. Special tax breaks tend to encourage crony capitalism by placing the government in the position of picking winners and losers in the economy. Fortunately, we have recently started to make some progress towards bringing special interest tax breaks under better control.
Interesting study – see the original document (quick read, 8 pages, simple-to-understand, good graphics) at: http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Fact_Sheets/Economic_Policy/drivers_federal_debt_since_2001.pdf How’d the national debt get so huge? In 2001, the Congressional Budget Office forecast that the nation’s publicly-held debt would be eliminated by 2006, and a surplus of $2.3 trillion would have accumulated by now. Instead, the federal government is now …
Continue reading “Off Topic – How’d the national debt get so huge?”
I left David Chase and Jim Sloman know that I liked this article on pro-growth economic policies and asked for their comments and they had the exchange reproduced below. As a state representative, I focus on matters of state policy and especially on those matters of state policy where there is some potential for action. …
Continue reading “An exchange about policy on economic growth”
While Mass. has been more responsible than the poster children of state irresponsibility Michael Gerson’s column is worth noting. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/11/AR2010111106084.html?wpisrc=nl_pmopinions
There’s been a bit of press about the drive to repeal the sales tax on alcohol. Personally, I’m not crazy about paying an extra $1.25 on a case of Harpoon IPA. I have some questions (which I can’t find answers to on the state web site) and a suggestion. Questions: What other taxes are there …
Continue reading “Sales tax on alcohol – other taxes, and other consumer savings”
