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Friday, January 23, 2004
MASSInc sinks Romney tax pledge

Willard Mitt?s "I will not raise taxes" is a phrase that will live, if not in infamy, in repetition, at least on this page. (see RiaF, 1/19/2004)

Especially when an organization like MASSInc shows Romney to be a fraud.

MASSInc is famously non-partisan (although they did "gush" when Romney's rapidly-diminishing Public Safety Secretary Edward Flynn was first appointed. (source: Boston Globe, 2/18/2003)) As such, the think-tank's findings are respected as fair.

So it's no small matter when MASSInc reports that Willard Mitt wants to impose an internet sales tax. (source: Commonwealth Magazine, Winter, 2004)

Just one week after promising not to raise taxes.

The tax hike was confirmed by Romney's loathsome $150,000-a-year spokesman, who said, "for us, it's a matter of enforcement. We already have a use tax that applies to transactions over the Internet. We would prefer to collect the tax directly from the retailer."

Except the tax is now not being collected by the retailer. And before Team Reform came to town, the Commonwealth did not have a use tax line on the income tax form!

(Which reminds us: Romney also said "I will not raise taxes next year" in 2002 (source: Boston Globe, 10/25/2002), then signed off on the use tax change in 2003. This guy can't help himself.)

The internet sales tax has long been opposed by Massachusetts business interests, and public policy makers. Former Gov. Jane Swift (R-FlagBearer) said the economic benefits from the growth of the high-tech sector more than offset any potential lost tax revenue. (source: Boston Globe, 5/5/2001) And the Mass High-Tech Council lists "opposing new taxes to protect competitive policy gains" as one of their chief fiscal policy goals.

Of course, Romney is already on record as saying he wants to help the high-tech sector prosper. (source: Boston Globe, 9/16/2003)

And of course, Romney vetoed much of the economic stimulus bill that was crafted, in part, for the high-tech sector. (source: Boston Herald, 1/6/2004)

Which is why, after Team Reform's latest attack, the Mass. High-Tech Council may list a new chief policy goal: to have the Fraud Governor go help someone else!

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