Every year there is a proposal on the Massachusetts ballots to repeal the state income tax.  In 2002, a similar proposal garnered nearly 45 percent support.  While wanting reduction in taxes is a more than reasonable, eliminating the state income tax so quickly is neither realistic of wise.

Ultimately the government needs your money one way or another.  To the north of Massachusetts, new Hampshire collects no state income tax of sales tax for that matter. What they do is have very high property taxes. This leads to big in balance between different towns and cities. One could argue this is more fair as people effectively get the government services that they cam afford. I’m not one of those people. Even in Massachusetts there is more than enough disparity caused differences by local taxes.

The current proposal is slightly more pragmatic as it would lower the tax rate form 5.3 to 2.65% in year one, and eliminate the tax in the second year.   Admittedly,  my fiscal and political tendencies are moderate.   Do people who oppose taxes feel the Government really does no good?  I mean I’m all for fiscal conversation.   There is a lot of waste.   But even some of the lowest tax countries such as Hong Kong still need taxes to operate Government to maintain social services.   As the Federal Government is not in the business of providing all the Government services required, it seems rather unwise to eliminate the state income tax so quickly without having an exit strategy.