I live in Massachusetts, or as we've grown up calling it...TAXachusetts. We've come to expect tax increases frequently, but are never happy about it. Me thinks the Democratic leaders of our state are the cause - many, many give-a-way money projects - of our middle class slowly disappearing. I used to consider my family in the middle class, but now I'm not so sure. We work our butts off and when we seem to be getting ahead...WHAM...we get a tax increase somewhere or other that eats into money that would otherwise have been saved.
Most of the increased taxes in recent years have been on smokers. Supposedly these increased taxes were going to go to health care for poor children. The increases have been staggering! I can't think of any other group of people who have been taxed so much in such a short period of time. Talk about "Taxation without representation"! I mention this because we recently saw another large tax on cigarettes passed down from the FEDERAL gov't. - I believe $1.00/pack - which was for...you guessed it...health care for poor children! Remember several years ago the tobacco industry paid out kazillions of dollars to the government? THAT was also supposed to go for, among other things, HEALTH CARE FOR POOR CHILDREN!! What we heard, from many states, is that the money was used for pet projects, fixing sidewalks, new parks...anything and everything EXCEPT health care for poor children. I believe we're all being played for fools, and I for one am SICK AND TIRED OF IT!!
Recently, our esteemed Massachusetts legislators voted a 25% increase in our state's sales tax. Boom...no incremental increase...a straight 25% increase! There is now talk about increasing substantially the tolls on our Mass. Tpk., a bridge, and tunnels. There's already been talk about increasing the gas tax here. As if it isn't already high enough!
On top of our local state tax increases, I now hear that the Fed's. are pushing for an increase in beer and wine taxes...the talk is a 20% increase in hard liquor; a 145% increase in beer; a whopping 233% increase in wine. And guess what these tax increases will help to fund?? The rising cost of HEALTHCARE, especially for the millions of uninsured! Among those, I'm sure, are poor children!
And just so you don't think the increased taxes only apply to "vices", there's a move on to also put a tax on soft drinks.
When will it end? I'm not sure it ever will! All I know is that since our new President came into office, there's been nothing but new taxes and talk of more taxes. I know we weren't in great shape when he came into office, but are we all going to have to keep paying through the nose forever...while jobs are being lost, hours are being cut, houses are being foreclosed on, everything is going up in price. Geez...
How do we stop this "TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION"?????
Just my opinion...but feel free to comment.
