TAX NEWS - June 2010

Boston Tax: Sales tax rollback proponents say they'll make the Nov. ballot

Backers of a ballot question that would cut the state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent say they've cleared a final hurdle to the November election by submitting more than the required number of petition signatures to local clerks by a deadline today.

Carla Howell of the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes said, "Yes, we have submitted our signatures and we expect to be on the ballot."

She said the group has submitted about 19,000 signatures, making sure they have a cushion over the required 11,099 signatures. The signatures are due today at city and town clerks' offices.

Howell said the proposal would force state politicians to cut spending by $2.34 billion.

"Jobs is the big issue," she said. "There's only one way to create jobs, and that's to cut government spending and cut taxes substantially and that's what we're doing," she said, saying the group is ahead in polls and has received a "tremendously positive reception" while out collecting signatures.

Critics say the tax cut would wreak havoc with state government services.

Supporters are also expected to submit petition signatures today for a ballot question repealing last year's application of the sales tax to alcohol sales, repealing the state's Chapter 40B affordable housing law, and imposing strict restrictions on biomass plant emissions.