Unemployment insurance tax rate frozen

Date: 1/31/2012

February 1, 2012

BOSTON — State Reps. Donald Humason, Jr. and Nicholas Boldyga joined their colleagues in the House of Representatives last week in voting to freeze the anticipated unemployment insurance tax rate increase.

The Republican initiative was co-sponsored by the House and Senate Republican Caucus.

Filed by Representative Bradley H. Jones, Jr. and Senator Bruce E. Tarr , House Docket 4205, An Act Relative to Mitigating the Increasing Costs for Small Businesses by Freezing the Unemployment Insurance Rate, seeks to prevent a tax increase of $220 per employee, or 31 percent on the Commonwealth’s businesses. Garnering bi-partisan support, the passage of this legislation marks the fourth straight year that a similar bill has been passed by the Legislature protecting Massachusetts employers from this damaging and unnecessary tax hike.

“Implementing this rate freeze is the best and most concrete way we can help to move the Massachusetts economy forward,” Humason said. “I am pleased that the Democratic majority in the House chose to side with the Republicans in supporting this legislation. It is important that we do all that we can to stay out of the way of businesses and allow them to rebuild.”

Continuing the Republican Caucus’ ongoing effort to bring long-term job creation and economic opportunities to the Bay State, Republican legislators reached across the aisle, working with their Democratic colleagues to ensure that the anticipated tax rate increase would not take effect.

“With expected future job loss, this was an absolute life-line for our drowning business climate,” Boldyga said.

The legislation now stands before the Senate for consideration.

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