Do-gooder

Date: 2/20/2012

February 20, 2012

You can't help yourself, can you?

Comparing overtaxed states of Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey with Massachusetts, when your comparison should have been with new Hampshire (No sales or income tax state.)

You try to lead your readers into believing that our taxes are not that bad, when you know full well that compared to New Hampshire our taxes are monumental and overly burdensome to business.

You also seem to okay the taxing of certain foods and the deposit of water bottles as okay to do. The taxes and extra deposits will help everyone, you say.

That is just bad economics as it takes money from needing citizens and keeps that money from helping the economy.

Personal responsibility is the way we should run this state — not have a big brother state as we do now. We have a curb side recycling program and there is no need for any deposits of any kind. Bad behavior should be punished, not the general public funds so do-gooders such as you, feel good and don't care about the real issues.

There is no reason to tax cigarettes at the rate they are being taxed at now. The state received billions of dollars from the 1998 settlement with tobacco and spent every penny in the general fund not keeping it for it's intended use as a fund for people with tobacco related illnesses.

Stop the taxes, already.

Leo Leary

Springfield

Editor's response: Did you miss this part of my column?

"I'm making light of this situation because for me this is almost a non-issue. It was made for talk shows. You want to discuss real issues? How about why the Massachusetts Bay Transit Company is bleeding money even though it is the only transit system in the state with a dedicated stream of revenue from the sales tax? The Pioneer Valley Transit System and the other regional systems don't have that kind of funding.

How about questioning salaries for state positions? What about an equitable formula for state aid to cities and towns?

An extra nickel on a Clark Bar or a Sugar Daddy? Please."