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Massachusetts Statehouse

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Patrick Budget Eliminates 44 Tax Deductions

While specific deductions would end, personal exemptions would double under the Patrick budget.

A recent analysis of Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed budget finds that it eliminates 44 tax breaks that benefit a large slice of Massachusetts taxpayers. Patrick's $34.8 billion FY2014 budget includes not only a 1 percentage point hike in the income tax – from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent – but the end of such deductions such as the capital gains from the sale of a person's primary home, college tuition, and contributions to a health savings account. The analysis, by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, found that the eliminations would raise an additional $1 billion for the commonwealth. But Patrick's assistant secretary for fiscal policy, Gregory R. Mennis, told The Republican that that amount would be offset by the doubling of personal…

SM_bos

9:46 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Bravo to Walter. . . It's pretty crazy if we're tripling our budget in 20 yrs unless overall growth has tripled. And we should be supporting savings. I'll also add that the proposed mixed-bag of increases and decreases is very opaque to most taxpayers. (I suspect this is deliberate, but thats another issue). We need the Patrick Admin- or the press- to provide a few examples. Single mom and 3 kids…   more ›

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Legislation Filed to Make 'Roadrunner' State Rock Song

Rep. Martin Walsh is looking to celebrate the modern sounds of modern Massachusetts.

Massachusetts already has a state polka ("Say Hello to Someone from Massachusetts," anybody?) and a state glee club song among its eight anthems, but the state that produced The Pixies, Aerosmith and The Cars is missing its own rock song. But that could change soon. Rep. Martin Walsh (D-Dorchester) filed legislation last week to make "Roadrunner," by The Modern Lovers the state rock song. In "Roadrunner," Natick native Jonathan Richman croons about Stop & Shop, Route 128 and "the modern sounds of modern Massachusetts." And "Roadrunner" could be the only rock song that has the lyrics "I'm in love with Massachusetts."  “This is about acknowledging an artist from Massachusetts who’s obviously had a very good career and one of his masterpieces…

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