The April numbers are in at the Department of Revenue, which reported the state collected $6.9 billion from state taxpayers, a jump of 79% from last April. 

Despite this, modest tax relief amendments to the state budget were shot down during last week’s House debate. Speaker Ron Mariano described a suspension of the state gas tax as a “gimmick,” despite neighboring states like Connecticut, New York, and New Hampshire having all moved to suspend theirs. Speaker Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, and several other lawmakers are spearheading a ballot question this November which would increase the state income tax by 80% on some high-income earners and small businesses. The same lawmakers who cannot afford to suspend the gas tax and are collecting nearly 80% more taxpayer dollars this April over last, are still not satisfied. They want to trick Massachusetts voters into raising taxes on themselves, with a proposal that will impact many middle-class businesses and is not guaranteed to result in higher spending for “education” and “transportation.”

“Leave it to the Massachusetts legislature to collect nearly 80% more over last year in taxpayer dollars and for some earners, raise the income tax by 80%, all in the same year. As other New England states cut taxes or suspend them, our Speaker and Senate President seem totally satisfied sitting back, just raising taxes and gobbling up as much taxpayer money as people are willing to send them,” stated Paul Diego Craney, spokesperson for Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.

“Increase tax collections by 80%, raise taxes by 80%. There seems to be a theme emerging,” continued Craney.

“These greedy and out of touch State House politicians will only be stopped when taxpayers stop giving them our money. That will happen if we reject their ballot question or when enough taxpayers leave the state,” concluded Craney.