by Theresa Yuan
Staff Writer
The nickname “Taxachusetts” might soon be obsolete. This November 2, voters will decide whether or not to cut the current sales tax of 6.25% to 3% on Question 3 of their ballots. Question 3 results from the efforts of the Alliance to Roll Back the Taxes, an organization of right-wing activists that cites “excellent savings for shoppers” as the reason to reduce sales tax.
The benefits of reducing sales tax are obvious and certainly appealing in this economic climate. Shoppers would get some generous savings but more importantly, “yea-sayers” maintain that some 30,000 jobs could be created. With the state unemployment rate at 8.3%, that’s an attractive option. In fact, a Boston Globe survey revealed that 54% of voters currently support the rollback.
But just because the state will stop receiving money, that doesn’t mean the need for the money has gone away. This $2.5 billion-wide hole must be filled somehow; it is generally assumed that over half of the revenue lost will come out of the school systems.In Westford alone, the school and local aid cuts would amount to about $2,690,000 (according to the Massachusetts Coalition for Our Communities). That’s a pressure our teachers, administrators, and policemen and firemen are going to feel.
“If the public chooses to roll back the state tax rate to 3%, the effect on our town would be significant, and unless we found another way to replace the lost state revenue, it could certainly lead to a reduction in town services,” says town manager Jodi Ross.
Is a sales tax rollback worth losing town-wide services? Westford is so close to tax-free New Hampshire that shoppers angry at the price tag have the chance to shop around in the next state over, so to speak. For this town, the losses will probably outnumber the gains.
“The rollback would probably mean a substantial cut in state aid,” says Board of Selectmen chair Robert Jefferies, “We’re talking about cutting $2 million here. It’s up to the school committee, but almost every department could be affected.”
On November 2, voters must be aware of the possible consequences of the rollback, and not just the dangling carrot of “huge savings.” We could wind up paying in a lot more than money if our education system suffers cuts.
“I’d advise voters to look online and find out what the total impact would be,” Jefferies added, “You will need to research it before deciding.”
All in all, as with most situations, voters must learn to look past the short-term gains of a few dollars to see the long-term effects a sales tax reduction could have on our town and its school system. Voters will need to vote with their heads, and not their hearts, on the first Tuesday this November.