Posted on 01/27/2012 1:11:07 PM PST by TBP
In fact, Romney increased taxes by $309 million, mainly on corporations. These tax hikes, described by Romney apologists as loophole closures, totaled $128 million in 2003, $95.5 in 2004, and $85 million in 2005. That final year, Romney proposed $170 million in higher business taxes, the Boston Globe reports. However, the Bay State's liberal, Democratic legislature balked and only approved an $85 million increase.
Tax rates on many corporations almost doubled because of legislation supported by Romney, Boston Science Corporation chairman Peter Nicholas explained in Jan. 6, 2008's Boston Herald. Also, from 5.3 to 9.8 percent, Romney raised the tax on subchapter S corporations owned by business trusts, an 85 percent hike. Romney went further than any other governor in trying to wring money out of corporations, the Council on State Taxation's Joseph Crosby complained.
Romney also created or increased fees by $432 million. He was not dragooned into this by greedy Democratic lawmakers; Romney himself proposed these items. In 2003 alone, Romney concocted or boosted 88 fees. Romney charged more for marriage licenses (from $6 to $12), gun registrations (from $25 to $75), a used-car sales tax ($10 million), gasoline deliveries ($60 million), real-estate transfers ($175 million), and more. Particularly obnoxious was Romney's $10 fee per Certificate of Blindness. Romney also billed blind people $15 each for discount-travel ID cards.
(Excerpt) Read more at unionleader.com ...
But he cut taxes NINETEEN times. Heard him brag about it in the debates. Been wondering when someone would post a list of those nineteen cuts.
I honestly believe if Romney is elected, we’ll get a VAT. It will be bipartisan. Also, no chance in hell Romney keeps his word and repeals Obamneycare. It will not happen.
The bastard!! Taxes are great when imposed on the peons, but Romney finds every way possible to dodge paying taxes himself (not that there's anything wrong with that). But why champion higher taxes for everyone else?
Very likely. There go the Bush tax cuts. But his VP will be out there making conservative speeches.
ROTF!
If it weren't for the over taxation on steroids in the first place the "legal" loopholes wouldn't be necessary in the first place.
Gee, THAT'S comforting! /s
(no links)
When is a tax increase not really a tax increase ?
Sunday Republican (Springfield, MA) - Sunday, March 2, 2003
Author: STAFF: Sunday Republican (Springfield)
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it must be ..... a fee increase?
Gov. W. Mitt Romney promised not to raise taxes, but he never said anything about fees.
Romney will ask the Legislature to create 33 new fees and increase 57 others as part of his 2004 budget package. Altogether, the fees would raise nearly $59 million.
The governor insists they are not taxes.
Accountants, number crunchers and others who do this sort of thing for a living may agree with Romney ‘s working definition of fees, but the distinction will be lost on the people will pay them if the Legislature approves the governor’s package.
“I’m not going to try and be the dictionary here, in terms of defining the difference between a fee and a tax,” Romney said. “For me, generally, a fee is something which applies to a subset of the population. A tax is something which is far more broadly applied.”
As the governor suggests, comparing taxes with fees may be like comparing apples with oranges - at least to a budget writer.
(snip)
//
Pump it up! Goosing the gas tax with Mitt
Boston Herald (MA) - Friday, April 11, 2003
Author: Cosmo MACERO, Jr.
Poor Angelo Scaccia.
The Democratic state rep from Boston’s Readville section just can’t get respect for proposing a gas tax increase with prices at the pumps near record levels.
If only lawmakers could slip these tax hikes in without the public noticing.
Like Mitt Romney just did.
Surprise!
Gov. Romney ‘s administration is whacking motorists with the equivalent of a 2-cent-a-gallon gas tax hike, thanks to a little-known fund that pays for cleaning spills and underground leaks at local filling stations.
Gas wholesalers pay a fee into the fund for every 10,000 gallons they deliver to retail filling stations in Massachusetts. As of April 1, on the Romney crew’s say-so, the fee went from $50 for every 10,000 gallons to . . . $250.
That stunning fivefold increase looks particularly onerous when you break it down to the per-gallon cost: from a half-cent per gallon to 2 1/2 cents in one fell swoop.
What it means: At least $30 million a year to the cleanup fund for every penny the fee is increased.
“It’s a nice little backdoor tax increase ,” is how one former state official explains it.
(snip)
Romney: to the Left of Left!
If I have it right that new gun registration fee is an annual renewal fee, not a one time charge per gun, just like your vehicle license. Apparently the Massafolks are so numb from all the rest, or so happy about Mitsies job, that they never said a word about it? Convenient anyway!
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