I’ve had a few people ask me what I think about the ballot questions here in Massachusetts. Tomorrow is the day to decide. You can read about the questions here.
Question 1 – Elimination of the state income tax – NO NO NO HELL NO – Don’t get me wrong. I hate taxes as much as the next person. But I hold my nose and pay them because they are essential for things like roads, bridges, schools, and snow removal. Question 1 is downright irresponsible in how it will just rip 40% of the state’s revenue out from under us. Not only will it cut essential services and force the state to raise other taxes, it will cause utter chaos in the economy of the state. We don’t need that right now. If we need to restructure our tax system, that’s one thing. But a radical shift like this is a really, really bad idea.
Question 2 – Decriminalization of marijuana – Yes. I’m not a pot head. Possession of small amounts of pot doesn’t hurt anybody, and this will hopefully unclog our judicial system. We should be going after the dealers and pushers, not the casual users. Don’t confuse decriminalization with legalization. There is a big difference.
Question 3 – Banning dog racing – No. I’m not a fan of using animals as sports. If I want to use an animal for entertainment, I’ll put a costume on Reggie. Seriously, though, this “industry” employs about a thousand people in Massachusetts. We don’t need to kill any jobs right now.