Here’s a sample of September articles about Ballot Question 3 to Roll Back the Sales Tax from 6.25% to 3%:

In poll, edge goes to sales tax cut (front page headline)
9-27-10, Boston Globe

UNH/Boston Globe Poll (Conducted Sept 17-22) claims:

“Massachusetts voters are deeply split over a November ballot question that would slash the state sales tax, a new Globe poll indicates, with a narrow plurality of those surveyed saying they favor the proposal.”

• 46% Favor Question 3 to Roll Back the Sales Tax to 3%

• 43% Oppose

• 11%  Undecided

Poll
Full Article

51% support/ 42% oppose rolling back the sales tax to 3%

Suffolk University Polling of Registered Voters (Conducted Sept 16-19) shows:

• 51% Support Question 3 to Roll Back the Sales Tax to 3%

• 42% Oppose

• 7%  Undecided

YES lead has almost doubled from 5% in late May to 9% in late September
Suffolk University Poll

Voters to mull cutting sales tax
9-27-10, The Salem News

“(Carla) Howell said the misplaced focus of the debate has been on government, not taxpayers. ‘Where are families supposed to cut? Where are businesses supposed to cut? Are we supposed to allow households to be foreclosed on or default on their loans or not buy their kids school supplies? If we keep funding outrageous pensions and sweetheart deals and waste, what are we supposed to say to the taxpayer, Just give up your home?'”
Full Article

Senate President  Murray opposes lame-duck session…to deal with Question 3
9-24-10, State House News Service

“”If the 3% sales tax wins, how to deal with it would be up to a new Legislature, certainly not a lame-duck Legislature,” she said, adding that there would be little lawmakers could do in the two months between the election and the start of the next legislative session, which begins the first Wednesday in January.”
Full article

Karyn Polito, Republican for Treasurer, OPPOSES 3% Sales Tax
But on WRKO radio, she offers a bad faith political ploy:
9-23-10, State House News Service / MetroWest Daily

“The only way we can get the sales tax back to 5 percent is for the people to vote yes on Question 3, which is to roll it back to 3 percent, so that we can put pressure on Beacon Hill to get the sales tax back to 5 percent. That’s my position,” Polito said during a radio appearance on WRKO Thursday morning.”
Full article

MTF Report: Sales Tax cut to 3% would gut state
By Dan Ring
9-23-10, The Springfield Republican

“Tens of thousands of municipal employees would be fired, property taxes would increase and fees for college students would jump if voters approve a ballot question to cut the state’s sales tax in half, a new report cautions.”
Full article

Sales tax cut ballot question is causing a stir (Front Page Headline)
By Nancy Reardon
9-23-10. Patriot Ledger State House Bureau

“It’s a grassroots push that has Beacon Hill, local officials and government labor unions worried about on Nov. 2: a ballot question to cut the sales tax in half.”
Full article

It’s Your Money. Why Let Them Take More?
By Garrett Quinn
9-22-10, Globe blog Less is More

“It’s never about how you’re struggling to make ends meet in the Great Recession. It’s not about how you’ve cut your budget to the bone and have nothing left to give. You can’t raise your own revenue with the stroke of a pen, can you? It’s always about you giving to the government isn’t it?”
Full article

Unions raise $1.3m to fight ballot Question 3 to cut sales tax
By Alan Wirzbicki
9-21-10, Boston Globe
Full article
Alliance to Roll Back Taxes Charges Ahead
9-21-10, Global Economic Analysis

“Everyone should have their eyes on a Massachusetts ballot question this year as to whether or not the state should reduce sales taxes from 6.25 percent to 3 percent. Politicians and unions have aligned in opposition, advising people to reject the proposal. Fortunately, voters are fed up and have other ideas.”
Full article

Curious About The Sales Tax Ballot Question
By David Wade
9-13-10, WBZ TV -CBS

“Carla Howell of the Alliance to Roll Back Taxes, says cutting the tax would get people shopping, and that would create jobs. “Rolling it back to 3 percent will create 33,000 productive, private sector jobs in Massachusetts.

“But all of the candidates for governor say cutting the sales tax would be bad… very bad.”
Transcript

Candidates for Massachusetts Governor Debate Sales Tax Cut as it Surges in Poll
9-9-10, The Tax Foundation

“State House News Service found in an August 29-31 poll that 54% of respondents support the tax rollback, 44% oppose, and 2% were undecided.”
Full article

Sales tax rollback wins support of 54 percent in poll
9-8-10, State House News Service

“By a 10-point margin, Massachusetts voters favor slicing the state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent, according to a State House News Service poll – a ballot referendum that would chop roughly $2.4 billion from Beacon Hill coffers and has drawn opposition from all four gubernatorial candidates.”
Full article

Massachusetts: The New Front in Tax Reform?
By John Stephenson
9-7-10, National Taxpayers Union

“With a lower sales tax rate, Massachusetts will be able to better compete with its neighbors for consumers and businesses, which will foster economic growth. Bay State residents and businesses will be less likely to leave and spend their tax dollars somewhere else.”
Full article

Gov. Deval Patrick vows to honor tax cut:
Uneasy about effects, but pledges to uphold Nov. rollback vote
9-7-10, Boston Herald

Governor’s reconsidered position:

“After repeatedly dodging the issue, Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday pledged to implement a state sales-tax rollback if ballot Question 3 is approved by voters in November.”
Full article

Governor won’t commit to Mass. sales tax rollback
9-1-10, Business Week

Governor’s original position:

“Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick won’t commit to implementing a proposal to reduce the state’s sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent even if voters approve it through a ballot question this fall.”
Full article