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Williamstown Urges No Vote on Question 1

10-28-2008

To the Editor:

At our meeting on Oct. 14, the Williamstown Board of Selectmen took a vote in opposition to Question 1, the elimination of the state income tax, because of the negative impact it would have on our community.

According to an analysis done by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a nationally recognized, non-profit research organization working to promote the effective use of tax dollars, repeal of the state's income tax would lower state revenue by $12.5 billion and require spending cuts of more than 70 percent in almost all state programs.

Presently, Williamstown receives $2.3 million a year in state aid. If Question 1 were to pass, with the exception of the portion of Chapter 70 aid that is legally mandated, state aid to Williamstown would be cut by 71.1 percent!

Think about what this would mean for our town budgets and what decisions we would have to make as a community to support town services and our local schools. A cut of this magnitude would surely lead to the need for higher property taxes which, for many residents, would more than offset their income tax savings.

To learn more about the negative impact of Question 1, we encourage you to go to the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation Web site at www.masstaxpayers.org and read for yourself "The Enormous Consequences of Question 1."

These are challenging financial times and as voters we must make informed and thoughtful decisions.

Please join us in voting no on Question 1 on Nov. 4!

Williamstown Board of Selectmen
Jane Allen, Chairman
Tom Costley
David Rempell
Richard Steege
Ronald Turbin

10-28-2008

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