Q: How Can Governor Patrick Save 15,000 Jobs

A: Veto the Budget

MassGOP Calls on Gov. Patrick to Veto Tax-Filled Budget, Relieve Burden on Families

BOSTON - The MassGOP called on Governor Deval Patrick to veto the proposed state budget and save more than 15,000 jobs jeopardized by a slew of increased taxes. Such substantial taxes will cripple Massachusetts businesses and force families to dig deeper to subsidize waste and mismanagement in state government.

"Passing this budget would be like laying-off the entire town of Northborough, and that would be unacceptable and devastating to those workers and their families. This state is spending millions on a handful of life sciences jobs, but the Democrats think nothing of taxing to death 15,000 jobs," said Jennifer Nassour, Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party. "Governor Patrick can either increase the state's unemployment rate by signing the budget, or he can veto this disappointing and toxic plan, and spare working families from the misery of losing their jobs and paying more in taxes on everyday items."

The FY10 budget passed by Beacon Hill Democrats raises taxes by nearly a billion dollars, and proposes an outrageous 25 percent increase in the sales tax, as well as a laundry list of additional taxes and fees on hard-working citizens. The passage of a 25 percent increase in the sales tax and the removal of the sales tax exemption on alcohol will collectively destroy 15,000 jobs in Massachusetts, according to combined estimates from the Beacon Hill Institute and the Massachusetts Package Stores Association.


15,000 jobs vs. 950 jobs:

While 15,000 jobs face elimination, the Commonwealth has spent $46 million in the past 12 months to create a relatively paltry 950 jobs in the life sciences sector, according to numbers from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. That amounts to a taxpayer investment of more than $48,000 per job.

In May of 2009, 282,618 workers, or 8.2 percent, were unemployed in Massachusetts. Adding 15,000 to that total would increase the unemployment rate to about 8.7 percent.