Governor Patrick Hints at Desire for Progressive Tax

MassGOP to Patrick and Murray: Show Us What You Paid?


BOSTON - Yesterday our tax-happy Governor Patrick expressed interest in bringing a progressive tax to Massachusetts after his first term.

In an interview with State House News, Governor Patrick said:

"What we have in Massachusetts is a number of wealthy people who would be willing to contribute more - not all of them, but certainly have the capacity to contribute more - to relieve some of the pressure on the working poor."

Yet citizens already have the option to pay a voluntary higher income tax rate of 5.85 percent rather than 5.3 percent, and not shockingly, they do not want to pay more taxes.

According to a Boston Herald report, only .04% of Massachusetts taxpayers in 2008 chose to pay the voluntary rate of 5.85 percent. Only 802 individuals out of 2.1 million think this is a good idea.

In a statement today, MassGOP Communications Director Tarah Donoghue said:

"We want to know if Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray paid the voluntary income tax rate of 5.85 percent. How much of the Governor's book advance will go towards the working poor? The fact is, Governor Patrick is out of touch and just can't get enough of taxing citizens of the Commonwealth."