The poor will foot bill for tax ban

Friday, January 27, 2012

To the Editor:

The Republicans in Concord are pushing mightily for a state constitutional ban on an income tax. House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt urges the language, “No new tax shall be levied, directly or indirectly, upon a person’s income, from whatever source it is derived.”

One obvious effect of such a constitutional amendment would be to protect the wealth of the wealthiest. Another would be to force the tax burden down upon people such as widows on limited income but who are trying to live out their lives in their homes. Florida has such a constitutional ban on income tax. And the state’s greatest source of tax revenue now comes from real estate property taxes.

If you own a home and you agree with Bettencourt’s malicious plan, then you are working against your own best interests. Unless of course, if you are extremely wealthy.

FRED MORSE

Merrimack