Scratch that Promise

It is unconscionable that the Commonwealth is providing much of the aid to towns and cities (through the lottery) on the backs of the poor.

It is even more unconscionable that the Commonwealth through its advertising program is acting as a "pusher" to help people feed their addiction to scratch cards.

What the state needs is a progressive income tax. This could easily be achieved by amending the Constitution to say: "Massachusetts Income Tax will be a percentage of the Federal Income Tax paid; the percentage to be set by the General Court from time to time."

Then the Massachusetts tax form would be the shortest in the United States: just 3 or 4 lines indicating what you sent to the IRS, the appropriate percentage of that, the amount withheld and the amount due to be paid or refunded). Think of the energy released into productive work during March and April of each year.

Sent to Boston Globe