Tomorrow, statewide in Massachusetts, there are 3 ballot questions. They are elimination of the state income tax, decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana and elimination of dog racing.
Here’s where I stand. No on 1, yes on 2 and 3.
Question 1: I think, I hope, that the selfish insanity of libertarianism is finally starting to taper of. Question 1 is a libertarian ideal. What will happen if state income taxes are eliminated? Local aid with be eliminated and towns will have to replace that revenue from somewhere. Where you might ask? Property owners. Mitt Romney’s revenue cuts about 6 years ago caused property taxes to go up roughly $2B, even though reducing $50 per person less would have meant not police fire fighter or teacher layoffs and it would have meant that people would have died. Local aid was slashed as a result and property taxes went up.
Question 2: I don’t like pot and I’m allergic to it. But it is absurd to to lock so many people up in jail, hurt their chances for jobs and education, etc. for using or possessing small amounts of marijuana. Nobody is going to buy it and use it because it’s a minor infraction now. And really, it’s banned because of hemp, which got lumped in because of the cotton trust which is absurd too.
We have the highest rate of incarceration in the world, much of it because of minimum mandatory sentencing over what should be petty drug offenses. We’re building more prisons than schools. Let’s help stop this nonsense.
Question 3: Dog racing should be banned. It’s true; I love dogs. I like them better than most people. Dog racing has cruel and inhumane conditions and for that reason, it needs to end.
