Voters' antitax sentiments seen altering agendas

The unexpectedly strong showing Tuesday of Question 1 to eliminate the state income tax and the election of Mitt Romney have underscored a potent antitax sentiment in the state that could significantly strengthen the new governor's hand as he confronts the Legislature over the looming budget deficit. With 45 percent of voters approving the state income tax measure - more than even supporters had predicted - many political observers now say the sentiment gives Romney valuable public support in the absence of veto power against the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Romney, who opposed the measure, already has begun to recite its narrow defeat as a mandate. "The response to Question 1, with so many people saying they wanted to see an elimination of the income tax was, if you will, underlining the fact that people do not want to see taxes go up in Massachusetts, and they'd like to see them come down," Romney said yesterday. ... In turn, the Democrats are faced with adjusting !

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their legislative agenda after losing their fourth consecutive bid for the corner office. ... It appears that plans to bring back the House and Senate for a lame-duck session are in doubt. Democratic legislative leaders privately had discussed using the session to raise revenues that would include tax increases and expanded legalized gambling to address the projected budget deficit. But legislative sources said yesterday there is little interest among rank-and-file lawmakers to come back before the end of the year to tackle such controversial issues. The Democratic strategy was geared to an O'Brien victory; dealing with taxes and gambling before she took office would have spared her the controversy of having to raise taxes herself, legislative sources said yesterday. ... Expecting a resounding defeat of Question 1, opponents mounted no organized campaign against it. In contrast, the Libertarian Party, which sponsored the question, took out prominent newspaper ads and its guber!

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natorial candidate, Carla Howell, used her visibility during televised debates to champion the cause often without having to defend it. ...

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/311/metro/Voters_antitax_sentiments_seen_altering_agendas+.shtml

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Johann Opitz <johannp@earthlink.net> RKBA!