BOTTOMLINE:
In 2002, Romney presented a plan to balance the budget without raising taxes. Wikipedia
Romney Calls For Tax Cut As Revenues Come Flooding In".
Decreased state tax burden: During Governor Romney's tenure from 2003-7, Massachusetts dropped from
13th to 17th in national tax burden rankings. In fact Governor Romney cut taxes 19 times.
He closed loopholes and put fiscal integrity back with users fees
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CLOSING LOOPHOLES, CHARGING FOR SERVICES - FISCAL INTEGRITY
The Republicans in Congress are willing to follow what appears to have become a conservative principle, one necessary to (1) avoid raising tax rates. They are willing to (2) close loopholes.
Another principle they seem to support, one that looks conservative to me, is to have people (and corporations) (3) pay for what they use. Or the mirror image of that is to "not have the taxpayer pay for someone else to use something (except for those who are unable). These are "user fees" or simply "fees for services chosen to use."
Under these three criteria, is Romney pro-tax? NO!
Romney essentially did the following, during a time when the number one concern was the deficits, which he cured: :
1. Closed loopholes (something Republicans in Congress have assented to, but not raising rates)
2. Increased user fees (for services used, which has a cost to the government)
3. Proposed lowering the individual tax rate slightly (with an 85% Democratic legislature)
WHAT ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE BILL - CLEAN!
Remember also that he asserted that even the Health Care Bill for Massachusetts have no taxes in it. He even vetoed a charge for businesses who did not provide health insurance for employees . (Of course, the 85% Democratic legislature overrode over 800 of his vetoes.)
In that bill, for instance, there was a cost sharing fee for "free riders", those people who could afford health insurance but instead just accessed the free health care the government provides. Those people had to pay. Many have called this the "individual mandate", but it is really a user fee for those who can afford it. See Individual Mandate - note that ObamaCare is totally diffferent, as it goes beyond cost sharing of individuals who can afford it and adds taxes.
SOME LOOPHOLES CLOSED
He made sure that sales taxes were charged on items sold from out of staters, so they didn't get away with the tax dodge.
He is accused of such 'horrors' as having people and companies pay for the costs of their services:
1. Raising marriage license fees (from $6 to $12!)
2. Gun registrations (from $25 to $75; imagine the actual costs of this service
3. A used car sales tax
4. Real estate transfers
5. Other fees for services where the people could afford to pay for what they use!
6. Court filings
7. Gas tax 2 cents (increase raised total tax to 5 cents less than national average; pays for roads and such
benefits to drivers, so it is a user fee).
Note that these are all related to charging people for the costs of services they access, instead of having other taxpayers pay it for them.
