Brace yourself for yet another state tax attack

Beware, taxpayers! Another Massachusetts tax attack is on the way! Please consider this your official warning because Democratic legislators have repeatedly voted down holding statewide hearings to get your input on possible tax packages.

Recently, House Speaker Robert DeLeo publicly announced that he has been consulting with economists on whether to raise taxes. Unless you were born last night, you know that’s code for “there will be a 2017 tax hike.” It’s not a matter if. It’s a matter of how much.

You’re probably thinking that we elected Gov. Charlie Baker so there will be no tax attack. Unfortunately, Baker is outnumbered by tax-and-spend Democratic legislators who can override his veto.

The last time Democrats raised taxes it cost us $500 million. They raised the gas tax, linked to inflation so it would automatically go up every year (that was later repealed by voters), put new taxes on utilities and increased sin taxes.

Also in the package was the infamous tech tax. Democrats were so determined to tax these tech companies, they never thought about the consequences. When tech companies decided to move out of state, Democrats tripped over themselves to repeal it — then patted themselves on the back when the tax was revoked.

Did they replace this crucial revenue stream? No. It turns out it wasn’t that crucial.

Against the odds, Baker has worked to have the Commonwealth live within its means. Maybe if Democrats did not override over 100 of his budget vetoes, the state would have more money.

Maybe if Democrats were not so anti-business, tax revenue would have increased. For example, they were penny wise and pound foolish by killing the sales tax holiday weekend this year.

“By not authorizing the sales tax holiday, government incented our consumers to spend hundreds of millions out of state, rather than in our local economy. August sales for our retail members dropped 24 percent for the month, and 45 percent on the weekend we normally would have had the holiday. Hours worked dropped by 19 percent for the month, costing employees important income, and the state income taxes,” said Jon Hurst of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.

There was also a 2016 tax increase. Democrats put taxes on Uber to give to taxicabs. That’s not a joke.

Taxachusetts is still taxing everything under the sun. If you want more money taken out of your wallet, then vote Democrat. If you have had enough of high taxes, vote Republican.