Democrats thwart efforts for sales, meals tax holidays
Beacon Hill Democrats sidelined efforts by GOP lawmakers in the House yesterday to establish an annual sales tax holiday in August and a meals tax holiday in March.
State Rep. Shaunna O’Connell (RTaunton) filed a budget amendment to establish the third Saturday and third Sunday in August each year as a sales tax holiday, while state Rep. Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman) called for the week of March 22 to be designated annually as a holiday from the state meals tax.
In both cases, the House agreed to Ways and Means Vice Chairman Stephen Kulik’s further amendments to study the issues.
O’Connell, who said she should have been able to predict the outcome when her amendment was numbered “666,” said taxpayers, including parents buying back to school supplies, deserve the break from the 6.25 percent sales tax as they face rising property taxes and health insurance costs.
“I don’t think it’s too much to ask and not too much of a burden on us to relieve the burden on taxpayers,” O’Connell said.
Diehl said he could not think of a reason why the sales tax holiday, which has become a nearly annual tradition, has never been extended to the meals tax to offer a stimulus to the restaurant industry.
“Why not?” Diehl asked. Democrats did not explain why they wanted to block the amendments, but they typically defer a decision on sales tax holidays until the summer. “Every time we want to give money back to the taxpayers, we study it. Every time we want to raise taxes or fees or impose new regulations, we vote on it,” said state Rep. James Lyons (R-Andover).