“Fundamentally, I believe this represents a tax on the poor,’’ said Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, a Jamaica Plain Democrat.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/08/24/massachusetts_leaders_agree_on_casino_bill/?p1=Local_Links
Ah, no. I see vaguely what you're trying to cough up, but it doesn't fly.
A tax is involuntary. The government takes money from you. When the government takes money from the poor, that is taxing the poor.
People like to talk about cigarette taxes as "taxing the poor", but even then, I don't think it flies. Yes, it's regressive. But only in the sense that poor people just so happen to choose to smoke at a greater rate.
It's still a voluntary decision. Government didn't say "we want to tax the poor, and we know more poor people smoke, so let's tax smoking." They said, instead, "smoking is bad, so let's tax smoking to discourage it" and it just so happens that more poor people choose to smoke. Sorry. Your choice.
And simply allowing a casino, subject to income tax, to be built? Spare me.
State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
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State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/24/2011 11:28 AM EDT
- WhatDoYouWantNow
- Posts: 13643
- First: 7/8/2010
- Last: 5/21/2013
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Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/25/2011 12:30 PM EDT
- KittyDuke
- Posts: 2292
- First: 3/17/2011
- Last: 1/9/2012
Sales tax is voluntary, isn't it?
Based on whether to buy in MA or NH.
Casinos earnings have dropped of significantly.
WHy Mass is getting in late to a losing game is... typical. -
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Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/26/2011 11:41 PM EDT
- GreginMeffa
- Posts: 12718
- First: 10/7/2009
- Last: 5/21/2013
A democrat in the state with the number one lottery in the country is worried about gambling taxing the poor.
Is this a joke?
The Keno zombies and scratch ticket pumpers at my convenience store, ain't wearing Rolex's ya fr1ggin dunce -
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Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/27/2011 1:17 AM EDT
- GreginMeffa
- Posts: 12718
- First: 10/7/2009
- Last: 5/21/2013
In Response to Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor:
Posted by movingtarget3
Yes we are, and you just, quite literally put a finger on why the state doesn't want casinos. -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/27/2011 9:52 AM EDT
- shumirules
- Posts: 2016
- First: 10/8/2009
- Last: 5/14/2012
In Response to State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor:“Fundamentally, I believe this represents a tax on the poor,’’ said Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, a Jamaica Plain Democrat. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/08/24/massachusetts_leaders_agree_on_casino_bill/?p1=Local_Links Ah, no. I see vaguely what you're trying to cough up, but it doesn't fly. A tax is involuntary. The government takes money from you. When the government takes money from the poor, that is taxing the poor. People like to talk about cigarette taxes as "taxing the poor", but even then, I don't think it flies. Yes, it's regressive. But only in the sense that poor people just so happen to choose to smoke at a greater rate. It's still a voluntary decision. Government didn't say "we want to tax the poor, and we know more poor people smoke, so let's tax smoking." They said, instead, "smoking is bad, so let's tax smoking to discourage it" and it just so happens that more poor people choose to smoke. Sorry. Your choice. And simply allowing a casino, subject to income tax, to be built? Spare me.
Posted by WhatDoYouWantNow
People should be free to do with their money what they want to do with it.
I am sick of being told by the government I cant buy this, eat that, drink this.
If people want to play 21 all day its their money.
As to it being a tax on the poor, are you saying the poor are to dumb to know what to do with their money, maybe the government should control the money that poor people have so they don't waste it, I am sure this would make nannystate liberals very happy. -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/27/2011 1:07 PM EDT
- GreginMeffa
- Posts: 12718
- First: 10/7/2009
- Last: 5/21/2013
Its simple kids. We have the number one lottery in the country and millions of Zombies, kenoing, scratching, 6 or 7 "Megas", daily number . . .
That is a golden cash cow. We're talking BILLIONS. Why do you think you have to go to NH to play Powerball?
A casino on Indian land that doesn't have to pay taxes? That would talk a leg and both horns off that golden cash cow.
Casino's would cut into lottery revenues, thats all there is to it, and these idiots claiming a casino is a tax on the poor should just be dragged out onto Beacon Street and gang kicked -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/27/2011 8:14 PM EDT
- Peggoty
- Posts: 1
- First: 8/27/2011
- Last: 8/27/2011
Let's solve the budget deficit once and for all!! Anyone driving Massachusetts roads has long since become convinced that our citizens are among the nation's most dangerous motorists. Add the inanity of the phone calls they seem compelled to make on their little toy telephones and they equal the menace posed by drunk drivers. A $1,000.00 automatic fine with no option for an appeal except when said appeal results in a doubling of the fine if the appeal is denied, would balance the state's coffers virtually overnight. Better still, these fools seem so entrenched in this dangerous pastime that they will prove to be vulnerable to these fines more than once before convinced that are indeed guilty of a trespass on their innocent fellow citizen motorists. -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/28/2011 8:48 AM EDT
- miscricket
- Posts: 2901
- First: 1/14/2011
- Last: 5/21/2013
In Response to Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor:Sales tax is voluntary, isn't it? Based on whether to buy in MA or NH. Casinos earnings have dropped of significantly. WHy Mass is getting in late to a losing game is... typical.
Posted by KittyDuke
I agree..I think Massachusetts missed the boat on casino's.It almost seems like an afterthought at this point...I think casinos are fast losing their appeal. -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/28/2011 9:01 AM EDT
- miscricket
- Posts: 2901
- First: 1/14/2011
- Last: 5/21/2013
In Response to State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor:“Fundamentally, I believe this represents a tax on the poor,’’ said Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, a Jamaica Plain Democrat. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/08/24/massachusetts_leaders_agree_on_casino_bill/?p1=Local_Links Ah, no. I see vaguely what you're trying to cough up, but it doesn't fly. A tax is involuntary. The government takes money from you. When the government takes money from the poor, that is taxing the poor. People like to talk about cigarette taxes as "taxing the poor", but even then, I don't think it flies. Yes, it's regressive. But only in the sense that poor people just so happen to choose to smoke at a greater rate. It's still a voluntary decision. Government didn't say "we want to tax the poor, and we know more poor people smoke, so let's tax smoking." They said, instead, "smoking is bad, so let's tax smoking to discourage it" and it just so happens that more poor people choose to smoke. Sorry. Your choice. And simply allowing a casino, subject to income tax, to be built? Spare me.
Posted by WhatDoYouWantNow
Agree all around..Casinos and the like are essentially a tax on the poor. However, there is for sure an element of personal choice..and I am a firm believer in personal choice ..no matter what. -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/29/2011 5:56 PM EDT
- WhatDoYouWantNow
- Posts: 13643
- First: 7/8/2010
- Last: 5/21/2013
In Response to Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor:A democrat in the state with the number one lottery in the country is worried about gambling taxing the poor. Is this a joke? The Keno zombies and scratch ticket pumpers at my convenience store, ain't wearing Rolex's ya fr1ggin dunce
Posted by GreginMeffa
yeah I wasn't even going to go there, but, yeah.
Now the following only reflects poorly on the one guy I saw, but, I often run into a number of individuals with the homeless news. And I buy one of them each new issue (I actually read half the thing, at least, out of curiosity).
Hey, they may not be doing much of a service, but at least they're doing something and getting a little money. Who knows, even feeling like you're doing a job can be a lot sometimes.
Well, while shopping, I saw one of the guys I'd bought these from a few times buying lottery tickets and cigarettes.
Sorry bud, no more money for you. I dropped cigarettes cold turkey because they're bad. YOU are HOMELESS, which is an even stronger, more immediate, eason not to spend $9 for a pack of them.
(Hell, at least alcohol's effect lingers; whatever calming effect you get from a cigarette when addicited is gone in minutes) -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/30/2011 11:10 AM EDT
- junglerunner
- Posts: 27
- First: 1/28/2011
- Last: 6/13/2012
A Casino is not a tax on the poor. It is a tax on the stupid. Have you ever looked at the odds? -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 8/31/2011 11:26 AM EDT
- WhatDoYouWantNow
- Posts: 13643
- First: 7/8/2010
- Last: 5/21/2013
In Response to Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor:A Casino is not a tax on the poor. It is a tax on the stupid. Have you ever looked at the odds?
Posted by junglerunner
Hence the only thing I've ever done at a casino is play poker with other human beings. The house isn't in. They just take a rake. It's your fault and yours alone if you lose. -
Re: State Democrat: Allowing a casino is taxing the poor
posted at 9/1/2011 5:57 AM EDT
- Heisinberg
- Posts: 297
- First: 7/8/2010
- Last: 5/21/2013
Speaker Deleo needs jobs to send his people to before he cashes in .