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Governor Deval Patrick says a proposed ballot question that would end the state income tax is "just a dumb idea" that would set the state on a road to fiscal ruin.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Patrick said he has lived in places with no taxes, including the time he spent in Darfur 30 years ago. He says there were also no bridges, no good roads, and no public safety there.
"Civilization costs something," he said. "If we could have something for nothing, which is the fiction that has been sold by the right for some time now, then we wouldn't have a $19 billion upkeep backlog for the roads and bridges."
Patrick might have to get used to making that argument over the next year. Supporters of the ballot question gathered enough signatures to clear a major hurdle to getting it on the 2008 ballot.
Carla Howell of the Committee For Small Government says there is plenty to cut in the state budget and the ballot question would give lawmakers an incentive to make reductions.
"They need to spend the money they have right and cut all the waste and the damaging and destructive programs out of the state government that do more harm than good," she said. "If they do that, we will have 20 times more than we need for roads and bridges."
Asked to name a damaging or destructive program that should be cut, Howell declined to answer, saying the burden is on lawmakers to justify each program.
Patrick said that while it is important to "demand that government be responsible and efficient and accountable" with tax dollars, it is unrealistic to think that the state can absorb the loss of $11 billion in annual income taxes - about 40 percent of its revenue - without dire consequences.
Patrick said the loss of revenue would also come at a time when the state is trying to find an estimated $15 to $19 billion the next two decades to fix the state's aging roads and crumbling bridges.
He also said he won't be pushing for a cut in the state income tax to 5 percent. Voters overwhelming approve the cut in 2000, but lawmakers froze it at 5.3 percent.
"Unless people are prepared to say they will do without public transportation, or they will do without an airport, or they are content to have the homeless population increase . . . or they are prepared frankly to have their property taxes shoot up even faster than they have, then we can't responsibly move toward lowering the rate of the income tax now," Patrick said.
"People talk about it being their money. They're right," he added. "But it's also their broken bridge and their broken road and their broken neighborhood and broken school."
In 2002, Howell and other supporters gathered enough signatures to put the income tax question on the ballot. They did little to promote the question and opponents did less to fight it, assuming voters would handily reject it.
Of the 2.2 million who cast votes that year, 40 percent voted in favor, 48 percent voted against, and 12 percent left the question blank. That was close enough to rattle opponents, who have vowed to mount a vigorous campaign against the question if it goes before voters on the 2008 ballot.
Patrick was more circumspect about two other questions that could be headed for the ballot. One would ban greyhound dog racing. Another would decriminalize possession of an ounce or less of marijuana.
Patrick said he will consult with Kevin M. Burke, secretary of public safety, and Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, secretary of health and human services, about the marijuana question. "I think they are both skeptical," he said.
Seven years ago, a ballot question to ban greyhound racing was defeated by a margin of 48.6 percent to 46.7 percent.
The questions now head to the Legislature, where lawmakers have the option of adopting them. If they opt not to take action, activists have to gather another 11,099 signatures by the middle of next year to get the proposals on the 2008 ballot.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
