Mass. House rejects call for 'meals tax holiday'
April 23, 2012
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BOSTON—State lawmakers have rejected a Republican-backed proposal to hold a "meals tax holiday" this fall.
The proposal, offered Monday as an amendment during budget debate in the House, would have suspended the state's 6.25 percent tax on restaurant meals from Oct. 7 to Oct. 12. Republican Rep. Shaunna O'Connell of Taunton argued that a meals tax holiday would provide a boost to restaurants during one of their slowest periods of the year.
The House voted 116-to-36 against the measure.
Democratic Rep. Jay Kaufman of Lexington dismissed the proposal as a "gimmick" and "bad public policy." He said restaurants could lower prices or use other promotions to attract diners at times when normal business is off.
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