Op-Ed

Christy's Stimulus Plan for Massachusetts

What our state should do with this taxpayer money
No gas tax hike, no toll hike, cut Meal Tax, Death Tax and Capital Gains Taxes, eliminate 8,000 state jobs

By Christy Mihos

Now that Congress has given us two doses of unprecedented debt trainwrecks, $849 Billion to Wall Steet and $787 Billion to special interest insiders, and as Governor Patrick and our Legislature salivate over the proposed $10 Billion coming to Beacon Hill coffers,  I’d like to appeal to their better judgment and chart a plan for the rest of us mere mortals:

Most Important -
Pass Legislation to create the Massachusetts Office of Special Prosecutor with unlimited powers to protect us from the corrupt, as they will see the Federal Bailout as another feeding frenzy.

1. No more talk of a gas tax hike.  The plan the Governor put forth would tax us $650 million—forever plus is subject to a cost of living increase.  Runaway inflation is coming---
2. Forget the Governor's toll hike. Your Turnpike Board raised tolls in January 2008 in accordance with the Big Dig Finance Plan to cover the debt service. The next mandated toll hike comes in January 2014. Follow through on my 2003 Plan to sell the 11 service plazas and terminate all tolls west of Route 128. Immediately you will give those users a $120 million benefit-they've earned it. Terminate the MTA and merge all other transportation agencies.
3. Terminate all talk of the tax hikes you put forward last month. All are regressive and hurt us all.
4. Cut the Meals Tax to ZERO. It's $645 million per annum but the industry is on life support systems now. Closed restaurants do not pay property taxes and the job losses in this sector are vexing.
5. Pass legislation to abolish the health insurance middle-men. BC/BS, Harvard Community, Tufts, all of them produce nothing and they have been instrumental in the double digit healthcare cost increases for decades. Our Doctors and Hospitals are clearly competent to manage our healthcare system.
6. Terminate the Death Tax and Capital Gains Taxes. People are moving out of our state to avoid taxes and nothing is selling so be pro-active and declare that Massachusetts welcomes capital formation, and stabilize our population.
7. Terminate 8,000 state jobs. Government is the only sector that has not right-sized. The 79,000 jobs the Governor represent the Washington stimulus will create can be augmented with the cut in the state government workforce.
8. Do not hire another individual who utilizes the revolving door to enhance their PENSION. Aloisi, Simon, Mulhern, and so many more make a mockery of public service.
9. Pass Legislation to cap all credit card interest fees to 5 points over Fed. Funds. These businesses are all Banks in essence and their rates are clearly usury.
10. Most Important-Pass Legislation to create the Massachusetts Office of Special Prosecutor with unlimited powers to protect us from the corrupt, as they will see the Federal Bailout as another feeding frenzy. The State Ethics Commission is feckless. AG Martha Coakley is off on another self promotion for Senate so she's through.

Protect the rest of us. We're not Banks, Law Firms, Construction firms, or the Special Interests. The middle class is getting hammered. Small Business, bricks and mortar companies are in a deep struggle to compete and stay alive. Governor do this now and help ease this wonderful Commonwealth through troubled times. Do it not, and no slick slogan will protect you from a populace waiting for 2010.

Christy Mihos, who lives in Yarmoth, is an Independent candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 2010.
He was an Independent candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 2006. He served as a member of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority from 1999 to 2004.