Vote yes on 1

Question 1 on the Massachusetts ballot would eliminate the state income tax. The tax would be reduced by half next year and then eliminated for good the year after that. The Massachusetts state budget would be reduced by 40%, to the same level it was in 1999.

I am strongly in favor of voting YES on Question 1. Government at all levels has gotten too big, spends too much money, has too many social programs, and passes too many unjust, oppressive laws. There is no reason why the state government's budget should go up every year. There is no reason why its budget should not be the same as it was in 1999.

How would the government make up for this loss of funds? Some people fear that property taxes would have to be increased, but Proposition 2 1/2 prevents this from happening. Yes, towns can try to override Proposition 2 1/2, but the citizens would have to vote to approve the override in a special election.

So ultimately, if Question 1 passed, the state government would have to reduce its budget, which would be an absolutely great thing. The only things the government should pay for are law enforcement, the military, roads, and (maybe) schools. The government should not be spending any money on health care, since people should pay for their own health care and should not receive health care if they do not pay for it. All types of welfare that involve money being taken from more successful people in order to provide benefits to poorer people, should be abolished. If the government had less money, perhaps it would be forced to repeal oppressive laws such as requiring everyone to have health insurance and forcing 8 year olds to sit in booster seats.

Although the state government refuses to make its budget publicly available in an easy-to-read format, I know of enough unnecessary, expensive social programs that I'm sure all essential services could easily be paid for if the income tax was abolished. And, most importantly of all, people could actually keep more of their own money. Imagine that: people having a right to the money that they've earned!

Voting yes on Question 1 would halt the government's attempts to become ever larger, more oppressive, and more socialist. Vote for liberty, vote for private ownership of property, and vote for justice! Vote yes on 1.

For more information on Question 1, visit SmallGovernmentAct.org.