Dear Editor:
I was very discouraged to learn recently Sen. Jaime Eldridge's support of one of the biggest, boondoggle pieces of legislation in the history of the Massachusetts General Court. The so-called new MA 'Tech Tax' or more officially known as the state sales tax on computer system design services.
Last year, as competitors for the MA State Senate, Mr. Eldridge and I debated our different economic visions for the MetroWest, Nashoba Valley and Merrimack Valley "Innovation Economies." We could not be farther apart on this new tax on Job Creators. Even before this public policy train-wreck, the Commonwealth already had the highest taxes on computer and software services in the nation. Mr. Eldridge's misguided vote makes it much more difficult for start-up companies in Westborough, Southborough, Hudson, Acton or Devens to compete in the marketplace (or even comply with new MA Dept. of Revenue regulations on tax collections) and create the private sector jobs of the future.
Over 4 years since the "end" of this Recession, we sadly have a generation of young people sitting idle - Many Generation Y workers still unable to find full-time work with decent benefits and wages. The shortsighted idea of funding state transportation projects with a NEW, confusing tax on one of the fastest and growing sectors of the Middlesex and Worcester Economy will go down as one of the biggest anti-jobs pieces of legislation ever forced upon our small business enterprises throughout our high-tech region.
Dean Cavaretta
2012 (R) Candidate for State Senate
Middlesex and Worcester District
