Medford Pols Convene Tax Policy Forum Wednesday

Representatives Paul Donato, Carl Sciortino, Sean Garballey, Senator Pat Jehlen Bring Revenue Committee ‘Listening Tour’ to Medford

The Joint Committee on Revenue has been traveling the state on a “Listening Tour,” to hear from the public their thoughts on tax policy in Massachusetts. The Medford stop of the Listening Tour will be held in the Council Chambers, Medford City Hall, on Wednesday, June 9, 2010, from 7 to 9 pm. House Revenue Chairman Representative Jay R Kaufman (D-Lexington) will facilitate audience discussion and questions following a brief overview of how Massachusetts tax policy is structured.

The listening tour will take the Committee around the Commonwealth and will focus on how tax policy impacts a variety of topic areas. Each stop will open with a brief snapshot of the current revenue picture in Massachusetts. These events are open to the public for their participation.

“In these tough economic times State and local revenues have been severely strained. By holding these public forums, we as lawmakers are able to hear directly from the public their concerns regarding various tax policies. It is critical to evaluate these policies for those most in need, we must take a hard look at the structure of our tax policy to better evaluate its long-term sufficiency,” said Rep. Jay R. Kaufman.

Representative Paul Donato added that, “We legislators hear regularly from constituents asking us to increase funding for – or at lease level fund – local aid, education, and other programs. These appeals must become conversations about funding and priorities, if they are to yield results that people want.”

Come get a picture of the state’s finances, and share your opinions about how we tax and spend in Massachusetts.

“This is an opportunity to learn more about how the state raises revenue and spends it. It’s also a chance to present your own concerns and suggestions and changes. These are hard financial times for us. This only increases the importance of having everyone’s voice heard. Please come with your questions, concerns and suggestions on Wednesday and help us sort through the issues to improve our tax system in the Commonwealth,” said Sen. Jehlen.

– Information from Rep. Donato and Sen. Jehlen