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Lyons would provide fiscal sanity, roll back taxes
Editor, Townsman:
The recent tax free shopping was a welcome reprieve to our pocketbooks. In this poor economy with many jobs still in jeopardy, any help we can get is most welcome.
But why should we be thankful when state government throws us an election-year bone? The politicians give us two days of some relief when the rest of the year we put up with crushing taxes and fees to feed an out-of-control government. And every year the Legislature tells us that the only way to solve some problems is by "increasing revenue." That is double talk for a tax increase.
If we don't want Massachusetts to end up like California or Greece, then we have to change the destructive culture of spend and tax on Beacon Hill. That means replacing most of the entrenched politicians with fresh faces and new ideas. We simply cannot afford to continue reelecting these same tired and stale people year after year. We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect different results.
Fortunately, there are a lot of good candidates this year who can help us change the direction of the state. One of these is Jim Lyons of Andover. He is running for State Rep. 18th Essex to represent the people in parts of Andover, North Andover, Haverhill, Methuen, Boxford and Georgetown.
Lyons has owned and operated a small business for three decades. His two sons attend public school. He not only appreciates the value of a dollar, but knows how the ever-increasing tax burden affects his customers and the bottom line. As a result, he is running on the platform of a 5-5-5 tax rollback. When elected, he will immediately file legislation to roll the sales tax back to 5 percent, roll the income tax back to the promised level of 5 percent, and also reduce the meals tax to 5 percent. This would be a great first start in restoring our state to fiscal sanity.
I urge you to consider voting for Jim Lyons in the September primary and November elections.
Anne Rice
8 Alison Way
