MA: Gov. Baker seeks big real estate sales tax hike to fund climate programs

[mountaineer]

Governor Baker seeks big real estate sales tax hike to fund climate programs
The plan marks one of Governor Charlie Baker’s most high-profile bids to address climate resiliency as he begins his second term.
By Matt Stout
Boston Globe 
 January 19, 2019

Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican who once campaigned against raising taxes, unveiled a proposal Friday to hike the tax on Massachusetts real estate transfers by 50 percent, and funnel the more than $1 billion it could generate in the next decade into steeling cities and towns against the effects of climate change.

The plan, which Baker intends to include in his state budget proposal on Wednesday, marks one of his most high-profile bids to address climate resiliency as he begins his second term.

But it’s also expected to face heavy resistance within real estate circles, where trade groups warn a tax hike could exacerbate the region’s already steep housing costs.

Baker’s proposed tax increase would add nearly $1,200 in taxes to the sale of a $500,000 home, with those costs paid by the seller.  ...

Full story at the Globe

I'm looking out the window at the "effects of climate change" right now. The only good use for this money probably is more snow plows. 

[jpsb]

Ironic, this Wednesday is expected to be brutally cold for the North East.

[Frank Cannon]

Another GOPer who strokes his base to get elected and then sets about to do things for Rat voters.

[mountaineer]

Another GOPer who strokes his base to get elected and then sets about to do things for Rat voters.

Lather, rinse,  repeat.

[BlueHammer]

If you knew anything about MA property taxes, you'd know that proposition 2.5 dictates property taxes in communities.......it just doesn't work that way in MA

EDIT: I read more of it.......it's a tax on the sale.......lol, good luck with that

[dfwgator]

Another GOPer who strokes his base to get elected and then sets about to do things for Rat voters.

Romney ended up with a 30% approval rating.  Baker will be lucky to have half of that by the time he leaves.

[BlueHammer]

Romney ended up with a 30% approval rating.  Baker will be lucky to have half of that by the time he leaves.

what's your basis? Baker has the highest approval rating of any governor in the country

https://www.businessinsider.com/most-least-popular-governors-2017-7

[dfwgator]

what's your basis? Baker has the highest approval rating of any governor in the country

https://www.businessinsider.com/most-least-popular-governors-2017-7

I said by the time he leaves.   Heck GHWB once had a 90% approval rating.

[BlueHammer]

I said by the time he leaves.   Heck GHWB once had a 90% approval rating.

Romney finished with 40% approval.......he was fine until he announced he was running for president

[mountaineer]

what's your basis? Baker has the highest approval rating of any governor in the country

I believe you said somewhere you're from Mass., so what's your opinion of this tax?

[BlueHammer]

I believe you said somewhere you're from Mass., so what's your opinion of this tax?

I haven't read enough for the tax, but I'd suspect that since most people in MA are going to be already adversely affected by the SALT limitation in the Fed taxes, that they won't be in the mood for that to be doubled up on.....but that said, I just empty nested and sold the big house and bought a condo as an empty nester so it won't have an impact on me.

as a matter of being practical, it sounds like a revenue making scheme.......if you're going to deal with climate change, you deal with the topic, then discuss the cost incurred, not make a pile of money so that we might be able to deal with whatever is coming.

[mountaineer]

as a matter of being practical, it sounds like a revenue making scheme.......if you're going to deal with climate change, you deal with the topic, then discuss the cost incurred, not make a pile of money so that we might be able to deal with whatever is coming.

Indeed. What are these alleged costs associated with "climate change," anyway? Do we know what they are and how much they might be? Sounds like a "solution" in search of a problem to me.

[BlueHammer]

Indeed. What are these alleged costs associated with "climate change," anyway? Do we know what they are and how much they might be? Sounds like a "solution" in search of a problem to me.

To me, the best solution currently is to simply improve our efficiency on the use of fossil fuels and to augment that with renewables with the eventual goal of decreasing the use of all pollutants....or improving use of polluting energies to be zero or near zero emissions

Currently, the administration seems to think that simply burning more fuel is a good thing and I don’t believe that