More on the Massachusetts Tax Revolt
The initiative to end the Massachusetts income tax is lead by Carla Howell, who also is the Libertarian Party's candidate for governor. Recent polls have public support for Initiative 1, also known as the "Small Government Act," at 40 percent - within striking distance of victory.

On her website, Howell says she's running for governor "to make Massachusetts government small."

"Ending the Income Tax in Massachusetts will help make government small. Repealing every Anti-Gun Freedom Law on the books in Massachusetts will help make government small. Exposing the fatally-flawed, wasteful, and destructive Big Government Programs in Massachusetts will help make government small," says Howell. "Small government is beautiful."

The Small Government Act "is designed to take $9 Billion out of the hands of government and put it back in the hands of the 3,000,000 Taxpayers who earned the money. It's designed to be the first step in making Massachusetts government small," according to the web site promoting the initiative.

The site lists 9 Common Sense Reasons to End the Income Tax in Massachusetts, one of which notes that while Big Government advocates say the state can't afford to reduce its budget from $23 billion a year to $14 billion, the fact is Massachusetts spending has doubled in the last 10 years; $14 billion is still $4 billion higher than liberal big-spending Gov. Dukakis though was sufficient in 1991; and Massachusetts state government ran on $14 Billion or less for 15 out of the last 20 years.

The site also notes that ending the income tax will put an average of $3,000 back into each taxpayer's bank account annually, resulting in the creation of 300,000 to 500,000 new jobs in the private sector in Massachusetts - enough to wipe out unemployment in the state.

No wonder the initiative is gaining support.