BOSTON— Calling it a bipartisan victory, House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. today praised his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for adopting his amendment to protect taxpayers from yet another tax increase.As you may recall, the House Ways and Means Committee proposed allowing municipalities to raise property taxes outside of the constraints of the so-called “proposition 2½ limits” without a local vote.
Representative Jones, with the support of all of his Republican colleagues, filed an amendment to the so-called Municipal Relief Bill striking out the language permitting the increase of property taxes absent an override vote.
“Since the Patrick-Murray Administration assumed office in 2007, the average property tax bill has increased by 18%; from $3,962 in FY07 to the current $4,671,” said Representative Jones. “Taxpayers can’t afford to foot the bill for the continued fiscal mismanagement by the Patrick-Murray Administration. Today, the Massachusetts House of Representatives took a significant step to protect the wallets of taxpayers and Proposition 2 ½, which passed 30 years ago.”
Citizens for Limited Taxation had estimated that if this bill passed with the original language, it would cost Massachusetts taxpayers more than $500 million in increased property taxes.
“I applaud my colleagues across the aisle for joining me in this cause,” added the top Republican in the House.
