"No Sales Tax for Alcohol" big debate in MA General Election

(Here is a follow-up article on the Massachusetts General Election)

BOSTON – For those voting in this week’s Massachusetts General Election on November 2, Question 1 on the ballot seems to draw more attention and interest than of issues surrounding the running candidates.

“Honestly, this is my first year voting, and the main reason is because of the extra tax on alcohol,” said 24-year-old Shawn Benson, a security guard for the Apple software company. “The mindset of it sort of sucks; when you’re in the moment [of buying alcohol] you don’t think about it, but then you realize that it all adds up.”

The “No Sales Tax for Alcohol” initiative, which will appear as Question 1 on this year’s ballot, is an indirect initiated state statute. The measure will allow voters to decide whether or not to repeal the Massachusetts sales tax on all alcohol sales.

“I think this year’s election is intense. For those people that don’t usually vote, I think they’re starting to realize that there are big consequences. That’s probably one of the biggest factors for voters,” said Democrat Chris Gibes, 34, an advertising consultant at The Boston Phoenix.

Individuals seem more aware of the three initiatives presented on the 2010 ballot – concerning the extended sales tax on alcohol, permits for affordable housing, and state sales tax rates – because many believe the candidates are not presenting themselves in an honorable way.

“I don’t like the way the candidates are going about it,” said 36-year-old bicyclist Gabriel Polonsky, a Republican. “They are not looking to solve anything. That’s the main reason I’m going to pass on voting this year.”

“Candidates’ ads all seem to be focused on bashing someone else. There is no sense of trying to do good or change,” said Gibes.

“I recently talked about the election with some of my friends over a few drinks, and it looks like maybe half of us are going to vote,” said Benson. “I don’t know if I’m going to vote for any specific candidates, because I don’t know much about them.”

The main concern in this election for Massachusetts voters chiefly involves money. Gibes put it metaphorically this way: “The problem is that people can deal with a 95 tax, but then when they ask for 96, we just can’t do it anymore.”

The Massachusetts General Election is held on Tuesday, November 2.