Howie Carr posted an article at the Boston Herald today about the fact that property taxes in Massachusetts are about to go up.  Property taxes are supposed to be limited by Proposition 2 1/2.  Proposition 2 1/2 was approved by Massachusetts voters in 1980 and put into effect in fiscal year 1982.  The Proposition limits the amount of money a city or town may raise from property taxes each year to fund municipal operations.  Well, the Massachusetts state legislature is working on finding a way to get around Proposition 2 1/2. 

According to Howie Carr:

“This time, as you know, the hacks want to sock it to homeowners, allowing the taxaholic towns to raise property taxes beyond the 2.5 percent limit imposed by Proposition 2 ½.

“The harebrained scheme is being pushed by a genius named Charlie Murphy, who is the chairman of Ways and Means. First he said this “adjustment” in Prop 2 ½, involving something called an overlay fund, was not a tax increase. But the Lowell Sun reports he then “conceded the fact that most communities would likely raise property taxes more than 2.5 percent.” Without putting it to a vote.”

Mr. Carr points out that the plan to raise property taxes is being kept rather quiet until after the filing deadline for candidates in the November election.  This year Massachusetts has many Republicans running for state and national office, and hopefully we can someday become a two-party state.  Meanwhile we need to vote out of office anyone who votes for this game to override Proposition 2 1/2.