Questionable Polling Shows Support for Tax Hikes [OPINION]

A new poll suggests that Massachusetts voters are eager to raise taxes to pay for transportation projects. Seventy-seven percent of respondents to the MassINC survey favor raising taxes, while only 15 percent oppose higher taxes.

Which camp are you in? Yeah, I thought so. No one asked me, either.

Most folks, 73 percent, favor new real estate fees while an overwhelming majority support the Transportation and Climate Initiative that the legislative leaders are proposing that, according to the State House News Service, calls for "a cap-and-invest system Massachusetts leaders are developing alongside a dozen other states that will likely increase prices at the pump and reduce carbon emissions." Sixty-two percent said they support the program, compared to 30 percent who do not. This should give you a hint about what is at play here.

The MassINC survey of 600 registered voters was paid for by the Barr Foundation, a Boston based group with assets of $1.7 billion that lists among its objectives, "to advance solutions for climate change." So, in other words, MassINC, which describes itself as a non-profit non-partisan 501(c)3 whose mission is to "promote the growth of a vibrant middle class" conducts a poll on behalf of the Barr Foundation in support of the group's climate change objectives that coincidently are also endorsed by the legislative leadership.

Smell a rat? No wonder so many of us are clamoring to pay more taxes. The results of the survey make you wonder exactly who the pollsters spoke with. My guess would be this is a poll for and about Boston-area residents, only about issues relevant only to Boston area commuters, yet the people behind this thing want you to believe that voters statewide are eager to chip in more to fix Boston's transportation issues.

Just another cesspool of corrupt information in the biggest little corrupt state in the nation. File this one under BS for – well, you know what. Massachusetts residents pay more than enough in taxes already.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.