Pay As We Say
Not as we do. Actually, that probably should be “booze as we say … ” A Massachusetts Democratic state rep who voted to raise alcohol taxes and slap the increased state sales tax on hootch on top of that is caught buying bottles across the border in New Hampshire. A classic tabloid gotcha, it’s a thing of beauty. Boston Herald:
A Westport lawmaker who voted to hike the state sales and alcohol taxes was spotted brazenly piling booze in his car – adorned with his State House license plate – in the parking lot of a tax-free New Hampshire liquor store, the Herald has learned.
Michael J. Rodrigues’ blue Ford Crown Victoria, emblazoned with his “House 29” Massachusetts license plate, was parked outside a Granite State liquor store on Interstate-95 South over the weekend, according to a witness who provided pictures to the Herald.
The witness, who requested anonymity, claimed he approached Rodrigues, noted his State House plate, and asked if he was on personal or official business. Rodrigues, who was loading booze into his car, snapped “mind your own business,” the witness said.
The witness’ account was also posted yesterday on Citizens for Limited Taxation’s Web site.
A member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, Rodrigues did not return several phone calls yesterday. But in an online interview with The Standard-Times in New Bedford, he acknowledged buying the booze during a bathroom stop while he and his wife were on a weekend getaway in New Hampshire.
He also blamed the brouhaha on “Republican demagoguery.”
I don’t quite get that part. Pretty sad if the hapless Massachusetts GOP is driving him to drink and shameless hypocrisy. Love the part about a state rep with his get-out-of-tickets-free legislative license plate being dumb enough to think no one would notice in the parking lot at the NH State Liquor Store, though.
See that? That’s what you call a fish in a barrel. The “mind your own business” part was precious, too.
Howie shoots the fish. I dunno, I’m starting to come around on all these taxes in Massachusetts. The voters had a chance to fire a shot across the Legislature’s bow last year with Question , to phase out the state income tax. They voted, 70-30, to let the hacks know they are fine with taxes. The state of Massachusetts has the government it deserves.
Jammie Wearing Fool: “These same (legislators) would probably be at border liquor stores photographing license plates of Masschusetts residents and sending them a tax bill if they could get away with it, and believe me, I’m sure they’ve given it some thought.”
Actually, the state Department of Revenue has tried to dun Massachusetts border-hoppers. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently ruled that’s fine, but the Mass registrations on a Granite State tire shop’s receipts do not alone prove the buyer intended to drive said tires in the Bay State. The SJC helpfully suggested the Mass hacks amend the law to “presume” that goods bought out of state will be used in the Commonwealth, but took a pass on the interstate commerce argument. Too bad. New Hampshire, meanwhile, responded with a law shielding Live Free Or Die receipts from out-of-state busybodies. Boston Herald.
Welcome Punditeers, etal. Always so good to see you. Care to guess what’s on the Required Reading list at Hingham High? Heard about the Radical Surgery they’re mulling to get Obamacare off life support, bring Kennedycare back from the dead? We’ve also just observed the 70th birthday of Blitzkrieg. Blitz back at you, nazi kriegmongers.
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Posted by Jules Crittenden at 7:29 am Comments (5) on Wednesday, September 2, 2009
5 Responses to “Pay As We Say”
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September 2nd, 2009 at 9:48 am
[...] Crittenden brings us a rather amusing story from the People’s Republic of Massachusetts. I’ll let you click on over to Jules for [...]
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:25 pm
This is nothing new. Over my long and storied career (well, storied to me, anyway), I’ve lived in several “dry” counties and townships (notably only Texas and Ohio – the other places seemed far more relaxed). There were always, every time, certain influential individuals who lead the charge against Demon Rum, and then were caught buying their private stash over the county/township line (and sometimes even in the company of women not their wives). The really puzzling part was the number of their constituents who did the same thing. Now, it’s easy to point the finger at blue-nosed hypocrites, but a lot of honest people believe in abstinence of all sorts and don’t violate that. What motivates the sinners who preach one thing and do another?
September 3rd, 2009 at 12:32 am
What is so absurd about this is that it was a sales tax on an excise tax. Not to mention liberal brahmin belief that the rest of the country doesn’t see this as hackjob buffoonery.
September 3rd, 2009 at 10:43 am
[...] Found via Crittendon [...]
September 10th, 2009 at 1:01 am
[...] you think Mike Rodriguez honestly has any idea about the hypocrisy of his shopping habits in light of the the laws that he himself helped [...]