I have to agree with the Outraged Liberal — today’s installment of the Globe’s Romney series, by Brian Mooney, really delivers the goods.
Here are a couple of highlights that the O.L. doesn’t mention. First, this ought to negate any lingering belief that Romney cut taxes in Massachusetts — or even held them steady:
Data compiled by The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group in Washington, shows that during Romney’s four years as governor, the state and local tax burden in Massachusetts increased from 10 percent to 10.6 percent of per capita income.
Next, consider what William Monahan tells Mooney. Monahan is described as having had a “long personal and political relationship” with Romney, but the governor pushed him out as chairman of the state’s Civil Service Commission because he had bought property from organized-crime figure Jerry Angiulo 23 years earlier. Mooney writes:
That night, from his lake house in Wolfeboro, N.H., Romney called Monahan, who quoted him as saying: ”Bill, my stomach is turning…. My senior staff is unanimous that I have to ask for your resignation. I don’t want to do this, but I am outvoted.”
I don’t want to do this, but I am outvoted. Absolutely amazing.
According to the Herald, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is now on Romney’s case, too.
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Suldog
Of course, the General Court holds the most power in this state when it comes to taxation. A governor from a party that holds only a small minority of seats in that legislative body cannot be held accountable for that body’s excesses.I’m no friend of Romney, but to pin any blame on him – or give him credit, for that matter – for a generalization concerning tax rates, is specious, IMHO.
Don (no longer) Fluffy
Another Romney hit piece? And this time it’s from PETA, one of the most disreputable organizations in the world. These are the people who embrace violence to achieve their ends. Puhleese. . . .
Dan Kennedy
Suldog: Surely we can judge Romney on his own boasts, can’t we?
Peter Porcupine
Dan – I thought this was the boutique crib sheet/canonization for national reporters – now you tell s it’s ‘delivering the goods’ for a hatchet job?
Anonymous
dan’s right — and the judgment should be harsh if romney’s boast is untrue in the face of objective facts. i would want to know more — are pike tolls, municipal excise taxes and fees enacted by the legislature part of this analysis? if romney proves out as a liar or mischaracterizer, so be it. of course i dont think dog abuse is a very good campaign issue for mitt to run on either.
Suldog
Dan – I agree. Romney making specious claims concerning his own success is just as bad as anyone else trying to lay blame on his shoulders alone. As I said, I’m no friend of Mitt’s.