[Discuss] Effort to repeal Mass Tax on Software Services

[jguarino at evolutionaryit.com (Joseph Guarino)]

Hello Mark,

I agree completely!  Let's connect as we are both working on repealing
this onerous law.

Seems like this is the beginning of opening the floodgates to taxing ALL
services the same way.  

This will have a ruinous effect on small businesses and job growth. 
Remember if small business create the vast majority of jobs and you add
taxes and regulations to them there will be NO job growth.  Sadly, I
think Deval & friends did this because we weren't politically involved. 
That will change moving forward and I hope you all will join me.  Let's
coordinate and work together to change this.

Also, I know I started a petition but another person had one with more
online.  If you support repealing this law then please sign this one
instead so all of our voices are heard.

Please Sign the Petition to Repeal This Unfair Tax

https://www.change.org/petitions/massachusetts-state-legislature-repeal-the-tax-on-it-services

Also Check Out This Site For News

Please feel free to contact me so we can work together to make our
politicians understand our needs as a community.

I've already contacted my politicians and ask you do the same.   

Joseph Guarino
A+,CISSP,LPIC,MCSE2000-03,PMP,Healthcare IT+
Toastmasters ACS/CL
Evolutionary IT - Best Practice IT(tm)
Website: www.evolutionaryit.com
Blog: www.evolutionaryit.com/blog
Social Networks: network.evolutionaryit.com
888.404.5074 (Office)
617.953.9514 (Mobile)


> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:38:47 -0400
> From: MBR <mbr at arlsoft.com>
> To: discuss at blu.org
> Subject: [Discuss] Effort to repeal Mass Tax on Software Services
> Message-ID: <51FAAB37.1060302 at arlsoft.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> 
> I called my Rep. in the Mass. Legislature. He said he'd be willing to 
> consider a bill to repeal this tax, but he could use help figuring out 
> who else in the Legislature would support such a bill. I mentioned that, 
> as a software engineer, I participate in some software-related mailing 
> lists and forums. He suggested that I ask other Mass. residents on those 
> forums to call their legislators and ask if they'd support repealing 
> this tax. It's far more effective if one of their constituents calls 
> than if someone outside their district calls.
> 
> If you want to make a difference, please do the following:
> 
>  1.
> 
>     Make two phone calls - one to your Mass. State Representative and
>     one to your Mass. State Senator.
> 
>     You'll almost certainly be passed off to a legislative aide.
> 
>  2.
> 
>     Explain to the aide:
> 
>      1.
> 
>         this is urgent
> 
>      2.
> 
>         this tax will devastate an industry that's one of the primary
>         reasons that the Massachusetts economy isn't the basket case
>         that many other states are
> 
>      3.
> 
>         you need the aide to schedule some time for you to talk directly
>         to your legislator
> 
>  3. When you talk to the legislator, don't assume the aide has conveyed
>     much of anything you said. Explain directly to your legislator that:
>      1.
> 
>         this tax will devastate an industry that's one of the primary
>         reasons that the Massachusetts economy isn't the basket case
>         that many other states are
> 
>      2.
> 
>         ask your legislator if he/she would be willing to support a bill
>         to repeal this tax before it destroys the Massachusetts economy
> 
> I told my legislator I'd keep track of which legislators are willing to 
> support a bill to repeal the tax and let him know. In order for me to do 
> that, I'd like to ask any of you who call your legislator to email me 
> the results of your phone call.
> 
> After you call your legislator, email me at: masstax at arlsoft.com 
> <mailto:masstax at arlsoft.com>
> In the body of the email, please provide the following information:
> 
>  1.
> 
>     The legislator's name and title - i.e. Senator or Representative
> 
>  2.
> 
>     Did you speak directly to that legislator?
> 
>  3.
> 
>     If you didn't speak directly to your legislator, what's the name and
>     job title of the person you did speak with?
> 
>  4.
> 
>     Legislator's willingness to support repeal: 1) yes - will support
>     repeal, 2) unwilling to commit, 3) no - will not support repeal
> 
>                 Mark Rosenthal
> 
> 
> On 8/1/2013 1:07 PM, Joseph Guarino wrote:
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > Sadly, it is so expansively written because it is to apply to any IT
> > firms engaged in any IT hardware or software services or implementation.
> >   This open ended and expansive language can only mean it will be applied
> > in this way.  At first it was labeled a "cloud tax" now it has morphed
> > into any everything IT tax.  It is going to make our state less
> > competitive and end up costing us jobs.  Remember only 3 other states
> > are as out of touch to apply this short of poorly conceived tax.
> >
> > I'm not the only one taking this opinion -- in fact every other article
> > I've found on the subject was equally alarmed and annoyed at this
> > horrible idea.  Here are just a few of the Google results.
> >
> > http://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2013/05/new_massachusetts_software_tax_plan_does.html
> > http://www.telegram.com/article/20130729/NEWS/307309973/1116
> > http://www.networkcomputing.com/next-generation-data-center/news/servers/massachusetts-tax-may-leak-into-the-clou/240151527
> > http://ward.vandewege.net/blog/2013/07/i-object-to-the-new-massachusetts-tax-on-software-services/
> > http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/07/05/taxpayer-group-moves-rein-software-tax/cqHzSqU0fpVWIAHimXtdJK/story.html
> > http://www.informationweek.com/government/state-local/massachusetts-computer-services-tax-rile/240158584
> > http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/07/17/tech-sector-powerless-stop-new-software-tax/eEJi5ankQ3zNz2AGr9qeTK/story.html
> > http://www.necn.com/07/26/13/Uproar-follows-impending-Mass-software-t/landing_business.html?blockID=847691&feedID=11106
> >     
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Joseph Guarino
> > A+,CISSP,LPIC,MCSE2000-03,PMP,Healthcare IT+
> > Toastmasters ACS/CL
> > Evolutionary IT - Best Practice IT(tm)
> > Website: www.evolutionaryit.com
> > Blog: www.evolutionaryit.com/blog
> > Social Networks: network.evolutionaryit.com
> > 888.404.5074 (Office)
> > 617.953.9514 (Mobile)
> > _______________________________________________
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> > http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >
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> 
> 
> 
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