Hold the Line for Fiscal Sanity—Protect Boston Property Owners

Dear SPOA Members and Supporters:

Recently, when the Boston City Council met to approve the tax shift “compromise” between Mayor Wu and a couple of business leaders, Boston City Councilor Benjamin Weber made a statement championing the nobility of higher taxes. However, we should make a few things clear.

SPOA and our reach of 30,000 property owners knew nothing of the latest tax shift deal brokered by Jim Rooney (Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce) and Tamara Small (National Association for Industrial and Office Parks). Following this so-called “compromise,” the mayor still got her way — having her cake and eating it too (minus a few crumbs).

We were never asked nor consulted.

Who are we? Only the payers of the taxes. Only the little people who provide 65% of the rental housing in the commonwealth.

We greatly appreciate efforts by Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy to fend off a bad deal, while offering alternatives. The City of Boston should thank them for standing up for fiscal sanity.

No deal should be brokered without budget cuts on behalf of the City of Boston.

Spending is out of control. School enrollment is declining. Schools are dormant and empty. Busses are half full and unable to turn up on time. Lane restrictions prevent smooth traffic flow, resulting in unnecessarily long travel time through the city. Yet, 300 plus jobs have been created at city hall.

Nonsense is being spun to you as fact.

The City of Boston is no longer open for business.

Before you pack your bags and depart for a place where one can carry out business in a respectable fashion, consider this - the process is a bum rush.

But before you abandon hope, hold your state senators and representatives responsible for plying you with tax bills you cannot afford. Call and email them. https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

Those in charge have slaughtered the golden goose.

Now they want you to pay the bill. We are financing our own demise.

The answer is simple. Just say, “No.”

Sincerely,
Small Property Owners Association (SPOA)