I bought nothing!! We should be tax free all year!!

I bought necessities, i.e. groceries. No money to buy anything outside of necessities.

I bought a bicycle. But, I was going to buy the bicycle anyway and probably would have gone to NH or online to save the tax. We should be tax free for more than a weekend. Some longer period, like a month or a quarter. In which case, we might be able to measure a real net effect on the economy as it is likely that most people will spend the savings somewhere else in the [Massachusetts] economy.

Anyone remember how the sales tax came into being in Mass.?

Was in the early 70s, I think, and we got to vote on it. Was going to be a temporary 3% limited sales tax that would help reduce local property tax. I was young, believed the rogues on Beacon Hill, and voted for it. Someone older and wiser told me that you NEVER vote for a tax, and that this one would not reduce the property tax and the only thing temporary about it would be the 3%. He was right. It rose to 5% , then to 6 1/4%.

Although I love the idea of being tax-free all year long, comment by Elaine Dahlgren above....there are however, certain groups that go looking to tax us. So, Patrick-to your question above...."anyone remember how the sales tax came into being in Mass." -here's a quick re-cap/Google a search under "Repeal of the Sales Tax in Massachusetts" -under Wikipedia, and they will address quite a few of your points. If you take the tax away, those certain groups that have become financially dependent upon it, will suffer. Read the spec's on Wikipedia....your answers are there.

To Elaine Dahlgren - if it is of some help to you/others, etc.-perhaps we could take a good, hard look at the advantages/disadvantages -of a well written Barter Agreement. Start at The Ames Free Library, see if they have anything on the shelf about it....but don't limit yourself there.

Thanks Janet!! You are truly missed at the library!!!