BOSTON -- Remember the idea of reform before revenue? It seems that Bay State legislators don't - and neither do many municipal officials. Instead of taking on the tough task of whole-scale budget reform, they're taking the easy path of hiking taxes, fees and tolls on all of us. Are they not paying attention?

Click To Share Your View

Businesses are doing more with less. Family budgets are cut to the bone. It's past time for lawmakers to adjust to the new normal. We aren't talking about further cuts to services and programs; we're talking about reducing the cost of government. Eliminate the waste we all know is there. End sweetheart pension deals. And change the mindset that seems to infect everyone at Beacon Hill … a mindset that has the Senate President calling the governor irrelevant when he calls for reform before revenue. The very idea of raising sales taxes and other fees on people in this economy before finding every conceivable means of scrubbing the State budget of wasteful spending, is indefensible.