(Great work, Scott! You are leading by example. – promoted by eli_beckerman)

“I am a public political figure seeking employment from fellow taxpayers, so this is a matter of public political transparency.”



The Berkshire Eagle published a front-page story today on the issue of tax transparency, noting that Green-Rainbow Party candidates in local legislative races – Mark Miller and I in the 3rd and 4th Berkshire Districts respectively – are the only ones following Jill Stein’s lead in releasing their tax returns for public review.  My campaign had issued a statement the day before announcing the release of my tax returns, including the joint state tax return that I file with my husband.

The Berkshire Eagle story today – May 26, 2010:

the link is no longer active but the image below is a scan from the front page that day



My campaign statement from May 24, 2010.

According to the story, the Democratic Party incumbent in the 4th Berkshire District scoffed at the practice, saying that it shows how ‘green to the political process’ we are.  Well, it’s a shade of green that voters like.  Releasing tax returns, according to the Boston Herald and to Fox News Boston, is a practice that fewer Massachusetts politicians have done in recent years.  As I said in my statement two days ago, I’m happy to be part of reversing that trend.

Not included in the Berkshire Eagle story were any historical references.  George W. Bush and Barack Obama both released their personal tax returns during the last presidential election, for example.  Charlie Baker and Timothy Cahill, the two other candidates joining Jill Stein in challenging the incumbent governor, have both said – rather cynically, in my opinion – that they would release their tax returns only if everyone else did.

Tax returns that are made public offer a glimpse at the tax deductions and credits that candidates may choose to take, some of which, in the case of incumbent state legislators, may be tax privileges that are not available to other taxpayers.  The filings that candidates make to the State Ethics Commission do not make this information available.

My statement two days ago included comment on the dubious deduction (a double-dipping of travel reimbursements) that state legislators are allowed to take off of their federal tax returns.  After my statement was published, I was reminded that the incumbent in the 4th Berkshire District was quoted in the Berkshire Record earlier this year in defense of the practice, saying that it was just like the mortgage interest deduction that all homeowners with a mortgage can take.  This comparison is patently false; I know of no homeowner whose mortgage interest is reimbursed by his/her employer before the interest payments are again deducted from income.

As I told the Berkshire Eagle reporter when he called me yesterday for additional comment, I look forward to releasing future returns in future years when I am a public political figure seeking employment from fellow taxpayers.  It is a matter of public political transparency.