Editor’s note: Wellesley Middle School Social Studies students as part of a Civics Action Project have this week taken over The Swellesley Report‘s letters-to-the-editor page. The students are well-versed in their topics, have carefully researched all angles, and are ready to present their opinions to the community. Thank you to the WMS Social Studies teachers for organizing this community-based project.

To the editor:

Massachusetts has an alarming property tax rate of 1.15%, which is higher than the national rate of 0.90%. Clearly, the nickname, “Taxachusetts” isn’t all for nothing. These high taxes have led to a lack of inclusivity in our state. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “We are trying to construct a more inclusive society. We are going to make a country in which no one is left out.” In the past, people, specifically veterans, disabled citizens, and senior citizens, have been forced to leave the state of Massachusetts due to unreasonably high taxes. This “domino effect” needs to stop!

Many people in our community believe that veterans, disabled citizens, and senior citizens deserve more manageable tax rates. For example, Jim Bower, a Wellesley senior citizen and veteran wrote, “I think all seniors and veterans should be given a break on their taxes, as long as they have lived in their house for some time, maybe around 10-20 years.”

And Jim Bower isn’t the only one who feels this way. When people are forced out of a place that they are passionate about, it sets a devastating tone for people to take action. Additionally, according to the National Library of Medicine, 642,000 US military veterans die each year. If these people sacrifice their lives to fight for the rest of the country, they should be greatly rewarded.

Since paying taxes can be highly stressful, veterans deserve lower taxes. For senior citizens and the disabled, their disadvantages can get in the way to the point where paying a large amount of money to the government can be unmanageable. As a result, these people will be forced out of Massachusetts. Further, this “domino effect” doesn’t only hurt the people who have to move, but it also hurts the economy of Massachusetts. In the future if we don’t take action, a significant amount of Massachusetts homeowners will have left the state, due to their disadvantages getting in the way of paying taxes. This means that fewer people will live in Massachusetts, so less money will be paid to the government. If senior citizens, the disabled, and veterans all got tax breaks, they would feel comfortable enough to stay in this state, and although less money would be paid to the government, it would still be enough to fund the current priorities.

Thank you,

Paige Griffith
Wellesley Middle School student