Mitt Romney was the governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. Here are some key facts about his time as governor, did he keep his…….election promises, his views on taxation and regulation.
1. Romney On Gun Control
According to his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, Romney was a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban.[88] Romney also believed “in the rights of those who hunt to responsibly own and use firearms.”[88] On July 1, 2004, Romney signed a permanent ban on assault weapons. “Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts,”
Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/
2. Romney On Taxes
In 2002, Romney presented a plan to balance the budget without raising taxes.
and yet in 2003
Romney, in concert with the legislature, created new fees, doubled fees for court filings, professional regulations, marriage licenses, and firearm licenses, and increased fees for many state licenses and services. In all 33 new fees were created, and 57 fees were increased,
3. Romney On Regulation For Small Business
On increasing fees and taxes in Massachusetts
Some of these fees included were service fees, such as charging businesses more to put up signs.
4. Romney On Tax Increases
Romney approved $128 million in tax changes such as sales tax from purchases on the Internet[15] and raised another $181 million in additional business taxes in the next two years;
Sources
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part6_main/?page=full
http://web.archive.org/web/20060522071230/http://www.massbudget.org/article.php?id=376
In 2005, Romney signed legislation allowing local commercial property taxes to be raised, which resulted in $100 million more in property taxes from local business owners
http://www.democrats.org/a/2007/03/in_wake_of_tax.php
In 2002, the state passed a capital gains tax increase that was scheduled to take effect on May 1 of that year.[21] A taxpayers’ group challenged the law in court, arguing that a tax increase must take effect at the beginning or end of a year, and in 2005 the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in their favor.[21] The court held that the tax increase was effective beginning January 1, 2002, which effectively imposed an additional $200 million in “retroactive” state taxes on gains realized during the first four months of 2002
Source http://myclob.pbwiki.com/12-08-2005
5. Romney On Creating A Budget Surplus
Upon leaving office, Romney argued that he had left the state with a large budget surplus, after he cut hundreds of millions of dollars of programs. However, successor Governor Deval Patrick said there would be a $1 billion deficit if existing service levels are carried over into the next year’s budget.[30] It would be Patrick who would propose the spending level of that budget
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/01-07/01-17-07/03state-region.htm
6. Romney On Creating Jobs
Job growth increased at a 1.3 percent rate during Romney’s term, ranking Massachusetts 47th out of 50 states
This puts him far behind John Huntsman
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-07-13/romney-bachmann-targeted-by-foes-in-republican-white-house-race.html
Economists generally agree that the power of a governor to affect economic growth and job statistics is much more limited than is the perception.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/jun/22/david-axelrod/dems-say-when-mitt-romney-was-governor-massachuset/
7. Romney On Supporting US Armed Services
Romney was the first governor in modern Massachusetts history to deny every request for a pardon or commutation during his four years in office. He denied 100 requests for commutations and 172 requests for pardons, including the request from a soldier serving in Iraq to be pardoned for a conviction at age 13 involving a BB gun.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19586943/
8. Romney On The Central Planning Of Housing
As governor, Romney signed off on a substantial increase in funding for the construction of thousands of new housing units, especially in urban or downtown areas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Almanac_of_American_Politics
For more information on Mitt Romney check his wiki page here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorship_of_Mitt_Romney
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