Sunday, August 15, 2010

Sales Tax Holiday

Woke up this morning to the news folks all patting the Governor on the back for our MA sales tax holiday weekend.  It is an election year, so we had the holiday this year that we could not afford last year they tell us.  Heck, we can't afford it this year according to the state budget but they need the votes don't they.

Anyway they are all out there telling us how we boosted sales in all these stores, and saved our 6.25% sales tax.

Well it is a good  thing they don't push the facts.  Things I want to see before I call this anything but smoke and mirrors -

1 - Show me how we increased sales and didn't just pull them in or put them off for a few weeks to buy on this weekend instead of last week or next week when we would have to pay a tax.

2 - Show me how much we increased sales along the NH border where they don't have a sales tax all year if they drive to NH.

This is all BS.  Sales will be great this weekend.  I bet sales sucked last week and will for the next few weeks.  This kind of game does not create sales, it just condenses when they are made.  Folks are not buying anything they would not have bought anyway folks, they are just all doing it on the same weekend so they get the break.

I know we didn't buy anything we would not have bought anyway over the next few weeks for the kids to go to school.

All smoke and mirrors to buy votes for the fools on Beacon Hill.  Just like the Fed auto and home sales programs, when it is over the market will slump and make up for it.  If you look at sales over the month or months around this event to smooth the numbers you won't see any changes.

So go out and shop, and if you buy into they hype all I can tell you is "baaa baaa"

For the rest of us, go, buy, and vote them out in November.

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