Nationally, the Republicans are trying to make this the year of the compassionate conservative. So far, the push for a major tax cut as part of that platform is not resonating that well on the campaign trail. American voters want a healthy surplus. They are also open to the idea of spending some of it wisely, on priorities like health care and education. In Massachusetts, polls indicate that voters favor a tax rollback partly because of the promise they know politicians gave and partly because they are not convinced lawmakers will spend their money on things they care about.
Voters know that fiscal discipline means reassessing priorities and reallocating spending.
It does not mean saying no to special needs students and yes to John Harrington. One way of sending that message is to vote yes on Question 4. You get some money back and can spend it on causes you believe in, whether that means giving it to charity or putting it in a college savings fund. As an option, it is far more tempting than it should be. If I succumb, the devil won't make me do it.