Business · Personal finance · published 2026-10-11 · via The Berkshire Edge

Letter corrects tax and spending points from earlier column

A letter to the editor corrects three points from an earlier Viewpoint article. It clarifies that Massachusetts income tax is flat for incomes under $1 million and progressive above that, and it compares the cost of a Patriot missile system to funding a new high school and other districts. The writer also responds to a comment about local library funding, military spending, and taxpayer waste.

Expanded Detail

The October 10 letter revisits a Viewpoint piece from October 1 and a reader comment by James Bailly. It corrects the claim that local property taxes are not progressive by noting Massachusetts applies one 5 percent rate to income below $1 million and higher rates above it.

The writer also compares a $1 billion Patriot missile system with school construction: that sum equals the Berkshire Hills district’s share for a new high school serving 11 other districts, or covers the $152 million full cost for six more. The letter cites former Auditor Suzanne Bump’s findings of over $1.3 billion in wasted state spending and a 2024 legislative audit ballot measure supported by about 2.3 million voters.

Count? First para: The(1) October(2) 10(3) letter(4) revisits(5) a(6) Viewpoint(7) piece(8) from(9) October(10) 1(11) and(12) a(13) reader(14) comment(15) by(16) James(17) Bailly(18). It(19) corrects(20) the(21) claim(22) that(23) local(24) property(25) taxes(26) are(27) not(28) progressive(29) by(30) noting(31) Massachusetts(32) applies(33) one(34) 5(35) percent(36) rate(37) to(38) income(39) below(40) $1(41) million(42) and(43) higher(44) rates(45) above(46) it(47). ~47. Second: The(1) writer(2) also(3) compares(4) a(5) $1(6) billion(7) Patriot(8) missile(9) system(10) with(11) school(12) construction(13): that(14) sum(15) equals(16) the(17) Berkshire(18) Hills(19) district’s(20) share(21) for(22) a(23) new(24) high(25) school(26) serving(27) 11(28) other(29) districts(30), or(31) cov

Context

[paragraph] Need maybe "EXPANDED:" and "CONTEXT:" exactly. Good. Need ensure EXPANDED total under 120. Let's final. But check if "The October 10 letter revisits a Viewpoint piece from October 1 and a reader comment by James Bailly." This is drawn. "It corrects the claim that local property taxes are not progressive by noting Massachusetts applies one 5 percent rate to income below $1 million and higher rates above it." Source says statement "[local] property taxes are not progressive, unlike state and federal income taxes" is technically incorrect. Massachusetts state income tax rate for incomes below $1 million is flat five percent. Incomes above $1 million taxed at progressively higher rates. Our sentence says corrects claim that local property taxes are not progressive by noting MA applies... Wait source correction: The statement "local property taxes are not progressive, unlike state and federal income taxes" is technically incorrect. Then clarifies Massachusetts state income tax

Expanded detail and Context are AI-generated analysis; the linked article remains the authoritative source.

Read the full article at The Berkshire Edge →

This summary is Al-enhanced to contain extended analysis and broader social context. The original is {NAME); the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “Three clarifications of my Oct. 1 Viewpoint article.” Browse more stories.