Beacon Hill just increased your taxes, and you didn’t even know it.

The recently passed and signed into law “Tax Relief Bill” holds several positive changes to our state tax code. However, there is one provision that we should all be aware of. Chapter 62F was passed in 1986 by the citizens of the commonwealth requiring politicians to return all “excess” tax collections back to the taxpayers who paid them, proportional to how much they paid in taxes. Makes complete sense, right? The taxpayers could do whatever they wanted with that excess payment refund (their money). They could save it, pay off bills, purchase something they need or want, contribute to a charity, etc.

The new tax code changes all of that. When the taxes collected from you and me now exceed what is needed by the state, the refunds will not be returned proportionally, they will be “redistributed” to every taxpayer in the same amount, regardless of what they paid in taxes. “Freebie,” “state-sponsored welfare,” “redistribution of assets,” “power grab” — whatever you want to call this, it is yet another example of politicians on Beacon Hill operating with no checks and balances in a one-party-rules-all system.

The refund of the taxes you have paid ought to be used in a manner that you decide, not redistributed by politicians on Beacon Hill.

What can you do? Get involved and make a difference. … Vote. … Run. … Contribute. … Call your state representative and state senator. They will listen.

— Jim Mirabile, chair, Hopkinton Republican Town Committee

Editor’s note: The opinions and comments expressed in letters to the editor are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Independent. Submissions should be no more than 400 words and must include the writer’s name and contact information for verification. Letters should be relevant and not primarily for the purpose of promoting an organization or event or thanking sponsors or volunteers. Letters may be edited by the Independent staff for space, errors or clarification, and the Independent offers no guarantee that every letter will be published. For a schedule of deadlines for letters and other submissions for the print edition, click here.