WBJ Talk Back | Online reader comments from June 4-June12, 2008
We've pulled together some of the e-mail comments we've received since we launched the new WBJournal.com last week. The comments below are in some cases edited for length and for spelling/grammar.
Our Spelling And The Insurance Landscape
Re: Insurance Group, Arbella Sue Burnes
News that the Framingham-based Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents and The Arbella Insurance Group of Quincy filed a complaint against state Commissioner of Insurance Nonnie S. Burnes claiming that the state's new auto insurance competition rules favor out-of-state companies elicited several responses from readers. One astutely pointed out that we had initially misspelled Arbella - we have since corrected it. And another reader simply had this to say:
"There needs to be a level playing field on this insurance issue. All companies should play by the same rules."
But another had a more vocal opinion, at least based on the number of exclamation points used:
"The Big Bad Insurance guys don't like competition!!!!!!!!!"
Developers Beware
Re: State Court Gives Local Zoning Control Over 40B
A recent decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court has sweeping implications for the state's affordable housing law, giving zoning boards the power to reduce the scope of projects as long as the decrease doesn't hurt the development's economic integrity. One reader responded with the following in favor of the high court's decision:
"This is a great decision. I think it's about time towns got back some of their rights. This does not represent snob zoning, this is common sense about what a town should be able to absorb in building. This law was ridiculously outdated. We already are over-built in some areas and some towns cannot ecologically sustain more of this type of construction without limitations."
Location, Location, Location
Re: GFA Buys New Ashburnham Branch
The seemingly innocuous news that the Gardner Federal Credit Union bought land in Ashburnham to build a new branch led to one reader to offer his own advice for GFA.
"I would like to see you guys come out to Orange, we need a branch..."
Bankers take notice. Orange may be an underserved market.
What Loophole?
Re: Big Differences In Senate, House Tax Proposals
This story was based on a report by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, which found that a provision in a House tax bill (known as the 80/20 company provision) would allow companies to shift profits to subsidiaries to avoid taxes. But the MBPC version of the bill sparked this response from Eileen McAnneny of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts.
"The intent of the 80/20 company provision in the House bill is to make sure that the state enacts a true water's edge provision, an approach that the Department of Revenue, the Special Tax Commission and the business community endorsed, by ensuring that all entities exclude overseas-sourced income regardless of where they are incorporated. This provision is not a loophole! This language has been carefully drafted to prevent âmanipulation' and would align Massachusetts with 11 of the 18 states that now use combined reporting for taxing income. The House provision prevents the state from taxing operations all over the world."
So, if you think we've gotten a story right, or completely wrong, let us know by clicking the send a comment link at the bottom of any story. You can even send a comment about this comment page.
We may run your comment online, or in our print edition. You can also contact the WBJ's editor Christina H. Davis directly at cdavis@wbjournal.com.
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