‘Sails Tax’ Non-Controversy: Herald 1, Kerry 0
- Jul. 27, 2010, 5:01 PM
- COMMENTS (7)
Sen. John Kerry (AP)
The Boston Herald put him in an impossible position.
Last week, the paper’s “Inside Track” gals — Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa — broke the story that Sen. John Kerry purchased a $7 million yacht and skipped the Massachusetts “sails tax.” Thing is, Kerry didn’t buy her in Massachusetts. He bought her and kept her in Rhode Island, where there is no sales tax on vessels. Still, the Herald kept hounding the senator over its manufactured controversy.
Late on Tuesday night, Boston.com ran a non-story — curiously late — about statements made by Kerry’s office on Sunday, promising he would pay any and all applicable taxes.
I publicly asked why Kerry should be obliged to pay sales taxes on a boat he bought in another state. He did not appear to break any laws. Twitterer @HubScout thoughtfully replied, in a series of tweets:
He lives in Mass & sails mostly in Mass – so choosing different, cheaper state to dock sends odd message for a state official. It’s kinda like a senator voting to impose liquor taxes on Massachusetts residents, while driving to R.I. to get his tax free.
Point taken. Kerry could keep evading the tax — and let the story live.
But this just in: The Globe reports he did something more odd today: Kerry agreed to voluntarily cut a check for about $500,000 to make the story go away. That’s the amount Kerry would have owed had he purchased the boat in the Bay State instead of the Ocean State.
- Beacon-hill »
- State House Roundup: An Intentional Community
- State House Roundup: Milkbone Underwear
- State House Roundup: Capitol Steps
- Commentary »
- With New Sox, Manny’s Worth Watching
- New Newton North Induces An Alum’s Jealousy
- Fantasy, Football, Come True
- Crime-justice »
- Brookline Police Search For Missing Officer
- Court Nixes Hiring Of Mass. Man To Probation Dept.
- Mass. AG Coakley Settles With CVS On Drug Pricing
- Election-2010 »
- In Kitchen Refuge, Patrick Rules
- Patrick Won’t Commit To Mass. Sales Tax Rollback
- Payne & Domke: Controversial Endorsement Is Latest Turn In 10th GOP Race
- Energy »
- Mass. Court Rejects Challenge To Cape Wind Permit
- Reps. Have Plan To Kill LNG Terminal In Mass.
- Mass. AG: Cape Wind Power Deal In Public Interest
- Environment »
- Chelsea Gets $2M To Help Control Diesel Exhaust
- Mass. Court Rejects Challenge To Cape Wind Permit
- EPA Sued Over High Cape Cod Nitrogen Levels
- Media »
- Worcester Telegram Begins Charging For Some Online Content
- Mass. Newspaper Erects Commenter Paywall
- Remembrance: Longtime Boston TV Newsman John Henning Dies
- Religion »
- Religious Relic Stolen In Boston Recovered In Vt.
- Rise Of Independent Groups Influencing Judaism
- Boston Advocates: New Vatican Rules On Punishing Clergy Abuse Fall Short
- Swine-flu »
- FAQ: Swine Flu Vaccine Availability
- Mass. Lifts Swine Flu Vaccine Restrictions
- Study: Swine Flu Is Relatively Mild Virus After All
Host Andrew Phelps invites you to a conversation about what’s happening now in Boston. Breaking news, analysis and the stories that are too much fun to miss. (Read the introduction.)
- Thursday's Show
Mass. Braces For Hurricane Earl
They're stocking up on groceries, leaving the campgrounds and pulling their boats from the harbors. As Earl travels north, we get the latest from the Cape, which is expected to bear the brunt of the storm. More... - ‘Same Old Place,’ New Pizza Recipe
- Remembering Esther Earl
- Doctors Write ‘Prescriptions’ For Healthy Fruits And Vegetables
- Dear Brookline: I’m Leaving You
- Hurricane Earl Could Bring ‘Glancing Blow’ To Mass. Coast
- Hurricane, Tropical Storm Watches Issued For Mass.
- At Almost $200M, Newton North Shines
- Schizophrenia Might Not Just Be In The Brain
- Most Expensive Public School In Mass. Opens
- In Kitchen Refuge, Patrick Rules
- Brookline Police Search For Missing Officer
- Gulf Oil Rig Explodes Off La. Coast
- Doctors Write 'Prescriptions' For Healthy Fruits And Vegetables
- Schizophrenia Might Not Just Be In The Brain
- At Almost $200M, Newton North Shines
- MGH Doc: 60 Percent Of Visits Could Happen Online
- Earl Could Ruin Weekend; French Toast Alert Level Raised
- Mass. Prepares For Possible Strike From Hurricane
- Payne & Domke: Controversial Endorsement Is Latest Turn In 10th GOP Race
- Harvard Student Center Beckons Non-Believers
- Dear Brookline: I'm Leaving You
- Hurricane, Tropical Storm Issued Watches For Mass.
- Doctors Write ‘Prescriptions’ For Healthy Fruits And Vegetables
- Hurricane Earl Could Bring ‘Glancing Blow’ To Mass. Coast
- Freddie Mercury: Rock 'N' Roll's Humble Showman
- In Kitchen Refuge, Patrick Rules
- At Almost $200M, Newton North Shines
- Payne & Domke: Controversial Endorsement Is Latest Turn In 10th GOP Race
- Merle Haggard Reflects On His Outlaw Country Past
- Obama Turns Page On Iraq, But Story Isn't Over
- TV Shows Scale Back On Theme Songs
- 35 Years On, Vietnam Heroes Reunited, Decorated
Rudolph, the answer to that is easy. Don’t you know that Kerry is married to the heir to the Heinz ketchup fortune. He doesn’t need the other side in any way, shape, manner, or form!
What else does Kerry do to be able to afford to spend 7 megabucks on a yacht? Is the senator getting money on the side? From who?
He lives in Massachucetts so if he buys something that is taxable in Mass by means of Mass sales tax it doesn’t matter whether he brings that item into the state of Massachucetts he is still obliged to pay the Mass sales tax. Case in point if I buy an air conditioner in NH and never bring it into the state of Massachucetts it does not exempt me from paying the sales tax. I am pretty sure there is a line item on the Mass Tax return that asks Mass residents to list items for which they did not pay sales tax. Massachucetts couldn’t force NH to collect taxes for them (and why would they) so now they want to cry poverty and pout about the lack of money. Meanwhile we have leaders like Kerry floating around on 7 million dollar yachts. I wonder if he would have reported that purchase on his Mass tax had he not been noticed. The fact is no matter how much money you give Massachucetts they will cry for more! Other states aren’t much better!
I don’t understand why this is classic right-wing behavior. Sounds like perfectly legit story to me. Kerry, being a liberal Democrat, has supported higher taxes throughout his career. His party is responsible for the high taxes we have in Massachusetts. But when it comes to his own wallet, he tries to avoid the tax burden. It’s like when a right-wing preacher pays a gay escort for sex. It’s hypocrisy plain and simple.
Another example of the press publishing a lie and everyone having to react as if it’s true. Just like the Sherrod story last week.
Why doesn’t the focus shift to the responsibility and reliabililty of the press outlets rather than the fake issues of racism and tax evasion that these lies arouse? Let’s all agree to give no more credibility to the Herald or Fox News until they prove they are more truthful than the Enquirer or the News of the World.
I’m glad he finally did the right thing and is going to pay it. I hope the Herald goes after the rest of the rich tax evaders but I doubt it.
This is classic right wing Herald behavior. If they are not profiting over some salacious scandal by taking an opportunistic swipe a poor soul, they mis-represent facts to tarnish anyone that helps sell papers. Even the sports section has gone sour with near exclusive focus on the scandalous stuff and little real content on sports. It really is more of a soap opera tabloid and not a serious source of information.