The battle for governor heated up yesterday when former Democratic National Party leader Steve Grossman launched a statewide television advertisement reproving three of his opponents for raising taxes.
The ad claims Grossman’s key rivals, Senate President Thomas Birmingham, Treasurer Shannon O’Brien and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich, all support raising taxes, although the candidates all say they back a delay in tax cuts approved by voters two years ago.
The ad also fails to mention Grossman’s approval of a recent cigarette tax increase.
“I think it’s a shame that he’s opening his campaign on such a negative note,” said Mark Longabaugh, campaign spokesman for Reich.
Longabaugh said the information in the ad is completely false.
“Reich has not called for a raise in taxes,” he said. “He called for a consideration of freezing income tax cuts until the economy recovers, because Reich’s campaign is all about getting the economy back on track.”
Grossman’s campaign so far has focused on private business experience, highlighting his ability to run private business and how this will translate to running an economically sound government.
The ad includes quotations such as, “They [Grossman’s opponents] think that balancing the budget means raising your taxes,” and, “Only one candidate for governor ever created a job in the private sector.”
The accusatory nature of Grossman’s campaign may be due to his recent lagging in the polls, said Boston University political science professor Tobe Berkovitz. This November, Grossman contributed $1 million dollars of his own money to his campaign budget, but his representatives are not releasing the amount spent on the two-week ad campaign. Berkovitz said his ad campaign is what is known as “early media.”
“Candidates use this method when they are desperate or in trouble,” Berkovitz said. “Birmingham used this method three weeks ago, and he’s done quite well with it. It’s turned his campaign around.”
The tax-freeze was approved in 2000, but many claim the cuts should be postponed due to the somewhat delicate state of the country’s economy. Grossman himself said in a recent Boston Globe interview that freezing the tax rollbacks was worthy of consideration.
Reich and Birmingham, who have also begun their own campaign advertising, have not mentioned running mates in their ads.
“Our radio ads have been completely positive, and we think it’s too bad that Grossman appears to be taking the opposite approach,” Longabaugh said.
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