Lowering sales tax rate may just increase shopping in R.I.

To the Editor:
Regarding eliminating the sales tax in Rhode Island for a weekend (“Proposed R.I. tax holiday stalls in House committee,” April 6), how about trying a rate between 7 percent and zero? Concern is that eliminating the tax will hurt state revenue. According to the article, that’s what happened with Massachusetts’ sales tax hiatus in 2008. So might cutting Rhode Island’s sales tax to, say, 3 percent encourage shoppers while still generating tax revenues? Does any state have experience with a temporary tax reduction?
By the way, ever notice that politicians whine they cannot “afford” to cut our taxes but never ask us taxpayers whether we can afford to pay the taxes they impose? Also by the way, how can Democrats blame anyone else for this state’s chronically sick economy, high taxes and awful public school cost-to-performance record? They have been in power for over half a century.
Bill Welch
Portsmouth