If Gov. Patrick has his way: As part of his budget proposal for the fiscal year that starts July 1, he wants to repeal the current sales-tax exemption on candy, liquor and sugary drinks. He would also extend the current bottle-deposit law to bottles of water, Gatorade and their ilk.

Via David at Blue Mass. Group, who also notes a proposal to expand the number of charter schools in the states' 50 lowest-performing school districts, which includes Boston.

Angela, who smokes, will be damned if the Commonwealth gets another pound of flesh out of her:

... Thank God my car is fuel-efficient because I can see a bi-weekly trip to New Hampshire in my future. Ah, New Hampshire ... our friendly neighbor to the north. I can almost see the delight on the faces of the Seabrook cigarette retailers now.

The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center takes a look at the House's proposed tax modifications (the ones that will give large companies a new loophole). Among other things:

... The amendment appears to take away from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue much of the standard authority that departments of revenue generally have to adopt regulations that implement the law. Reducing the regulatory authority of the department could strengthen the hand of companies with the capacity to design sophisticated tax avoidance strategies by weakening the capacity of the department of revenue to ensure that our tax laws are implemented in a fair, effective and efficient manner. ...

This deserves exactly what the photo says it deserves!

Channel 4: State owed $2.2 billion in back taxes:

... A two-month analysis of Massachusetts tax scofflaws from Boston to the Florida coast shows while most ordinary taxpayers pony up when the tax bill comes due – even in this difficult economy - some of our wealthiest neighbors repeatedly snub their nose at their tax obligations. ...