Republicans: What do You Propose Doing to Help Tewksbury Businesses Thrive?

(Editor's Note: Tewksbury Patch asked the Republican candidates for state representative and state senator five questions on issues related directly to Tewksbury. Questions 1 through 3 ran Thursday through Saturday. Question 5 will run Monday.)

Question 4. While not a border town, Tewksbury businesses certainly lose some revenue to New Hampshire. What policies do you support to help Tewksbury businesses compete and thrive?

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State Senator, 2nd Essex/Middlesex District

Patrick Rahilly, Republican, Tewksbury

I support the tax roll back to 3%.  There has been alot of talk of cutting services and drastically reducing local aid.  If there are tax cuts and the economy prospers because of it, the returns to the state will be substantially higher than the constant raising of taxes.

Jamison Tomasek, Republican, Andover

Lower sales tax to 5%.

Eliminate tax on alcoholic beverages.

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State Representative 19th Middlesex District

Mario Marchese, Republican, Wilmington

Recently the Board of Selectmen in Tewksbury voted to submit an application to the State seeking the designation of becoming listed as an Economic Target Area for new businesses and development.  All though the State does not provide any economic benefit, such as tax breaks, but it does promote the Town of Tewksbury as a beneficial town in which to do business.  Before such a designation is given, it is incumbent upon the Town to find suitable locations for development, target industries or corporations that would be willing to relocate to town, and most importantly offer an economic incentive such as a property tax break.  This is just one way that Tewksbury has become proactive in developing the Town.  By authorizing the construction of a new high school, recent construction of a new library and senior center, Tewksbury has chosen to re-invest in its future.  Towns should constantly look to upgrading their communities and offer new benefits to its citizens which will attract new people and new businesses to Town.

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State Representative, 17th Essex District

Paul Adams, Republican, Andover

I have proposed reducing all tax rates, including our 2nd-highest-in-the-nation corporate income tax, which would facilitate new investment and long-term growth for our Commonwealth. The recent 20% increase in the sales tax and new alcohol taxes makes retailers and distributors particularly vulnerable to those in New Hampshire, and I actively fought those higher taxes last year. I have a record of building coalitions for similar pro-business, pro-taxpayer solutions and I would work tirelessly with my colleagues to address it.

The following candidate did not submit a response to this question: Sal Tabit, Republican, Andover.