Telling the Legislature's Revenue Committee that closing a loophole in collecting the sales tax on out of state purchases is about fairness and preserving jobs in Massachusetts, Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, testified in favor of legislation that would help the state collect taxes owed, but currently uncollectable, except through voluntary compliance by business. Retailers estimate that Massachusetts is losing over $300 million a year because of the loophole, and the amount keeps growing each year as more consumers purchase items on the Internet.

Helping put people back to work

By Sen. Richard T. Moore

The U. S. Labor Department announced recently that the unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent, the lowest since March 2009, as companies added workers at the fastest two-month pace since before the recession began. Nationally, some 216,000 new jobs were created last month, offsetting layoffs by local governments around the country. That's an encouraging trend, but we've still got a way to go before everyone who wants a job has one!