State Rep. Jay Kaufman's Open House Forum: Revenue Reform

State Rep. Jay Kaufman's award-winning public policy forum, "Open House," kicks off 2011 with a comprehensive examination of our tax system.

The forum, "Revenue Reform: It's a Taxing Challenge," 

will be held Thursday, Jan. 20, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the historic Lexington Depot. While there have been previous forums on revenue and taxes, this forum involves the culmination of a two year practical analysis of the Commonwealth's taxation and revenue components, responsible for providing the resources necessary to fund the state's approximate $28 billion dollar budget.  

It is evident that there are many opportunities for reform, but where do we start? How important are the distinctions between what we should do and what we can do in the way of reform? Do we have the will to pursue reform? Who needs to be involved? What impact do the economic and political realities have on the chance for reform?  

As with every forum, audience participation is encouraged and questions and comments from the floor will shape the discussion.

Upon taking office in 1995, Rep. Kaufman sought to provide a vehicle for regularly engaging constituents in discussions of the challenges and opportunities facing our community and Commonwealth.  Now in its 16th year, Open House has addressed issues ranging from reinventing public education to gay marriage, property tax relief to campaign finance reform, the shrinking middle class to stem cell research, the nature of political leadership to the challenges of effecting fundamental change in a democracy.