Why are Yoon and Flaherty proposing Regressive Taxes?

In Boston, you would think that candidates would want to be associated with progressive values and associated with progressives such as Barack Obama. That is why it is puzzling to me to see Sam Yoon and Michael Flaherty proposing regressive taxes. Sam is proposing a 'nickel for safety' campaign to raise the sales tax one nickel for every $10 dollars worth of stuff you buy. This is regressive in that in hurts people at the lower end of the income scale the most.

Michael Flaherty is proposing that all city workers give 6 unpaid days of work a year to the city. The problem with this is that someone who makes $30,000 a year is likely to need every dollar of their salary much more than someone who makes 6 figures. Again, this is a regressive proposal that hurts those at the lower end of the wage scale.

For a simple video explanation of a regressive versus progressive proposal, please watch this video.

Even the schoolchildren of the Boston Public Schools seem to understand taxation better than our city councilors. The tax increases they propose such as the meals tax and parking garage tax are more selective and are more of use taxes that are not as likely to affect people on the lower rungs of the economic ladder.