ByJune 19, 2026
Big news yesterday from the Supreme Judicial Court, which tossed out a divisive ballot measure that would have cut the state income tax in Massachusetts to 4 percent. We look at the winners and losers and where they go from here.
On Thursday, the Supreme Judicial Court abruptly ended a saga that has gripped Boston’s business and political leaders for months, throwing out a possible ballot question that would have lowered the state income tax to 4 percent from 5 percent.
The progressives that brought us the millionaires tax were out in full force to oppose this tax cut. But unlike that earlier round, the business community was divided on this one. To the SJC, the fatal flaw was that the summary, written by the state attorney general’s office, mischaracterized the impact on capital gains taxes.
MassBudget Reference:
The shocking SJC ruling created big winners and losers. Here’s our take:
WINNERS
Raise Up, MassBudget, and the Mass. Teachers Association: When it comes to ballot questions, these organizations are on a hot streak. A political committee aligned with progressive coalition Raise Up filed the lawsuit that led to the SJC decision. The teachers union pledged $2 million to defeat the income tax ballot question, worried that, if it passed, school systems would face painful cuts. Meanwhile, the Mass. Budget and Policy Center filed an amicus brief and has been providing financial analysis. It’s the same team that powered the millionaires tax to victory at the ballot box in 2022.
