Phineas Baxandall

Picture of Phineas Baxandall
Phineas Baxandall, PhD is the Policy Director at the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.

Dr. Phineas Baxandall has a long history as a researcher deeply involved in improving policy, especially at the state level and in Massachusetts. In his nearly eight years at MassBudget, Dr. Baxandall has served in numerous leadership capacities. In September 2023, he was named the organization’s Interim President, before returning to his role as Policy Director the following year.

His policy knowledge and advocacy acumen have been instrumental in the organization’s greatest achievements. During his tenure, Dr. Baxandall’s extensive policy expertise has ensured that MassBudget’s research and analysis, communications, advocacy, and partnership building are of the highest caliber.

Before joining MassBudget, Dr. Baxandall directed the Transportation and Tax & Budget programs for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and its network of 30 state affiliate organizations. His track record also includes work at the Taubman Center for State and Local Government and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. At Harvard he also taught for eight years for the Committee for Degrees in Social Studies, where he lectured on social policy and political economy. Dr. Baxandall earned a PhD from MIT in Political Science and a B.A. from Wesleyan University.

He has authored over 100 publications, from action-oriented policy reports, to peer-reviewed journal articles and an academic book on the political economy of unemployment. He has taken part in several government working groups and is a regular commentator in Massachusetts news outlets.

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Testimony in Opposition to the Two Anti-tax Ballot Initiatives: Cutting the Personal Income Tax & Amending Chapter 62F

March 30, 2026 The Honorable Sen. Cincy F. Friedman, Chair                                ...
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Testimony in support of petition: An Act to protect tenants by limiting rent increases

Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony in support of S. 346, a Resolve establishing a commission to study the funding of high-quality ...
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Testimony regarding An Act to manage federal tax changes in Massachusetts

Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony in support of S. 346, a Resolve establishing a commission to study the funding of high-quality ...
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Proposed Income Tax Cuts in Massachusetts Would Benefit Households with Highest Incomes and Force Deep Public Cuts

The Affordable Homes Act (AHA), a five-year bond bill signed in August 2024, authorized a wide range of capital housing investments through bond spending. Bond ...
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Protecting Massachusetts Revenue: Examining Governor Healey’s Proposed Response to OB3 Federal Corporate Tax Cuts

The Affordable Homes Act (AHA), a five-year bond bill signed in August 2024, authorized a wide range of capital housing investments through bond spending. Bond ...
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Taking Stock of Transportation Funding – Co-Report with T4MA

(Press Release from Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) on the co-authored report between T4MA and MassBudget.) New Transportation for Massachusetts and Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center ...
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Testimony in support of An Act relative to the repeal of the sales tax exemption for aircraft and An Act to repeal the sales tax exemption for aircraft

Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony on behalf of the Massachusetts Budget andPolicy Center (MassBudget) in support of H.3123/S.1923: An Act relative ...
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Payouts and Risks in Massachusetts’s Gambling Revenue

Key Takeaways The Lottery, casinos, and sports betting together generate $1.5 billion in annual taxes, the state’s fourth largest source of revenue. The Lottery is ...
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Fare-Free Public Buses are Yielding Results in Southeastern MA

Since 2024, residents and visitors in Southern Massachusetts step onto public buses and shuttles without a thought because fares have been eliminated - and the ...
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What Does Massachusetts Transportation Funding Support and What Are the Revenue Sources?

Where do the resources come from to operate our state's transportation system, and where is the money spent?
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