Phineas Baxandall

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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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Statement on Governor’s Proposal to Leverage Stabilization Funds to Secure Federal Grants

Statement by Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center Interim President Phineas Baxandall in response to today’s proposal by Governor Maura Healey to utilize interest from the ...
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Testimony in Opposition to H.1848 on Reclassifying Rideshare Drivers

MassBudget's written testimony submitted in opposition to H1848, An Act establishing rights and obligations of transportation network drivers and transportation network companies.
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Testimony in Support of Raising the Minimum Wage

MassBudget's Policy Director Phineas Baxandall urges the Joint Committee on Labor & Workforce Development to pass a bill to increase the minimum wage out of ...
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MassBudget testifies to end tax subsidy for private jets

MassBudget testified in support of House bill 2826 and Senate bill 1758, which would end the sales tax exemption for personal aircraft. The exemption disproportionately ...
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How Many Massachusetts Low-Wage Workers Would be Helped by a Higher Minimum Wage?

What would be the impact if the wage floor was lifted to $20 an hour with a tipped wage increase to $12 an hour? How ...
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Testimony to support employment of formerly incarcerated individuals and people on transitional assistance in microbusinesses

Policy Director Phineas Baxandall delivers testimony in support for H.2811, “An Act to establish the micro business employee training and workforce development program."
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What’s Race Got to Do With It? Some Tax Proposals Would Widen Racial Inequality, Others Would Advance Equity

Some of the tax cuts proposed by the Massachusetts House in 2023 would widen economic and racial disparities by disproportionately benefiting wealthier, generally whiter households. ...
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Comparing Tax Cut Proposals from 2022 to 2023

Massachusetts lawmakers have proposed tax policy changes in 2022 and 2023 that would reduce public revenue by large amounts—providing the most benefits to the most ...
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How Other States Prevent the Costly Tax Loophole in the Millionaire’s Tax

The newly passed surtax on annual incomes over $1 million brings a new opportunity for high-income residents to exploit a tax loophole. Policies in other ...
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Taking Measure of the Governor’s Tax Plan

The Governor’s proposal would provide benefits to households across the income spectrum, but by far the largest benefits would accrue to a small number of ...
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