Taxes
Recent
How Will We Spend Fair Share Dollars? Competing Proposals Highlight Needs and Opportunities
Fiscal Year 2024, which starts in July 2023, is the first state budget to include Fair Share dollars, and the Governor’s, House, and Senate budget proposals differ in how they would spend Fair Share funds. How do their priorities compare?
Estate Tax Cuts Worsen Our Large Racial Wealth Gap
If lawmakers cut the Massachusetts estate tax, it is a small number of high-income, white households that will receive the overwhelming share of the benefits. These cuts would worsen the problem of wealth inequality and undermine our ability to address the problem.
Estate Tax Cut Proposals Are Costly and Poorly Targeted – Alternative Solutions Exist
Current estate tax proposals would lead loss of state revenue would reduce the Commonwealth’s ability to make crucial investments, while having regressive impacts on racial and economic equity. The state should seek alternatives.
ALL TAXES REPORTS
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. Other proposed tax changes would advance equity and would disproportionately benefit households of color.
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 affluent households. This table compares the major, permanent tax cut packages proposed since last year.
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 states show how easily Massachusetts can fix this problem.
Statement on the House Tax Reform Bill
Meaningful credits for working families mixed with benefits solely for the wealthy – MassBudget reacts to House of Representatives’ recently released tax proposal.
High-Income Households Are Not Fleeing Massachusetts
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data show that Massachusetts has low rates of out-migration among high-income households compared to other states. As a consequence, delivering large tax cuts to these few households to stem a non-existent exodus is misguided.
How Many Would Benefit from the Gov’s Child & Family Tax Credit?
The Governor’s proposed Child and Family Tax Credit would help families by providing $600 each year for each child under 13 and dependent adults over 65 years of age or with disabilities. This dashboard identifies – by legislative district – how many dependents would be eligible for the proposed Child and Family Tax Credit.
Testimony to the Joint Committee on Revenue on the Governor’s Tax Proposals
Testimony presented to the Joint Committee on Revenue on March 28, 2023, regarding Governor Healey’s tax proposals.
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 very wealthy families.
Governor’s Estate Tax Plan Is Costly and Gives Biggest Breaks to Largest Estates – Better Options Exist
During the current legislative session, lawmakers will consider a number of proposals for changing the Massachusetts estate tax. Two proposals are compared here – one put forward by Governor Healey (H.42), and another, S.1784/H.2960, offered in the Senate and House.
WBUR: Breaking down Gov. Healey’s tax reform proposal
MassBudget President Marie-Frances Rivera joined Radio Boston and Evan Horowitz, executive director at the Center for State Policy Analysis, to discuss Governor Healey’s tax proposals that were announced earlier this week.
With Rainy Day Fund Filling Up Fast, It’s Time to Invest in Community Needs
The state’s rainy day fund is fast approaching its capped “allowable balance.” It could exceed the cap at the end of Fiscal Year 2024. With so many unmet needs for revenue throughout the Commonwealth, lawmakers should ensure the fund’s value remains below the cap.
Preventing High-Income Tax Avoidance to Protect Education and Transportation
Problems with potential high-income tax avoidance can be solved by following many other states that require that taxpayers file their state income taxes with the same status they use on their federal taxes.
Memo to Governor Healey on Ways to Ensure Effective Implementation of the Fair Share Amendment
As Massachusetts voters have amended the state constitution to include a 4 percent surtax on taxable income over $1 million, MassBudget would like to offer policy suggestions to assist the Commonwealth in protecting this revenue and ensuring that it is directed to education and transportation, as specified in the amendment.
Letter to Governor-elect Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Driscoll on a Family Tax Credit
A letter to Governor-elect Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Driscoll on a consolidating different family tax supports into one simpler, fully refundable Family Tax Credit.
“Excess” as Mirage: How the 62F Tax Cap Distorts Our View of Massachusetts Tax Revenue
The 1986 tax cap law, also known as “62F,” artificially limits the amount of tax revenue available to address priorities like affordable, quality childcare, safer public transportation, and affordable housing. Moreover, there are flaws in the 62F law and its underlying formula. 62F tells a story about revenue in Massachusetts, but it is misleading.
