Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

Massachusetts

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Our Taxes Can Set Kids Up for Success

March 26, 2024 • By Brakeyshia Samms

Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed in society – and tax policy has a huge role to play in making that happen. Better tax policy can help prepare our young children with skills to become successful and thriving adults.

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States Move to Tax the Top in 2024

March 20, 2024 • By Marco Guzman, Miles Trinidad

These forward-thinking states are demonstrating the wide variety of options for policymakers who want to raise more from the wealthiest people, rein in corporate tax avoidance, create fair tax codes and build strong communities.  

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Moving the Needle Toward Tax Fairness in the States

March 4, 2024 • By Jon Whiten

While many state lawmakers have spent the past few years debating deep and damaging tax cuts that disproportionately help the rich, more forward-thinking lawmakers have improved tax equity by raising new revenue from the well-off and creating or expanding refundable tax credits for low- and moderate-income families.

ITEP Work in Action  

Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center: How Much Does the Millionaire Tax Improve Tax Fairness? How Does Massachusetts Compare Now to Other States?

January 10, 2024 • By ITEP Staff

A new 50-state analysis from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) finds that Massachusetts’ recently adopted millionaire tax makes Massachusetts’ state and local tax system much more equitable. Even under current law, however, those with incomes over $1 million still will pay a smaller share of their income in state and local taxes […]

ITEP Work in Action  

Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center: What’s Race Got to Do With It? Some Tax Proposals Would Widen Racial Inequality, Others Would Advance Equity

May 17, 2023 • By ITEP Staff

Lawmakers have proposed a variety of tax cuts, some of which would provide outsize benefits to the most affluent households and widen existing racial and economic disparities. Other proposed tax changes would make the Commonwealth more equitable by targeting benefits to lower-income households who need them the most. Read more.

ITEP Work in Action  

Massachussets Budget & Policy Center: Taking Measure of the Governor’s Tax Plan

March 21, 2023 • By ITEP Staff

Governor Healey’s tax relief proposal would reduce state revenue available for future investments by $986 million annually. Three proposed tax credits would be progressive, meaning the benefits for lower-income households would be a larger percent of their income than the benefits for higher-income houseolds..1 The Governor also proposes two highly regressive tax cuts, meaning richer, higher-income households would receive […]

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Why the States Have a Major Role to Play If We Want Tax Justice

February 9, 2023 • By Amy Hanauer

With fears of gridlock in a divided Washington, tax justice champions are building momentum in other places where there's dire need for better tax policy: the states. We can upgrade communities across the country by making 2023 a year to win tax improvements in statehouses.

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Massachusetts Voters Score Win for Tax Fairness with ‘Fair Share Amendment’

November 9, 2022 • By Marco Guzman

In a significant victory for tax fairness, Massachusetts voters approved Question 1—commonly known as the Fair Share Amendment—Tuesday night with 52 percent of the vote. The new constitutional amendment creates a 4 percent surcharge on income over $1 million, and the revenue will specifically fund education and transportation projects in the Bay State.

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Measures on the November Ballot Could Improve or Worsen State Tax Codes

October 26, 2022 • By Jon Whiten

In a couple of weeks, voters in a handful of states will weigh in on several tax-related ballot measures that could make state tax codes more equitable and raise money for public services, or take states in the opposite direction, making tax systems less fair and draining state coffers of dollars needed to maintain critical […]