As a result of the pandemic, municipalities face increased spending needs and declining revenues. Many have the ability to raise property taxes, though others are constrained by Proposition 2 1/2. Moreover, property taxes tend to fall hardest on those with lower incomes. Without sufficient municipal aid, cities and towns may be forced to make public cuts which would slow the economic recovery.
As the Commonwealth’s early education and care sector reopens, many providers are at risk of closing permanently unless there is a significant new source of funding. Learn more about COVID-19’s impact on early education in our latest report, and what it will take to safely reopen.
Cutting budgets and failing to invest in communities hardest hit by the pandemic perpetuates the deep racial inequities built into the current system. Learn more about how the Commonwealth has solved the challenges of past economic recessions in our latest report.
This country was built upon racist ideas and policies that we must all work deliberately to undo every day. These policies, such as Jim Crow laws, residential redlining, inequitable school funding, lack of access to GI bill benefits, and more have brought deep harms to Black and Brown communities. Last week our staff and board took …
Black Lives and the Pursuit of Racial and Economic Justice Read More »
Testimony supporting legislation for state stimulus checks for taxpayers excluded from federal benefits because they pay taxes with an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a social security number.
Anyone concerned about Massachusetts’ economic recovery should be worried about state and municipal budget cuts. This is not the time for austerity. Avoiding budget cuts through targeted tax increases is the best way to build a strong recovery in Massachusetts. Learn more in the latest on our Blogs & Briefs publication.
For more on federal fiscal relief, read That’s A Relief Part I: Federal Fiscal Relief to Massachusetts in Recently-Passed Legislation and That’s A Relief Part II: Federal Fiscal Relief for Community Development in the CARES Act. The Massachusetts state budget is the single piece of legislation each year that defines the state’s vision, values, and plan for the …
What were the tax breaks provided to the wealthy and businesses in the CARES Act? What is the cost of these tax breaks? Learn how these tax breaks could impact the Commonwealth's recovery from COVID-19.
Read the full statement by Marie-Frances Rivera, president of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget), in response to the Governor’s Reopening Massachusetts plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new tax subsidy initially approved two decades ago, the state charitable deduction, is set to automatically go into effect in January 2021, reducing revenue by $300 million annually. Are there ways to stem revenue loss and limit the subsidy to high incomes? Learn more about what the state charitable deduction could mean for the Commonwealth amid COVID-19.