For Beacon Hill Democrats, who have recoiled at the prospect of a ballot measure that could take $5 billion in annual revenue off the table, there is one easy way out: hope that the Supreme Judicial Court throws the question off the ballot after it hears a challenge to the initiative petition on Monday.
The high court is scheduled to hear arguments in a suit fighting the petition backed by influential business groups, which would cut the state income tax from 5 to 4 percent over three years.
Researchers at Tufts University and the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation estimate that the change could reduce state revenue by more than $5 billion per year once fully implemented. Annual savings for taxpayers would vary depending on individual circumstances, according to the two reports, hovering around $1,000 for the median filer.
Legislative leaders have largely met the proposal with a curled lip. Speaker Ron Mariano described the approach to tax reform as “ham-fisted,” and legislators have indicated that they might respond with a tax increase elsewhere if voters usher the measure through.
They would no doubt welcome a ruling from the SJC that the question cannot go before voters, but the case against the question rests on a technical challenge that is rarely successful.
More Context
- Lawmakers offer mixed messages on income tax ballot question (April 2026)
- Ballot measures must clear courts, lawmakers, and voters (November 2025)
Published by MassINC