As Massachusetts lawmakers look for ways to close a $3.6 billion tax revenue gap in the FY21 operating budget, there is a simple idea that could help the state receive sales tax payments more quickly and provide about $267 million of additional revenue in the year it is implemented. The proposal is…

Pandemics, presidential elections, and public unrest -- what does it mean for tax policy? Featured guest: Geoffrey Snyder, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Revenue Featured speaker: Dr. Larry Sabato - "A Crystal Ball into the 2020 Presidential Election"

This “kitchen cabinet” of senior tax professionals meets quarterly and helps MTF formulate its tax policy priorities. It also shapes the Commonwealth’s tax agenda by providing important feedback and insight on pending tax proposals. An invitation to members will be sent out as the date approaches.

The intent of the emergency regulation, this proposed regulation and the related Technical Information Release is to maintain the tax treatment of income received by employees who previously worked in Massachusetts, but due to pandemic-caused circumstances now work elsewhere, until 90 days from…

"There's so much up in the air right now," said Eileen McAnneny, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. "This will provide some stability for the state and local governments while they wait for details of a federal aid package."

Budget watchdogs are warning of more pain to come. The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, in a report released last week, projected it could take five years for revenues to exceed prepandemic levels, and that the state could be looking at revenue that’s $6 billion less than what was expected.

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation predicts the state will see a $4.4 billion drop in tax revenues in the fiscal year that begins July 1, a figure that could grow depending on how long people are out of work. Eileen McAnneny, the group's president, said while tax proposals are likely shelved…

MTF has released the 49th Edition of the Municipal Financial Data pamphlet, an annual publication that summarizes key financial issues for the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts for fiscal 2019 including an overview of major revenue and spending trends, tax rates, debt characteristics, and other…

“Simply stated, COVID-19 is a Cat 5 hurricane hitting global economies simultaneously,” MTF wrote in its analysis. “The initial impacts are staggering -- to people and families, first responders, health care professionals, employers and employees, and the world’s economy. The scale and duration of…

Massachusetts is facing scrutiny on two fronts as public markets collapse and pressure on government pensions for its nearly 300,000 public employees and retirees and budgets rise. The commonwealth’s credit rating could take the real hit in all of this. The Boston Globe reports “the business-backed…