In May of 2024, Steward Health Care announced that it had filed for bankruptcy protection; beginning a process through which the for-profit health system looked to restructure its debt and sell or close assets, including seven Massachusetts hospitals...

Doug Howgate, the president of the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and a task force member, was one of the architects of the proposal to focus on tapping the millionaires tax rather than new taxes or fees, a somewhat ironic move...

Wrestling those amped-up spending appetites and underwhelming revenue trends back into alignment will remain a theme as lawmakers and the Healey administration embark on a 2025-26 session that also presents an array of opportunities and challenges...

On January 9th, budget leaders from the House, Senate, and Healey administration announced a $43.614 billion consensus tax revenue figure for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, including $41.214 billion in non-surtax revenue and $2.4 billion related to the...

As the work of the 194th General Court gets underway, MTF is publishing its 2025 – 2026 Legislative Session Preview. The preview includes 101 primers on the Operating Budget and Capital Investment Plan development processes, as well as seven topic...

As we begin a new year and look towards a new Legislative Session, I am pleased to share the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation’s 2024 Annual Report. This brief report does not capture all that we accomplished over the last year, but we hope it...

On December 2nd, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation (MTF), along with the Department of Revenue (DOR) and other economic experts participated in the annual Consensus Revenue Hearing. The hearing offers administration and legislative budget...

Massachusetts is at a critical crossroads, as growth in the behavioral health workforce and the talent pipeline is not keeping pace with the higher demand for services. Healthcare providers struggle to recruit and retain professionals in high-need...

“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation President Doug Howgate said at the hearing.“There’s no need to kind of panic or take action for things that are unknown,” Howagate added. But he cautioned budget writers...

Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and FY 2026 tax revenues are projected to rebound to positive growth, after non-surtax revenue declines in FY 2022 and FY 2023; but overarching questions about the global economy and federal policy changes cloud the state’s...