Tax Credits

Massachusetts’ many tax credits and attempts at bringing them to light.

IRS, DOR undermining Earned Income Tax Credit

Automatic audits of some recipients are onerous

By Amy Pitter Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Jun 4, 2017

IN THE MIDST of new proposals for a major tax system overhaul, there’s one tax policy almost everyone agrees has been highly effective: the Earned Income Tax Credit. It delivers significant financial relief to working families while providing financial incentive to work. In 2015, the average credit was $3,186 for families with children. How disappointing,(...)

House nixes gas tax hike, film tax credit cut

Rep calls film tax credit "a boondoggle'

By Katie Lannan Massachusetts Legislature, State Government, Taxes and Budget Issues 1 Comment Apr 25, 2016

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE on Monday shot down proposals to increase the gas tax and put a cap on the state’s film tax credit program as they began to dispense with more than 1,300 amendments to the annual state budget bill. The House swiftly took care of more than 30 revenue-related amendments(...)

House, Senate negotiators break budget stalemate

Agree to boost EITC and suspend Pacheco law for 3 years at T

By Bruce Mohl Massachusetts Legislature 1 Comment Jul 7, 2015

HOUSE AND SENATE NEGOTIATORS broke their deadlock on the fiscal 2016 budget Tuesday night by finding a novel way to fund an expansion of a tax credit that benefits low-income workers and by suspending so-called Pacheco law regulations at the MBTA for three years. The agreement was unveiled at 8 pm Tuesday night, a week(...)

Budget transparency – even for tax credits

By CommonWealth Staff Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Apr 29, 2010

By Bruce Mohl The Massachusetts House voted Wednesday night to create a budget website where taxpayers could track the flow of funds in and out of state government – even money doled out in the form of tax credits. Rep. Charles Murphy, the House’s budget chief, had called for the creation of the website in(...)

Status quo on probation

Rep. Murphy keeps probation within judiciary but under control of Legislature

By Bruce Mohl State Government 0 Comments Apr 14, 2010

Rep. Charles Murphy’s House budget proposal sticks with the status quo on the state’s probation service, keeping the department within the judiciary but under the tight control of the Legislature. “We’re not going to cede our authority,” said the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee when asked why he chose not to adopt(...)

Spring 2010

Galvin gets less secretive about tax credit recipients

By Bruce Mohl Ethics and Open Government, Growth and Development, State Government 0 Comments Apr 13, 2010

secretary of state William Galvin is starting to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding his management of the state’s historic rehabilitation tax credit program, which provides financial incentives for developers to restore historic buildings. Galvin recently posted on his state website the names of companies and projects receiving tax credit awards during the latest round(...)

Bidding war continues

The Bay State courts companies and their jobs with tax credits

By Bruce Mohl Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Mar 31, 2010

Six companies looking for state aid in return for staying or expanding in Massachusetts were awarded nearly $27 million in tax credits today. Liberty Mutual Group, the state’s lone Fortune 100 company, received 84 percent of the credits in connection with a headquarters expansion in Boston. Liberty says it plans to spend close to $350(...)

Economic development reform bill missing key transparency provisions

By Ben Forman Ethics and Open Government, Growth and Development 0 Comments Mar 30, 2010

Senate President Therese Murray’s economic development bill scheduled for debate this Thursday includes a number of smart ideas. Topping the list are proposals to make state economic development spending more effective by: Forming a performance management office to evaluate state economic development investments; Requiring new administrations to develop a statewide economic development strategy; and Establishing a(...)

Decision time for film tax credit

By Bruce Mohl Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Mar 3, 2010

Beacon Hill lawmakers, who probably spent more than $300 million over the last four years trying to lure Hollywood filmmakers to Massachusetts, took a brief intermission today to consider whether the money was well spent. The setting was a hearing before the Legislature’s Revenue Committee, but the stage was much bigger. Gov. Deval Patrick and(...)

Would you fund movies or environmental programs?

By Bruce Mohl Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Feb 25, 2010

Back-to-back State House press conferences today showcased the type of choices Gov. Deval Patrick and state lawmakers have to make as they strive to balance the Massachusetts budget. At the first event, Rep. Steven J. D’Amico laid out his case against the state’s film tax credit, which effectively pays movie producers 25 cents for every(...)