BOSTON (WWLP) – The legislature still has not come out of its summer slumber to hold a formal session, even with many things left on their to-do list before the end of session.
Tax relief has been circulating on Beacon Hill since last year, and with only two months left in formal lawmaking, it’s unknown if a package will reach the Governor’s desk in time. Governor Maura Healey said recently that she is pushing lawmakers to finish a tax relief package.
However, conference committee negotiators still have yet to produce a final product, even though their first meeting to start discussing the tax relief package was on June 26th.
Lawmakers originally agreed to a tax package worth around $1 billion in 2022 but they scrapped that plan when it came to light that the state owed taxpayers nearly $3 billion in rebates. However, it seems that this year, leaders are committed to staying on track, after the Governor signed off on a budget that left space for a $581 million tax relief package.
When asked about tax relief Friday, the Governor kept it short and sweet, “Our job isn’t done until we get the tax package over the finish line.”
Differences in the House and Senate packages are most likely what is keeping negotiations held up. The House included business-backed tax cuts, where the Senate did not. They also have differences in how much they want to raise the child and dependent tax credits.
The Senate also included several smaller changes like increasing dairy tax credits and the low-income housing tax credit. The House did not include any of the smaller changes in their plan.
If Beacon Hill leaders want this package to go through, they only have two months to get their work done. Formal session ends on November 15th.
Ellen Fleming is a reporter at the Boston State House who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Ellen on X @EllenFlem and view her bio to see more of her work.
