Pioneer Research

Today's ruling is a serious disappointment for Massachusetts families struggling under one of the highest tax and cost burdens in the nation. The Court's decision rests on a drafting error in the Attorney General's summary of the petition—a matter entirely outside the control of voters and petition signers. As a result, the people of Massachusetts will be denied the opportunity to decide whether the Commonwealth should reduce the income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent.

Boston – A new Pioneer Institute report finds that a mismatch between who lives in Massachusetts and the housing being built is squeezing two generations at once: young families who cannot get into a house, and seniors who cannot downsize. Local land use rules often make it difficult to build small, reasonably priced, and low-maintenance homes, despite a growing need for them as the population ages and average household sizes continue to shrink.

This edition of The House Call explores new Census Bureau data showing how building permit activity declined in Massachusetts between 2024 and 2025. It also highlights a court case in Somerville over whether, in at least some contexts, prevailing wage standards should apply to off-site modular construction.

As states decide whether to participate in the new federal scholarship tax credit program, Pioneer Institute is urging Governor Healey to ensure Massachusetts families are not left behind. In a letter to the governor, Executive Director Jim Stergios notes that governors from blue states, including most recently New York Governor Kathy Hochul, have already moved to participate in the program. Massachusetts students and families should not be denied the same opportunity.

Pioneer New England Legal Foundation and Sullivan & Worcester are pleased with today’s decision, which allows this case to move forward and get to the truth. This case is about restoring fairness and accountability to the City of Boston’s tax system. The...

Welcome to the May edition of The House Call. This edition breaks down results from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Young Residents Survey, including the appetite for legislative action on housing costs, and previews our new AI-enabled local land use regulation...

A new analysis from ADP Research (reported in the Wall Street Journal) delivers a clear warning for Massachusetts: the Boston–Cambridge–Newton metropolitan area now ranks 48th out of 55 major U.S. metro areas in attracting young workers. The study tracks more than 400,000 workers in their 20s and evaluates metro areas on a simple but decisive set of factors—job availability, affordability, and access to degree-requiring work. On those measures, Boston lands near the bottom. High wages are no longer enough to offset the region’s high cost structure and weaker hiring momentum.

The Commonwealth had the nation’s lowest net business formation rate from 2020 to 2024, losing more than 17,000 employer businesses over nine consecutive quarters 

Student achievement gains eroded amid shift to “social justice” education  

April 15th is more than a filing deadline – it’s a moment to reflect on how tax policy shapes the economic trajectory of Massachusetts. As residents finalize their returns, a broader question looms: are current tax policies helping the state grow, or quietly pushing people and capital...