By Tim Dunn | June 20, 2026

Talk about kicking the voters while they’re down.

A self-described Democratic Socialist state Rep. is celebrating the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) ruling to kill a ballot initiative that would have gradually lowered the state income tax from 5% to 4% — all due to a “misleading summary” of the legislation drafted by Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

“Massachusetts’s Supreme Judicial Court just did something AWESOME! They ruled today that Initiative Petition 25-18, a proposed income tax cut from 5% to 4%, cannot appear on the 2026 ballot,” state Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven (D-27th Middlesex) posted to X and Instagram Thursday along with a video further explaining her support for the SJC decision. “Why: the Attorney General’s official summary told voters something that was wrong.”

The high court ruled in favor of eight Massachusetts voters who challenged Campbell’s summary of the Initiative Petition 25-18, title “[An] Initiative Petition for a Law Relative to Reducing the State Personal Income Tax Rate from 5% to 4%,” arguing that she did not provide a “fair, concise summary” of the proposed law as required by state law.

The proposal would have gradually reduced the state income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, starting at 4.67% in 2027, then lowered to 4.33% in 2028, and then finally 4.00% in 2029.

Specifically, the court agrees with the interveners that Campbell falsely stated in her summary that the proposed law would not lower the tax rate on long-term capital gains, when in fact, as written, it would.

Uyterhoeven, who is also running for state Senate this fall, blames “MAGA tech bros” who want to “slash the state budget” for her motivation in opposing the now-eliminated ballot question. Uyterhoeven shot the video alongside a man simply identified as Vick, and along with Uyterhoeven, identified themselves as “two Asians who studied economics” as their qualifications to speak on the issue.

“We’re here to claim victory against the MAGA tech bros!” Uyterhoeven shouted in joy to kick off the video. “They just tried to blackmail our state.”

“Our homegrown local tech billionaires — Jim, Jay and Chris — tried to lie to you in the courts about what their terrible tax cut would do,” added Vick. “The fight is not over. MAGA tech billionaires will stop at nothing to blackmail our state.”

The three men labeled “MAGA tech bros” in the video are President of the Massachusetts High Technology Council Chris Anderson, Executive Director of the Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research Jim Stergios and President and CEO of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership Jay Ash.

Uyterhoeven and fellow opponents of the ballot initiative argue that if passed, it would have led to a $5 billion hole in the state budget they say would trigger massive cuts to local schools, healthcare and other public services. Those opposed to it also claim the initiative would have delivered “tax breaks to the ultra-rich.”

Several statewide unions and nonprofit organizations joined the Protect Massachusetts’ Future ballot committee to oppose the initiative, including the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association, the Coalition for Social Justice, the Massachusetts Voter Table, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the SEIU Massachusetts State Council.

The petition was originally filed with Campbell’s office by ten registered Massachusetts voters in August 2025, which was then certified and sent to the Secretary of State’s Office in September. Campbell’s summary was then placed in the forms used to collect signatures in order to certify the petition for the ballot.

The push to lower the state’s income tax rate had seen positive reaction amongst Bay State voters in recent polls, including 66% of respondents to a recent Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll expressing their support for it. But, the proposal was also criticized and labeled a “gimmick” by Beacon Hill leadership, including the likes of Gov. Maura Healey, Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano.

Healey, at a campaign stop Saturday at the Juneteenth celebration in Roxbury, was asked by the Herald if AG Campbell should be replaced because of the snafu.

Healey responded by stating, “that’s a silly question,” before walking away.