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The High Tech Agenda

August 2025

State Business Climate, Government News, & Public Policy Updates

Council Files Ballot Initiatives to Strengthen State Competitiveness with Coalition

In a decisive step toward restoring Massachusetts’ long-term competitiveness, the Council and a growing coalition of business organizations and citizens have filed two proposed 2026 ballot initiatives focused on economic growth and fiscal responsibility. These proposals reflect months of strategic planning, broad stakeholder engagement, and strong alignment with public sentiment.
Ballot Initiative Summaries
1) Income Tax Cut

This initiative would reduce the personal income tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years, aligning Massachusetts more closely with national competitors. Independent analysis projects the measure could increase the Commonwealth’s GDP by $17.5 billion within three years and save the average taxpayer more than $1,300 annually, with total cumulative savings of up to $3,000.

 

2) Tax Revenue Cap Reform 

This proposed law would revise the state’s existing revenue cap formula to slow unsustainable budget growth and ensure more consistent taxpayer refunds. Under the proposed formula, taxpayers would have received 24 refunds in the past four decades, compared to just two refunds under current law. 

Recent voter sentiment research from the Mass Opportunity Alliance (MOA) shows overwhelming bipartisan and cross-income bracket support for both measures:

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75% of voters support the income tax cut, with 77% saying it would positively impact their family’s finances.

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74% of respondents support a revised revenue cap to trigger more taxpayer refunds, including 67% of respondents with annual household incomes under $50,000. 

“The state’s spending is growing much faster than people’s paychecks, and cutting income taxes to 4 percent would save Massachusetts taxpayers much-needed cash…”

 

— The Boston Globe

August 8, 2025

“Mass High Tech Council President Chris Anderson said the referendums are aimed at addressing “the root causes of Massachusetts’ competitiveness challenges… We’re seeing the consequences of out-of-control spending and tax policy that put Massachusetts at odds with national trends,” he said in a statement. “These proposals offer a chance to course-correct.”’

 

— The Eagle-Tribune

August 6, 2025

“Boston-area executives have increasingly warned that the region’s high cost of living undermines its economic appeal, motivating both residents and companies to move to lower-cost locales. A decade ago, Massachusetts was smack in the middle of the Tax Foundation’s national tax-climate rankings. Today, it’s rated 10th-worst.”

 

— Bloomberg

August 6, 2025

These proposals are part of a broader, long-term strategy to rebalance Massachusetts’ tax and spending trajectory, and come at a time when our competitive position is under increasing pressure.

As the legislative and political environment evolves, the Council will continue to engage members on these initiatives, which could move forward either through legislative action or to the 2026 ballot. For additional information, read our press release.

Media Coverage Highlights

2026 Ballot Landscape Overview

More than 40 proposals for the 2026 ballot were filed last week with the Attorney General’s office. Many of these proposals seek to address the state’s high cost of living (taxes, housing, and utilities) and increased accountability in elections and state governance. The Council will closely monitor these proposals as they advance through the process.

Also of note is what wasn’t filed last week. The well-funded Raise Up coalition will not pursue 2026 ballot questions such as a new minimum wage hike or corporate tax increase. Instead—perhaps more concerning—is an announced plan from the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) to file a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine a wealth tax in the Massachusetts Constitution. Their proposal would fund free pre-K through college and, if approved in two consecutive legislative sessions, would head to voters in 2028 or 2030, just six to eight years after the $1 million income surtax was passed. Read what we know about the MTA’s plan here.

This context underscores the importance of advancing solutions that promote fiscal balance and protect economic opportunities for workers, families, and employers across the Commonwealth.

Innovative Solutions to Meet State’s Housing Needs Backed by the Council

The high cost of housing in Massachusetts continues to be a challenge for the state’s competitiveness, as workers—particularly recent graduates—struggle to find housing they can afford, contributing to the outmigration of talent to lower-cost states. The Council supports innovative solutions that will lead to the development of more housing and help the Commonwealth reach its goal of building 222,000 new units of housing by 2035. One solution the Council is backing is a proposal to facilitate housing construction on property owned by faith-based organizations. This would unlock thousands of acres of unused land, provide much-needed multifamily housing, and bring tax-exempt property onto the tax rolls. The Council will continue to advocate for this and other approaches to tackling the state’s housing needs.

Council Joins Coalition Advancing High Quality Literacy Programs

Massachusetts public schools are among the best in the country, contributing to the highly educated workforce that drives our innovation economy and attracts businesses to our state. But troubling data suggest that Massachusetts students are not gaining the foundational skills they will need to succeed in school and careers. Only 42% of the Commonwealth’s third graders were proficient in reading on the 2024 MCAS exams, an alarming statistic that demands action.

The Council is joining Mass Reads, a coalition of teachers, parents, policy experts, and business leaders dedicated to ensuring all children can read on grade level in Massachusetts. As part of this coalition, we are supporting legislation to help school districts provide high-quality, evidence-based curricula, effective teacher training, and ongoing student screening to increase reading proficiency among elementary students to ensure their future success.

MHTC News & Updates

Invitation-Only Massachusetts Gubernatorial Candidate Meet & Greets

As part of the Council’s mission to ensure the business community’s voice is heard in shaping the Commonwealth’s future, we are hosting a series of exclusive, invitation-only Meet & Greet Conversations with declared candidates for Governor of Massachusetts.

These informal, interactive sessions offer Council members a direct opportunity to hear from candidates on their leadership vision, economic priorities, and policy proposals affecting Massachusetts’ long-term competitiveness and quality of life.

Our first two gubernatorial candidate sessions will take place in September:

  • September 3: Mike Kennealy
  • September 10: Brian Shortsleeve

Invitations to participate have been extended to all declared gubernatorial candidates, with additional sessions to be announced as dates are confirmed. These confidential conversations are designed to foster candid, solutions-oriented dialogue between Massachusetts business leaders and the state’s next potential chief executive.

Please contact Elizabeth Mahoney with questions regarding the Meet & Greets. 

New MassVision2050 Report with BCG Explores AI’s Impact on the State’s Workforce

In partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the Council has released Strategic Impacts of AI on Massachusetts’ Workforce: Sector Insights and Policy Implications, a comprehensive analysis of how AI adoption is transforming industries, skills, and economic competitiveness across the Commonwealth.

The MassVision2050 report reveals both opportunity and urgency:

  • Sector Leadership:
    Massachusetts leads the nation in AI job demand in sectors like Life Sciences, Education, and Financial Services.
  • Rising Demand:
    AI-related job postings in Life Sciences and Education have increased by 50–85% since 2021. 
  • Talent Retention Gap:
    Despite strong graduate output, Massachusetts retains just 40% of its AI-trained graduates, well below peer states.
  • Broad Disruption:
    Approximately 55% of statewide job skills could face moderate-to-high disruption from AI. 
  • Uneven Adoption:
    AI adoption is heavily concentrated in Greater Boston and among a small group of large employers, limiting statewide diffusion.

Meanwhile, peer states are moving fast. New York’s $500M Empire AI initiative and similar efforts in New Jersey underscore the pace of competition and the urgency of action.

The report outlines four strategic priorities for Massachusetts to secure its leadership:

  • 1) Make talent the centerpiece of our AI strategy, across K–12, higher ed, and workforce reskilling
  • 2) Broaden access to infrastructure like compute and data
  • 3) Compete for federal funding to scale talent and innovation efforts
  • 4) Tie public incentives to inclusive workforce outcomes that drive retention and reach
This report is part of the Council’s multi-year MassVision2050 initiative to strengthen the Commonwealth’s innovation economy through targeted action in innovation sectors, workforce engagement, and opportunity expansion.

Next Step:

Join the August 27 Virtual Briefing for a Deep Dive into the Report
Join us on Wednesday, August 27, at 12:30 PM for a 45-minute virtual briefing, where the Council and BCG will present the report’s most critical findings, examine sector-specific implications. The MITRE Corporation will join us to discuss the MassVision2050 Skills Forecasting & Talent Attraction Project, a joint initiative designed to address the talent pipeline challenges identified in the report. The session will conclude with a live Q&A.
Click Here to RSVP

MassVision2050 Cybersecurity Community to Focus on Cloud Security & Third-Party Risk Management

The Council’s MassVision2050 Cybersecurity Community will convene on Tuesday, September 30, for an in-depth discussion on Cloud Security & Third-Party Risk Management.

Hosted in partnership with CyberArk and RSM US LLP, this session will address best practices for managing compliance, mitigating risks, and securing data in increasingly complex cloud ecosystems.

Featured speakers include:

  • Charles Chu, General Manager, IT and Developer Solutions, CyberArk
  • Amy Feldman, Director, Risk Consulting, RSM US LLP
  • Justin Devine, Director, RSM US LLP

  • Program Details

  • Tuesday, September 30, 2025

  • 4:30 – 6:30 PM

  • RSM US LLP

    80 City Square, Boston, MA, 02129 
As cloud adoption accelerates and organizations expand their reliance on third-party vendors, robust security strategies are essential to maintaining resilience and protecting critical assets. This interactive program will offer practical guidance and actionable strategies for leaders navigating these challenges.
Click Here to RSVP
Contact Jenny Enfield with registration questions.

2025 Annual Meeting: Restoring & Sustaining Massachusetts’ Competitiveness

Massachusetts’ strategies to strengthen the business climate and quality of life for all residents are at the forefront of public and policy discussions, and we are helping lead the charge.

To highlight the importance of this topic, we’re pleased to welcome Scott Cohn, award-winning journalist and creator of CNBC’s Top States for Business rankings, as the featured speaker at our 2025 Annual Meeting.

Taking place on October 7, this year’s program—Restoring and Sustaining Massachusetts’ Competitiveness—will feature Scott’s exclusive, data-driven analysis of the 2025 rankings, the trends influencing our state’s position, and the areas demanding urgent focus.

  • Meeting Details

  • Tuesday, October 7, 2025

  • 7:30 – 9:30 AM

  • Boston Marriott Burlington

    1 Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01803

Following Scott’s keynote, Council leadership will engage in a forward-looking discussion on bold, actionable steps to secure the Commonwealth’s economic future.

Registration details and sponsorship opportunities will be shared soon. Please mark your calendar to join us for this high-impact conversation.

  • Scott Cohn

    Special Correspondent, CNBC