In November, Massachusetts residents will vote on as many as 11 initiative petitions that would make major changes to state law. Three of those questions relate directly to the Commonwealth’s economic and fiscal future:

• Implementation of mandatory rent control policy in all communities;
• Limitation of the state’s annual cap on allowable tax collections; and
• Reduction of the state’s base income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent.

These questions are intended to address critical issues that require action: affordability, competitiveness, and fiscal sustainability. However, the impacts of these proposals would be counterproductive; putting the fiscal and economic health of the Commonwealth and its residents in a worse position.

MTF opposes these ballot questions. Instead, we propose an alternative policy agenda to meaningfully address issues of affordability, competitiveness, and fiscal sustainability.