Phineas Baxandall
@phineasb.bsky.social
Policy wonk. Public budgets, transportation, taxes. Massachusetts-based & nationally interested. The US Treasury's Harriet Tubman $20 bill redesign was halted in 2016.
Reposted by Phineas Baxandall
MassBudget's Research Director @phineasb.bsky.social breaks down the unavoidable fact that when you cut taxes . . . you lose revenue. 🤔
The pros and cons of slashing the state’s income tax rates - Dorchester Reporter
A ballot question backed by the Pioneer Institute and Mass High Tech Council would reduce the state income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent over a three-year period — a cut, opponents say, that…
buff.ly
November 13, 2025 at 9:29 PM
MassBudget's Research Director @phineasb.bsky.social breaks down the unavoidable fact that when you cut taxes . . . you lose revenue. 🤔
Reposted by Phineas Baxandall
☔ ☔ "It's what it's for. It's for helping us when times are hard. It's explicit, the law says, that it should be used when there is a loss of federal funds," said Phineas Baxandall @phineasb.bsky.social of The Massachusetts Budget Policy Center. buff.ly/uOIhPB9 ☔ ☔
Amid calls to use $8.6B Mass. rainy day fund for federal cuts, Healey isn't budging
Some people are urging Massachusetts’ leaders to spend part of the $8.6 billion rainy day fund to make up for federal budget cuts.
buff.ly
November 14, 2025 at 6:13 PM
☔ ☔ "It's what it's for. It's for helping us when times are hard. It's explicit, the law says, that it should be used when there is a loss of federal funds," said Phineas Baxandall @phineasb.bsky.social of The Massachusetts Budget Policy Center. buff.ly/uOIhPB9 ☔ ☔
Reposted by Phineas Baxandall
Research & Policy Director @phineasb.bsky.social gets ready to speak at @raiseupma.bsky.social 's Rainy Day Action event at the Statehouse. Happening now!
November 13, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Research & Policy Director @phineasb.bsky.social gets ready to speak at @raiseupma.bsky.social 's Rainy Day Action event at the Statehouse. Happening now!
Reposted by Phineas Baxandall
@phineasb.bsky.social speaks at @raiseupma.bsky.social 's Rainy Day Action at the Statehouse:
"These days it’s easy to feel hopeless. There’s a lot of disastrous decisions at the federal level that Massachusetts and our leaders are left out of.
"These days it’s easy to feel hopeless. There’s a lot of disastrous decisions at the federal level that Massachusetts and our leaders are left out of.
November 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
@phineasb.bsky.social speaks at @raiseupma.bsky.social 's Rainy Day Action at the Statehouse:
"These days it’s easy to feel hopeless. There’s a lot of disastrous decisions at the federal level that Massachusetts and our leaders are left out of.
"These days it’s easy to feel hopeless. There’s a lot of disastrous decisions at the federal level that Massachusetts and our leaders are left out of.
Why is “affordability” such a buzzword and what are the consequences of this framing instead of real wages and living standards. Check out this thoughtful piece from @deanbaker13.bsky.social
cepr.net/publications...
cepr.net/publications...
The Cult of Affordability and the Labor Market
Politicians have seized "affordability," but does it overlook some more fundamental truths about the state of the labor market?
cepr.net
November 9, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Why is “affordability” such a buzzword and what are the consequences of this framing instead of real wages and living standards. Check out this thoughtful piece from @deanbaker13.bsky.social
cepr.net/publications...
cepr.net/publications...
Another White House move to hurt affordability -- The move was expected, given heavy lobbying from tax prep companies like Intuit and H&R Block to put a halt to the IRS’s popular Direct File program. Read more at: itep.org/trump-admini...
Trump Raises the Price of Filing a Tax Return
The move was expected, given heavy lobbying from tax prep companies like Intuit and H&R Block to put a halt to the IRS’s popular Direct File program.
itep.org
November 7, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Another White House move to hurt affordability -- The move was expected, given heavy lobbying from tax prep companies like Intuit and H&R Block to put a halt to the IRS’s popular Direct File program. Read more at: itep.org/trump-admini...
Why aren’t billionaires stepping up with donations to fund SNAP?
October 30, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Why aren’t billionaires stepping up with donations to fund SNAP?
Are organizations supporting veterans of World War 2, who fought against the fascist forces, now considered terrorist organizations?
October 29, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Are organizations supporting veterans of World War 2, who fought against the fascist forces, now considered terrorist organizations?
FEMA appears to only be approving disaster deflations for Red states. Not how this is supposed to work.
cepr.net/publications...
cepr.net/publications...
Disaster Declarations Continue to Highlight Trump’s Partisan Favoritism
Trump’s selective disaster declarations favor Republican states, underscoring the need to reform the Stafford Act for fair disaster relief.
cepr.net
October 28, 2025 at 9:27 PM
FEMA appears to only be approving disaster deflations for Red states. Not how this is supposed to work.
cepr.net/publications...
cepr.net/publications...
Reposted by Phineas Baxandall
The richest man on earth owns X.
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
October 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The richest man on earth owns X.
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
The second richest man on earth is about to acquire TikTok and his family could soon own both Paramount and Warner Bros.
The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.
See the problem here?
Reposted by Phineas Baxandall
Don't forget — they're not just buying a ballroom. They're buying Trump's favor. [Cartoon by Mike Luckovich]
October 25, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Don't forget — they're not just buying a ballroom. They're buying Trump's favor. [Cartoon by Mike Luckovich]
Perhaps biggest day of protests ever in the US and NY Times puts five not bombshell stories ahead of protest story. Sigh.
October 18, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Perhaps biggest day of protests ever in the US and NY Times puts five not bombshell stories ahead of protest story. Sigh.
This is quite good. I encourage others to read movement.vote/blog/2025-10...
The Comeback Plan: 10 Steps to End Our Political Nightmare in 3 Years | Movement Voter Project
This memo is a roadmap: A provocative ten-step plan to turn our movement, our politics, and our country around – in the next three years.
movement.vote
October 17, 2025 at 2:07 AM
This is quite good. I encourage others to read movement.vote/blog/2025-10...
This is a great job opportunity for someone who cares about using policy analysis to ensure all kids can have great education massbudget.org/2025/10/06/j... @massbudget.bsky.social
Job Opening - Education Policy Analyst - Mass. Budget and Policy Center
Overview MassBudget’s mission is to advance equitable policy solutions that create an inclusive, thriving Commonwealth for all. This is an exciting time as MassBudget continues its journey toward bein...
massbudget.org
October 11, 2025 at 11:49 AM
This is a great job opportunity for someone who cares about using policy analysis to ensure all kids can have great education massbudget.org/2025/10/06/j... @massbudget.bsky.social
Why are the number of cars killing pedestrians spiking upwards in Massachusetts while they decline nationally?
October 9, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Why are the number of cars killing pedestrians spiking upwards in Massachusetts while they decline nationally?
Massachusetts’ own tax code doesn’t need to follow the big corporate tax giveaways in the federal Big Ugly Bill. Opting out of the biggest five changes will save $453M this year. It requires the MA Legislature to take action as it has decoupled from federal tax before massbudget.org/2025/10/08/o...
MassBudget calls for Massachusetts to opt out of the five most costly corporate tax changes in the federal OBBBA - Mass. Budget and Policy Center
As Massachusetts policymakers seek to build a more equitable and resilient Commonwealth, the recent corporate tax changes in the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act (OBBBA) pose a significant threat ...
massbudget.org
October 9, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Massachusetts’ own tax code doesn’t need to follow the big corporate tax giveaways in the federal Big Ugly Bill. Opting out of the biggest five changes will save $453M this year. It requires the MA Legislature to take action as it has decoupled from federal tax before massbudget.org/2025/10/08/o...
Reposted by Phineas Baxandall
In 2025, teachers are paid nearly 27% LESS than others with the same education. That's the LARGEST gap on record since the late 1970s. Adjusted for inflation, teachers actually earn less today than a DECADE ago. Closing this gap is essential for our schools’ future. @epi.org
September 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
In 2025, teachers are paid nearly 27% LESS than others with the same education. That's the LARGEST gap on record since the late 1970s. Adjusted for inflation, teachers actually earn less today than a DECADE ago. Closing this gap is essential for our schools’ future. @epi.org
Los Angeles' tax on the sale of the highest value homes is paying dividends: hundreds of millions of dollars in new affordable housing development. www.latimes.com/california/s...
A record $387 million will go to L.A. affordable housing, with most coming from ‘mansion tax’
The L.A. Housing Department is currently accepting applications from developers for $387 million in funding for affordable housing and preservation projects, which is the largest funding pool the depa...
www.latimes.com
September 26, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Los Angeles' tax on the sale of the highest value homes is paying dividends: hundreds of millions of dollars in new affordable housing development. www.latimes.com/california/s...
What currently stands in the way of better corporate tax transparency.
Read more at: itep.org/corporate-ta...
Read more at: itep.org/corporate-ta...
Corporate Tax Transparency’s Disappearing Act
What currently stands in the way of better corporate tax transparency.
itep.org
September 22, 2025 at 11:12 AM
What currently stands in the way of better corporate tax transparency.
Read more at: itep.org/corporate-ta...
Read more at: itep.org/corporate-ta...
Buses used for public transportation can cost nearly 3x more in the US than in peer nations. Interesting new paper finds high prices are due to a fragmented market and regulatory factors. It provides policy suggestions to bring down price for public transit buses www.brookings.edu/articles/pay...
Paying less for public transit buses | Brookings
This paper proposes three sets of recommendations to reduce the cost of procuring transit buses in America.
www.brookings.edu
September 21, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Buses used for public transportation can cost nearly 3x more in the US than in peer nations. Interesting new paper finds high prices are due to a fragmented market and regulatory factors. It provides policy suggestions to bring down price for public transit buses www.brookings.edu/articles/pay...
Why elect sheriffs anyway? A thoughtful piece. At @massbudget.bsky.social, I've tried unsuccessfully to find data on how sheriffs use state funding and the fines they collect. commonwealthbeacon.org/criminal-jus...
Why elect sheriffs anyway? - CommonWealth Beacon
The governor appoints a corrections professional to oversee state prisons. So why do we elect people who are essentially regional correctional commissioners, with voters often having little basis to e...
commonwealthbeacon.org
September 19, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Why elect sheriffs anyway? A thoughtful piece. At @massbudget.bsky.social, I've tried unsuccessfully to find data on how sheriffs use state funding and the fines they collect. commonwealthbeacon.org/criminal-jus...
Fighting fascism effectively www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxSe...
The Minnesota Miracle Playbook - how Minnesota organized and accomplished amazing things for their citizens.
The Minnesota Miracle Playbook - how Minnesota organized and accomplished amazing things for their citizens.
www.youtube.com
September 19, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Fighting fascism effectively www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxSe...
The Minnesota Miracle Playbook - how Minnesota organized and accomplished amazing things for their citizens.
The Minnesota Miracle Playbook - how Minnesota organized and accomplished amazing things for their citizens.
Who is pro-family, really? “No state that has banned abortion offers paid family and medical leave from employment, and none of the 9 states that offer paid family and medical leave has banned abortion“ www.dollarsandsense.org/more-babies-...
More Babies or Better Care for Newborns?
Most so-called pronatalist policies seriously underestimate the costs and risks of raising children in today’s economic environment.
www.dollarsandsense.org
September 6, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Who is pro-family, really? “No state that has banned abortion offers paid family and medical leave from employment, and none of the 9 states that offer paid family and medical leave has banned abortion“ www.dollarsandsense.org/more-babies-...
States have to find ways to navigate budget holes caused by Trump's new tax law.
Colorado's solution: crack down on offshore corporate tax avoidance.
The corporate tax reform strategies they're pursuing offer a sensible template for action.
itep.org/colorado-tru...
Colorado's solution: crack down on offshore corporate tax avoidance.
The corporate tax reform strategies they're pursuing offer a sensible template for action.
itep.org/colorado-tru...
Colorado Lawmakers Help Fill Trump-Induced Shortfall by Tackling Offshore Corporate Tax Avoidance
As the Trump megabill blows holes in state budgets, Colorado is leading with reforms to curb offshore tax avoidance and roll back wasteful corporate subsidies.
itep.org
September 2, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I just deactivated my Twitter account.
Feels good.
Feels good.
September 2, 2025 at 1:08 AM
I just deactivated my Twitter account.
Feels good.
Feels good.