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.
Instead of tossing tax breaks to real estate developers, Boston Mayor Wu is investing in the residents, and it is paying off. Thanks @mayorwu.boston.gov!
December 2, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Instead of tossing tax breaks to real estate developers, Boston Mayor Wu is investing in the residents, and it is paying off. Thanks @mayorwu.boston.gov!
Pennsylvania decouples from new federal corporate tax breaks, saving itself $1.1 billion next year and will instead improve affordability for its residents by boosting the EITC. Is #MApoli watching?
November 22, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Pennsylvania decouples from new federal corporate tax breaks, saving itself $1.1 billion next year and will instead improve affordability for its residents by boosting the EITC. Is #MApoli watching?
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.
Public transportation is a lot safer than driving — from Scientific American substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...
July 23, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Public transportation is a lot safer than driving — from Scientific American substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...
Nationwide underinvestment in aging public transit systems is creating a growing repair backlog, as @pewtrusts.org shows.
Massachusetts since bucked this trend b/c residents voted for a new tax on very high incomes, dedicated to transportation (and education) pewtrsts.org/3T9q8K0
Massachusetts since bucked this trend b/c residents voted for a new tax on very high incomes, dedicated to transportation (and education) pewtrsts.org/3T9q8K0
July 3, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Nationwide underinvestment in aging public transit systems is creating a growing repair backlog, as @pewtrusts.org shows.
Massachusetts since bucked this trend b/c residents voted for a new tax on very high incomes, dedicated to transportation (and education) pewtrsts.org/3T9q8K0
Massachusetts since bucked this trend b/c residents voted for a new tax on very high incomes, dedicated to transportation (and education) pewtrsts.org/3T9q8K0
Massachusetts Rainy Day Fund: "[A]ppropriations may be made for the following purposes: ...(2) to replace the state and local loss of federal funds malegislature.gov/Laws/General...
June 11, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Massachusetts Rainy Day Fund: "[A]ppropriations may be made for the following purposes: ...(2) to replace the state and local loss of federal funds malegislature.gov/Laws/General...
LA murder rate does not indicate out-of-control crime or violence in the city
June 10, 2025 at 2:30 PM
LA murder rate does not indicate out-of-control crime or violence in the city
The evidence has been surprisingly strong that congestion pricing in NYC has significantly increased the speed of traffic flow. It would take a massive increase in gas taxes to achieve this same effect. www.nber.org/papers/w33584
June 3, 2025 at 11:07 AM
The evidence has been surprisingly strong that congestion pricing in NYC has significantly increased the speed of traffic flow. It would take a massive increase in gas taxes to achieve this same effect. www.nber.org/papers/w33584
Here’s what Maryland just did
May 30, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Here’s what Maryland just did
US House tax proposal would increase inequality even more in Massachusetts than US as a whole. Top 1% in MA would get an average tax cut of $92K compared 22 cents a day for bottom 20%, in return for many losing health insurance and food assistance. itep.org/analysis-of-... from @itep.org
May 23, 2025 at 3:37 AM
US House tax proposal would increase inequality even more in Massachusetts than US as a whole. Top 1% in MA would get an average tax cut of $92K compared 22 cents a day for bottom 20%, in return for many losing health insurance and food assistance. itep.org/analysis-of-... from @itep.org
$140 for low-income families, many of whom will lose Medicaid and food stamps as a result of the bill.
$80,000 windfall for the most affluent 1%
from @itep.org
$80,000 windfall for the most affluent 1%
from @itep.org
May 21, 2025 at 2:30 PM
$140 for low-income families, many of whom will lose Medicaid and food stamps as a result of the bill.
$80,000 windfall for the most affluent 1%
from @itep.org
$80,000 windfall for the most affluent 1%
from @itep.org
The US House budget & tax bill is a lot worse for poor and middle class families than the 2018 tax cut. It slashes benefits, especially Medicaid that will cause immense hardship to the bottom 40% of Americans, especially the poorest. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/attack-of-...
May 19, 2025 at 1:25 PM
The US House budget & tax bill is a lot worse for poor and middle class families than the 2018 tax cut. It slashes benefits, especially Medicaid that will cause immense hardship to the bottom 40% of Americans, especially the poorest. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/attack-of-...
Looking forward to participating in this great @massbudget.bsky.social event about strategies to reclaim public dollars lost when multinational corporations use offshore tax havens to dodge their Massachusetts taxes. Check it out on 5/13 secure.massbudget.org/np/clients/m...
May 9, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Looking forward to participating in this great @massbudget.bsky.social event about strategies to reclaim public dollars lost when multinational corporations use offshore tax havens to dodge their Massachusetts taxes. Check it out on 5/13 secure.massbudget.org/np/clients/m...
Interesting new paper on the slow recover of post-COVID labor-force participation. Critics tried to put the blame it on pandemic social programs, despite lack of good evidence. Paper finds significant differences in by state correlate with opioid addiction www.nber.org/papers/w33717
April 28, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Interesting new paper on the slow recover of post-COVID labor-force participation. Critics tried to put the blame it on pandemic social programs, despite lack of good evidence. Paper finds significant differences in by state correlate with opioid addiction www.nber.org/papers/w33717
As a percent of house value, property taxes are a lot higher in New Hampshire and Texas than Massachusetts #mapoli taxfoundation.org/data/all/sta...
March 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM
As a percent of house value, property taxes are a lot higher in New Hampshire and Texas than Massachusetts #mapoli taxfoundation.org/data/all/sta...
Until last night, this was the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Guess which two just got fired?
The scarier stuff going on isn't just about diversity. 3m.fyi/posts/and-so...
The scarier stuff going on isn't just about diversity. 3m.fyi/posts/and-so...
February 23, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Until last night, this was the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Guess which two just got fired?
The scarier stuff going on isn't just about diversity. 3m.fyi/posts/and-so...
The scarier stuff going on isn't just about diversity. 3m.fyi/posts/and-so...
Thousands of Park Service employees have lost their jobs.
February 20, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Thousands of Park Service employees have lost their jobs.
Interesting new paper on where more friendships occur between women and men. In the US, fewer cross-gender friendships occur in places that are whiter, richer and more religious. www.nber.org/papers/w33480
February 17, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Interesting new paper on where more friendships occur between women and men. In the US, fewer cross-gender friendships occur in places that are whiter, richer and more religious. www.nber.org/papers/w33480
The share of federal employment among total workforce has fallen by two-thirds during our president's lifetime. cepr.net/publications...
February 12, 2025 at 4:25 PM
The share of federal employment among total workforce has fallen by two-thirds during our president's lifetime. cepr.net/publications...
30% of riders on fare-free MeVa have never paid a fare after 3 years of rapidly growing ridership without fares.
February 8, 2025 at 1:52 AM
30% of riders on fare-free MeVa have never paid a fare after 3 years of rapidly growing ridership without fares.
Eliminating fares has powered a return to pre pandemic levels of ridership for Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa)
February 8, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Eliminating fares has powered a return to pre pandemic levels of ridership for Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa)
Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa) had a strong business case to permanently stop collecting fares.
February 8, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Merrimack Valley Transit (MeVa) had a strong business case to permanently stop collecting fares.
One reason it was a clear decision for MeVa to permanently stop collecting transit fares was that fares are expensive to collect.
February 8, 2025 at 1:00 AM
One reason it was a clear decision for MeVa to permanently stop collecting transit fares was that fares are expensive to collect.
Merrimack Valley Transit adopts permanent fare-free policy after 3 years of success eliminating fares mevatransit.com/in-a-histori...
February 8, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Merrimack Valley Transit adopts permanent fare-free policy after 3 years of success eliminating fares mevatransit.com/in-a-histori...