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Supreme Judicial Court hears arguments to block proposed income tax ballot question
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It wasn't the luckiest weekend at TD Garden. Despite their home advantage, on Friday the Bruins lost to the Buffalo Sabres 4-1, and the next night the Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 109-100, marking the end of both teams' seasons. Things went better over at Gillette Stadium, where the Boston Legacy secured their first win in club history against the Denver Summit, with a final score of 3-2.
Now, let's get to the news:
On the docket: Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court will hear arguments today in a lawsuit over a measure heading to the ballot this November, which, if passed, would cut the state income tax from 5% to 4%. Supporters say the reduced rate would spur the state's economy, while critics argue the cuts would devastate social programs. However, today's hearing will not focus on the pros and cons of the policy itself. Instead, it concerns claims that the summary of the ballot question, written by Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office, fails to meet constitutional requirements because it doesn't adequately inform voters of the changes made by the measure.
- The main argument: Plaintiffs in the case argue the ballot question summary neglects to mention the measure would also cut the income tax rate on long-term capital gains, and is therefore misleading to voters. Backers of the question claim the language used is fair. You can read the exact words used by Campbell's office here.
- What's on the line: If voters say "yes" to the change, the state could lose an estimated $5 billion in tax revenue annually by 2030 (when fully phased in). It also raises a tax paid by many small businesses. Still, Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute, believes the measure could boost the state's economy by putting more dollars back in peoples' pockets. "We're now at rock bottom in terms of new business formation over the past couple of years," Stergios told WBUR's Fausto Menard. "On top of that, we've lost 35,000 jobs since 2020." While middle- to higher-income households could see some savings, it really varies based on your income level. (Here's a refresher on how the initiative could affect your wallet.) But those individual savings would also result in cuts to social programs, Lew Finfer, director of Massachusetts Action for Justice and a plaintiff in the case, told Fausto. "You would have to end up cutting people off MassHealth, or you would have to raise the amount of money that they would have to pay," Finfer said. "It would mean that teachers would have to be cut."
- What's next: The SJC generally issues rulings within 130 days. If the court deems there's an error in Campbell's question, it could be removed from this November's ballot entirely.
The latest on reproductive health: On Friday, a federal appeals court in New Orleans ruled that mifepristone, a pill typically used for medication abortion, could no longer be mailed to telehealth patients who'd received a prescription for the drug. WBUR's Martha Bebinger reports the Supreme Court is reviewing a request to pause the ruling. In the meantime, abortion providers in Massachusetts have prepared to ship mifepristone's companion pill — misopristol — to provide abortion access to patients while the ban remains.
- How it works: Mifepristone and misopristol are generally taken together, though misopristol can be taken alone to induce an abortion. The two-drug regimen is preferred because it causes less cramping and bleeding. "We’ve spent a lot of time over the last two days reaching out to all of our patients to explain what this shift means and to make sure that they consent to using misoprostol alone," Dr. Angel Foster, with the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, told Martha.
- PSA: Patients in Massachusetts can still get mifepristone through in-person visits.
No longer departing: Spirit Airlines is officially grounded. The ultra-low-cost airline — which serviced Boston for 20 years and was reportedly Logan Airport's sixth-busiest carrier in 2025 — ceased operations abruptly Saturday morning after a $500 million federal bailout fell through. Spirit had been struggling financially for years, but cited surging jet fuel prices due to the war in Iran as its main reason for shutting down. Spirit's closure resulted in 12 canceled flights at Logan on Saturday.
- Swooping in: JetBlue is offering $99 "rescue fares" to domestic travelers stranded by Spirit's shutdown between now and May 8. There are also special fares for those stuck in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but those flights may be more costly due to additional government taxes, according to JetBlue.
P.S. — Roxbury artist Rixy and her all-women painting team began work on a new mural in Dewey Square this past Friday. They'll be hard at work from now through June 5, and the public is invited to swing by between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays to watch the art process in real time along the Greenway.
