August 7, 2025
47 Ballot Questions Filed for Consideration:
Long list includes numerous tax cuts, Cannabis repeal, and more…
Forty-seven initiative petitions were filed yesterday with Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s office, officially kicking off the process to place questions before the voters in November 2026. Forty-two of the petitions propose new laws to be considered on the 2026 ballot, while five are proposed amendments to the state constitution, which could not be considered until 2028. All of the petitions are available for review here.
Among the questions filed were separate proposals to:
- Reduce the sales tax to 5%
- Reduce the personal income tax to 4%
- Phase out the gas tax by 2036
- Change the formula used to calculate potential tax rebates to be triggered under Chapter 62F
- Cap property tax increases
- Repeal the laws allowing for the legal sale of Cannabis
- Establish tax credits for the purchase of EVs, heat pumps, and solar home heating
- Prohibit driverless cars
- Strengthen the Commonwealth’s laws relative to retail theft by lowering the felony threshold and allowing for aggregation of multiple offenses
- To allow ratepayers to opt-out of added gas and electricity charges unrelated to the cost of the delivery of energy (such as mandated energy efficiency charges)
- And more…
Filing a petition is the first step in the process leading to the 2026 ballot. The AG will review the petitions and certify that they meet certain constitutional requirements. Once certified by the AG, proponents then must gather and submit 74,574 signatures of registered voters to local town clerks and the Secretary of State by December 3rd, 2025. Questions that make it that far then move to the Legislature, where they can be approved and passed into law, substituted or ignored by May 2026. Often ignored, proponents of questions are then required to collect an additional 12,429 signatures by early July to receive final approval to appear on the ballot in November 2026. Proposed constitutional amendments must first meet the signature thresholds, then must be voted on by two successive sessions of the Legislature, receiving at least 25% of the vote in each session, before being placed on the ballot in November of 2028.
Historically, as the process moves from filing to certification, and then on to signature gathering and submission, the number of active petitions diminishes significantly, given the cost and complexities involved in advancing a petition all the way to the voters.
RAM will be reviewing all of these proposals in the coming weeks to determine both their impact on our members and their viability.
Support Educators and Promote Your Business!
Do you offer a promotion or discount to educators? As teachers and early educators gear up for back-to-school shopping, the Executive Office of Education is launching a database of retailers offering educator discounts. If your business provides discounts or perks of any kind to educators, don’t miss this opportunity to be featured on mass.gov!
Please fill out this form and/or share it with businesses who may be interested in being included. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
Don't Forget
This Weekend is the Sales Tax Holiday
MA Sales Tax Holiday this weekend August 9th and 10th. The annual consumer tax incentive suspends the sales tax for individual purchases of single items of tangible personal property costing $2,500 or less, with certain exceptions. Specific rules governing the Sales Tax Holiday can be found in the Department of Revenue’s (DOR) regulation, 830 CMR 64H.1.8: Sales Tax Holiday.
Further guidance can be found in the DOR’s Sales Tax Holiday Frequently Asked Questions.
RAM Awards of Excellence
Submit your nominations today!
The Retailers Association of Massachusetts Awards of Excellence (RAMAEs) honor small and large retailers, rookies and veterans, identifying hidden gems from all corners of the Commonwealth.
You could be one of this year's recipients. Submit a nomination for your business. Tell us what makes your business special.
As an expert, you can also help us identify additional businesses who deserve to be recognized for their resilience, innovation, customer service or going above and beyond to make the retail and dining experience memorable.
There is no limit to the number of businesses you can nominate. So nominate your business and all those you love as well. There are so many incredible retail stores and restaurants in MA who could be deserving of this recognition. Help us find our 2025 winners!
The winners will be celebrated at a luncheon on November 19 in Waltham, and all RAM members are invited to attend!
Click here to submit your nominations.
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