BOSTON (WWLP) – Certain local taxes in western Massachusetts could be raised under a proposal from the Governor.
Taxes on hotels, meals, vehicles could rise under Healey plan
Gov. Maura Healey is filing a “Municipal Empowerment Act,” which would allow cities and towns to increase taxes on hotel stays and restaurant meals, as well as create a new 5% local option motor vehicle excise tax. Just days after the Governor said she was not planning on raising taxes, she spoke on her new plan which will allow municipalities to raise certain taxes to gain revenue.
Now this bill would not raise taxes universally, however, it would allow cities and towns the ability to raise taxes on things such as meals, hotels, and vehicles. The plan, dubbed the Municipal Empowerment Act, would allow municipalities across the state to create more revenue.
Governor Maura Healey said local municipalities were asking for this ability, “One of the things we did is also say, hey, you should have the authority, not the state, to determine whether or not you want to do things like increase the meals tax or the hotel tax, in your communities, as a way to generate more revenue, especially in tourist places, we find that a lot of towns have wanted to do that, we want to empower them with the option.”