Statement from Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr on the Legislature’s Enactment of the FY26 State Budget (H.4240)
July 2, 2025July 3, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jessica Margiotta, Director of Communications, Office of Senator Tarr | Cell: 978-675-6109 | jessica.margiotta@masenate.gov
Statement from Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr on the
Legislature’s Enactment of the FY26 State Budget (H.4240)
Boston (06/30/2025) – Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) released the following statement today regarding the Legislature’s enactment of the FY26 State Budget (H.4240):
When Governor Healey filed her original budget proposal in January, we expressed serious concerns about the sustainability of the spending levels in that plan—concerns that have persisted throughout the development of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Those concerns were not hypothetical. Since 2020, state spending has increased dramatically, and we are now at a critical point where the pace of that growth must be reconciled with economic realities.
With the Legislature’s enactment of the agreed-upon final version of the FY26 budget, it is clear that conference committee members were compelled to reduce spending levels and confront the realities of sustainability and the impacts of increased spending on the cost of government in Massachusetts, in the context of state spending that has increased dramatically over the past several years.
The final budget agreement reflects a total of $61.01 billion in spending—a $3.3 billion increase over Fiscal Year 2025. However, it also marks a significant reduction of nearly $1 billion from the Governor’s original ‘House 1’ proposal and hundreds of millions of dollars below the original bottom lines advanced by either chamber. These reductions show a recognition that unchecked spending growth is no longer tenable and that we must begin to chart a more disciplined fiscal course.
Even now, it is concerning that the proposed budget could outpace tax collections. The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation recently flagged the ‘potential for non-income and surtax tax revenues to fall short of fiscal 2026 expectations by between $600 million and $1 billion.’ These projections factor in a possible economic downturn and growing uncertainty around federal trade and tariff policies—dynamics that were not reflected in the consensus revenue estimate reached back in January.
While the reduced spending in the final budget better positions the Commonwealth to navigate economic headwinds and uncertain economic conditions ahead, it also underscores the importance of continuing to exercise fiscal discipline and our responsibility to protect vital services for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as, funding existing commitments, supporting our partnership with cities, towns, and school districts, and capturing opportunities for savings while maintaining a healthy Stabilization Fund.
So, while this final agreement technically represents a reduction from the Governor’s initial proposal, it is still a $3.3 billion increase over Fiscal Year 2025, and the question remains: is that amount low enough to truly avoid burdening residents of the Commonwealth with unsustainable fiscal commitments?
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Additional Resources:
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/House/H4240
Thank you,
Jessica
Jessica Margiotta
Director of Communications
Office of the Senate Minority Leader | State Senator Bruce E. Tarr
Massachusetts State House, Room 308 | Boston, MA 02133
Office: 617-722-1600, ext. 1603| Cell: 978-675-6109
Email: jessica.margiotta@masenate.gov
