Stimulus 2022: Massachusetts lawmakers propose $250 tax rebate checks for inflation

Americans are still feeling the burn from soaring costs and gas prices — and Massachusetts lawmakers want to give them a little relief.
On Thursday, Massachusetts Speaker of the House Ronald J. Mariano — alongside legislators including Massachusetts Senate President Karen E. Spilka — announced that lawmakers “will act to establish” a fund to provide rebates for residents.

“Whether it is the rising price of gas, groceries, or summer clothes for kids, the Massachusetts Legislature has heard loud and clear that increased costs due to inflation have cut into family budgets,” the legislators wrote in a release.
Individuals would be eligible for a one-time $250 check, and married couples would get a $500 check.

The plan would provide a single round of payments to all taxpayers who earned at least $38,000 in 2021. It would cut off eligibility for singles earning above $100,000 and couples making more than $150,000. Most people would receive their payments before September 30.

According to the Boston Globe’s Matt Stout, the plan will have to pass the state’s Senate and House by July 31, when the legislature’s session ends.
“These rebates represent the Legislature’s commitment to delivering immediate financial relief directly to residents of the Commonwealth, rather than to large oil companies that continue to profit off economic uncertainty and international conflict,” the lawmakers said.

It comes as some states issue direct payments to help residents deal with rising prices at the pump and grocery store. California Gov. Gavin Newsom approved issuing a round of direct payments to millions of California residents this summer.  The $350 checks will flow largely to middle-income residents, though some high-earning taxpayers are eligible to get smaller payments as well.

It seems very unlikely that Congress will approve a fourth round of direct federal payments similar to the $1,400 stimulus checks that were distributed under the March 2021 stimulus law. Republicans and some Democrats are likely to argue that the measure would both aggravate inflation and add to the national debt.

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