Friday, October 3, 2025
Chair Eldridge, Chair Madaro, and Members of the Joint Committee on Revenue:
I am writing today on behalf of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide, multi-issue, grassroots membership organization focused on fighting for policy that would make our Commonwealth more equitable, just, sustainable, and democratic. We urge you to give a favorable report to H.3110/S.2033: An Act combating offshore tax avoidance.
Massachusetts residents have been feeling hopeless this year in light of the never-ending barrage of chaos, cruelty, and corruption in the second Trump administration, and they are also looking to you in the State Legislature for leadership.
Fortunately, you have wide latitude for action. For example, although Trump and Congressional Republicans passed disastrous legislation this summer that could lead to up 350,000 people in MA losing health care, 104,000 losing access to food assistance, and harmful cuts to our schools, we do not need to accept these cuts as inevitable.
Massachusetts has a higher GDP than the country of Sweden, a place known for its generous welfare state. It is clear that we can do more than we are, and we will need to in the coming years. These bills offer a sensible and popular way to raise additional revenue in order to prevent these looming cuts.
Massachusetts loses hundreds of millions of dollars each year to offshore corporate tax dodging — money that would otherwise support local families and communities here in Massachusetts. That’s because billionaire global corporations like Apple, Amazon, McDonald’s, and Walmart conceal their profits in offshore tax havens to avoid paying their fair share in Massachusetts taxes. These bills would ensure that such corporations pay our state’s corporate income tax on a greater share of these offshored profits, raising essential new revenue. They would correct the grave error when Massachusetts chose to leave this revenue on the table several sessions ago as a result of backroom negotiations and no public discussion.
Let’s do right by the name of “Commonwealth” that our state has and ensure that we are fighting for the common good of all when that is under attack each day. Your constituents depend on it.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Cohn
Policy Director
Progressive Massachusetts
