A 25% Massachusetts gas tax hike would mean loss of 1,000 private sector jobs

With gas prices falling in Massachusetts, state leaders are thinking about increasing the gas tax. Just how much the Governor and legislature are willing to raise the tax is unclear.

But assume that the legislature approves a new 29 cents per gallon tax (up from 23.5 cents) representing a 25 percent increase (not unlike the last hike to the state sales tax). What would that mean for the state's economy?

Using its State Tax Analysis Modeling Program, the Beacon Hill Institute estimated that a 25 percent increase would not help the Commonwealth's economy as it tries to add jobs.

Compared to a baseline of no gas tax increase, the state would have 1,170 less private sector jobs, while adding 600 public jobs in the first year. Riding the brakes would have consequences. At the margin, less employment means consumers will have less money to spend, so while gas tax revenues increase by $152 million, the state would collect $5 million less in sales tax, not to mention that companies will be selling less. Similarly, with 570 total less full time equivalent jobs, state personal income tax collections would decrease by $8 million.

In total , instead of collecting $152 million more in gas taxes, the state would see a total revenue increase of only $116 million, due to dynamic effects. At the cost of lower employment, income, disposable income and investment, raising the state's gas tax is a bad policy at a bad time.