Support Tax Repeals, Plurality Want Pipelines, and Voters Show Mixed Views on Key Leaders
The Fiscal Alliance Foundation released the results of a new statewide poll today that reveals strong voter opposition to Governor Maura Healey’s proposed tax increase to prescription drugs and for the state Attorney General Andrea Campbell to enforce the Audit the Legislature voter approved law. The poll, conducted by Fiscal Alliance Foundation pollster Jim Eltringham of Advantage, Inc, is the Foundation’s first poll of 2025 and the first poll of Massachusetts likely voters released this year. It sampled 800 likely voters between March 6 and March 12, with a margin of error of 3.6% at a 95% confidence level.
When asked about various Massachusetts tax policies, voters overwhelmingly showed strong support against adding additional taxes. Governor Healey’s plan to impose a new “pharmacy assessment” tax on prescription drugs was met with staggering disapproval, with 83% opposed and just 6% in favor. Similarly, when asked about Governor Healey’s proposal to triple the vehicle excise tax, 78% of voters opposed it, with only 7% in favor.
On already existing taxes, voters showed strong support for tax relief measures that would see some of these rolled back. A majority, 57%, support completely repealing the state’s estate tax, aka the death tax, while only 22% oppose the repeal. The vehicle excise tax remains unpopular, with 57% in favor of eliminating it and 27% opposed. Additionally, voters favor rolling back the recently increased 9% top tax rate on income and capital gains, as introduced by the income surtax amendment, by a margin of 49%-33%.
Respondents were also asked several questions relating to issues of rule of law in Massachusetts. 81% believe Attorney General Andrea Campbell should enforce the voter-approved law requiring an audit of the state legislature, while just 8% oppose enforcement. During last November’s election, the Yes side to Audit the Legislature received 72% of the vote, which shows an uptick of support despite Beacon Hill leaders refusing to comply and the Attorney General not enforcing the law. Interesting enough, registered Independent voters showed the strongest response at 85% wanting the Attorney General to take action. When asked if they would support a law that required voters to show an ID to vote, 61% of voters supported requiring voter ID at the ballot box, with only 32% opposed.
On issues of immigration enforcement, Massachusetts voters are evenly divided on cooperating with federal immigration authorities, with 41% supporting changing state law to allow local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities and 41% opposing it. Respondents were also asked their views on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) itself, with 34% having a favorable opinion of the agency and 43% having an unfavorable of it.
With sky-high energy prices making headlines this month, voters were asked their opinions on the construction of new natural gas pipelines into the state. 47% of voters support expanding natural gas pipelines, while 37% prefer full commitment to renewables, and 16% remain undecided. A majority of Independents (53%) polled said they want more pipelines.
The poll also asked likely voters their opinions on key political figures in the Bay State. President Donald Trump remains deeply unpopular in Massachusetts, with 65% holding a strongly unfavorable opinion and just 33% viewing him favorably, which shows voters have not changed their opinions since last November’s election in Massachusetts.
Governor Healey’s 2022 landslide victory over her Republican opponent was nearly a 30% victory, but our poll shows her margin slipping. Governor Healey is viewed favorably with 56% and 36% unfavorable.
U.S. Senator Edward Markey and Proposition 2 ½ got their starts in the 1970s, with Senator Markey first elected during the 1972 – 1974 election cycle to the Massachusetts legislature, and Proposition 2 ½ passed during the 1978 – 1980 election cycle. Now in the U.S. Senate, and after serving for over a half a century as a state legislator, Congressman, and Senator, he is viewed favorably by 55% of voters, though 30% disapprove. When asked whether Senator Markey should run for another term, 55% of voters believe Markey should not seek reelection, while only 26% think he deserves another term. Were Governor Healey to challenge Senator Markey in 2026, she led the incumbent 35% to 21% in the hypothetical matchup, including among Democratic and Independent voters. Congressman Jake Auchincloss, another potential challenger, was in a statistical tie with Markey at 25%-25%, and leads with Independents. When asked about Proposition 2 ½, the taxpayer protection law that has been keeping property taxes in check ever since, voters showed overwhelming approval with 66% having a favorable opinion, and only 21% viewing it unfavorably.
The poll also asked voters opinions on ranked choice voting, which was defeated by the voters as a ballot question in 2020 by 55% to 45% margin. Proponents tried again to place ranked choice voting on the ballot in 2024 but it was successfully defeated at the Attorney General level. (The Fiscal Alliance Foundation successfully argued to have the ranked choice ballot questions removed from the ballot at the Attorney General level.) Proponents may try again, and voters do not show support for the confusing system with only 29% polling in favor.
“The poll’s strongest response came when asked about Governor Healey’s proposal to increase taxes on prescription drugs with a whopping 82% opposed. The other question to hit the 80 percentile was if Attorney General Andrea Campbell should enforce the voter approved law to audit the legislature and that question came in even higher than the ballot question from last November at 81%. These are very strong feelings by the voters. It’s nearly impossible to hit 80% in a poll and the Governor and Attorney General better pay attention,” noted Paul Diego Craney, Executive Director of the Fiscal Alliance Foundation.
“The poll shows Senator Markey could be in trouble if Governor Healey chose to challenge him and Congressman Auchincloss may see an opportunity. However, even though Markey has been serving for over a half a century, and voters may be open to change, they still have very strong support for Proposition 2 ½, which got its start the same decade as Markey. Voters like Proposition 2 ½, it’s a classic,” said Craney.
“When asked about Governor Healey’s vehicle excise tax, it came back overwhelmingly against at 78%. When asked about some tax repeals, a majority of voters support for their repeal. When asked about undoing the income surtax on high income earners, voters showed a preference to begin the process to undo the tax. Voters even went as far to show a preference for more natural gas pipelines over the state’s full commitment to renewable energy. Voters are very exhausted by the high tax and high cost of living in the state and it shows in the poll,” continued Craney.
The full poll topline results are available here.
The full poll crosstab results are available here.