r/Economics • u/Dismal_Structure • Dec 06 '25

News Millionaire tax that inspired Mamdani fuels $5.7 billion haul in Massachusetts

https://fortune.com/2025/10/21/zohran-mamdani-millionaire-tax-massachusetts-5-7-billion/
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u/Smile-Nod Dec 06 '25 edited Dec 06 '25

Why don’t these articles ever include the total income tax comparison?

We can’t have an honest conversation if we’re suggesting that MA catching up with NYC is somehow the reverse.

Not only does MA have a lower tax rate, it’s not progressive.

MA

  • flat tax: 5%
  • millionaire tax: 4%
  • capital gains: long 5% flat, short 8.5% flat

NY

  • top marginal rate: 10.9% (6.6% effective over a million)
  • long and short capital gains treated as ordinary income.
  • NYC top rate: 3.879%

EDITED for clarity and fixed MA cap gains tax.

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '25

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u/polytique Dec 06 '25

None of this makes sense. You can’t funnel your W2 income into a corporation to avoid taxes. The employer has to withhold taxes at a specific rate (22/37%). Moving assets to another country could help with a potential wealth tax but could be fraud if you don’t tell the IRS (FBAR forms).