In 2022, Massachusetts implemented a 4% tax on residents earning $1 million or more each year. The state allocated $1 billion from this tax revenue in its last fiscal budget to provide free school lunches to all children in public schools.
If approved, the proposed budget for 2025 will cover community college tuition and fees through taxes on millionaires. This program, known as MassEducate, will invest $75.5 million in state funds to cover tuition and fees for community college students. President Joe Biden has also included a plan for free community college education in his fiscal 2025 budget, with 20 states currently offering tuition-free community college programs.
State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues believes that the community college program will strengthen the state’s workforce and future generations. He stated that tuition-free community college will provide necessary opportunities to individuals who may not have been able to afford it otherwise. The initiative includes assistance for low-income students, stipends of up to $1,200 for books, supplies, and other expenses to students who earn 125% or less of the state’s median income, and a $10 million “student persistence fund” meant to aid community college students facing significant financial difficulties that could hinder their studies.
