MassDOR: July Revenue Collections Total $2.648 Billion

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BOSTON — Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder announced that preliminary revenue collections for July totaled $2.648 billion, $18 million or 0.7 percent less than actual collections in July 2023.  
 
"July revenue included decreases relative to July 2023 collections in withholding, non-withheld income tax, and 'all other' tax," said Commissioner Snyder. "These decreases were partially offset by increases in sales and use tax, and corporate and business tax.  The decrease in withholding reflects current labor market conditions as well as periodic fluctuations. The decrease in ‘all other' tax is due, in part, to estate tax, a category that tends to fluctuate."
 
DOR estimates that roughly $60 million in July revenue reflects a shift in collections between months because of timing, without which July 2024 revenue would be about $78 million or 2.9 percent less than actual collections in July 2023.
 
The reported collections are not being measured against fiscal year 2025 benchmarks, which are expected to be established later this month.
 
July is one of the smaller tax collection months because no quarterly estimated payments are due for most individuals and businesses. Historically, roughly 6.7 percent of annual revenue, on average, has been received during July.
 
Given the brief period covered in the report, July results should not be used as a predictor for the rest of the fiscal year.
 
Note: June 2024 and full Fiscal Year 2024 revenue collections will be available once DOR completes the processing of June revenue.
 
Details:
  • Income tax collections for July totaled $1.453 billion, $41 million or 2.7 percent less than July 2023.
  • Withholding tax collections for July totaled $1.379 billion, $14 million or 1.0 percent less than July 2023.
  • Income tax estimated payments for July totaled $43 million, $2 million or 5.6 percent more than July 2023.
  • Income tax returns and bills for July totaled $70 million, $16 million or 18.9 percent less than July 2023.
  • Income tax cash refunds for July totaled $39 million in outflows, $12 million or 46.3 percent more than July 2023.
  • Sales and use tax collections for July totaled $839 million, $50 million or 6.4 percent more than July 2023.
  • Corporate and business tax collections for July totaled $143 million, $6 million or 4.1 percent more than July 2023.
  • "All other" tax collections for July totaled $213 million, $33 million or 13.5 percent less than July 2023.
 
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State Grant Supports Pedestrian Safety on Pittsfield's West Street

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A $235,000 boost from the state will fund "road diet" improvements on West Street, a corridor that saw two pedestrian fatalities last year.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation on Monday announced $6.5 million in funding through the Healey-Driscoll administration's Shared Streets and Spaces Program. Pittsfield was the only Berkshire County community in the list of 28 municipalities and two Regional Transit Authorities.

The $235,000 will go toward continued safety efforts on West Street, which includes a "road diet" from Valentine Road to the Government Drive/College Way split, ADA-compliant curb ramps, separated bike lanes, pavement markings, and rectangular rapid flashing beacons.

Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales explained that the funding will go toward green bike lane paint and the beacons, which cost about $180,000 alone.

The beacons are placed on both sides of a crosswalk below the pedestrian crossing sign and above the diagonal downward arrow plaque, pointing at the crossing. There will be six total that accompany raised crosswalks, with two placed at three locations:

  • The mid-block between Dewey Avenue and College Way
  • West of the Eversource driveway
  • East of Euclid Avenue

These have been compared to a similar design on Tyler Street meant to slow traffic.

"If you've driven Tyler Street and you kind of check your speedometer if you're going 30 miles an hour, you're not going to bite your tongue off," City Engineer Tyler Shedd said during a public hearing last month.

"If you're going 20, 25 miles an hour you might not really notice the bump. If you're going 40, you'll feel it and that's sort of the intent is that it encourages people through a slightly punitive measure to follow the speed limit."

Last year, the city began having public hearings to devise a pedestrian safety plan in the corridor. In January 2023, Shaloon Milord was struck and killed while crossing in front of Dorothy Amos Park, and in October 2023, Shane Cassavant was struck and killed farther up the street while doing roadwork.

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