$250 stimulus checks for Massachusetts taxpayers scrapped by Beacon Hill lawmakers as resurfaced tax cap muddles affordability

Despite crushing inflation and the threat of a looming recession, Massachusetts lawmakers early Monday morning temporarily shelved delivering tax relief to Bay Staters — after promising just weeks ago to send stimulus checks to middle-income residents.

Beacon Hill, thrown a massive curveball by Gov. Charlie Bakerand news of a 1986 ballot measure that would force the commonwealth to return nearly $3 billion to taxpayers this fall, could not manage to salvage its existing tax relief and economic development package within the final hours of formal lawmaking.

Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodriguesannounced early Monday morning the legislation —which carved out hundreds of millions of dollars for hospitals, environmental infrastructure, economic development and housing, in addition to tax relief — would remain in conference committee, after lawmakers failed to reach a compromise.