Tom Joyce;  New Boston Post

Massachusetts voters don’t want tax and fee increases that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has proposed this year, a Fiscal Alliance Foundation poll released this week found.

The poll found Healey’s plan to enact a pharmacy assessment fee on prescription drugs is highly unpopular; 83 percent opposed the proposal, while just 6 percent supported it.

Healey’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget features a section that would create a “pharmacy assessment” on all prescription drugs sold in the Bay State. It would charge pharmacies $2 per prescription or 6 percent of what the prescription costs, whichever is less.

“Each pharmacy shall pay an assessment per prescription dispensed in Massachusetts. The assessment shall not exceed the lesser of: (i) $2 per prescription dispensed in Massachusetts or (ii) an amount equal to 6 per cent of the revenues received by the pharmacy for the applicable period in Massachusetts,” that section of the budget says.

Additionally, her plan to increase the motor vehicle excise tax is unpopular; 78 percent of voters oppose it, while only 7 percent support it.

Healey’s proposal would also create a 5 percent local option motor vehicle excise surcharge based on a vehicle’s value.

The poll found the vehicle excise tax is unpopular; 57 percent want it gone, while 27 percent want to keep it.

In addition, the poll found 57 percent want to repeal the state’s estate tax, while only 22 percent want to keep it. And by a margin of 49 percent yes to 33 percent no, Bay Staters want to cut the top state income tax rate from 9 percent to 5 percent. Massachusetts narrowly approved a 4 percent surtax on income over $1 million in 2022 via a ballot question; 52 percent voted yes, while 48 percent voted no.

“When asked about Governor Healey’s vehicle excise tax, it came back overwhelmingly against at 78%,” Fiscal Alliance Foundation executive director Paul Craney said in a press release. “When asked about some tax repeals, a majority of voters support 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 are very exhausted by the high tax and high cost of living in the state and it shows in the poll,” he added.

Though Bay Staters don’t want higher taxes, they still have a low opinion of President Donald Trump. Just 33 percent said they view the sitting president favorably, while 65 percent view him unfavorably.

Meanwhile, Governor Maura Healey got a good mark; 56 percent said they view her favorably, while 36 percent see her unfavorably.

Healey may also have a shot against U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Malden) if she primaries him for U.S. Senate next year, the poll suggests; 35 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said they would support her in a hypothetical primary against the incumbent Senator, while 21 percent would back Markey.

Similarly, U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-Newton) could also have a shot against Markey, as the poll showed a 25 percent to 25 percent tie in a hypothetical primary between the two members of Congress.

“The poll shows Senator Markey could be in trouble if Governor Healey chose to challenge him and Congressman Auchincloss may see an opportunity,” Craney said.

Other notable issues addressed in the poll include support for requiring voter identification (61 percent for, 32 percent oppose), having state and local law enforcement cooperate with federal immigration authorities (41 percent support, 41 percent oppose), and constructing new natural gas pipelines (47 percent support, 37 percent oppose).

The poll sampled 800 likely voters between March 6 and March 12 and had a 3.6 percent margin of error.

A press spokesman for Healey’s office could not be reached for comment Friday.