Healey Defends Massachusetts Economy Following Comments From New Hampshire Lawmakers

A coalition of New Hampshire Republicans and the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance staged press events at the State House on Thursday, Dec. 11, to spotlight a perceived growing economic divide between Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

During the news conferences, New Hampshire lawmakers and business groups touted lower taxes and opposition to Massachusetts-style taxes that helped successfully lure companies like SynQor and Analogic Corp away from Massachusetts.

“We came to the Massachusetts State House today to thank Gov. Healey and the Massachusetts Democrats in office, to thank them for their leadership and driving their policies that have made Massachusetts such a bad state to do business in and New Hampshire such a good state to do business in,” said New Hampshire Deputy House Majority Leader and state Rep. Joseph Sweeney (R-Salem) in a statement shared with the Boston Herald.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, however, defended the state's business climate. In a statement shared with the Boston Herald, she argued that Massachusetts remains the regional economic engine, with a larger GDP than New Hampshire, and noted that workers commuting from New Hampshire illustrate the two states' economic ties.

“Massachusetts is the juggernaut [of New England],” she said. “Our economy drives the region, and I'm really proud of that. I'm going to keep growing the economy here and growing jobs. New Hampshire has a lot of great things to offer, but they got nothing on us when it comes to the economy and job growth.” 

Healey's Massachusetts Competitiveness Council, launched in October and meeting in early December, seeks to craft strategies to strengthen the state's business climate and job growth.

Mass Fiscal and the New Hampshire lawmakers responded by highlighting 15 taxes that Massachusetts imposes, but that are absent in New Hampshire, including an income tax and several business taxes, higher cigarette and meals-and-rooms taxes, and a net-zero-emissions-by-2050 mandate.

Two Republican contenders seeking to unseat Healey in 2026, Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Kennealy, praised New Hampshire's approach and pledged to create a more favorable business climate in Massachusetts if elected.