First US telecommuting tax credit? (Curbed)

Governor Charlie Baker has proposed what is likely the first of its kind in the nation: a tax credit for employers for letting workers telecommute.

The proposal is aimed at reducing congestion on Massachusetts’ roadways and mass transit—particularly in the Boston area—and is part of an $18 billion transportation bond bill that Baker unveiled on July 25.

Under the proposal, an employer would get a $2,000 tax credit for every employee who telecommutes or otherwise works closer to home rather than to the office. The credits would be capped at $50 million for all Massachusetts employers.

The novel approach might not come soon enough for many Massachusetts residents. The state has a high proportion of so-called supercommuters, those who commute at least 90 minutes one way to work, and some of the worst vehicular traffic on Earth. A lot of that is due to the number of workers who commute alone, something Baker acknowledged.

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