Mass. Offers Restaurant, Hospitality Tax Relief For COVID-19

Massachusetts will postpone the collection of taxes to provide relief to the state's restaurant and hospitality sectors in response to the economic effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the governor announced Wednesday.

As part of a series of additional measures to offset the economic impact of COVID-19 and the public health responses to the outbreak, the state will delay the collection of sales tax, meals tax and room occupancy taxes, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement.

The taxes that are due in March, April and May will instead be collected on June 20 for businesses that paid less than $150,000 in sales and meal taxes or less than $150,000 in room occupancy taxes in the year ending Feb. 29, according to the statement. The state will also waive all penalties and interest.

Baker said the state Department of Revenue would finalize emergency regulations to establish the tax relief measures before Friday. 

--Editing by Neil Cohen.

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