Proposals calling for a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave, a sharp cut to the sales tax, and nurse staffing requirements in hospitals have gathered enough signatures to qualify for the 2018 ballot in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Retailers Association wants to reduce the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 5 percent, which is what it was in 2009.
The rollback would cost the state an estimated $1 billion a year, but association president Jon Hurst said it would save countless brick-and-mortar stores faced with online competition.
"The vast majority of online transactions today are tax-free," said Hurst.
Secretary of State Bill Galvin declared the initiative petitions have enough certified signatures to go before the state legislature. Lawmakers have until April 30th to act before the petitioners need to collect an additional 10,000 signatures.
