A recent report from the Pioneer Institute, authored by Gary Blank, reveals a stark contrast in job growth between the government and private sectors in Massachusetts since the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2025, the number of federal, state, and local government employees in Massachusetts reached 471,000, an increase of 15,000 from 2019. Conversely, private sector employment has stagnated at approximately 3.2 million, just below pre-pandemic levels. Blank, who has experience in state government, expressed surprise at the extent of government growth during this period. He proposes a solution to manage this expansion: trimming about 25% of open government positions through attrition rather than implementing hiring freezes or layoffs, which could hinder the recruitment of top talent. This approach would mean that for the 46,000 workers reporting to Governor Maura Healey, around 1,000 positions would remain unfilled each year. Despite the Pioneer Institute's involvement in advocating for an income tax cut, Blank asserts that his findings are not influenced by this campaign, emphasizing the need for more efficient hiring practices regardless of the tax proposal's outcome.