Today, the House and Senate passed a $4 billion spending bill which uses the remaining fiscal year 2021 surplus and up to $2.55 billion in Fiscal Recovery Funds provided through the American Rescue Plan.  The compromise legislation increases...

“You can be for more transportation revenue, which we are, and not support this tax increase,” said Eileen McAnneny, president of the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, which in September warned the MBTA is staring down “fiscal...

According to an analysis by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, the House bill contains 411 such earmarks, totaling $154.4 million; the Senate version has 415 earmarks, totaling $122.9 million. They include such items as $5 million for the...

While the bodies agreed on some of the biggest provisions – spending $500 million on premium pay for essential workers and $500 million to reimburse the unemployment insurance trust fund – there were significant differences. According to the...

A report released in September by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation concluded the MBTA faces a growing future budget shortfall, due to the sluggish recovery in ridership and resulting lost fare revenue. It found the MBTA might face a budget...

The Senate last Wednesday added 430 amendments earmarking funds, primarily for local COVID response and recovery projects, and 19 new policy sections, according to a Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation analysis. The foundation described the...

Last week, the Senate passed a $3.8 billion recovery plan that uses a combination of Fiscal Recovery Funds (FRF) and fiscal year 2021 (FY) surplus revenues. In one day of debate, the Senate adopted 388 amendments which added $154.4 million in...

According to Boston.com, a report released in September by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation suggested the MBTA faces a growing future budget shortfall, due to the sluggish recovery in ridership and lost fare revenue. According to the report,...

Please join us for our first virtual policy call of the New Year! Doug Howgate will provide a timely and comprehensive presentation on Governor Baker’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget proposal and answer any questions you may have with respect to it. &nbsp...

The minutiae of the proposals will also need reconciliation. The House, for example, added $173 million to its original $3.65 billion, the bulk of which — $154 million — was intended to backstop hundreds of proposed earmarks. The largest, according...