This is my first shortish newsletter looking at proposed tax cuts and reforms. It includes some questions on which I'd like your thoughts. So RSVP!
The budget debate this year has started with the question of how much revenue will be available. Governor Maura Healey has proposed a budget based on a number of tax cuts, reducing some budget items to allow for those cuts. The total budget would increase slightly after adjusting for inflation, because of expected higher tax revenue.
Whatever Happened to Equal Pay?
Today is Equal Pay Day, a date that symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. The Wage Equity Now (WEN) coalition held a briefing about two new bills that continue to address the pay gap. (Here are the Telegram and Gazette's and MassLive's report on the briefing.)
Keep reading to learn about our 2016 bill, progress since then, remaining problems, the new bills announced at the briefing, other solutions, and Fred Small's 59 Cents song.
Remembering Alice Wolf
We are mourning the death and celebrating the life of an extraordinary, inspiring leader, Alice Wolf.
Long before I met Alice, I heard about her courageous, progressive leadership as a Cambridge School Committee member, city councilor and mayor. She fought for many issues that were extremely controversial at the time - and won.
New Year News
Belated wishes for a healthy and happy 2023!
We started the new year with a 13 hour session January 3, finalizing 86 bills but leaving a lot of unfinished business for this next year.
We began the new legislative session by being sworn in on January 4. After being re-elected, Senate President Spilka spoke of hope, and urged greater support for public education, from pre-K to public colleges and universities and workforce training.
Caregiver Crisis
Dear Neighbors,
For many years, the work of caring for older people and young children has faced an increasing crisis as there are just not enough people willing to do the work for the low pay. The Boston Foundation's Boston Indicators and Skillworks released an extremely important report on that workforce; last week, the Caucus of Women Legislators hosted a presentation on it.
That was the week that was
MCAS Graduation Requirement Raised
In August, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to raise the minimum score that this year’s freshman class, and classes following, will have to attain on the MCAS test in order to graduate. And against Commissioner Riley’s recommendation, they voted to increase the passing score further for classes starting in 2030. They also voted, against Commissioner Riley’s recommendation, to increase the passing score further for classes starting in 2030.
Trouble with a capital T: August 2022
All at once 3: the budget
First, an update: I'm happy to say that the. governor signed the Act Expanding Protections for Reproductive and Gender-affirming Care, that I wrote about in an earlier newsletter.
As you probably know, the legislature finally adjourned formal sessions at about 10 am Monday, after an all-night session. In the last few days, we passed many important bills. The governor can still decide to sign, veto, or send them back with amendments. It's too late to override a veto, or to deal with an amendment unless there is unanimous support.
All at once 2: Climate and more
On July 12, I wrote about the eight conference committees meeting to resolve differences on legislation between the House and Senate. Since then, we have given final approval to four conference committee bills - and passed new bills that need resolution by conference committees. This week, I wrote about the bills we approved on Tuesday. Here is information about the bills we've approved on Climate and COVID Extensions.
Everything at once 1: Tuesday
Two weeks ago, I wrote to you about all the work remaining in the last weeks of session. We're making progress.
Yesterday, we passed the bill, after a conference committee of the House and Senate resolved differences in the versions from each house. We also passed a bill authorizing bonds for general government, as well as my bill on pooled special needs trusts for older people (described below) and other bills. As usual, I'll assume you read the news, and I'll focus on my own efforts on each bill.
Lots more work and more reports later this week!
Three Weeks
Full formal sessions in the legislature end July 31; after that, any bill we try to pass will require unanimous consent. While a lot of legislation and spending has been done this session, so much remains to do in the next 3 weeks. We expect to work through the final weekend till past midnight on Sunday.