Latest news with #MassachusettsFiscalAlliance
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mass. Gov. Healey pitches energy plan to save $10B over 10 years
The winter heating season might be over, but Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey threw another log on the Legislature's fire with a sweeping and long-awaited energy efficiency bill. The plan, unveiled Tuesday in Leominster, would, among other things, eliminate or significantly reduce charges on energy bills. It also would open the door to new nuclear energy technologies and make nuts-and-bolts changes to electricity procurement and supply practices in an attempt to save ratepayers $10 billion over a decade. The legislation further would allow the state to directly procure its energy. That would eliminate the fees the state pays utilities for entering into those contracts. And it would 'explore cutting-edge nuclear technologies,' the governor's office said. It also seeks to reduce the value of net metering credits for new and large solar hookups or other facilities that transfer energy back to the grid in exchange for a bill credit. 'Massachusetts families and businesses can't afford big energy price spikes now, or in the future. This bill – along with our energy affordability agenda – gets costs off bills, saves people money, and adopts an all-of-the-above strategy to bring new energy into Massachusetts,' Healey said. The governor's bill would also require the Department of Public Utilities to review and reform all charges on energy bills, and establish a cap on month-to-month bill increases. The proposal comes months after Bay Staters saw their energy bills skyrocket, prompting the Arlington Democrat to authorize a $50 credit on April electricity bills, and a suite of executive actions designed to rein in costs. Healey's office identified three areas for savings over the next 10 years: 'Getting Costs Off Bills and Avoid Unnecessary Costs' (about $6.9 billion in savings), 'Creating Accountability' ($2.5 billion), and 'Supporting the Customer' ($900 million). Shifting to utilities the ability to finance the Mass Save efficiency program, Electric Sector Modernization Plans, storm response, and other programs through rate reduction bonds would lead to 'the ability to reduce ratepayer costs by up to $5 billion in the first 10 years,' Healey's office said. In dueling statements, forces on both sides of the issue weighed in. The pro-business Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance sharply criticized the proposal, arguing that it 'doubled down on the same costly alternative energy mandates.' 'That's not reform. That's a confession,' Paul Diego Craney, the organization's executive director, said in a statement. of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. 'This plan is political window dressing. Governor Healey is trying to calm public outrage over sky-high electric bills without making any of the tough decisions needed to actually lower them,' Craney continued, adding that the bill 'gives more power to the same bureaucrats [who] created this mess and asks ratepayers to trust them again. That's not vying for affordability — that's arrogance." Caitlin Peale Sloan, the vice president of the Conservation Law Foundation for Massachusetts, credited Healey for her actions, but said she still needed to take 'bolder steps' to rein in costs. Healey's plan 'introduces some no-nonsense reforms and promising ideas, particularly around removing outdated programs and creating new ways to make clean energy projects more accessible,' Peale Sloan said. 'However, to truly make energy affordable, the governor must take bolder steps to rein in excessive utility spending on costly infrastructure projects and corporate profits. Holding utilities accountable is essential—not just for climate progress, but for the financial well-being of Massachusetts families,' Peale Sloan said. South Coast lawmaker makes multi-limbed argument against octopus farming Is Worcester breaking Open Meeting Law by going virtual? What the AG's office says 'Internal discussions' involved putting Biden in wheelchair if reelected, new book claims Donald Trump takes credit for a 'new word' — a word first used in the 16th century Trump administration cuts another $450 million from Harvard Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fuel rates, mandates, tariffs add punch to energy price stew
BOSTON (WWLP) – As Massachusetts Democrats predict price shocks from President Donald Trump's threatened tariffs on Canadian oil and gas, a Republican senator on Tuesday blamed ballooning ratepayer costs on the state's clean energy mandates. During a virtual press conference with New England Republican lawmakers and conservative think tanks, Sen. Ryan Fattman of Sutton proudly noted he voted against the 2021 climate law directing Massachusetts to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. 'We have to build out tremendous new infrastructure that's going to cost billions of dollars in order to transition to alternatives and away from clean-emission energy, like natural gas,' Fattman said. Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, leaned into April Fools' Day as he urged ratepayers, 'Do not be fooled by what you hear from your State House politicians.' 'The reason why your bills are getting jacked up right now is not because of tariffs, not because of natural gas, not because of who occupies the White House,' Craney said. 'But it's because of these mandates, these green renewable mandates, these alternative energy mandates, which are driving up costs because we are funding the transition and it will continue to get worse.' Rising natural gas prices have stung Massachusetts ratepayers in recent winters. Regional grid operator ISO-New England last week reported that the average real-time wholesale electricity price was $126.40 per megawatt-hour in February 2025, up 301% compared to February 2024. After energy bills soared this winter, Gov. Maura Healey vowed to file a bill to rein in costs. Her administration's 'energy affordability agenda' also outlines strategies to expand discount programs for moderate-income customers, redirect clean energy infrastructure funding, and stabilize local energy supplies. The governor on Tuesday praised ISO-New England's first competitive solicitation for transmission investments, which her office said 'will address long-standing constraints on the New England power system and integrate new, affordable, onshore wind resources in the coming years.' Healey said the procurement 'will unlock affordable electricity for Massachusetts residents and businesses at a critical time.' Meanwhile, Healey has warned Trump's plan to impose a 10% tariff on petroleum and natural gas imports from Canada would cost Massachusetts $370 million annually. Trump is expected to announce his tariff plan Wednesday on so-called 'Liberation Day.' 'If the Republicans want to lower energy costs – the first thing they should do is oppose Donald Trump's tariffs on energy from Canada,' MassDems Chair Steve Kerrigan said in a statement Tuesday. 'Donald Trump's tariffs will raise the costs of gas and oil by 20 cents per gallon, and cost Massachusetts ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The Republicans will never oppose these tariffs because the Republican Party is loyal to Donald Trump, not the people of Massachusetts.' Fattman, asked whether he supports Trump's planned tariffs, said, 'I'm not a big fan of tariffs in general.' He stressed he's focused on state-level climate policies that lawmakers can control. Fattman also criticized looming state regulations that will require manufacturers to sell lower-emissions engines, based on California's vehicle emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. 'I don't like tying my future to the state of California, which the commonwealth did,' Fattman said. 'Our Legislature did that. They have no ability to change tariffs. They have a big ability to change our standards for vehicles — for advanced clean technology in vehicles and heavy-duty operating.' In response to Tuesday's presser, the Acadia Center said high natural gas costs this winter stem from the New England region's 'untenable overreliance on fossil fuels, with rising energy burdens driven by natural gas infrastructure, generous utility profits, and the region's continued fossil fuel investments.' 'Right now, the region has almost all its eggs in the fossil fuel basket, and this offers only the false promise of fool's gold in protecting the region's consumers from rising energy bills,' the Acadia Center said. 'The region must double down on its climate and clean energy goals to make the broader northeast region energy independent from fossil fuels, reduce consumer price spikes, and mitigate the economic harms of worsening climate change.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mass Fiscal polls says voters support AG action on legislative audit
BOSTON (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance released a poll taking likely voters' temperature on state and federal lawmakers, ballot questions, and more. The poll was conducted via phone call, and about 48% of polled likely voters are independents, while 41% are registered democrats and 11% are registered republicans. Among other issues, likely voters were asked if the attorney general should step in on enforcing a voter-approved audit of the state legislature, and nearly 81% said yes. 'If I was the attorney general, I'd be pretty careful with this one…if she has any future aspirations in politics, even if she's suing Trump five days a week, this could be something that could come back and haunt her,' said Paul Craney, Mass Fiscal's spokesperson. Independent voters showed the strongest support for the attorney general taking action, but it is important to note that independents made up 386 of the 800 people who responded to the poll. Pollster Jim Eltringham noted that this issue is not party-based, despite most opposition coming from Democrat lawmakers. 'People who strongly or somewhat favor Trump also, it's like 79% to 8%, support the AG following this law,' said Eltringham. The legislature continues to fight this audit on the basis of constitutional concerns due to the separation of powers clause. As of now, it appears the only path to resolution is through the courts, but the Attorney General says she still needs more information from the auditor's office to proceed. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Healey looks to tax pharmacies for prescription drug sales
BOSTON (WPRI) — The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance is slamming Gov. Maura Healey's proposal to resurrect a long-dormant tax on prescription drug sales. The prescription drug tax was included in Healey's Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal as a 'pharmacy assessment.' The pharmacy assessment would bring back a decades-old policy that imposes either a 6% fee on revenues or $2 per prescription — whichever is lower. The state would collect those fees quarterly. Pharmacies that knowingly submit false or misleading records would face a civil penalty of no more than $25,000 per violation. Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, told 12 News their discovery of the pharmacy assessment came as a shock. 'We couldn't believe what we were seeing,' Craney recalled. 'Who raises taxes on prescription drugs these days?' Craney described Healey's proposal as being a 'third rail' and expressed concern that the state's pharmacies will pass those expenses along to those who rely on prescription medication. 'The consumer is the one that's going to have to pay for it, and of course, health insurance costs will go up,' Craney explained. 'It's like the hand that turns the screwdriver complaining about the screw being driven in. She's taxing an entity that will pass that cost along to the consumer.' The taxes collected through Healey's pharmacy assessment would be put toward MassHealth, which offers health benefits to qualifying adults, children, families and seniors, as well as those with disabilities. Craney explained that MassHealth has been grappling with unexpected expenses brought on by the state's migrant crisis. He believes Healey is trying to figure out a way to pay for the influx of migrants who have enrolled in MassHealth. 'It's wealth redistribution,' he said. 'She's not dealing with the spending problem at MassHealth.' Craney hopes Massachusetts lawmakers see the pharmacy assessment for what it actually is. 'Massachusetts is very expensive to live and do business in,' Craney said. 'Our health care costs are among the highest in the nation, and adding taxes to prescription drugs is not a way to lower health care costs. It's going to do the complete opposite.' 'I hope anyone with common sense in the Massachusetts State House says, 'If we have a spending problem at MassHealth, we shouldn't be taxing prescription drugs,'' he continued. 'It's problematic.' Healey's Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal will soon begin working its way through the legislature, starting with the Massachusetts House Committee on Ways and Means. 12 News has reached out to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services regarding the Healey's pharmacy assessment but has not yet heard back. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
