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Boston Globe
18-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Facing budget shortfalls, Mass. towns need to get creative
Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up The trend is also accelerating. More than 50 Massachusetts municipalities voted on overrides for 2025. Five years ago, it was 30, and in 2018, just 22. Dozens of municipalities and local school districts are fighting the same budget battle, with homeowners ultimately asked to pick up the slack. Municipalities should rely on more than just property tax hikes to balance their budgets, though. They should trim spending to the extent possible, including by regionalizing services like schools, emergency response, and public health, which might be cheaper to share with other communities. They should welcome new development that grows their tax base. Meanwhile, state lawmakers can help by giving municipalities more leeway to diversify their revenue streams so that they're not so completely at the mercy of property taxes and override votes. Advertisement That's especially true because the pressures on municipal budgets show no sign of abating. Education costs, especially for special ed and transportation, are projected to keep rising. Wages, health insurance, and utilities are also on the upswing. 'You start to add up all those things, and it's slowly crushing the budgets,' Adam Chapdelaine, the executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, which represents city and town officials on Beacon Hill, said. Towns cannot simply pass increases of that magnitude on to taxpayers, because of Prop 2 ½, a 1980 referendum that overhauled and placed limits on local taxation. It requires municipalities to seek voter approval if they want to raise property taxes past the limits spelled out in the law. The measure was meant to act as a check on local overspending, and it has succeeded in that sense. But any time that inflation rises above prescribed tax limits, costs outgrow municipalities' abilities to raise revenue. Big budget lines, like local school districts, are the first to feel the squeeze. 'Having any revenue structure solely based on one type of revenue leads to potentially challenging outcomes when something affects that stream,' Doug Howgate, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, said. Especially in places where 2 ½ overrides fail or are not politically palatable, municipalities need to get creative. There are a few possible short-term relief valves. This year, the state has a $1.3 billion surplus from the 'millionaires tax' to be split between schools and transportation. The Massachusetts House and Senate are hashing out the breakdown of this money in the coming weeks, but schools should expect a sizable chunk. Advertisement In the long term, the rise in overrides should reopen urgent discussions about efficiency among the Commonwealth's splintered public school districts — which can only be meaningfully addressed through regionalization and cost-sharing campaigns. State initiatives like the Efficiency and Regionalization grant program, which helps municipalities with the one-time costs of consolidating school districts and other services, deserves more serious state funding. Current municipal grant allocations are capped at $200,000, limiting the program's scope. Municipalities should also be allowed to spread the tax burden. Governor Maura Healey refiled a bill this January allowing cities and towns to increase taxes on restaurant meals and motor vehicle excise fees, as well as hotel, motel, and rental stays. Local elected leaders have endorsed these proposals, and while the motor vehicle excise fee provision strikes us as unreasonable, more municipal authority to hike hotel and meal taxes would help them plug budget holes without raising property taxes. Ultimately, none of these measures will be able to fully mitigate the inevitable budget strain that will be on display during this year's town meetings. What they can offer is some flexibility in who shoulders the burden. 'Disruptive things are hard. Disruptive things are harder when there's nothing to make it go down easier,' Howgate said. 'There's no spoonful of sugar in a lot of this stuff.' Editorials represent the views of the Boston Globe Editorial Board. Follow us
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cities, towns urge state to release grip on alcohol licenses
BOSTON (SHNS) – Municipal leaders clamoring for greater authority over the number of alcohol licenses available in their cities and towns once again urged lawmakers Monday to adopt reforms previously embraced by top Beacon Hill Democrats. Cities and towns currently must petition the Legislature in order to gain additional licenses, but proposals from Rep. Joseph McKenna and Sen. Jacob Oliveira (H 437 / S 279) seek to overhaul that protracted, unpredictable process by strengthening licensing authority at the local level. The existing licensing framework, with control concentrated on Beacon Hill, has been in place since the 1930s, said Massachusetts Municipal Association legislative analyst Ali DiMatteo. In the last five years, the Legislature approved more than 80 home rule petitions, creating over 265 liquor licenses across Massachusetts, she said. 'We know you share this commitment to supporting local businesses and thriving downtowns. But actions that can often feel non-controversial but time-consuming for the Legislature are worth an effort to simplify,' DiMatteo said at a committee hearing. 'Additionally, making the process more efficient can help municipal officials make more nimble and quick decisions when it comes to alcohol licensing. Local licensing authorities need to be entrusted with determining how many licenses are appropriate within their communities.' Local licensing authorities would be allowed to grant licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages 'for on premises consumption apart from the current statutory quota limitations,' according to a House bill summary. The bill also requires that municipalities have a minimum of two off-premises consumption retail licenses, with additional licenses available for every 5,000 residents. 'It's important to note that the commonwealth will retain control over the granting of licensure through the regulatory powers of the ABCC,' DiMatteo said, referring to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. 'But passage of H 437 and S 279 would streamline the lengthy process that exists now.' Gov. Maura Healey last session floated a proposal to enable local governments to establish their own liquor license quotas and bypass the home rule petition process, though she did not end up incorporating that reform into her proposed Municipal Empowerment Act. Senate President Karen Spilka had voiced her support for the policy, telling reporters last year she 'never understood why the Legislature approves them to begin with.' Boston gained 225 liquor licenses under a successful home rule petition last session, intended to spur economic development in 13 targeted ZIP codes, including in Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan and East Boston. Legislators from Boston and outside the city celebrated that law's economic development and equity benefits. Meanwhile, Cohasset's restaurant scene, including a major development project on the harbor, is hamstrung by the lack of liquor licenses, Town Manager Christopher Senior told lawmakers. He argued local officials need 'flexibility to provide licenses to locations that make local sense.' Cohasset is currently seeking five additional on-premises licenses through a home rule petition. 'We are now a victim of our own success. Every one of our 14 on-premises all alcohol licenses have been issued,' Senior testified virtually. 'We are down to the last of our four wine and beer on-premises licenses.' Oliveira, a Ludlow Democrat and one of the bill sponsors, was not allowed to testify virtually before the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. Rep. Tackey Chan, who was co-chairing the hearing in Room A-2, made the decision based on a House joint rules reform measure that prohibits joint committee members from participating remotely but still allows the public to testify virtually. 'Pursuant to the House rules, the chair is not recognizing committee members who are not here physically in person,' Chan said. 'As a result senator, the chair does not recognize Senator Oliveira.' Committee co-chair Sen. Pavel Payano, who said Oliveira was 'on line' and ready to testify, accused the panel of trampling on a 'sacred principle that no voice in democracy could be silenced.' Payano argued that silencing Oliveira also equated to silencing his constituents in Belchertown, Palmer, Wilbraham, Longmeadow, South Hadley, Warren, Hampden, Springfield, Granby, East Longmeadow and Ludlow. 'I think that that is a travesty,' Payano said. 'You're telling the entire community your concerns are not welcome here. This is just not a matter of procedural fairness. To me, I find it discriminatory. You know, the folks out in western Mass., it's not the same as people that are closer to Boston.' Payano then read the testimony that Oliveira had prepared to deliver. Chan, who said he understood 'there are complications for some folks,' reiterated the House stance that legislators should testify in person. The House-Senate conference committee tasked with reaching a deal on joint rules reforms has been unable to reach an agreement for weeks, and plans to meet on Thursday. The Legislature is operating under 2019 rules, which are 'silent on remote participation,' Oliveira said. Ana Vivas, spokesperson for House Speaker Ron Mariano, told the News Service that Oliveira's testimony 'has been taken into consideration.' 'It's also important to point out that the current joint rules do not expressly allow for remote participation, and have no mention on how to administer remote hearings,' Vivas said. Senate President Karen Spilka said Oliveira was meeting with child care providers in his district Monday to discuss options to lower early education costs in western Massachusetts. 'It is deeply troubling to deny any sitting legislator the opportunity to testify on their own bill,' Spilka said in a statement Monday afternoon. 'The joint rules the House and Senate mutually agreed to in January do not prohibit remote participation, and the notion that one branch's rules can bind the operations of joint committees is without merit. I can personally attest to Senator Oliveira's hard work and dedication to his district, his constituents, and the Senate. I thank him for ably serving all three this morning.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
28-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
‘Why is Milton so poor?' A town of million-dollar homes struggles to pay its bills.
As a parent, you don't want your kids to worry about money, and for the most part, my kids haven't had to — until now. The absurdity of it all is that Milton is not at all poor. Last year the median sale price of a single-family home in Milton was $1 million, and the median household income is nearly Some of the school's fiscal problems have been self-inflicted — Advertisement 'Communities that seem in many ways to be affluent, their city or town government may not be correspondingly affluent,' explained Adam Chapdelaine, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, an advocacy group for the state's 351 towns and cities. Advertisement And so, for the second time in a decade, Milton town officials are asking residents to vote to override Proposition 2½, the 1980 state law that restricts how much a municipality can increase its property tax collection. Students board a school bus on Adams Street in East Milton for the morning ride to school in 2023. Milton Public Schools is now facing a projected budget deficit, and a tax override is needed to prevent deeper cuts and layoffs. Lane Turner Voters in a state-wide ballot initiative approved Prop. 2½ in a bid to rein in out-of-control municipal spending, but decades later the concept has failed to keep up with expenses of modern times. School budgets, in particular, have gotten bigger to accommodate the growing number of students with disabilities that require costly services, from specialized therapies to one-on-one aides. Add in high energy prices and soaring costs of health insurance for town employees, and tax revenue hasn't kept pace with the bills. Milton's hardly the only Boston-area suburb facing this predicament. Other towns from Brookline to Acton have faced similar financial challenges and have had to go to the ballot box in recent years to resolve budget shortfalls. Related : During the pandemic years, federal money helped Milton and other towns put off raising taxes, but now those funds have run out. About 50 towns in Massachusetts held tax overrides last year, compared to an average of 24 override votes in the four years prior, according to an analysis by Chapdelaine. He expects this year to be historically high for overrides. So much so that he thinks it's time policymakers consider whether the current municipal tax structure is sustainable. 'Prop. 2½ is under more strain than it's ever been,' said Chapdelaine. 'It's likely time for a dialogue around Prop. 2½'s efficacy as we try to maintain city and town services.' Advertisement I'm not happy about paying higher taxes, but I'll be voting yes Tuesday because Milton schools really can't afford to lose more. This would be the biggest override request in town history. But if it doesn't pass, the school system that serves about 4,300 students would have to slash school spending by about $6.3 million, or nearly 10 percent of its budget. That could mean a loss of 76 positions, including dozens of teachers and specialists, and cuts to clubs and sports. Related : Supporting the override means my own property tax bill is estimated to go up by about $1,250 to about $15,000. That'll hurt . But it's a worthy investment in a town I love and have called home for 15 years. This is what it means to be part of a community. You come together in times of need. Plus, I want to pay it forward. Both of my sons are on the autism spectrum, and when they were in preschool and kindergarten, they benefited from Milton's specialized educational services — support that helped them become the high-functioning kids they are today. In Medford, opponents of a tax override held Vote No Tax Overrides signs in 2024. The measures passed in November. Cheryl Senter/Cheryl Senter for The Boston Globe Mike Baker, a Milton resident who is an instructional aide at Pierce Middle School, will also be voting yes, but it still may not be enough to save his job. He's low on the seniority list at Milton's only middle school, and the override plugs future budget gaps, not the current one. He's voting yes to ensure that his son, who is a sixth grader at Pierce with my son, will get a good education. Our kids also know each other from playing on the town's travel basketball team the past three seasons. Advertisement 'We live in one of the richer towns in the state of Massachusetts and to have to even do a vote at all is kind of disheartening,' said Baker. Still, he calls the override a 'necessity.' Despite Milton's affluence, it doesn't have much of a commercial tax base, and that means residential property taxes are high. My tax bill is already close to double the state average of about $7,700. Gulp again. There's not a lot of new development to help absorb rising costs, either. Of course, we could fix that part, but as the with the state housing law — even after Related : So will a 'yes' vote prevail? Elizabeth Carroll, chair of the Milton School Committee, said she feels 'cautiously optimistic.' One indication: Drive around town, and you only see 'Vote Yes! For the Override' lawn signs. Supporters have been out in force, knocking on doors and even hosting an information session at a recent bingo lunch at the senior center. 'We don't have a visible 'no' campaign,' said Carroll. 'Other towns you see no signs. That makes me optimistic.' Let's hope the signs have it right — and that Milton chooses to invest in its kids and its future. Advertisement Signs supporting a tax override are displayed in yards on Central Avenue in Milton. Residents head to the polls on Tuesday on whether to raise their property taxes. Brett Phelps/Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State reaches out to fired Massachusetts federal workers with new website
BOSTON (WWLP) – The Healey administration launched a new website Friday to connect fired federal workers with job opportunities and training resources in Massachusetts. More than 46,000 Massachusetts residents work for the federal government, across sectors like public administration, education, transportation, warehousing and the postal service, Healey's office said. The new portal comes as the Trump administration, particularly the Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk, fires droves of federal workers. 'Donald Trump and Elon Musk have been recklessly firing essential public servants who care for our veterans, support our fishing industry, protect consumers, maintain our parks and more. The good news is that Massachusetts is home to world class talent and employers who are eager to hire, and we know members of our federal workforce have the skills to make a difference here,' Healey said in a statement Friday afternoon. 'To all of our federal workers – if you're fed up with the damaging tactics of Trump and Musk, we want you to consider continuing your career here in Massachusetts, whether that's in state or local government or in one of our many thriving industries.' State officials did not immediately specify how many federal workers in Massachusetts have been fired or laid off since the start of the new Trump administration. The state's new website, dubbed by the administration as 'Fed Up,' features more than 160,000 job postings across the private and public sectors, Healey's office said. It pulls together resources and openings from other websites, including the state's MassCareers and MassTalent portals, plus the Massachusetts Municipal Association's job board. With the Trump administration planning to lay off 80,000 workers at the Department Veterans Affairs, Healey's office said the state website also offers veteran-specific employment resources. 'Veterans are essential to the federal workforce, and these layoffs threaten both their livelihoods and the critical services they provide,' Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago said. 'Massachusetts is stepping up to ensure they have opportunities to continue their mission. We encourage every affected worker to explore opportunities in Massachusetts, where their dedication and expertise are valued.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
31-01-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
In re-filed bill, Healey takes second swing to allow cities and towns to raise taxes on hotels, meals, cars
They include a provision that would allow towns and cities to collect a 1 percent tax Most cities and towns would also be allowed to raise the Advertisement The change effectively would hike the levy charged for booking a hotel room by nearly 17 percent, on top of the state's own 5.7 percent tax and, in some cities and counties, an Boston, meanwhile, could increase its local 6.5 percent levy to 7.5 percent. This fiscal year, Boston officials projected the city would collect Mayors and local leaders from across the state lauded the proposal on Friday, which introduces a slate of provisions for local governments including language that would protect anyone who uses fentanyl testing strips from criminal or civil liability, repeal a law that limits school districts' ability to start their own in-house school bus services, and create a new property tax exemption for seniors. Advertisement Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson called the slate of proposals 'common sense reforms.' Amesbury Mayor Kassandra Gove, who also serves as the vice president of Massachusetts Municipal Association said: 'This is how we get stuff done.' Nicole LaChapelle, Easthampton mayor and a former president of the Massachusetts Mayors' Association, said the option to raise excise taxes would allow her city to address roads, revamp wastewater infrastructure, update city vehicles for greener options, and take on and other expensive projects like a $2 million raised crosswalk she wants to install on the city's Main Street. 'At the macro level, it gives municipalities some flexibility to get the daily work done,' she said. The announcement comes days after Healey filed a $1.5 billion spending bill for Chapter 90 authorization, which reimburses municipalities for local road and bridge work. She also filed a 'Every Massachusetts resident deserves to live in a community with high-quality local services, from safe roadways to access to good jobs and schools,' Healey said in a statement Friday. 'Our administration knows that city and town officials know their communities the best.' The proposal has drawn some criticism, too. A group of advocates including the ACLU of Massachusetts and the Disability Law Center said the bill doesn't go far enough in allowing the possibility for local governments to hold public meetings virtually or in a hybrid format. To ensure accessibility, the proposal should require hybrid participation options, not just allow them, they said. Advertisement 'This is a core principle of a democratic process, and for disabled people and others, a fundamental civil rights issue,' the advocates wrote in a statement Friday. 'People with disabilities, the elderly, people who lack access to transportation, and others who are simply unable to access in-person meetings will be completely shut out.' LaChapelle, the Easthampton mayor, said she was disappointed that the bill did not include language that would allow local officials to set caps on the number of liquor licenses distributed in their city or town, a power long-held by the Legislature. Healey had initially said she would include the proposal in her bill last year 'Liquor licenses are an amazing economic development tool,' LaChapelle said. 'It is the decision for a business to come into Easthampton or not. . . . We have no feasible way to get any more. It's really frustrating.' A provision in the bill would allow cities and towns to increase the local meals tax, too. Steve Clark, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said the group opposes the measure. 'Generally, if you're buying a coffee at the Hudson Dunkin' Donuts, you are a resident of Hudson. The meals tax itself is taxing your own people,' he said. 'People are continuously cautious about their budgets . . . The solution isn't going to be to tax our way out to solve the problem.' The National Federation of Independent Businesses echoed the sentiment in a statement Friday. 'After miraculously surviving the effects of the pandemic, inflation, and labor shortages, the restaurant and travel industries don't need higher taxes discouraging consumers from dining out or vacationing in Massachusetts,' state director Christopher Carlozzi said. Advertisement Matt Stout can be reached at
