Phone number for phone registration or questions: 617 523 2999; e-mail address for questions: lwvma@lwvma.org
The League Fiscal Policy Update Committee states that According to the Mass Taxpayers Foundation, local aid [so-called] is about $700,000,000.00 less than it was in 2002. All costs, however, have increased – especially health care for employees. Virtually all of Massachusetts cities and towns face long-term financial stresses. The cities and towns in our state are trapped by a convergence of four factors: 1)limitations imposed by Proposition 2 and 1/2; unfunded mandates demanded by the states landmark Education Reform Act of 1993; rising employee health insurance costs, and cuts in state funded local aid.
This League Fall Conference appears to be a rare opportunity to gain insight as to the Administration’s thinking as next year’s budget is being created run by a nonpartisan group.
[disclosure – I personally consider local aid a partial “return of capital” since these state funds originate from taxes and fees paid by citizens and other residents who all live somewhere in our Commonwealth]
Cross posted at Red Mass Group.
Amber – this got pushed ‘below the fold’ quickly. Since it hasn’t been front-paged, I’d suggest adding it as an event on the side bar as well.
You notice I posted it on Red Mass Group, too. I think civic education has to be “on both sides of the aisle”