Week Ending December 3, 2010
On Wednesday, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue released the tax collection figures for the month of November. The state collected $1.43 billion last month, $101 million above the monthly benchmark. Navjeet Bal, the state revenue commissioner said that tax collections for the first five months of the year are up $698 million, an increase of 10.2% over the same period in FY2010. Despite the good news, the Patrick administration anticipates an additional $500 million in appropriations will be needed this fiscal year, because of the increased use of Medicaid in Massachusetts.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor released job statistics today that showed the national unemployment rate rose an additional .2% to 9.8% in November. For the previous three months, the unemployment rate has held steady at 9.6%. 15 million residents in the US are currently unemployed, with 42% of those classified as long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 months or more).
Legislative leaders met this week to discuss follow-up from the Ware report, which detailed systemic abuse and corruption within the Massachusetts Probation Department. On Tuesday, Kevin Martin, deputy to independent counsel Paul Ware, said that Ware’s report does not accuse any politician of criminal conduct. On Thursday Governor Patrick again reiterated his desire to merge the probation department into his administration, arguing that housing the probation and parole boards under one roof would provide prisoners re-entering society with a smoother transition. The state’s top judges, members of the legislature and independent counsel Paul Ware are opposed to the Governor’s proposal.
Two of Governor Patrick’s top aides announced that they would not stay on for Governor Patrick’s second term. The Governor’s current chief of staff Arthur Bernard will be replaced by incoming chief of staff William “Mo” Cowan. Since Cowan was formerly the chief legal counsel in the Governor’s office, he will be replaced by Mark Reilly, a deputy chief legal counsel in the administration. The Governor’s Energy and Environment Secretary Ian Bowles also announced that he will leave the Patrick administration by the end of December. Secretary Bowles will be succeeded by Rick Sullivan, the current commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
The Public Policy Institute released a poll this week that showed US Senator Scott Brown with a significant lead over his potential challengers. According to the Public Policy poll, Brown would beat US Representative Mike Capuano 52% to 36%, US Representative Barney Frank 52% to 39%, Victoria Kennedy, wife of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, 48%-41% and UMass Lowell Chancellor Martin Meehan 52% to 36%. The poll was conducted between November 29th and December 1st and has a margin of error of 4.4%. Senator Brown is up for re-election in 2012, although no Democrat has announced an intention to run.
John Nunnari, Assoc AIA
Executive Director, AIA MA
jnunnari@architects.org
617-951-1433 x263
617-951-0845 (fax)
MA Chapter of American Institute of Architects
The Architects Building
52 Broad Street, Boston MA 02109-4301
www.architects.org
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