Category Archives: Massachusetts Municipal Association

Gov – Permit remote and hybrid meeting options for public bodies through March 31, 2025

Posted on March 1, 2023 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association –

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Posted in Massachusetts Municipal Association

Zoom municipal meeting to continue

Posted on July 15, 2022 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association today –

Legislature Passes Remote Meeting Extension Through March 31, 2023

On Thursday afternoon, the House and Senate passed legislation (S. 3007) extending key pandemic-era accommodations, including remote meeting authorizations, to March 31, 2023.

Once the Governor signs the bill, cities and towns will retain the option to hold public meetings remotely, following the same guidelines that have been in place since the COVID public health emergency was first declared in March of 2020.

Back in May, a remote meeting extension was included in the final FY23 Senate Budget as an outside section, but this language was advanced by the Senate as a standalone bill last week with the July 15th expiration approaching and the final budget still tied up in negotiations. The House later passed its own version of the bill, including language that would have created a permanent mandate for remote access to all public meetings aside from those in executive session, with a provision requiring remote participation by the public if public participation is allowed or required at the meeting. This would have gone into effect on April 1, 2023.

The MMA worked with our members and stakeholders across the Commonwealth to make it clear to the Legislature that despite the good intentions behind H. 4991, such an unfunded mandate would have presented unworkable financial, technological, logistical, and practical challenges for cities and towns.

The MMA is pleased the Legislature took these concerns very seriously and removed this unfunded mandate from the bill, extending current remote meeting options through March 31st of next year. The MMA will continue to push for a permanent solution that gives municipalities the necessary flexibility and funding they will need to expand participation and engagement through remote and hybrid meetings. The bill is now on the Governor’s desk awaiting action, and will go into effect immediately once signed. Communities with public meetings scheduled today or early next week are encouraged to consult with their municipal legal counsel on the best course of action.

Please thank your Representatives and Senators for extending the remote meeting options, and for recognizing the challenges that would have been created with an unworkable mandate.

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Posted in Legislature, Massachusetts Municipal Association, State

MMA on the Senate budget

Posted on May 19, 2022 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) with respect to the Senate taking up the state budget next week. 0

The Senate has already announced some increases in the budget as was proposed by the Governor and House. I especially hope that the legislature votes to continue remote municipal meetings, at least through 2023, and to eventually make them permanent.

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Senate to Begin FY23 State Budget Debate on Tuesday, 5/24

Lawmakers Will Decide All Municipal and School Amendments Next Week

Please Thank your Senators for Increases to UGGA, Charter School Mitigation Payments, PILOT, and Other Key Priorities and Ask for Their Support to Build on Impressive Investments

May 19, 2022

Dear Osler,

On Tuesday, May 24, the Senate is scheduled to start debating its version of the fiscal 2023 state budget (S. 4). During their deliberations, Senate members will consider more than 1,100 amendments, including many issues important to municipalities and school districts. Debate is expected to conclude by the end of next week. It is critically important that you connect with your Senators as soon as possible and ask them to support and co-sponsor key budget amendments to support municipalities.

When you talk with your legislators, please thank them for the many strong investments in the Senate Ways & Means budget, including doubling the increase in Unrestricted General Government Aid, doubling Chapter 70 minimum aid to $60 per student, fully funding the Student Opportunity Act, accelerating funding to fully implement the Student Opportunity Act’s charter school reimbursements a full year ahead of schedule, and increasing PILOT payments by 29%.

The MMA has sent a detailed letter to all Senators, advocating on all major local government amendments.

Please click here to download MMA’s letter as a PDF

A copy of the Senate Ways & Means budget (S. 4) and all proposed amendments can be found on the Legislature’s website:

https://malegislature.gov/Budget/SenateDebate

Please review the MMA’s Senate budget letter and call your Senators as soon as possible to let them know how these amendments would impact your community. This is the best time to influence their support for the issues and amendments that matter most. Please thank them for their important investments and encourage support for amendments that would further aid municipalities.

This is a quick reference to some of the many amendments highlighted in the MMA’s letter to all Senate members:

Regional School Transportation 100% Reimbursement (Amendment #647) – Please ask your Senators to support an increase to the Regional School Transportation account (7035-0006), which is critical to rural and smaller communities. Amendment #647, would fund 100% of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s fiscal 2023 projected claims, at $97 million.

Remote Meeting Extensions (Amendment #1114) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #1114, to extend provisions allowing for remote participation in open public meetings, as well as remote notarization, and remote town meetings, among others, from July 15, 2022, to December 15, 2023. Massachusetts is in the middle of another rise in COVID transmissions, and extending the option for remote meetings will provide resiliency for government operations during a time of ongoing uncertainty and public health concern. This is a highly time-sensitive measure, and it makes perfect sense to include it in legislation that will get to the Governor’s Desk before the current extension expires on July 15.

Rural School Aid and Regionalization Grant Program (Amendments #743, #704) – Please ask your Senators to support funding the Rural School Aid account (7010-0005) at $20 million, providing rural school assistance grants, with priority given to proposals that support schools and districts that have experienced significant enrollment losses, and Amendment #704, which provides $500,000 for school district regionalization grants to regional school districts, or school districts considering forming a regional school district or regionalizing services.

Early Voting Reimbursement (Amendment #127) – Please ask your Senators to support an appropriation to reimburse municipalities for the costs of implementing early voting for state elections. Amendment #127 includes a $6 million appropriation to fund this state mandate.

Local Opt-In for Permanent Outdoor Dining (Amendments #332) – Please ask your Senators to support this amendment to give municipalities the option to permanently extend outdoor dining options. Amendment #332 would allow restaurants to apply for local approval to expand outdoor table service.

Chapter 70 Minimum Aid (Amendments #630, 631) – The MMA deeply appreciates the Senate Ways & Means proposal to double per-pupil minimum aid to $60 per student. This was real progress for the 135 districts that are minimum-aid-only. As you know, the MMA has consistently advocated for $100 per-pupil minimum aid, and thus we certainly support consideration of Amendments #630 and #631, which would increase Chapter 70 minimum aid to $75 per pupil and $100 per pupil, respectively. Please talk to your Senators about minimum aid.

Community Preservation Act Surplus Funding (Amendment #834) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #834, which directs the Comptroller to transfer $20 million to the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund prior to sending the net surplus for fiscal 2022 to the Commonwealth’s stabilization fund. The number of CPA communities has reached 187, and this amendment would increase the state’s match from approximately 35% to 43%, about the same state match percentage as last year.

Flexibility in Municipal Broadband Spending (Amendment #856) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #856, which would allow funds appropriated for closing the digital divide to be granted to municipalities seeking relief from debt incurred for the construction of broadband networks. These communities were forced to step in when the private carriers ignored their regions and left their households and businesses behind in the broadband buildout, adding costly burdens on local taxpayers.

Shannon Grants (Amendments #942, #951) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendment #942 and Amendment #951, to increase funding for the Shannon Grant program (8100-0111). This anti-gang grant program helps cities and towns respond to and suppress gang-related activities.

Finally, the MMA has very strong concerns regarding Amendment #810, relative to retiree cost-of-living-adjustments, or COLAs. The amendment would authorize local and regional pension boards to award a COLA adjustment of up to 5.9% to retirees in fiscal 2023, above the current 3% cap. This would very likely increase the local unfunded pension liability, and drive up costs for taxpayers. Most communities in the state participate in regional pension systems, and do not have direct decision-making authority regarding adoption of a higher COLA, and we are aware of no system that has incorporated higher COLAs into their unfunded pension liability calculations. Adoption of a higher COLA, even if limited to one year, would permanently increase the pension obligations for all participating communities, requiring increased annual appropriations to fund the cost. Please reach out to your Senators to share what the financial impact would be to your municipality.

If you have any questions regarding any of these amendments, please contact MMA Legislative Director Dave Koffman at dkoffman@mma.org or MMA Senior Legislative Analyst Jackie Lavender Bird at jlavenderbird@mma.org.

Please Call Your Senators Today to Thank Them for the Municipal and School Funding in the Senator Ways & Means Budget, and Ask Them to Build on This Progress by Supporting Key Amendments for Cities and Towns.

Thank You!!

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Posted in Budgets, Massachusetts Municipal Association

MMA on the state budget – more should be due towns

Posted on March 21, 2022 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association this afternoon –

Please Urge Your Legislators to Support Key Local Government Priorities for Fiscal Year 2023

Please Call Your Representatives and Senators Today and Ask Them To:

• Increase UGGA by 7.3%, not 2.7%
• Increase Chapter 70 Aid Minimum Aid to $100/student
• Fully Fund School Transportation Accounts
• Fully Fund PILOT
• Pass a Multi-year $300M Chapter 90 Bond Bill

Increase Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) by 7.3%

Please ask your legislators to provide a strong commitment to revenue sharing by increasing Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) by 7.3%, or $85.3 million, to bring the account up to $1.253 billion in FY23. State tax collections in FY23 are projected to grow by 7.3% above the revenue base that was used in the FY22 budget that the Legislature adopted last July. The budget filed by the Governor (House 2) only offers a far-too-low 2.7% increase, and does not reflect full revenue sharing. Between FY15 and FY20, the state’s revenue-sharing calculation worked well, providing adequate and dependable increases for UGGA that kept pace with state revenue growth – UGGA and state revenues each increased by 19% over these years. But during the past two years, the state’s revenue forecasts have been far lower than actual collections, and this threatens to leave cities and towns behind. State tax revenues have grown by 22% in FY21 and 22, but UGGA has only increased by 3.5%. By tying UGGA increases to the growth from the FY22 enacted budget to January’s FY23 revenue forecast, this adjustment could be made and the UGGA account would increase by a total of $85.3 million. This would more adequately reflect the last two years of unprecedented state revenue growth, while acknowledging that future year tax revenues may return to more modest growth patterns. UGGA provides essential funding for municipalities, allowing communities to deliver core services to residents and businesses, while mitigating further overreliance on the property tax. As you know, discretionary local aid suffered disproportionately large cuts during the Great Recession, and is still nearly $150 million below fiscal 2008 levels, without adjusting for inflation.

For FY23, the MMA requests an 7.3% increase in UGGA funding levels, to a new total of $1.253 billion.

Click Here to See the Impact that Adequately Funding UGGA with a 7.3% Increase Would Have on your City or Town

Increase Chapter 70 minimum aid to $100 per student Please thank your legislators for their commitment to fund Chapter 70 School Aid and fulfill the promises made in the Student Opportunity Act. Because this reflects the implementation of the SOA’s foundation budget enhancements, the majority of the new funding in House 2 would go to expansion of the foundation budget, adding weight for low-income students, English Language Learners, special education costs, and school employee health benefits. Unfortunately, 135 of 318 operating districts (42%) would receive only the minimum $30 per-student increase in the Student Opportunity Act, providing Chapter 70 increases of 1% or less, far below inflation. These 135 districts would receive a total of $9.3 million in new aid, while the other districts would receive $475 million more.

Please ask your legislators to increase minimum aid to $100 per student to ensure that all districts can at least keep pace with inflation and maintain their school services. Fully Fund School Transportation Accounts (various line items)

In mid-March, DESE will release the FY23 projected costs associated with school transportation. We know that the Governor’s budget would cut regional transportation reimbursements below FY22 levels and would significantly underfund out-of-district vocational transportation. Please ask the Legislature to use DESE’s projections when published, to fully fund these key accounts, as well as the McKinney-Vento account for transporting homeless students.

Please ask your legislators for full funding of all school transportation accounts.

Fully Fund PILOT

MMA supports full funding of the Commonwealth’s obligations to the program for payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land (PILOT). The House 2 proposal would level fund this account at $35 million. A report completed by the state auditor in December 2020 found that this account has not met the state’s obligation in 20 years, and that the funding for fiscal 2020 should have been $45 million. This is a particularly important program for the cities and towns that host and provide municipal services to state facilities that are exempt from the local property tax, and we applaud the Legislature’s fiscal 2022 increase, which initiated a path to phasing-in full funding. Unfortunately, H. 2 would stall that progress.

Please ask your legislators to make an important investment in the PILOT program and continue the commitment to full funding.

When discussing the details, please ask them to support the auditor’s recommendation to fully fund this account based on the aggregate tax method, and ask for a “hold harmless” provision to protect municipalities with reduced land values and PILOT reimbursements.

Pass a Multi-year $300M Chapter 90 Bond Bill & Support Supplemental Funding

While separate from the annual budget process, Chapter 90 funding for local roads and bridges is a key priority for municipalities. Chapter 90 is a critical program for all cities and towns across the Commonwealth, and it needs both short- and long-term support. Chapter 90 allocations have been generally flat at $200 million since fiscal 2012, and the purchasing power of that funding has been substantially diminished. Since fiscal 2012, the real value of Chapter 90 funding has dropped by at least 42% due to construction inflation. The MMA estimates that the current Chapter 90 bond program ($200 million) is far short of the more than $600 million annual investment actually needed to maintain municipal roads. This figure was most recently calculated as of fall 2021, so the number today is likely even higher due to additional inflationary pressures and higher costs of supplies and materials.

Please ask your legislators to pass a multi-year $300 million Chapter 90 bond bill by April 1, so municipalities can efficiently plan projects and take advantage of the construction season from the start. In addition, with a rapidly-growing need and many shovel-ready projects, we are requesting a separate, one-time $100 million supplemental appropriation, which was first proposed in the Governor’s FY22 supplemental budget.

Click here to see MMA’s detailed testimony on key municipal budget priorities for FY23 Click here to see MMA’s detailed testimony on Chapter 90

Please Contact Your Legislators Today! Thank You Very Much!

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Posted in Budgets, Legislature, Massachusetts Municipal Association, State

MMA’s The Beacon

Posted on March 4, 2022 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association –

Click to access MMA-Beacon-March-2022.pdf

Hello Members!

Here’s the March 2022 issue of The Beacon – packed with the latest news affecting local government plus details about many upcoming MMA member group meetings, both remote and in-person.

Here are a few highlights:
• Local aid hearing set for March 15, UGGA remains top MMA priority
• Gov. Baker files supplemental budget with funds for Ch. 90, winter road repair, MVP
• MMA to hold 5 virtual Legislative Briefings in March
• Recordings of 12 Muni Workshop Webinar sessions available on MMA website • MMA continues advocacy for election reforms without unfunded mandates
• Gov. Baker signs COVID bill with public meeting provisions
• Administration announces plan for pandemic premium pay for low-income workers
• Auditor Bump to speak at WEMO spring symposium April 2
• White House releases details on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Link to the March 2022 issue of The Beacon (no login required)

By publishing The Beacon as a PDF, we can ensure that we get you the very latest information that you need ASAP. (If you did not receive this email directly, please share your email address with us – along with name, title and city/town – at database@mma.org.)

Best regards,
John Ouellette Manager of Publications and Digital Communications
Jennifer Kavanaugh Associate Editor
Meredith Gabrilska Digital Communications Specialist

https://www.mma.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/MMA-Beacon-March-2022.pdf

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Posted in Massachusetts Municipal Association

State local aid to go up 2.7%

Posted on January 21, 2022 | Comments Off

The Lt. Gov. was giving her last speech to the municipal leaders this morning at the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s annual meeting. She got emotionally choked up at the end as she said goodbye to us for the last time. Tomorrow we hear from Gov. Baker, Sen. Markey, and Sen. Warren. The MMA annual meeting went from being in person to virtual (and free) in about a week. Both Polito and Baker are former Select Board members, so they are especially liked.

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association –

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Posted in Budgets, Financial, Massachusetts Municipal Association, Select Board matters, State

The Beacon – the MMA’s magazine

Posted on January 10, 2022 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association –

Hello Members!

Happy New Year! Here’s the January 2022 issue of The Beacon – packed with the latest news affecting local government plus details about many upcoming MMA member group meetings, both remote and in-person.

https://www.mma.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/MMA-Beacon-January-2022.pdf

Here are a few highlights:

• MMA Annual Meeting is around the corner

• Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito to speak at Annual Meeting

• Budget outlook for FY23 is a balance of strong revenue and uncertainty

• Legislature, MMA see several priorities for 2nd year of session

• In letter to Treasury, congressional delegation calls for changes in ARPA rules

• DHCD releases draft multifamily zoning guidelines for MBTA communities

• Gov. Baker updates mask advisory, announces hospital support

• MMA to present fiscal policy resolution at business meeting

• Link to the January 2022 issue of The Beacon (no login required)

By publishing The Beacon as a PDF, we can ensure that we get you the very latest information that you need ASAP. (If you did not receive this email directly, please share your email address with us – along with name, title and city/town – at database@mma.org.)

Best regards,

John Ouellette

Manager of Publications and Digital Communications

Jennifer Kavanaugh

Associate Editor

Meredith Gabrilska

Digital Communications Specialist

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Posted in Massachusetts Municipal Association, State

MMA’s The Beacon

Posted on November 2, 2021 | Comments Off

Hello Members!

Here’s the November 2021 issue of The Beacon – packed with the latest news affecting local government plus details about many upcoming MMA member group meetings, both remote and in-person.

Here are a few highlights:

• House passes $3.82B spending plan for ARPA and state surplus

• Anthony Everett to be Annual Meeting’s Friday night speaker

• Plans in place for in-person MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show

• Talks continue on 2 major infrastructure bills before Congress

• New law changes redistricting sequence, Legislature enacts new maps

• State’s new Solid Waste Master Plan emphasizes waste reduction

• MassDEP drafts regulations for public notification of sewage overflows into waterways

• MassCyberCenter releases free online training for cities and towns

• EPA announces national strategy to confront PFAS pollution

• Senate passes comprehensive election reform bill

Plus the latest updates about fall member group meetings!

• Link to the November 2021 issue of The Beacon (no login required)

By publishing The Beacon as a PDF, we can ensure that we get you the very latest information that you need ASAP. (If you did not receive this email directly, please share your email address with us – along with name, title and city/town – at database@mma.org.) Best regards, John Ouellette Manager of Publications and Digital Communications Jennifer Kavanaugh Associate Editor Meredith Gabrilska Digital Communications Specialist

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Posted in Massachusetts Municipal Association

The Beacon – September 2021

Posted on September 1, 2021 | Comments Off

From the Massachusetts Municipal Association –

https://www.mma.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/MMA-Beacon-September-2021.pdf

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Posted in Massachusetts Municipal Association

MMA’s weekly update

Posted on August 13, 2021 | Comments Off

Emailed from the Massachusetts Municipal Association this morning –

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Posted in Massachusetts Municipal Association

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Category Archives: Massachusetts Municipal Association

Gov – Permit remote and hybrid meeting options for public bodies through March 31, 2025

Zoom municipal meeting to continue

MMA on the Senate budget

MMA on the state budget – more should be due towns

MMA’s The Beacon

State local aid to go up 2.7%

The Beacon – the MMA’s magazine

MMA’s The Beacon

The Beacon – September 2021

MMA’s weekly update

Osler ”Pete” Peterson

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