This seemingly slow start to spring (I want daffodils and I want them now) is being outmatched by an even slower start on Beacon Hill; finally, nearly three months into the new legislative session, the Legislature sent Governor Healey her first bill to sign into law. (More on that below.)
The Legislature moves at a famously glacial pace on progressive priorities (if they move on them at all); it took them five years to ban child marriage, 30 years to pass drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, and we still have not committed to 100% renewable energy by 2050 (never mind 2035, which is a more accurate deadline).
But hoo boy, the legislature sure can move when they want to, like when they gave themselves a raise three weeks into the session in 2017, or legalized sports betting in one session with Speaker Mariano at the helm.
Remember: it will always be easier for our lawmakers to maintain the status quo, and to not fight for bold policies. That’s exactly why it’s our job to push them, constantly, to do more, and now. On so many issue areas, we don’t have nine weeks to waste.
State House Scoop
Healey’s “immediate needs” spending bill signed into law after 9 weeks
Signed on Wednesday, this supplemental budget bill is a combined package of the governor’s immediate needs bond bill and her spending bill that was filed nearly two months ago. The final version authorizes $85 million for the state’s emergency family shelter system, additional SNAP funding to partially ease the loss of federal aid, and funding to cover universal school meals through the end of the academic year. Sounds pretty good, right?
But wait, there’s less: amid the mounting housing crisis in the state, the Democratic supermajority legislature and Democratic governor just let a critical COVID-era policy to prevent evictions expire yesterday. Let’s be clear: families will be evicted from their homes all across the state as a direct result of the governor’s and legislature’s inaction. If that wasn’t bad enough, they even went so far as to lower the cap on rental assistance. Listen, cutting back on social safety nets may sound, look, and be bad, but it’s a small price to pay for the top 1% wealthiest families to pay less in taxes.
Thankfully, there is a piece of good news buried in there: a line item for $1 million in funding for a public awareness campaign about fake abortion clinics, also known as crisis pregnancy centers, and $250,000 for the state’s abortion legal helpline–line items that had been vetoed by Governor Baker last session. Finally, Healey does something to the left of her Republican predecessor!
Healey doubles down on GOP-esque tax cuts during budget hearing
Elected officials and members of the public came together to testify on Governor Healey’s budget proposal at a hearing on Tuesday. To recap: Healey’s budget is more conservative than Baker’s last budget, and would slash the estate and short term capital gains taxes–essentially major giveaways to the richest 1% in the state. Plus, even the positive investments are woefully inadequate.
It’s no surprise, then, that Healey tried to focus on the $600 per dependent tax credit–a tax reform in her proposal that would not exclusively benefit the wealthy. Luckily, Senator Becca Rausch came with receipts: "So we've got a renting family of four with a teenager and a four-year-old. If they're in the bottom 80 percent [...] that family would see maybe 700 bucks [per year]. [...] But if the same family falls into the top 1 percent, they're looking at much closer to $8,000 per year, plus the transfer of a $182,000 credit when an estate passes through generational wealth."
Frankly, I’m too angry to make a quippy joke about this. Growing wealth disparities and intergenerational poverty are not natural, they are policy choices, and this is what those policies look like.
Mariano promises tax cuts in speech to Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Fortunately, Governor Healey’s budget is merely a proposal that starts the negotiations, so none of it is a done deal. Unfortunately, the person now in control of the budget process isn’t much, if at all, better: Speaker Mariano. The house will release their own proposal later this month which will take and leave various elements of Healey’s budget. Mariano had been mum on the issue of tax cuts, but in a speech he delivered this week he confirmed that the house’s proposal will include “a comprehensive tax reform package aimed at providing responsible, permanent financial relief to all residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of income status.” For some reason, Democrats in this state seem to feel very comfortable announcing their intention to cut taxes for rich people. Then again, I’d probably start to feel pretty comfortable, too, if I spent my time giving speeches to business owners in fancy hotels.
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Missed a Scoop or two? You can find a full archive of all past Saturday Scoops on our blog.
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Take Action
Tell your legislators: No more tax cuts for the wealthy
The house is drafting their budget proposal as we speak, and we need to make sure they're hearing from as many constituents as possible about what we want in the budget. Legislative leaders are certainly hearing from wealthy donors and monied special interests, so let's make sure they're hearing from us too. Call your rep and tell them: no more conservative, regressive tax giveaways to the rich:
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And last, a not-so-fun fact to kick off your weekend
If you read the Scoop religiously, you probably know that Massachusetts has the least competitive elections in the country, two cycles in a row. Challenges to incumbents are rare, successful challenges are even more rare, and successful challenges against lawmakers in leadership? Practically unheard of. This is for many reasons: potential challengers may fear retaliation, unions and other endorsing organizations are less likely to endorse against someone in leadership lest their priorities get tanked, and last but not least, legislative leaders have a boatload of cash.
House Ways & Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz leads the pack with an astounding $1 million in the bank. Even with the best volunteers in the world, it’s hard to compete with that; for reference, state rep campaigns typically raise and spend between $25-$80k, depending on the district. Speaker Mariano clocks in with $539,663 in the bank, and President Spilka has a paltry $275,604. And it’s no wonder why Michlewitz has the largest nest egg: he’s presumed to be next in line for speaker. By donating to his campaign account, wealthy CEOs and businesses (through their PACs) are making an investment they expect will yield returns.
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That’s all for now! I'll be back in your inbox next week. Until then, stay dry and stay hopeful.
In solidarity,
Erin Leahy
Executive Director, Act on Mass
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