The legislature today approved its $34 billion budget for Fiscal 2014 (124-29 in the House and 36-3 in the Senate). Fiscal 2014 starts today, July 1. Some items of note in the budget include: Increases in local aid — especially for communities that had been treated unfairly under the Chapter 70 School Aid formula, like Watertown. …
Author Archives: Will Brownsberger
The Senate’s Welfare Reform Proposal
The Senate has released its comprehensive proposal to strengthen the state’s largest cash assistance program, Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC). We will vote on it later this week. Here are the major components of the Senate’s proposal: First, the bill requires analysis and reporting on some fundamental program issues that have not …
Background on Cash Assistance
The conversation about welfare fraud is going to continue over the next few weeks as the Senate develops its own package of reforms. As background to that, I thought it would be helpful to lay out some basic facts about cash assistance in Massachusetts. The primary focus of concern in the recent conversations about fraud …
Boston Strong — March with Will in Boston’s Pride Parade
Next Saturday, June 8, at noon, Boston’s annual pride parade will start with a moment of silence at the site of the Marathon bombing. Please come march with me in support of American liberty and freedom. It’s one of the biggest events of the year in Boston. Please RSVP to trish.lohmar@belmontdemocrats.org, 617-610-4913. We’re meeting at …
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Tobacco Taxation
I’ve recently received some correspondence along the following lines: Dear Senator William Brownsberger: Please vote no on an ACROSS THE BOARD tobacco tax increase. Smokeless tobacco does not pose the same health threats and general repugnancy as do cigarettes (with the exception of spittoons as ground litter.). Cigarette smoke affects lungs(aerobic fitness potential, etc.), nearby …
Senate Passes Budget
Wednesday and Thursday of last week were long days as we plowed through 725 budget amendments. It was a relatively smooth year with fewer controversial issues. The budget was tight, but fewer programs were taking deep cuts so there was less anxiety overall than there has been for the past few years. My biggest concerns …