In 1989, when the crack epidemic was on the front page every day, the Massachusetts legislature was among the first in the nation to pass a law requiring that the registrar of motor vehicles suspend the driver’s license of anyone convicted of any drug crime. It’s about time we revisited that law.
Author Archives: Will Brownsberger
Accountability for the MBTA
The central recommendation of the Governor’s MBTA task force was greater accountability for the MBTA. I agree — the management team needs direct accountability to the Governor. That accountability will give the team the strength it needs to sharpen its focus and make change happen.
Film Tax Credit
In conjunction with his budget, Governor Baker proposed the elimination of the Film Tax Credit. On this issue, I agree with the Governor. While I am basically eager to encourage every job-creating industry in Massachusetts, the film tax credit is just too generous to one particular industry — no other industry receives a subsidy as deep as that offered by the film tax credit.
Great Statement on the Olympics
Scott Lehigh’s recent column on the the Olympics (this post includes a link) does a great job in summarizing my frame of mind. I like the Olympics idea and feel we can eventually work through most of the concerns about venues, transportation, etc. But I’m most concerned about the possibility of the taxpayers picking up the tab.
Understanding the Governor’s Early Retirement Incentive Program
The Governor’s Early Retirement Incentive costs half a billion dollars more than a hiring freeze and has the potential to damage the essential missions of many state agencies.
Inside Baseball: The House/Senate Rules Conversation
This post is a message from the bipartisan leadership of the State Senate about the conversation going on right now in formulating the rules that govern the flow of bills in the legislature. The conversation is going to reach a conclusion over the next week or so, but I’d appreciate hearing your thoughts.