Testimony of Michael J. Widmer President, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation Before the Joint Committee on Public Service In Support of the Governor’s Pension Reform Proposal

Municipal employee health care plans in Massachusetts are far more costly and generous than other employer-sponsored plans in the Commonwealth, according to Municipal Health Plans: Gilded Benefits from a Bygone Era, a new report released today by The...

The 50 largest cities and towns in Massachusetts face a crushing $20 billion liability for retiree health care benefits that threatens to wreak havoc with local government services, according to a new report released today by the Massachusetts...

In our zeal to “reform’’ the Probation Department, let’s not shackle the agency with a system that will ensure mediocrity into the indefinite future.

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation supports the pension reform proposals advanced today by Governor Patrick with Senate President Murray, House Speaker DeLeo and Treasurer-elect Grossman. Unlike the 2009 and 2010 legislation which simply closed...

Municipalities weathered one of their most difficult years in the Proposition 2 ½ era in fiscal 2010, highlighting the urgency of controlling municipal health insurance costs. Driven by cuts in local aid and declines in local receipts and new...

Fiscal 2012 tax revenues will grow by $923 million or 4.7 percent to reach a total of $20.56 billion, according to a new forecast released today by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. The Foundation projects tax collections of $19.63 billion in...

“Preparing a budget months in advance is difficult in the best of circumstances but this year is particularly challenging given the huge revenue swings that could result from any one of several scenarios in play, including the potential impact on...

In order to try to minimize the enormous consequences of Question 3, the proponents argue incorrectly that total state spending is $52 billion when the correct number is approximately $32 billion, as shown on page 137 of the 2009 Comprehensive Annual...