The Commonwealth Stabilization Fund, the state’s “rainy day” fund, is a critical component of the Commonwealth’s financial structure. For example, amid the Great Recession in fiscal 2009, budgeted tax revenue plummeted by nearly $2.7 billion compared to fiscal 2008. The Stabilization Fund was a key…

Governor Charlie Baker signed his fifth General Appropriations Act (GAA) on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, giving his approval to $43.6 billion in spending appropriations. While choosing not to exercise his veto authority to reduce spending, the Governor did veto line-item language in 7 spending…

I write to offer comments on the rule proposal entitled “Fiduciary Conduct Standard for Broker-Dealers, Agents, Investment Advisers and Investment Adviser Representatives”

Massachusetts legislators released their compromise plan for the fiscal 2020 budget, authorizing $43.6 billion in spending for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2019. The six-member budget conference committee reconciled the differences between the budget plans adopted by the House and Senate 21…

There should be no doubt that late budgets cause problems, though not the problems cited by Moody’s. For example, Moody’s worried that local governments would not receive monthly payments. The Commonwealth’s interim budget legislation is brief (less than 250 words), but it authorizes local aid…

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts may be on track to end fiscal year 2019 with a surplus of approximately $522 million according to a new analysis. MTF outlined a framework for handling any fiscal 2019 surplus, including (1) Add to the state’s “rainy day” fund; (2) Pay down unfunded pension and…

BOSTON (CBS) – Eileen McAnneny, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, joined WBZ-TV political analyst Jon Keller this week on Keller @ Large to discuss the state of tax issues in the state.

Casino revenue is “not a panacea,” said Eileen McAnneny, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a fiscal watchdog group. “Nor will it solve the Commonwealth’s long-term fiscal challenges by any stretch,” though it could help fund new or supplement existing services.

As you know, tax revenue collections through May 2019 exceeded expectations by $952 million. If this strength continues through June, budgeted tax revenue will grow nearly seven percent over the strong fiscal 2018 collections.

The MTF statement cited doubts over whether the estimated $2 billion in tax revenue would go towards the proposed transportation and education, or would even materialize at all. ″[T]he power to appropriate revenue in the state budget rests solely within the Legislature and cannot be guaranteed in…