Budget conferees face a two-fold challenge as they hash out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2004 budget: minimizing the $300 to $500 million gap between proposed spending and on-going revenues in the two budgets;...

While the strong revenue performance of recent months is welcome news, the state's budgetary difficulties are far from over. Even with the improving revenue picture, 2005 revenues will barely be sufficient to support ongoing spending in state...

The 2005 budget moved one step closer to its final form last week with Governor Romney's exercise of his veto power under the Massachusetts Constitution. With the Legislature scheduled to conclude formal sessions for the year before the end of July,...

In a recent news release, the Foundation called on the Legislature to enact a major overhaul of the state's transportation agencies. Both the full Senate and the Joint Transportation Committee have put forth comprehensive and thoughtful proposals to...

In a major report released today, the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation called on state leaders to remove a series of financial and bureaucratic obstacles to educational excellence at the University of Massachusetts. ...

With the final Senate version of the fiscal 2006 budget $358 million higher than the House, the members of the 2006 budget conference committee will face the challenge of reducing the reliance on one-time revenues to pay for additional spending,...

In a new analysis of the Commonwealth's financial situation, the Foundation focuses on a mounting appetite for new initiatives that threatens to overwhelm the state's ongoing fiscal capacity. ...

"How long will the luck hold? For the past three fiscal years the Legislature has passed budgets which depended on reserves to achieve balance. In each case tax revenues came in better than forecast, largely because of capital gains, eliminating the...

In testimony before the Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets on June 4, MTF President Michael J. Widmer called on the Legislature to cap the Governor's bridge program at $1 billion. Mr. Widmer noted that there are no new...

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation asks lawmakers to consider five questions before casting their votes: 1) Does this income tax surcharge meet the standards of a sound tax policy? 2) Will the estimated $1.9 billion in new tax revenue materialize...