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Advocacy
Advocacy
On behalf of the cities and towns of the commonwealth, the Massachusetts Municipal Association pursues a wide variety of municipal interests at both the state and federal levels of government. The MMA is active on legislative issues, executive branch decisions, and occasionally state-level court cases.
The MMA advocacy program is based on local government policies developed by permanent and ad hoc policy committees comprised of local officials. Policies are approved by MMA members at the annual meeting held each year in January.
In the current climate of severe stress on municipal budgets, the MMA is working on five key legislative priorities to bring immediate relief to cities and towns.
Health care plan design
• Removing municipal health insurance decisions from collective bargaining, giving cities and towns the same authority the state has over plan design (in areas such as copays, deductibles and tiered networks)
Quinn Bill
• Clarifying that municipalities are not responsible for the state’s share of the police career incentive pay program unless the municipality voluntarily agrees to do so through a collective bargaining agreement, and clarifying that a collective bargaining agreement between a municipality and a police union that states that the municipality is only responsible for its share of the program is legal and binding on both parties
Telecommunications property tax loophole
• Closing the obsolete $25 million property tax loophole for telecommunications equipment, which benefits telephone companies but hurts local taxpayers
Charter schools
• Reforming the flawed charter school funding system, which disproportionately drains resources from public school districts
Pensions
• Extending pension funding schedules to prevent dramatic cost increases in fiscal 2011 due to significant market losses during the recession
The MMA’s Legislative Division:
• Files a package of MMA-sponsored bills for each two-year legislative session to promote local government interests
• Analyzes and tracks bills filed with the Massachusetts Legislature that could affect local governments, and works with national affiliates, including the National League of Cities, to monitor bills before Congress
• Develops positions on bills and delivers testimony before legislative committees and executive branch agencies
• Prepares bulletins and reports for local officials on legislative and executive branch actions and involves members in advocacy activities such as committee testimony and meetings with state officials
• Participates on special commissions and other policy development groups
• Distributes Legislative Alerts to key local officials when the Massachusetts Legislature is in session, providing updates on pending matters of interest to local government
In addition, the Local Government Advisory Commission, comprising the MMA Board of Directors, meets regularly with the governor to discuss issues facing cities and towns and to pursue a strengthening of the state-local partnership.
MMA members: To receive the MMA’s e-mail alerts, contact Megan Devine at the MMA. Click here to use our online form; please use “e-advocacy alerts” as the subject line.
The MMA advocacy program is based on local government policies developed by permanent and ad hoc policy committees comprised of local officials. Policies are approved by MMA members at the annual meeting held each year in January.
Current legislative priorities
In the current climate of severe stress on municipal budgets, the MMA is working on five key legislative priorities to bring immediate relief to cities and towns.
Health care plan design
• Removing municipal health insurance decisions from collective bargaining, giving cities and towns the same authority the state has over plan design (in areas such as copays, deductibles and tiered networks)
Quinn Bill
• Clarifying that municipalities are not responsible for the state’s share of the police career incentive pay program unless the municipality voluntarily agrees to do so through a collective bargaining agreement, and clarifying that a collective bargaining agreement between a municipality and a police union that states that the municipality is only responsible for its share of the program is legal and binding on both parties
Telecommunications property tax loophole
• Closing the obsolete $25 million property tax loophole for telecommunications equipment, which benefits telephone companies but hurts local taxpayers
Charter schools
• Reforming the flawed charter school funding system, which disproportionately drains resources from public school districts
Pensions
• Extending pension funding schedules to prevent dramatic cost increases in fiscal 2011 due to significant market losses during the recession
The MMA’s Legislative Division:
• Files a package of MMA-sponsored bills for each two-year legislative session to promote local government interests
• Analyzes and tracks bills filed with the Massachusetts Legislature that could affect local governments, and works with national affiliates, including the National League of Cities, to monitor bills before Congress
• Develops positions on bills and delivers testimony before legislative committees and executive branch agencies
• Prepares bulletins and reports for local officials on legislative and executive branch actions and involves members in advocacy activities such as committee testimony and meetings with state officials
• Participates on special commissions and other policy development groups
• Distributes Legislative Alerts to key local officials when the Massachusetts Legislature is in session, providing updates on pending matters of interest to local government
In addition, the Local Government Advisory Commission, comprising the MMA Board of Directors, meets regularly with the governor to discuss issues facing cities and towns and to pursue a strengthening of the state-local partnership.
MMA members: To receive the MMA’s e-mail alerts, contact Megan Devine at the MMA. Click here to use our online form; please use “e-advocacy alerts” as the subject line.
