Jonathan Cohn

PM in the News: Governor Healey defends “absolutely essential” tax cuts (But Are They?)

Chris Lisinksi, “Governor Healey defends ‘absolutely essential’ tax cuts,” State House News Service, January 9, 2024.

Progressive Massachusetts, which describes itself as a grassroots organization with local chapters, called itself “disappointed and disturbed” by the budget cuts, contending they will “disproportionately harm the most disadvantaged members of the Commonwealth.”

“Last year, advocates repeatedly stressed that now was not the time for permanent tax cuts, as signs of lower revenue collection were already coming. The Legislature refused to listen and instead passed a tax cut package that included regressive tax cuts almost equivalent in size to these draconian cuts,” the group said in an unsigned statement. “It should not be lost on us that we never see emergency pauses of regressive tax giveaways; the solution is always one that falls on the backs of the poorest.”

Chris Van Buskirk, “Gov. Maura Healey defends tax cuts as Massachusetts faces $1 billion revenue slowdown,” Boston Herald, January 9, 2024.

Progressive Massachusetts, a policy group, said 2023 was “not the time for permanent regressive tax cuts.”

“We remain disappointed that so many legislators chose not to listen,” the group said on social media in response to the financial headwinds.

revenue

Op-Ed: A New Year’s resolution: Make Mass. affordable

Jonathan Cohn, “A New Year’s resolution: Make Mass. affordable,” CommonWealth, December 28, 2023.

Throughout 2023, we constantly heard elected officials talk about the need for tax cuts to make Massachusetts more “competitive,” pushing a debunked myth that we were about to see an exodus of the well-off due to the Fair Share Amendment and the overall tax landscape. The risk we really face is that our graduates won’t be able to stay here, that young couples won’t be able to make a family here, and that working people will be displaced from one neighborhood to the next before being driven out of the state entirely. All of this is avoidable with good policy.

So let’s hope – and pressure – our elected officials to embrace those policies. And to not give up on a New Year’s Resolution too soon.

Common Start higher ed housing inequality tax fairness

News Roundup – December 7, 2023

Miriam Wasser and Colin Young, “Mass. outlines new strategy for getting customers and utilities off of natural gas,” WBUR / State House News Service, December 7, 2023.

“At its heart, the order is a strategy to help steer the state toward a cleaner energy system that is safe, reliable and affordable for all. It says that utilities can’t charge gas customers for new gas infrastructure if there are viable non-gas alternatives. It changes the existing cost recovery process that incentivizes adding new gas customers. And it prohibits utilities from using ratepayer money to “promote” natural gas.”

Stefanos Chen, “New York’s Millionaire Class Is Growing. Other People Are Leaving.,” New York Times, December 5, 2023.

“Now, a new report based on the latest census and state tax filing data has found a reversal: The ranks of millionaires have come surging back, while lower- and middle-income New Yorkers are heading for the exits, according to the study, published Tuesday by the Fiscal Policy Institute, a left-leaning policy group.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, “Massachusetts can improve equity in higher ed by passing CHERISH Act,” MassLive, December 5, 2023.

“Building on Gov. Healey’s work to expand financial aid access and enable more students to attend college tuition-free, the CHERISH Act would create a path for debt-free college in Massachusetts, expand student support services, provide funding to repair crumbling campus buildings and improve wages and working conditions for staff.”

Andrew Brinker, “Investors snagged 1 in 5 homes for sale in Greater Boston, worsening housing crisis, report finds,” Boston Globe, December 3, 2023.

“Even more challenging though will be figuring out how to pump the brakes on the trend, said Draisen. A real estate transfer tax could help, he said, because it could discourage speculators from buying and selling homes in quick succession. And it would provide funding for more affordable housing efforts.”

Miriam Wasser, “Mass. is on track to meet its near-term climate goals, but the hardest work lies ahead,” WBUR, December 1, 2023.

“So how is the state doing on all of this? On Friday, the Healey administration revealed in its first annual climate report card that the state is on track for its 2025 goals….But, when it comes to meeting the 2030 and 2050 goals, a lot more work (and funding) is needed. And success is far from a sure thing.”

Samantha Gross and Matt Stout, “Mass. Legislature closes out least productive period in decades,” Boston Globe, November 29, 2023.

“In the House, where any spending bill must originate, lawmakers have taken fewer votes at this point in their two-year session than any other going back two decades, a Globe review found.”

Diti Kohli, “With funding challenges looming, Mass. child care could be in jeopardy,” Boston Globe, November 28, 2023.

“But providers said the child-care industry is so broken that it requires a more permanent funnel of government money that goes directly to providers, such as the Commonwealth Cares for Children grants that came through during COVID-19.”

Lisa Guisbond, “Myopic focus on test prep means students are missing out (Letter),” Boston Globe, November 24, 2023.

“If Massachusetts weren’t so myopically focused on prepping students for standardized MCAS exams, there would be more capacity to assess student learning through project-based performance assessments that have been shown to help prepare students for college, career, and civic life.”

Andrew Brinker, “A housing crisis in Massachusetts: A look at single family homes,” Boston Globe, November 22, 2023.

“Roughly 950,000 homes in Massachusetts have large enough yards to accommodate at least one ADU in their backyard…”

Sarah Betancourt, “Massachusetts becomes fifth state in nation to make prison calls free,” WGBH, November 17, 2023.

“Ensuring that individuals in state and county prisons can keep in contact with their loved ones is key to enhancing rehabilitation, reducing recidivism, and improving community safety,” Healey said in a written statement. “I’m proud to sign this important legislation and grateful to the Legislature and advocates for their partnership.”

Rep. Andy Vargas and Sen. Lydia Edwards, “It’s time to protect gig workers and consumers,” CommonWealth, November 15, 2023.

“These are not impossible standards. Most are already the current laws of Massachusetts. Every other company that chooses to do business here has to follow our laws, which include a minimum wage and the worker protections that come with the presumption of employee status.”

“Big College Aid Expansion Will Lift 25,000 Students,” State House News Service, November 15, 2023.

“The governor announced that $62 million in new program funding included in the fiscal year 2024 budget she signed this summer will go toward expanding the MASSGrant Plus program, which her administration says will benefit approximately 25,000 students attending the state’s community colleges, state universities and the University of Massachusetts.”

Gregg Croteau and Mary Gomez, “To reduce recidivism, raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction,” CommonWealth, November 14, 2023.

“Raising the Age does not remove accountability….Rather, it allows for learning and growth in a different setting so that the likelihood of further criminal activity is dramatically reduced as brain development advances. When we do this, we’ll be giving every young person the opportunity for redemption and to be part of the solution moving forward. And our communities will be that much safer.”

Enid Eckstein, Steve Dubb and Lydia Lowe, “Boston’s large nonprofits fall short once again,” CommonWealth, November 12, 2023.

“Yet each year contributions have failed to meet even this modest standard. While some smaller institutions may be financially challenged, many larger institutions also consistently fall short.”

Zeninjor Enwemeka, “How Greater Boston’s zoning decisions reverberate a century later,” WBUR, November 8, 2023.

“Zoning causes us to have areas of concentrated advantage and areas of concentrated disadvantage,” said Amy Dain, who researched and wrote the report for Boston Indicators. “So, if you’re living in an area of concentrated disadvantage, you are missing out on the social networks, the best schools, the access to certain jobs that will help you to advance economically in life.”

A Recent Win + An Urgent Need for Action

Your Voice Needed: Take Action in Support of Families Experiencing Homelessness

That was the good news — and it’s really good news. But here’s some less good news. Last month, Governor Healey announced that the state would cap the number of placements in the Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter program and related state-funded family shelter sites due to financial, space, and staffing constraints.After hitting the cap earlier this month, the Administration began implementing a waiting list for families approved for EA shelter, without providing families with alternative safe places to stay.

On November 15, the Legislature ended formal sessions for the calendar year without approving a supplemental budget that would provide critical funding to serve families experiencing homelessness.

With winter rapidly approaching, it is vital for the Legislature to take action.Can you write to your legislators today to underscore the importance of passing such funding and requiring that some of it be earmarked for overflow shelters? Email your legislators

housing no cost calls

MA Needs a Strong Regulatory Framework for Facial Recognition Technology

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Chair Eldridge, Chair Day, and Members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary:

I am submitting testimony today on behalf of Progressive Massachusetts. We are a statewide, member-based grassroots advocacy group fighting for a Massachusetts that is more equitable, just, sustainable, and democratic.

We are appreciative of the work that the Legislature did back in 2020 in passing police accountability legislation. But there is more work to be done, including stronger regulations around the use of facial recognition technology. In that light, we urge you to give a favorable report to H.1728 and S.927: An Act to implement the recommendations of the special commission on facial recognition technology.

After passing limited regulations for facial recognition technology in 2020 (due to opposition to stronger regulations from Governor Baker), the Legislature created a special commission to study and recommend a regulatory framework. That commission, made up of diverse stakeholders, met, held hearings, and researched and discussed the issue. And that commission—including the AGO, the State Police, the NAACP, the ACLU, and CPCS (among others)—agreed on a set of recommendations, reflected in this bill.

From past debates, I expect that you are familiar with the myriad problems posed by facial surveillance, with regard to both use (e.g., its track record of inaccuracy, especially in distinguishing between Black and Brown individuals—and the dangers that poses) and its susceptibility to abuse (e.g., the ease with which officers could take advantage of data for personal reasons having no relation to public safety).

The provision of this bill help to address those problems by doing the following:

Requiring a warrant in order for police to conduct a facial recognition search—a necessary guardrail to protect privacy rights
Centralizing the use of facial recognition at the State Police in order to curb the potential for misuse, abuse, and wrongful arrests
Ensuring due process protections around the use of facial recognition technology in court cases
Prohibiting mass surveillance and emotion analysis in order to forestall the dystopian futures already happening in places like Russia and China

We urge you to give a favorable report to H.1728 and S.927. When the Legislature creates a commission to do the hard work of studying an issue, and that commission puts forth reasoned recommendations, it should be incumbent upon the Legislature to advance them.

Thank you for your attention and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

police reform

Wanted: Bold Action on the Climate Crisis

Join us and Mass Power Forward in calling on our legislators to wake up and do more for environmental and climate justice!

Every day, we see new evidence of the dire state of the climate crisis: whether it’s record heat waves, storms, droughts, wild fires.

Your legislators need to hear from YOU that climate justice can’t wait.

RSVP for Mass Power Forward’s decentralized lobby day on Dec 5.

Rather than asking you to travel to the State House for a meeting, this lobby day is focused on in-district meetings with your legislator — at a coffee shop, a library, a community center, or maybe just on Zoom.

The in-district meetings will be focusing on Mass Power Forward’s priority bills.

Putting a moratorium on new gas infrastructure
Making big polluters pay for the costs of climate adaptation
Scaling up our investment in green retrofits
Improving indoor air quality
Advancing environmental justice through siting reform and through strengthening civil rights

Want better prep before the lobby day? You can attend a training on Nov 29.

Sign up here to participate!

climate

Rent Control and TOPA are Vital Parts of a Housing Policy Toolkit

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Chair Edwards, Chair Arciero, and Members of the Joint Committee on Housing:

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the Policy Director of Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots advocacy group committed to fighting for an equitable, just, democratic, and sustainable Commonwealth.

We urge a favorable report for S.1299 / H.2103: An Act enabling cities and towns to stabilize rents and protect tenants, S.872 / H.1304: An Act enabling local options for tenant protections, and S.880 / H.1350: An Act to guarantee a tenant’s first right of refusal.

Massachusetts has a lot to offer, but that does little if people can’t afford to live here. The US News & World Report’s annual state rankings put Massachusetts at #45 in affordability. [1] A worker earning minimum wage in Massachusetts would have to work 91 hours a week to afford a modest one-bedroom rental home at market rate. [2]

Clearly, Massachusetts has an affordable housing crisis. This is unsustainable. It has led to expanding economic inequality, increased homelessness, and damage to our economy, as talented workers often leave the state for less expensive regions.

Solving this affordable housing crisis will require us to use every tool in the toolbox. That requires zoning reform that encourages the creation of walkable, sustainable, and inclusive communities. It requires public investment. And it requires strengthening tenant protections that ensure that communities can remain affordable, inclusive, and stable.

However, municipalities across Massachusetts are blocked from taking the necessary steps to address the housing crisis. The misguided statewide ban on rent stabilization policies and a stringent home rule system that prevents municipalities from passing their own laws to govern the basic aspects of civil affairs hamstring municipalities.

By enabling our cities and towns to pass rent control ordinances tailored to their local needs, we can stem the displacement that is hitting so many communities.

We cannot build our way out of the crisis alone because the people at the highest risk for displacement will already be pushed out before they can benefit from any medium to long-term reduction in rents.

There is a lot of fear-mongering around rent control, but I want to make a simple point. If you don’t think a landlord should be able to double or triple someone’s rent in a year after doing no work on the property, you believe in rent control, and the question is just a matter of percentages and exemptions.

On too many issues, Massachusetts is haunted by the ghosts of ill-advised ballot initiatives past. It’s 2023, and we need to act like it.

Empowering cities and towns to respond to our housing crisis also requires passing the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). The TOPA bill, which is similarly an enabling bill, recognizes that we need to preserve our affordable housing stock. Too often, when large landlords sell a building, a mass eviction or rent hike follows for the tenants. TOPA shows that there is another way: as has been a proven success in DC for decades, we could enable tenants to come together to purchase the building—and be granted the right of first refusal in doing so. It’s a common-sense policy for community stability and affordable housing at no cost to the state.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

[1] https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/opportunity/affordability

[2] https://nlihc.org/oor/state/ma

housing

Mass Can Lead the Way on Medicare for All

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Chair Friedman, Chair Lawn, and members of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing:

My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the policy director at Progressive Massachusetts. We are a statewide, multi-issue, grassroots membership organization focused on fighting for policy that would make our Commonwealth more equitable, just, sustainable, and democratic.

We urge you to give a favorable report to S.744/H.1239: An Act establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts has a storied role in the history of the fight for universal health care in the US. Our former senator Ted Kennedy was a longtime champion of single payer, and our 2006 health care reform law was a model for the Affordable Care Act nationally.

Although our health care reform law, boosted by the ACA, has helped Massachusetts achieve near-full universality in health insurance coverage, we still see underinsurance, high premiums, high rates of medical debt, and significant disparities—all inevitable outcomes of a reliance on private sector provision. Universal coverage alone doesn’t guarantee affordability, quality, or equity without additional steps.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the flaws of our current system clear. As we recognize the central public health message that our health is intertwined, we must build that recognition into health care delivery and ensure everyone can access the best-quality care possible. When anyone is too afraid of medical bills or debt to seek the care they need, we are all worse off.

The US remains the only advanced industrial country that has not recognized this as a fundamental right, but Massachusetts can lead the way. A single payer system would save the Commonwealth money through increased efficiency; take the burden of rising health care costs off small businesses, municipalities, and families; eliminate medical debt and medical bankruptcy; and finally guarantee access to quality, affordable health care as a right for all residents of the Commonwealth.

We often hear rhetoric around “choice” in our health care system. And indeed, there are plenty of places where “choice” is important, where it provides a valuable outlet for self-expression. Health insurance is not that. “Choice” in health insurance only means “you get as much as you can afford, and no more.”

The way we design our health care system has a significant impact on the lives of all residents of the Commonwealth, and putting equity and justice at the center of such a design is vital to ensuring that every person is able to live up to their full potential.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

health care

It’s Well Past Time to Retire Offensive Mascots

Chair Lewis, Chair Garlick, and members of the Joint Education Committee:

We urge you to give a favorable report to H.477/S.245 (An Act Prohibiting the Use of Native American Mascots by Public Schools in the Commonwealth).

The use of such mascots has serious social and emotional consequences for Native American youth, including lower self-esteem and more hostile school climates. For non-Native people, they promote a false understanding of Native Americans and culturally insensitive behaviors and stereotypes.

Whether or not someone’s dignity and rights are respected should not be a factor of which school they attend or in which city or town they live. This is a state matter.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has been fighting to eliminate Native American mascots since the 1960s. Here in Massachusetts, the Chappaquiddick Tribe of the Wampanoag Nation, Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and Nipmuc Nation have all called for the elimination of such mascots, and they are joined nationally by such organizations as the National Education Association, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, the American Psychological Association, the American Anthropological Association, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

It’s time we listen.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cohn

Policy Director

Progressive Massachusetts

Indigenous Agenda