PM’s Policy Director was on WCVB5 this evening talking about why the House’s tax proposal misses the mark on affordability. Check out the video here.
Voters Wanted Fairness and Investment, not Tax Cuts for the Rich
Testimony to the Joint Committee on Revenue on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 by Nina Lev of Roslindale
I am Nina Lev, a retired Physician Assistant. I have lived in Massachusetts for over 50 years and in Boston for 40 years. I am testifying in support of S.1784, a fairer and less costly proposal to reform the estate tax threshold without giving a tax break to multi-million dollar estates.
I voted and worked to pass the Fair Share Amendment because I am strong supporter of public education and transportation. As a single mom earning minimum wage I was able to complete my BA at U. Mass in 1978 because the tuition was so reasonable. My daughter received an excellent education in Mass Public school and is thriving in her career as an educator. As a senior citizen, I hope to age in place in Boston and be able to depend on public transportation. But I’m concerned that the current state of the MBTA will make that difficult. The T will need a lot of resources to make up for years of neglect.
I also voted for the Fair Share Amendment because I believe in Tax Fairness. As a member of Progressive WROX/ROZ I talked to hundreds of neighbors about the Fair Share Amendment at the farmer’s market and canvassing door to door and a vast majority of those I spoke with supported the amendment because they wanted to make the Massachusetts tax code fairer. Giving multi-million dollar estates a six figure tax cut is the opposite of what we wanted.
Lastly, I am retired from a successful career, which I attribute, in part, to the public education I have received. My estate could potentially be subject to an estate tax. If so, I will consider myself and my beneficiaries fortunate and hope that the funds go to create opportunities for the the next generations. As you consider reforms to the estate tax, please don’t give the largest estates a tax break.
“We voted to have those who have a little more to pay their fair share.”
Testimony from Keith Bernard before the Joint Committee on Revenue on Tuesday, March 28
Honorable chairs and members of the committee,
My name is Keith Bernard from Malden and for transparency, while I am an elected member of the Malden School Committee, I am not representing them and I am testifying on behalf of Mystic Valley Progressives, a chapter of Progressive Mass. I am also testifying because I am father and as of a month ago a grandfather. Our group supports favorable reporting of S.1784 and H.2960, a fairer and less costly proposal to reform the estate tax threshold without giving an enormous tax break to multi-million-dollar estates.
In November, I voted for the Fair Share Amendment because I believe that our public school systems as well as our transportation network had been underfunded for a long time. I saw my neighbors, and the children in my neighborhood not getting the services they needed to thrive. Educational professionals could not afford to work at a job that many of them loved. I saw my city having to make difficult choices to make our budgets work and I know that Malden is not the only municipality that faces these hard decisions.
You may know Malden, because of our recent teacher strike. I was happy to vote to approve raises for our teachers and especially our educational professionals. I have neighbors that work for the Malden Public School but were not being paid a living wage, and we fixed that. I do not want to look them in the face when we lose other programs that the working families of Malden because we now have a revenue gap.
We voted to have those who have a little more to pay their fair share. We asked for revenue to be generated in a fair manner so we could invest in our children and our workers. We need well-funded schools, and we need trains and buses that run on time and and regularly. However, I and our members do not support giving multimillion dollar estates a six-figure tax cut. As you consider reforms to the estate tax, please respect the will of the many who voted Yes on 1, and do not give the largest estates a tax break. Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing S.1784 and H.2960 be reported out favorably.
IndivisibleLAB Hosts Coffee And Conversation with Rep. Michelle Ciccolo on April 5
Join us IndivisibleLAB on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 from 10:30-11:30am for a casual, two-way conversation with Rep. Ciccolo. This is a chance to hear about the bills that Rep Ciccolo is most focused on and for us to share what bills are most important to us. We will be meeting at Via Lago in Lexington Center from 10:30-11:30am. Please RSVP so that we know that you are coming.
PM Joins Organizations in Calling for an Extension to Eviction Protections
March 17, 2023
Trial Court Chief Justice Jeffrey Locke
Housing Court Chief Justice Timothy Sullivan
Senate President Karen Spilka
Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano
Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Michael Rodrigues
House Ways and Means Committee Chair Aaron Michlewitz
Members of the Massachusetts Legislature
Re: Take swift action to extend Chapter 257 eviction protections before they expire on March 31st
Dear Chief Justice Locke, Chief Justice Sullivan, Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano, Chairperson Rodrigues, Chairperson Michlewitz, and Members of the Legislature:
“Chapter 257”, a key eviction prevention tool, is set to expire on March 31st. Chapter 257 provides an avenue for a tenant who has applied for rental assistance but is in eviction proceedings to request, and requires the judge to grant, a continuance of the case or postponement of physical eviction until a decision is made on the rental assistance application. Allowing this critical tool to expire now could result in evictions where tenancies could have been resolved with rental assistance, pushing many families and individuals into homelessness. We call upon you to take immediate action to extend these protections until July 31, 2024 to allow more time for a permanent solution to be put into place.
The Legislature first enacted Chapter 257 of the Acts of 2020 to ensure tenants are not physically evicted while rental assistance applications are pending. The Legislature extended the deadline in Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021, and extended it again through March 31, 2023 in Chapter 42 of the Acts of 2022. The law ensures that tenants are not needlessly displaced and maximizes rental assistance payments to landlords. It also requires landlords to upload notice to quit letters to a state tracking system, enabling agencies administering rental assistance to conduct outreach to landlords and tenants to prevent evictions. While not perfect, Chapter 257 has been an essential protection for tenants waiting for rental assistance applications to be processed.
The number of families and individuals applying for assistance through the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) homelessness prevention program remains at very high levels, reflecting the experience of tenants and advocates on the ground that Chapter 257 protections are still extremely important. Although the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has made efforts to streamline the program, the RAFT application process is complex and can require a significant amount of time for a tenant to gather their paperwork, the property owner to input their information, and the administering agency to process each application. The unfortunate reality is that many landlords are simply unwilling to wait for RAFT funds — even if the result could be receiving money they are owed and preventing families and individuals from experiencing homelessness.
Before Chapter 257 was enacted, tenants awaiting rental assistance who already were in eviction proceedings had few options. Since going into effect in January 2021, at least 9,000 case continuances have been granted under the law, and untold numbers of tenants have been able to stabilize their housing and prevent eviction simply by having the chance to complete the rental assistance process. There is broad agreement among policymakers that residents across
Massachusetts are experiencing a housing crisis. Chapter 257 is a key homelessness prevention tool that we know is working, at a time when housing instability is on the rise and the state is struggling to provide adequate shelter to families and individuals who are unhoused. Extending Chapter 257 is a simple and commonsense action that will prevent unnecessary evictions, as the state works to address the broader housing crisis.
Judges, court staff, attorneys, and rental assistance providers are familiar with how Chapter 257 operates, and it has undoubtedly saved tenancies and provided money to landlords. Legislation already has been filed that includes language to codify Chapter 257 protections.1 While we await legislative action on that bill, we call upon the Trial Courts or Legislature to act immediately to extend Chapter 257 until at least July 31, 2024, either through a standing
order, attaching language to pending legislation, or with the filing of a new targeted bill, that ensures that protections afforded in Chapter 257 continue without disruption.
We look forward to working with you in the days and weeks ahead to promote greater housing stability.
[1] See An Act relative to summary process and rental assistance, House Docket 3096 (filed by Representative Sam Montaño) and Senate Docket 1883 (filed by Senator Liz Miranda.)
Sincerely,
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Andrea M. Park
Director of Community Driven Advocacy
apark@mlri.org
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
Kelly Turley
Associate Director
kelly@mahomeless.org
Endorsing Organizations (in alphabetical order):
2 Birds No Stones LLC
Amherst Affordable Housing Trust
Amherst Community Connections
Amherst Survival Center
Arise For Social Justice
Bay Cove Human Services
Behavioral Health Network, Inc.
Berkshire Community College
Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority
Berkshire Housing
Berkshire Immigrant Center
Berkshire United Way
Boston Children’s Hospital
Breaktime
Cathedral of the Beloved
Center for Human Development (CHD)/Family Outreach of Amherst
Center for Living & Working, Inc
Center for New Americans
Central Hampshire Veterans’ Services
Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance
Central West Justice Center
Chelsea Black Community
Chelsea Chamber of Commerce
Citizen STEAM
Citizens’ Housing And Planning Association
City of Chelsea Acting City Manager Edward Keefe
City of Chelsea Department of Housing and Community Development
City of Chelsea Police Department
City of Chelsea Public Schools
City of Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne
City of Somerville Office of Housing Stability
Coghlin Electrical Contractors
Commonwealth Care Alliance
Community Action Agency of Somerville, Inc.
Community Action Pioneer Valley
Community Action Programs Inter-City
Community Healthlink
Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust, Inc.
Craig’s Doors
Disability Law Center
Dismas House of Massachusetts
DOVE, Inc.
Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath)
Eliot CHS Homeless Services
FamilyAid
Fenway Community Development Corporation
First Parish in Brookline
Franklin County DIAL SELF Inc.
Friendly House, Inc.
Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals
Greater Boston Legal Services
GreenRoots
Grow Food Northampton
HarborCOV
Harvard Legal Aid Bureau
Homeless Prevention Council
Homes for All Massachusetts
HomeStart, Inc.
Housing Families Inc.
Housing Greenfield
HousingMatch.org
Humanity First Landlords
Independence House
Institute for Community Health
Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action
Justice Resource Institute, Inc.
La Colaborativa, Inc.
Lawrence CommunityWorks
Lynn United for Change
Manaa
Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants
Mass General Brigham
Mass Senior Action Council
Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless
Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association
Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Massachusetts Public Health Association
McCarter Law Office
Metro Housing|Boston
MetroWest Legal Services
MLPB (formerly Medical Legal Partnership | Boston)
Neighbor to Neighbor MA
NeighborWorks Housing Solutions
New England Learning Center for Women in Transition, Inc
New England United 4 Justice
New Lynn Coalition
Northampton Survival Center
Northeast Justice Center
Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, Western Massachusetts Chapter
One Family
OUR Resurge
Pax Christi Beverly
Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts
Progressive Massachusetts
Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts
RCAP Solutions
Reclaim Roxbury
Regional Housing Network of Massachusetts
Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds Inc.
Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston
Southeast Center for Independent Living
Springfield No One Leaves
St. Luke’s-San Lucas Episcopal Church
The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
The Midas Collaborative
The Neighborhood Developers Inc.
United Way of Central Massachusetts
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
Vasquez Mary Kay
Way Finders
Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness
Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj
Worcester Common Ground, Inc.
Worcester Community Action Council
Worcester Interfaith
Worcester Together
YWCA Central Massachusetts
cc: Trial Court Administrator Tom Ambrosino
DHCD Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox
Citizens for Juvenile Justice Debunks Myths about Metal Detectors and School Safety
By Stav Keshet
We all want students to feel safe at school. How can a student thrive if they don’t feel secure? In a recently released report titled Metal Detectors: “Security theater,” Not Safer Schools, Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CFJJ) answer an important question: do metal detectors in schools increase school safety? The answer: no. Research has shown that there is ‘insufficient evidence’ that metal detectors decrease crimes or violence in schools. So why do we use them? There are many reasons that factor in, including the fact that security systems got a boost from federal grant programs following the terrorist attacks of September 11. For many, the “perception of safety” is a major motivator, but that perception is not anchored in reality or universally shared. Such claims around safety lack solid evidence, and make many students, especially students of color, feel less–not more–safe. These issues are not distinct to metal detectors, but demonstrate a larger pattern. Studies have shown that in addition to metal detectors, security cameras and the number of visible physical security measures tend to negatively affect perceptions of safety.
It is important to remember the effects of enhanced security on students’ mental health. As highlighted by the report, enhanced security measures have been documented to cause students to suffer from mental health impacts ranging from anxiety to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other forms of psychological distress.” At a time when our nation is struggling with an ongoing mental health crisis, it is more important than ever to notice how oversurveillance makes it harder for students to find a sense of trust and of belonging, necessities for any healthy learning environment. School should be an enjoyable experience—not a scary one.
The report also looks at the intersection of mental health and racial discrimination. A key takeaway from the report was that even when controlling for multiple other variables, the concentration of students of color [Black, Latine, and Native] at the school was a predictor of whether or not schools decided to rely on more intense security measures And while all students’ mental health is negatively impacted by surveillance measures, Black, Latine, and Native students are often uniquely impacted. The report highlighted a study which found that “the use of surveillance methods, especially when applied disproportionately to students of color, …. skews minorities’ perceptions of their standing in our society, and sends harmful messages to members of all races that students attending majority-white schools enjoy greater privileges and have superior privacy rights.”
Studies have shown that enhanced security measures have negative impacts on teachers and staff, too. The report details several research and anecdotal evidence of school administrators who were concerned about the negative social consequences of metal detectors, in addition to the high financial cost to the school.A senior analyst for the campus safety group Safe Havens International said that: “metal detectors… can also create a prison-like feeling among students, have been linked to diminished academic performance, and, worst of all, don’t work well in school settings.” At the best, ineffective devices are wasting valuable funds in many schools across the United States. At the worst, many students are unable to fulfill their academic potential because instead of school- they attend a quasi- prison.
Progressive Newton Joins Educators to Urge a YES Vote on Upcoming Overrides
By Andrew Steinberg, Progressive Newton
On February 14th and 15th, Progressive Newton co-organized standouts with the “Yes for Newton” campaign and Newton Teachers Association to support the three Override votes on Tuesday, March 14th. During the standouts, hundreds of volunteers at 21 schools showed solidarity with Newton educators and community members who recognized the importance of “Yes” votes for the special election.
The first “operating override” would raise $9.175 million, approximately half of which would go to the Newton Public Schools to help cover staffing and operating costs. The other half would go towards street and sidewalk improvements, park/playground maintenance, programming for senior residents, and climate resiliency projects such as electrifying school buildings and bolstering the city’s tree canopy. The second and third “debt exclusion overrides” would raise $3.5 million and $2.3 million to replace the Countryside Elementary School and the Franklin Elementary School respectively. Both of these schools are overdue for changes. For example, the Countryside School is infamously built so low on wetlands that a learning area in the basement chronically floods and smells like sewage. The state government has recognized the facility as one of the worst in the Commonwealth, and has promised to pay for 25-30% of the costs if Newton funds the rest.
The Override votes are happening during a special election because a Massachusetts law enacted in 1980 strictly limits the amount of property tax revenue a community can raise. Under state law, the maximum amount a community can levy in any given year is called the “levy limit.” Currently, a community’s levy limit increases automatically by an incremental amount of 2.5% of the prior year’s levy limit. However, by passing an Override, a community can assess taxes in excess of the automatic annual 2.5% increase. Voters must approve this increase above 2.5%.
Historically, cities like Newton have relied on Overrides to raise money for large capital projects. In 2013, the city passed its last Override to rebuild the Angier, Cabot, and Zervas Elementary Schools. Over the last decade, costs for the city have increased due to rising prices of construction materials, equipment, healthcare, transportation, and labor. These prices have shot up even more over the last two years due to inflation. Additionally, new municipal services such as full-day kindergarten, increased mental health supports in schools, and necessary technological infrastructure for students have increased costs. Given that these expenditures would be continuous and the city does not merely want to force the bill on future generations through taking on debt, an Override is the best way to ensure that the funding is both adequate and consistent.
While the benefits of the Override votes are clear (such as better educational facilities with robust services, and a more sustainable city with greater amenities), the costs of not supporting them are also. According to the Mayor, “without the override, [Newton Public Schools (NPS)] is looking at a potential shortfall of $6 to $8 million which will require extensive reductions to educational services and infrastructure” (“Mayor’s Update,” Jan. 24, 2023). NPS leadership asserts that if the three questions did not pass, the city would have to eliminate 40 to 50 educator positions, resulting in larger class sizes from kindergarten through 12th grade. Elective options would also decrease, and many academic/social/emotional support roles for students and athletic/music/theater programs would be cut.
Progressive Newton believes that now is not the time for holding back on education funding and reducing school services. The pandemic showed us that the previous system was not enough, and the disparities that the crisis exacerbated will have major consequences for years to come. For this reason, we are proud to support the Newton Teachers Association to advocate for the excellence that our students deserve. Until the 14th, we will be informing our neighbors about the importance of the Override votes and the opportunity to build a better Newton than the one we had before.
PM in the News: State Senate Considers Ending Term Limits for Senate Presidency
Jonathan Cohn, political director for the left-wing grassroots group Progressive Massachusetts, voiced concern that eliminating term limits for the Senate president would be another step moving the Senate closer to the House in the way it does business.
The past few years have seen “what I would call a House-ification of the Massachusetts Senate,” said Cohn, “operating with a greater concentration of power that we have, in recent years, more attributed to the Massachusetts House, and now possibly embracing its style of governance.”
Boston Globe on Healey & Criminal Justice Reform
“I am hoping we can get some reform-minded people in there, so we can make the changes that need to happen. The entire system, the entire culture, everything needs to be completely overhauled,” said Caroline Bays, board chair of Progressive Massachusetts. “This is a new job for her, this is a fresh start.”
Prison Moratorium Campaign Relaunch: “It’s not just about stopping a prison.”
By Stav Keshet
On Monday, Jan 30, 2023, Families for Justice as Healing (FJAH) and The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls hosted a virtual relaunch for the Prison Moratorium campaign, with a packed crowd of over 200 attendees.
Last year, with a coalition of organizers, they were able to pass the Prison Moratorium bill, which would enact a five-year pause on prison and jail construction, through the Legislature; however, it was vetoed by former Governor Charlie Baker. But the fight isn’t over. The need to pass a prison moratorium is particularly urgent because of ongoing plans to build a new women’s prison in the Commonwealth—plans which are proceeding under the new administration of Governor Maura Healey.
The event, moderated by FJAH Executive Director Mallory Hanora, began with remarks from Andrea James, the Founder and Executive director of the National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls and the Founder of Families for Justice as Healing. James powerfully argued that prisons do not allow one to take individual accountability for their actions, and instead merely continue a cycle of harm. She highlighted the concept of “community accountability”—stating that, as a society, we have a responsibility to prevent such continuous harm by investing in communities rather than pursuing criminalization. Highlighting that alternative models already exist, she asked the attendees: “It’s not just about stopping a prison– it’s about…Where is the funding? If you got 50 million plus another 25 to invest in prisons in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and we have worked for more than 12 years to develop models—that we have used our resources at FJAH and the National Council to create models of what different looks like—where is that funding?”
After James came two speakers from Jane Doe Inc., the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. Hema Sarang Sieminski and Nithya Badrinath, Policy Director and Policy Manager, respectively, highlighted how over 90% of incarcerated women experienced sexual abuse or domestic violence before their incarceration, arguing that “the conditions and culture of power and control in prisons, jails, and detention centers are a mirror of the violence that so many survivors experience in the interpersonal context.” Whereas many legislators will point to survivors as a reason to expand criminalization, Jane Doe Inc. believes that carceral systems will not provide the safety and healing that survivors need and do not provide any form of accountability for harm done to them; therefore, they oppose any policy that will increase criminal penalties in the name of increasing accountability or promoting survivor safety.
The next speaker was Ms. Angelia Jefferson, a community member of Families for Justice as Healing and the National Council. Known as “Ms. Angie,” she is a mother, a grandmother, and a formerly incarcerated woman who served over 31 years at MCI-Framingham. She stated that “instead of using that money to build a prison, [she] can’t say it enough–mental health and medical needs to be at the forefront of this.” She spoke of the need to invest in community resources, and especially provide more accessible mental health services and trauma support, instead of defaulting to criminalization. Next spoke the lead sponsors of the bill, Representative Chynah Tyler of Roxbury and Senator Jo Comerford of Northampton. They both discussed their commitment to passing the prison moratorium bill and to pushing a broader narrative that prioritizes investment in community well-being rather than punitive measures.
Some might ask, what does different look like? Sashi James, the Director of Reimagining Communities for Families for Justice as Healing and the National Council, has an answer. While organizers are working to stop the building of a new women’s prison, James is building the future of a non-carceral world, implemented through the vision of “Reimagining Communities”. Most of this work is done in Roxbury by creating programs to support community members. James discussed some of them, including a guaranteed income program for currently and formerly incarcerated women, a basic housing program, a hydroponic farm, and more.
Lastly, the event ended with Rabbi Leora Abelson, the Rabbi of the Nehar Shalom Synagogue in Jamaica Plain and a member of T’ruah, a national organization of Jewish Clergy organizing for human rights. Leora discussed faith and spirituality in connection to social justice, stating that she perceives organizing as sacred work. Participants had the opportunity to think of a moment when they felt free, and Rabbi Abelson powerfully stated that “we live in a world whose structures and systems do not reflect what we know within us about freedom, and dignity, and worth. But we are building that world. And what we know inside of us is guiding us. Guiding us to know that we do not need any more prisons. That we don’t need any prisons. And to know what we do need.” She ended the reflection with a call for action, where participants had the opportunity to support the prison moratorium bill by signing up for an upcoming rally, call the governor’s office, and call their legislators.
If you weren’t able to join the event, you can watch the recording of the event here: https://youtu.be/GobJ-4UmmM8
Want to support the prison moratorium bill? You can with these quick steps!
- Sign up to join FJAH and the National Council at the State House for a Day of Action on February 9 from 3-6pm.
- Call Governor Healey and tell her NO NEW WOMEN’S PRISON
Now is the time to let Governor Healey know that people across MA want a 5 year pause on jail and prison construction and expansion. Call and fill up the voicemail box: bit.ly/massmoratoriumguide - Call your State Rep and Senator and ask them to co-sponsor the Prison Moratorium bit.ly/massmoratoriumguide
- Sign up for a phone bank or canvass!
Volunteer to phone bank or canvass with members of FJAH and the National Council, and support their efforts to stop the new women’s prison and pass the prison moratorium! Sign up for a shift here: bit.ly/nonewprisonvolunteer