As the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets hears Governor Maura Healey’s housing bond bill, which includes a tax increase in the form of a local option transfer tax on home sales over a million dollars, the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance criticized the proposal as counterproductive.

This morning, the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance offered testimony to the Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions in support of question #23-34, An Act expressly authorizing the Auditor to audit the Legislature, which would make explicit to the State Auditors’ authority to audit the legislature.

The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance issued the following statement after the State Senate voted down a common-sense amendment (#49) that would give priority to residents over migrants for the Right to Shelter law benefit, which is leading to the emergency shelter system being overwhelmed by the migrants entering our state. Massachusetts is the only state in the country with such a generous taxpayer funded benefit, eligible to anyone who can simply enter our state. The amendment was rejected by a vote of 12-27, to view a copy of the roll call vote on this amendment, please click here.