Brainstorming for Tomorrow's Massachusetts
It's time to take a long, hard look at what we value in our state - and how we want to support it. Last week, we discussed some potential revenue options.
Do you have ideas on how we should build a sound fiscal foundation for Massachusetts?
The ONE Massachusetts Leadership Team is meeting on April 2nd, and we're interested in using your suggestions to build our agenda for the upcoming budget season.
ONE Massachusetts network members are encouraging their legislative delegations to build new revenue options in next year's budget. Are you ready to encourage your legislators to take a close look at how they will support our communities - and avoid drastic cuts - with revenue options?
Here are a couple of sample talking points that could get you started...
Do you have ideas on how we should build a sound fiscal foundation for Massachusetts?The ONE Massachusetts Leadership Team is meeting on April 2nd, and we're interested in using your suggestions to build our agenda for the upcoming budget season.
ONE Massachusetts network members are encouraging their legislative delegations to build new revenue options in next year's budget. Are you ready to encourage your legislators to take a close look at how they will support our communities - and avoid drastic cuts - with revenue options?
Here are a couple of sample talking points that could get you started...
- Local Aid/School Funding: The schools, libraries, public safety, youth and elder services funded by local aid and Chapter 70 funding are vital to the health of our community. Now is not the time to spend tax credits on Hollywood movies. We need those funds to support the safety net services that keep working families safe and healthy. That's what we expect from our government. We want our Legislature to take a balanced approach to the current fiscal crisis, combining new revenues with federal stimulus funds, rainy day funds and carefully considered cuts.
- Dental Care Access: Everyone in our state should have access to adequate health and dental services. Cuts to our state's budget do not only limit financial support to individuals in need - they threaten the very clinics who provide specialized services. Just this week, the Globe reported the closing of a Tufts University clinic that has "provided comprehensive dental care to severely mentally disabled patients who have long been ignored by private practitioners." These kinds of cuts call in to question the very character of our state - a state that fights to protect everyone within our borders! I urge you to push for a platform of adequate and stable revenues, so that we can support our state and not rely solely on cuts!