Controlling health care costs is a hugely complicated undertaking. In our collective frustration with the complexity of the challenge, let's not take actions that will only make the problem worse. Arbitrary price controls have a superficial appeal,...

Appearing before the Joint Committee on Public Service, MTF President Michael J. Widmer testified in support of the Governor's pension reform bill, which would save an estimated $2 billion over the next 30 years by making modest changes in the...

In a presentation to business and government leaders, MTF President Michael J. Widmer described the enormous fiscal problems that will face the state and municipalities at least through fiscal 2012 - even with an economic recovery. The state has...

The Governor's reliance on more than $2 billion of one-time funds in his $31.7 billion fiscal 2011 budget will require major budget cuts in 2012. According to the Foundation's analysis, even if revenues grow by $1 billion in 2012, the state would...

State tax revenues for fiscal 2011 will total $18.953 billion, a $674 million increase over the fiscal 2010 revised benchmark, according to a new forecast today by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.MTF President Michael J. Widmer, who presented...

Despite steps taken by the Governor and Legislature, the fiscal 2010 budget is $300 - $500 million out of balance. Because of the heavy reliance on one-time funds in 2010, the state faces a structural deficit of $3 billion in fiscal 2011, which will...

Cities and towns across the Commonwealth are facing enormous fiscal pressures which will only worsen over the next two years and likely beyond. Confronted by structural deficits in good times, municipalities have had to deal with major cuts in local...

A special section on health care in the Wall Street Journal of October 27, 2009 included two opinion pieces debating the merits of Massachusetts' health reform law, with MTF President Michael J. Widmer describing the law's success at achieving near...

President Michael J. Widmer presented MTF's revised fiscal 2010 revenue forecast to the Senate and House Ways and Means Committee.

MTF President Michael Widmer presented an overview of state and local finances to the Boston Municipal Analyst Forum