This major study concludes that Massachusetts is divided into two distinct economies: a high-tech, knowledge-driven economy in the east that fueled the state's strong economic performance in the 1990s and an economy highly dependent on a strong...

This report was part of a broad effort by MTF that contributed to the enactment of landmark legislation in 1999 overhauling the finances of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. In the report, MTF calls for urgent legislative action on MBTA...

Op-ed piece: A series of forces-including new spending pressures, slower economic expansion, and major tax-cutting ballot questions-are combining to create uncertainty about the state's financial future. By Edward H. Ladd and David A. Spina, the...

Presentation to seminar sponsored by the West Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Provides an overview of the disproportionate impact of property tax classification on the tax burden of Massachusetts businesses, with updated numbers for fiscal 2000. ...

With the state struggling to pay the cost of its current health care programs, the Foundation called on the Legislature to dedicate any new revenues from the proposed 50-cent increase in the tobacco tax to meet the Commonwealth's long list of...

As a result of recent tax revenue shortfalls, the House and Senate versions of the state budget for fiscal 2003 are at least $650 million out of balance. With more than $1 billion of additional tax revenues already included in the legislative budgets...

The Legislature's $23.1 billion budget for fiscal 2004 goes a long way toward closing an estimated $2.5 billion structural deficit, while taking meaningful steps toward governmental reform. However, the budget's reliance on $400 million of one-time...

Budget conferees face a two-fold challenge as they hash out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2004 budget: minimizing the $300 to $500 million gap between proposed spending and on-going revenues in the two budgets;...

While the strong revenue performance of recent months is welcome news, the state's budgetary difficulties are far from over. Even with the improving revenue picture, 2005 revenues will barely be sufficient to support ongoing spending in state...

The 2005 budget moved one step closer to its final form last week with Governor Romney's exercise of his veto power under the Massachusetts Constitution. With the Legislature scheduled to conclude formal sessions for the year before the end of July,...