Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Wakefield Town Councillor Jonathan Chines, center, chair of the MMA’s Fiscal Policy Committee, speaks during MMA Annual Business Meeting on Jan. 20. Joining him are MMA Legislative Director Dave Koffman, left, and MMA Deputy Legislative Director Jackie Lavender Bird.
During the MMA’s Annual Business Meeting on Jan. 20 in Boston, hundreds of local leaders from across Massachusetts approved two policy resolutions that will help guide the advocacy work of the MMA in the year ahead.
The “Resolution Supporting an Enduring Fiscal Partnership Between Cities and Towns and the Commonwealth in Fiscal 2025 and Beyond” lays the groundwork for an effective revenue-sharing program, identifying municipal needs in areas such as unrestricted aid, education and charter school finance, capital needs such as road maintenance and municipal and school facilities, water and wastewater systems, climate resilience, broadband and cyber preparedness.
With economists and fiscal experts warning about slowing growth in tax collections next year, even as the economy remains strong, it is an important time for municipal leaders to highlight the priorities that are essential for a healthy state and local fiscal partnership. The resolution includes priorities raised by local officials from all parts of the Commonwealth, and builds on policies and principles endorsed at previous MMA Annual Business Meetings.
The “Resolution Supporting a Local-State-Federal Partnership to Address Climate Change, Enhance Resilience, and Bolster Adaptation Initiatives” identifies the many impacts communities face as severe weather events become more frequent, and supports key actions to strengthen and expand existing resiliency programs, strengthen decarbonization efforts, and adapt to the changing climate.
The resolution calls for action in a number of areas that are essential to ensuring an effective local-state-federal partnership to promote climate action. This complex task demands a commitment to support municipal workforce development and decarbonization efforts, and to bolster adaptation and resilience efforts at all levels. The resolution also builds on policies and principles endorsed at previous MMA Annual Business Meetings, including support for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program and the Green Communities Program.
The fiscal resolution was drafted by the MMA Fiscal Policy Committee, and the climate resolution was drafted by the Policy Committee on Energy and the Environment. Both drafts were approved by the MMA Board of Directors on Nov. 14.
The MMA’s Annual Business Meeting is a key component of the MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show, which is held each January in Boston. The policy discussions at the business meeting are a key component of the MMA’s advocacy work.