ORGANIZING NOTES
March 4, 2025
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How Much Progress on Good Government?
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By Evan McKay
The Massachusetts legislature has an abysmal history with entrenched corruption, opaque decision-making, and secret votes. It is so dysfunctional it ranks at the very bottom of all state legislatures in effectiveness. That’s why so many of us have joined grassroots efforts for accountability and good government. The public is on our side in district-level and statewide votes such as supporting a legislative audit.
At the start of this year we saw both the Speaker of the House and the Senate President making promises towards transparency. They spent the next two months behind closed doors deciding legislative rules – not a good sign for transparency. They were the last legislature in the country to form legislative committees, procrastinating for two months to respond to the Trump administration. Still, in the recent rules vote, we can see state house leadership recognizing their unstable footing and trying to course correct.
The new rules, improved though still far from our standards, are unfortunately simply words on a page when it comes down to it. There will be many tests this legislative session where their stated commitments in the house rules run up against an entrenched pattern of behavior and state house culture antagonistic to good government. Will state house leadership continue their pattern of suspending the rules whenever they want? If their stated commitments mean anything, then they should be following their own rules, especially in the most tense and controversial moments.
Their rules moved forward on some components, but backward on others. If they don’t feel the pressure from the grassroots, they will revert to their old ways. An example of this was house leadership’s undoing of modest reforms to address sexual harassment and discrimination on Beacon Hill. We must not allow them to claw back away from the advances made by feminist organizers who tackled the centralized power of the old boys’ club. Right now, it’s important to continue to have these survivors’ back, including Auditor Diana DiZoglio.
State house leadership is brazen in their contempt for good government advocates. Former Chair Jeff Roy has been at the center of a scandal, dating a powerful lobbyist directly lobbying his own committee. Rather than tightening disclosure rules and working to rebuild public trust, house leadership promoted Roy and the Speaker stated that he hopes the problem “goes away.”
State house leadership only budges when our movement forces it to, and the moment the leaders think the public isn’t paying attention, they revert. Calling your legislator is good, and even better is acting collectively with your neighbors. When ten people together push your rep to co-sponsor the Sunlight Agenda or the two bills by the Coalition to Reform Our Legislature (CROL) to address the stipend system and establish a legislative research bureau, it gets their attention.
We have a long way to go towards a Massachusetts legislature we can be proud of.
Evan MacKay, labor leader, anti-corruption organizer, and 2024 candidate for State Rep in Cambridge
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Take Action On The Climate Crisis!
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Take part in the first 350 MA monthly climate action Happy Hour on March 5, 5pm via Zoom!
Learn about how the for profit utilities game the system and take action to make change!
It’s part of ORMA’s DNA to be focused on the ways the 1% and their Oligarchs play the rigged political and economic system to benefit themselves at our expense. You’ve seen the recent stories about the for profit utilities, and their price gouging on your electric bills. You know how the fossil fuel industry has consistently lied about the impact of their primary business (extract and burning oil and gas) on our lives and our communities
As a member of the Mass Power Forward coalition, we’re fighting together for polluter responsibility, clean air, and a halt on gas pipeline expansion and utility profiteering. Several bills currently in the legislature would hold the fossil fuel companies accountable for their lies about Will you join us?
Currently the private, for-profit, utility companies hold the power, and the Governor’s recent intervention to lower your bill is only a temporary measure. The utilities will still get your money later this year! We need real legislative change to “un-rig” the system!
Join our allies in 350MA to take action: learn about Save Money with Clean Heat, one of Mass Power Forward’s primary campaigns in the current legislative session. Find out about the various bills whose combined provisions will move Massachusetts toward an affordable clean energy future and call on our senators and representatives to support them. Join us to learn, ask questions, practice, and advocate together! All are welcome! RSVP here for the Climate Action Happy Hour, March 5 at 5pm.
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Getting Big Not-for-Profits To Pay Cities and Towns
For The Services They Use
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In Massachusetts, municipalities may ask large not-for-profit institutions within their borders to pay an annual fee in lieu of taxes. Payments are voluntary and are traditionally negotiated for long-term periods such as 20 or 50 years. These Payment in Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT) agreements can be requested from institutions that own at least $15 million in land and buildings. In most cases, there are hospitals and universities. Religious institutions are exempt.
Not all municipalities decide to negotiate PILOT agreements. Because such agreements are voluntary, many people feel it would help cities and towns if PILOT agreements were mandated by state law, with municipalities having the option of adopting them by a home rule petition. There is now a network of groups from across the state that are working in support of a bill that would allow this. The current version of the bill would allow agreements that brought in up to 25% of the applicable commercial taxes. The core idea, of course, is that the city is providing services to the institution. Agreements can also recognize that institutions might provide their home cities with services, such as free health care or scholarships for local students. These services can be written into PILOT agreements.
If you are in a group that wants to create a PILOT program and are interested in joining the state network to learn about best practices and advocate for a state bill, indicate your interest here.
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Stop Case Manager Reductions on The Cape
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By Rob McCarthy
On January 22, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey proposed some budget cuts to help balance the Massachusetts budget. As part of this effort, she proposed closing Pappas Hospital and Pocassett Hospital, as well as cutting the case management staff of the Department of Mental Health by 50%. After a vocal demonstration at the statehouse, attended by union members of the SEIU, staff from the Pappas hospital and Pocassett Hospital, DMH case managers, and concerned members of the general public, she agreed to “pause” the closing of Pappas and Pocasset. The plan to slash the number of DMH Case Managers by 50% remains in place and puts our most vulnerable and disenfranchised MA citizens at risk for harm. Each DMH case manager provides services to about 25-30 people living with psychiatric disabilities like Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar Disorder, Major Depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A significant proportion also have Substance Abuse/Addiction Disorders. DMH case managers assist with formulating, regularly updating, and helping to implement rehabilitation and recovery treatment plans. They monitor client’s progress with and effectiveness of these plans. They assist with securing treatment and housing resources and coordinating the efforts of all the clinical professionals involved with each case (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, group home staff, day program staff). They maintain communication with involved family members. They help to secure funding for living expenses, medication/treatment, and job training/education.
Slashing case management staff will result in caseloads of 50-60 per case manager and fewer opportunities to meet with clients, involved clinical professionals, and family members. This strategy increases staff burnout. It also results in increased use of emergency rooms (that are already seriously overwhelmed), police, EMT staff and resources, and legal/court resources. The management of psychiatric emergencies, by staff not trained to do so, has been shown to be detrimental and even fatal to individuals with acute psychiatric symptoms. Intervention by emergency services is the most expensive treatment modality and is likely to quickly meet and exceed any savings gained by halving the number of case managers (not to mention the loss of up to 170 union jobs).
Please, my fellow Progressives, email or phone (617) 725-4005 Governor Healey’s office and email or call (617) 573-1600 Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein and urge them to abandon these plans that will result in a decreased quality of care to people with psychiatric disabilities, stress our already broken health care system, and shift the burden of balancing our state’s budget onto those who can least afford it.
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The Tour and The Fight Against Oligarchy Continues!
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On the first leg of his tour Senator Bernie Sanders hosted thousand of working class people and over flow crowds in Omaha and Iiowa City. Next, he is heading to Michigan and Wisconsin. Kenosha, Wis., on March 7th and on March 8th he’ll speak in Altoona, Wis., before making his wasy to Warren, Mich. The Senator has vowed to conitnue fighting and urged all Americans to do the same.
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It’s time for us to insist our representatives hold in-person town halls. You can use this Indivisible tool to do so! Not only will we be demanding they block, obstruct and disrupt Republican plans, but we want them to publicly call out a Republican member of Congress.
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International Women’s Day Demonstrations!
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In Boston there is an Internation Women’s Day demonstration and march at the State House, joining others around the country. Learn more and sign up here
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Save the Date:
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Dem Convention Sept 13th in Springfield
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The Town and Ward committee caucuses for electing delegates will take place between March 29th and May 18th. Requirement to be a delegate is membership in the Democratic Party and presence at the caucus Link to MA Dem Website to find your ward or town committee. *Currently no dates have been posted as Commmittees are selecting dates and securing locations. As we get closer to the deadline for submitting this inofrmation to the State Comittee, the information will begin to appear on this spreadsheet
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Wales Takes Bold Stand Against Political Lies
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In a groundbreaking move, the Welsh government is set to make lying in politics illegal by 2025. This bold initiative seeks to restore public trust in democracy at a time when misinformation is rampant. Under the proposed measures, politicians who deliberately mislead the public could face serious consequences, including public retraction, suspension, or even voter-led removal.
Hannah Blythyn, chair of the Senedd’s standards committee, emphasized that holding politicians accountable is crucial to strengthening democracy. By introducing strict penalties for falsehoods, Wales is setting a global precedent for truth in politics.
This legislation represents a major victory for integrity and transparency. Voters deserve honesty from their leaders, and Wales is leading the way in ensuring that deception has no place in governance. As misinformation continues to threaten democratic institutions worldwide, including here in the United States, this step forward offers hope that politics can be reshaped into a space of accountability and trust.
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If you would like to work with ORMA Members on
- Climate Change
- Community-Based Alternative Emergency Response Teams
- Ranked-Choice Voting
- Housing For All
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Please send requests for action items, articles or upcoming events
for the next Organizing Notes to
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Campaigns End, Movements Endure
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