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The Crushing Burden of Municipal Retiree Health Care Liabilities

abagley — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:52:47 -0600

The average single family homeowner in 10 of the state’s most economically vulnerable cities would need to pay an astonishing $13,685 today or absorb a crippling 20 percent property tax hike over the next 30 years to subsidize billions in unfunded retiree health care liabilities, according to a new report by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

Boston Globe OP-ED: Don't Overreach on Health Cuts

abagley — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:58:48 -0500

In their zeal to control health care costs, state lawmakers run the risk of causing serious damage to the health care sector, arguably the most important segment of the Massachusetts economy and certainly the most notable exception to the state’s dreadful job record over the past decade.

MTF Analysis: Enhanced Retiree Benefits Would Undercut Municipal Health Reform

abagley — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:14:02 -0500

Dozens of communities across the state would lose the benefits of municipal health care reform under the Senate’s provision requiring that municipal contributions for retirees be the same as for active employees, according to a preliminary analysis by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. The Foundation has identified 50 municipalities and regional school districts that would be impacted, with that number likely to be as high as 100 when all communities have been analyzed.

MTF Analysis Shows Huge Savings for Cities and Towns Under Health Plan Design Approved by the House

abagley — Tue, 10 May 2011 08:56:26 -0500

Broad coalition commends House leadership for passage of municipal health care reform

abagley — Tue, 03 May 2011 10:28:47 -0500

Backed by a broad coalition of business, civic, and education organizations, on April 26 the House took bold action to provide desperately needed fiscal relief to cities and towns by giving municipal leaders the same flexibility as the state to control their soaring health care costs and preserve vital municipal jobs.

Municipal Retiree Health Care Liabilities in Massachusetts - Sorted by Population Size

abagley — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:39:47 -0500

To supplement our report on retiree health care liabilities, the Foundation is in the process of collecting such data for all cities and towns in Massachusetts. This spreadsheet includes new data from 50 additional municipalities, along with updated data for some of the largest 50 municipalities. This spreadsheet will be updated regularly.

Municipal Retiree Health Care Liabilities in Massachusetts - Listed Alphabetically

abagley — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:36:57 -0500

Municipal Health Plans: Gilded Benefits from a Bygone Era

abagley — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:02:23 -0500

Municipal employee health care plans in Massachusetts are far more costly and generous than other employer-sponsored plans in the Commonwealth, according to Municipal Health Plans: Gilded Benefits from a Bygone Era, a new report released today by The Boston Foundation and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. This report is the first to compare specific health care plans from 14 diverse communities with plans offered to state, federal, and private sector employees in Massachusetts.

Retiree Health Care: The Brick That Broke Municipalities’ Backs

abagley — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 08:53:20 -0600

The 50 largest cities and towns in Massachusetts face a crushing $20 billion liability for retiree health care benefits that threatens to wreak havoc with local government services, according to a new report released today by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

The report, Retiree Health Care: The Brick That Broke Municipalities’ Backs, is the first analysis of municipal retiree health care liabilities in Massachusetts. The $20 billion represents what these governments must pay in today’s dollars for the lifetime health care benefits already earned by 150,000 current employees and retirees in the 50 communities.

An Open Letter to Legislators and Candidates

abagley — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:49:49 -0500

The Foundation calls on legislators and candidates to address the unsustainable increase in municipal costs of health care and pensions that are leading to layoffs of teachers, police and firefighters and recommends a series of changes that would save hundreds of millions of dollars annually in the short term growing to billions by 2020.