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A variety of factors is placing ever greater pressure on the finances of most cities and towns with little relief in sight, according to the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation's 37th annual analysis of local revenues and spending.
The report highlighted several factors that are squeezing municipal finances, leading to a greater dependence on property taxes and/or to continued cuts in local services:
- limited increases in local aid for the foreseeable future;
- a slowly growing state lottery;
- escalating health care and other difficult-to-control costs;
- a weak economy that is producing only small increases in new growth;
- fewer and fewer communities with excess capacity;
- increasing voter reluctance to approve operating overrides.
The 2007 tax rates on pages 64-69 have been updated.