This poignant story from The Boston Globe about a PACT consumer in Chelsea shows the real-life impact of state budget cuts on Massachusetts residents. The Governor and Legislature can still save this important program.
Yesterday, we learned that state tax receipts are on the rise. If cost-effective programs life PACT are eliminated, the impact in the coming fiscal years will be enormous.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/12/19/more_than_100_people_have__benefited_from_a_hospital__without_walls_but_state_cuts__are_threatening_their_gains/
On the Issues, People & Organizations in Behavioral Health in the Commonwealth
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Lobby Day to SAVE PACT SERVICES
Today's State House Lobby Day was a huge success -- more than 100 people from Springfield, Boston and other parts of the state came to lobby to save the PACT services with legislators. Our rally also coincided with publication of a comprehensive story in the Springfield Republican (http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/12/patricia_dickson_of_springfiel.html) that will help to increase awareness of this critical program. Thanks to North Suffolk and CHD, our other ABH members and our friends at MPOWER and NAMI for helping to organize the rally today.
It was especially heartening to see so many consumers turn out to help put a face and a story to this effort. Legislators and the Governor's office need to understand that these short-sighted budget cuts will harm real people.
Now, get those postcards and emails in!
It was especially heartening to see so many consumers turn out to help put a face and a story to this effort. Legislators and the Governor's office need to understand that these short-sighted budget cuts will harm real people.
Now, get those postcards and emails in!
Monday, December 7, 2009
The new state sales tax in alcohol sold in stores is working
From the Boston Business Journal: “The DOR said a decision earlier this year to increase the state’s sales tax rate to 6.25 percent from 5 percent and the elimination of a sales-tax exemption for alcohol sales contributed to around $88 million in new tax revenue in November. Without those changes, November’s total tax collections would have fallen by around 4.5 percent on a year over year basis, according to figures reported by the DOR.”
So the bad revenue news would have been worse without the new alcohol tax and increased sales tax. Despite the obvious need for funds to buttress badly needed services, the package store owners continue with their campaign to repeal the measure. They gathered enough signatures to move forward toward the November 2010 ballot.
So the bad revenue news would have been worse without the new alcohol tax and increased sales tax. Despite the obvious need for funds to buttress badly needed services, the package store owners continue with their campaign to repeal the measure. They gathered enough signatures to move forward toward the November 2010 ballot.
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