Get Your Advocacy On! 2015 Overview

The state budget for Fiscal Year 2016 won’t be signed into law until the summer, but budget appropriations are already being penned. The New Year will bring shakeups in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the corner office. Our politicians are facing a revenue shortfall, and with local aid on the chopping block, any and all arts, creative economy, tax credits, and culture funding could be at risk.

Leadership Shakeups:

The three most powerful people in state government are the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President. 2015 will bring us a new Governor (Baker) and a new Senate President. Current President Therese Murray is not returning to office and most insiders think that Senator Stan Rosenberg will be elected the next Senate President. Those same insiders also think current Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo will be re-elected by his fellow representatives to his fourth term and last term in that post (there are term restrictions for both the Speaker and the Senate President). Either way, the New Year will see new people appointed to run House and Senate committees, executive offices, state agencies, and governmental regulatory boards and councils.

The Governor, Speaker, and President, along with those they appoint, will drive budget, regulatory, and policy decisions that impact our sector. It is imperative to pay attention to who’s who and what they’re doing. MALC will stay focused on both the big picture and the smallest details.

Bill Filings:

January will see a flurry of bill filing as the new legislative session kicks off. State representatives usually file about 6,000 bills, while state senators usually file about 2.000 bills. Only about 200 will become law during this session. We’ll take you through the legislative process, from how a bill gets filed to its journey to becoming a law (or more likely, being killed in study).

The Budget Process:

Governor-Elect Charlie Baker will take office in the first week of January. His transition team is already hard at work drafting policy, regulatory, and budget issues. Early this year, he will release his budget proposal. The House of Representatives will then release its proposal in April, followed by the Senate in May. After much debate, both in and out of the public eye, the legislature will agree on a budget to send Baker by the summer. (For more on Baker’s incoming team, check out this story on Boston.com).

As always, MALC will join all arts and culture advocacy groups in pushing back against any proposed cuts to our sector. We will also pay close attention to all funding that impacts our sector, including that for the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Film Tax Credit, the Cultural Facilities Fund, arts education and more. We will also keep an eye out for any budget amendments that could negatively impact our sector such as any anti-coop housing language.

9C Cuts Looming:

The state faces a revenue shortfall, and already Governor Deval Patrick has used his “9c” authority to announce emergency budget cuts. Governor-Elect Baker will surely do the same. So, even before the next fiscal year is upon us, cuts to the creative economy, arts and culture funding could be in the offing. (9c cuts are so-called from the section in the state law that gives the governor such authority: http://massbudget.org/report_window.php?loc=9CAuthority.html)

Advocacy 101

Once the budget proposals go public it’s time to start advocating for everything that helps our sector (and against everything that hurts it.) But, before you do there are some things you should know. We’ll give you the lay of the land and prepare you for effective interaction with your elected officials and their staffers.

Stay tuned for more advocacy coverage!

Written by Kathleen Bitetti and John Weeks