COVID-19

7 reasons to support licenses for undocumented drivers

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering whether to enable all drivers, regardless of immigration status, to obtain state driver’s licenses. Here are seven reasons to support such a policy for Massachusetts. 1. You care about child health When undocumented parents can obtain driver’s licenses, it grants them access to many necessities. They are better able to seek and …

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Municipal Budgets, Local Aid, and Property Taxes Amid COVID-19

As a result of the pandemic, municipalities face increased spending needs and declining revenues. Many have the ability to raise property taxes, though others are constrained by Proposition 2 1/2. Moreover, property taxes tend to fall hardest on those with lower incomes. Without sufficient municipal aid, cities and towns may be forced to make public cuts which would slow the economic recovery.

Black Lives and the Pursuit of Racial and Economic Justice

This country was built upon racist ideas and policies that we must all work deliberately to undo every day. These policies, such as Jim Crow laws, residential redlining, inequitable school funding, lack of access to GI bill benefits, and more have brought deep harms to Black and Brown communities. Last week our staff and board took …

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Tens of thousands of undocumented, essential workers at risk of lost jobs, lost pay, exposure to COVID-19

Immigrants without status form the backbone of Massachusetts — producing our food, tending to our loved ones, and stocking our supermarkets. But the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread business closures mean many of these undocumented workers have found themselves at risk of losing their jobs, losing income, or being exposed to the virus.

Unemployment Assistance in a Time of COVID-19

The Commonwealth has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences by implementing several bold new federal unemployment policies that are also supported with federal funds. These have provided crucial protection to many workers and the economy, though undocumented workers have been excluded. Since late April, the greatest volume of unemployment claims have been for a new program for workers traditionally ineligible for unemployment insurance. Without new federal legislation, this program will expire at the end of the year. The federally-funded $600 enhancement to weekly benefits will expire at the end of July. The loss of these benefits would hurt many workers and slow the state’s economic recovery.

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