Massachusetts Governor Wants to Make Remote Local Meetings Permanent

By now, you've probably heard about some of the new taxes and fees proposed by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's administration.

Healey has suggested new taxes on candy, synthetic tobacco products, prescription drugs, cable TV boxes, increased local option taxes on hotels and meals, and even a new five percent tax on the excise tax on your car.

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) is also calling for a new fee on cruises departing from Boston, increased parking fees at Boston Logan International Airport, and a sharp fee increase for ride-hailing services such as Uber, for rides to and from Logan Airport.

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Something else Healey wants to do is to allow municipal officials in Massachusetts to continue to hold remote and hybrid meetings.

The dial-in approach to governing was permitted during the COVID-19 pandemic but will expire on March 31, 2025, unless extended or made permanent by the Massachusetts Legislature.

The Legislature appears poised to extend the deadline until lawmakers consider Healey's request to make remote meetings permanent.

Dozens of municipal officials are asking that the policy be made permanent. Adoption would require a change to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law.

The Massachusetts Municipal Association, Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies have announced their "joint support for legislation to preserve current authorization to hold hybrid and remote public meetings in Massachusetts, which is scheduled to expire on March 31."

State House News Service reports, "Officials from 45 different communities said the remote and hybrid allowances tacked on to the Open Meeting Law in 2020 have made it easier for residents to meaningfully participate in local government and for municipal officials to manage the increased activity."

That may be so for some, but not all have internet access and many would prefer to attend meetings and hearings in person rather than online.

The new version of Healey's local option tax bill contains language that would permanently allow local officials to conduct remote and hybrid meetings.

SHNS says opponents of the measure fear it would "shut people out of the democratic process."