The 351
Adam Chapdelaine, John Ouellette
Adam Chapdelaine, John Ouellette
Leading Massachusetts into the future will take the talent, dedication, and hard work of leaders from all of our 351 cities and towns. Our mission at the Massachusetts Municipal Association is to help those leaders deal with some of the toughest issues in the state. On this podcast, hosts Adam Chapdelaine, executive director of the MMA, and John Ouellette, communications director at the MMA, speak with the innovators and experts who are leading the Commonwealth forward and working to make it stronger. New episodes drop every other Tuesday. To learn more about the MMA: www.mma.org
3d ago
As we look into 2026, municipalities across Massachusetts face an onslaught of challenges, from housing affordability to energy costs to maintaining the quality essential services that residents rely on every day. Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll highlights what the administration is doing to help communities tackle these issues, the importance of local governments and public service, and the lessons she learned as Mayor of Salem that she uses to inform her leadership today. For Further Reading: • Lt. Gov. Driscoll reflects on journey from local to state elected office • Healey-Driscoll Administration Files Municipal Empowerment Bill to Enhance Ability of Local Leaders to Deliver High-Quality Services for Their Communities • Administration re-files Municipal Empowerment Act • MMA, local leaders urge legislators to support Municipal Empowerment Act 00:32 Massachusetts: A Historical and Demographic Overview 00:55 Introducing the Lieutenant Governor 01:51 Key Issues Facing Massachusetts 05:39 Municipal Empowerment Act 09:18 State and Local Government Collaboration 10:35 Lieutenant Governor's Reflections on Public Service 13:50 Challenges and Achievements in Local Government 17:11 Federal and State Government Relations 20:40 Co-Leadership in the Healey-Driscoll Administration 23:19 Reflections on Public Service and Future Aspirations To learn more about the MMA: www.mma.org
3d ago
A combination of inflation-driven costs, diminishing state support for municipal services, and tight restrictions on local revenue-raising have created a “perfect storm” for local governments in Massachusetts. In this episode, hosts Adam and John talk about the MMA’s ground-breaking “Perfect Storm” report, which examines the fiscal challenges faced by the state’s 351 cities and towns, and the association’s “Navigating the Storm” response. They discuss key findings around the insufficient recovery of local aid post-Great Recession, the unreasonableness of Proposition 2½ in current economic conditions — and potential solutions, particularly the critical need for state reinvestment to support essential local services. For Further Reading: • Navigating the Storm: Charting a Course Toward Fiscal Stability • MMA offers policy recommendations to address fiscal ‘Perfect Storm’ facing municipalities 00:57 The Perfect Storm Report: Background and Process 04:54 Key Findings of the Report 10:25 Impact of Fiscal Challenges on Local Services 13:13 Proposition 2½: Analysis and Recommendations 20:20 State Aid and Financial Recommendations 24:30 The Importance of Local Government Services 28:12 Advocacy and the Road Ahead To learn more about the MMA: www.mma.org
Dec 11
Leading Massachusetts into the future will take the talent, dedication, and hard work of leaders from all of our 351 cities and towns. Our mission at the Massachusetts Municipal Association is to help those leaders deal with some of the toughest issues in the state. Get a sneak peak of the show, where hosts Adam Chapdelaine, executive director of the MMA, and John Ouellette, communications director at the MMA, speak with the innovators and experts who are leading the Commonwealth forward and working to make it stronger. To learn more about the MMA: www.mma.org
