Thursday, February 28, 2013
The sequester could affect everything from contracting and airport jobs at Hanscom Air Force Base to state agencies providing social services to the blind and disabled.
The looming sequester and the possibility of a failure by Congress to strike a deal before the fast approaching March 1 deadline could have far-ranging effects on Massachusetts as well as the communities surrounding Hanscom Air Force Base, according to state legislators. Without action from Congress, the sequester would go into effect automatically on March 1, reducing spending by the state in a number of areas, including education, the environment, health, military and law enforcement, according to the White House. State Representative and Bedford resident Ken Gordon said he believes the impact of the sequester on local communities would be felt almost immediately, especially due to the role that Hanscom Air Force Base plays in the …
Monday, February 25, 2013
Do you wonder what the 'sequester' will mean for Massachusetts? A White House report gives examples of where federal aid would be cut.
Massachusetts would see more than $91 million in federal funds cut from a myriad of programs if Congress fails to act this week to avoid the sequester, the Obama Administration said Sunday. In a move designed to pressure Republicans into accepting new taxes on the wealthy as part of a deal to prevent the sequester from taking effect on Friday, the White House released reports that outlined how those cuts would impact individual states, The Huffington Post reported. Here are some examples of what's on the chopping block for us here in Massachusetts, according to the report: After the reports were released, congressional Republicans criticized the Obama administration for the PR move, The Huffington Post reported. “Rather than issuing last-…
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Massachusetts is chock full of defense contractors, federal employees and federal program beneficiaries. Are you worried the U.S. budget sequester will hurt your family's finances?
The U.S. government has a week before its self-imposed sequestration deadline. If enacted, the across-the-board cuts to the federal budget could mean layoffs, decreased aid and lower government spending. That could mean trouble for some popular government programs, such as Social Security and Medicare. Defense contractors are also preparing for lost and reduced contracts with the government. Locally, it could also doom smaller programs that have a big impact. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps families in need pay for home heating oil and other energy costs. Massachusetts stands to lose over $11 million in assistance under this one program alone. Representatives Ed Markey and Jim McGovern are trying to shield …
RAB
5:48 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
We send representatives to Washington to accomplish our objectives. For this we give them over $16trillion. Since they have not even budgeted the distribution of those dollars (our had earned dollars), they have effectively done nothig for fivw years. If I did that, I would be fired in a lot less than five years. We treat them like royalty, not like our employees. Let's get some useful work out … more ›