Improving Police Training
One of the most significant issues faced by Massachusetts lawmakers this year was police accountability. The work of the OSA helped to inform this debate and point the way on steps the Commonwealth can take to bolster public trust in law enforcement.
A study released last year by the OSA looked at municipal police training in Massachusetts. It found the state had no way of holding police accountable for meeting training standards, did not provide enough opportunities for them to meet training requirements. 4 states, including Massachusetts, currently do not have a police licensure or decertification process, such as POST.
Massachusetts consistently underfunds payments to municipalities for state-owned land, the state auditor has found.
In smaller towns where the state owns large amounts of land, local budgets rely heavily on reimbursements through Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT). While meant to make up for revenue lost from property tax exemptions, that program has not been fully funded in the past 20 years, according to a report from the office of State Auditor Suzanne Bump.
Further, the formula bases reimbursements on land value, hurting municipalities with stagnant or declining property values.
âThe way the formula works, itâs distinctly disadvantaging our towns in Western Massachusetts,â said state Sen. Adam Hinds, D-Pittsfield. âThis report pulls out quite clearly: The acreage that some of our towns have is significant, and we still get less money than other towns.