Editorial: Massachusetts lawmakers must get serious about costs
In Massachusetts, the rising cost of living poses a significant challenge for families, as highlighted by a recent report from SmartAsset revealing that the state is the most expensive in the nation to raise a child, with annual costs soaring to approximately $44,000—an increase of 5.7% from the previous year. This staggering figure not only underscores the financial strain on parents but also reflects broader economic issues plaguing the Bay State. A study by ConsumerAffairs corroborates these findings, indicating that the cost of raising a child in Massachusetts is nearly double the national average. Key expenses contributing to this burden include housing, food, childcare, and taxes, which are becoming increasingly unaffordable for many families. As the state grapples with these challenges, the disconnect between the affluent and the struggling is growing more pronounced, evidenced by a report from the Institute for Policy Studies that noted a 39% increase in millionaires in Massachusetts over the past year, juxtaposed against a rising tide of food insecurity affecting over one-third of residents.
The affordability crisis in Massachusetts is further compounded by soaring energy costs, which have been attributed to state-mandated climate and energy programs. While Governor Maura Healey has faced criticism for the escalating electric bills, the need for comprehensive solutions is clear. Initiatives such as the Employer Child Care Innovation Fund, a $2.5 million pilot program launched to enhance access to affordable childcare, represent positive steps towards alleviating some of the financial pressures on working families. However, these efforts must be complemented by a concerted push for more affordable housing. Healey’s recent decision to release over 450 acres of unused land for development, potentially yielding 3,500 new housing units, is a promising move in the right direction.
As Massachusetts grapples with these pressing issues, the call for lawmakers to prioritize affordability across the board has never been more urgent. With many residents struggling to make ends meet, it is essential for state leaders to recognize that “barely making it” cannot become the new normal. By focusing on policies that address the cost of living, enhance housing availability, and support families, Massachusetts can work towards ensuring that all residents, not just the wealthy, can afford to live and thrive in this great state.
Affordability is an existential threat in Massachusetts. Policy makers should treat it as such.
We know high energy costs are squeezing Bay Staters. This week they saw their hopes of the Legislature focusing on saving money on bills thwarted in favor of climate initiatives.
Now a new report from SmartAsset finds that Massachusetts is the most expensive state in which to raise a child, costing parents roughly $44,000, up 5.7% from last year, when we also topped the list.
That’s for one child.
That matches a ConsumerAffairs study from earlier this year which found the costs of raising a child in Massachusetts almost double the national average.
“To calculate this figure, we analyzed key expenses such as housing, food, childcare and taxes for a household with one child,” said Brooklyn Bannister, a media relations specialist for ConsumerAffairs.
Buying a house is out of reach for far too many, and rents are eating up more and more of taxpayers’ paychecks. Food banks are doing a steady business.
Findings from Mass General Brigham and The Greater Boston Food Bank’s annual statewide food access report, released this summer, are sobering.
Approximately 2 million Massachusetts adults — over 1 in 3 residents — faced food insecurity in 2024. The report revealed that 37% of Massachusetts households faced food insecurity in 2024, rising from 34% in 2023 and nearly doubling from 19% in 2019.
Bay Staters are being hit from all sides, and “barely making it” can’t be the new normal.
There are some untouched by such struggles. A spring report from Institute for Policy Studies noted that the number of millionaires by net worth in Massachusetts rose by almost 39% from 2022 to last year — from 441,610 people to 612,109 people.
There’s a chasm between the comfortable and the squeezed in this state, and the squeezed now include those who used to be comfortable.
Massachusetts is a great state, and lawmakers need to pull out the stops so residents, even the non-millionaires, can afford to live and raise families here.
For starters, energy costs are out of control, and while Gov. Healey may blame Donald Trump’s administration for not releasing heating assistance funds, the state can’t ignore the Fiscal Alliance Foundation report which found that state-mandated climate and energy programs are behind the sharp rise in electric bills in Massachusetts.
We need more housing stock, specifically homes that are affordable. Healey deserves kudos for releasing more than 450 acres of unused land, in a bid to create up to 3,500 new housing units across Mass. We should make building in the Bay State easier and uncomplicated.
Last month the Healey administration launched the Employer Child Care Innovation Fund, a $2.5 million pilot program to help employers expand access to affordable, high-quality child care for working families. An excellent idea, and a great way to attract talent to Mass.
But we can’t forget workers who are already here and under the radar. The ones who serve the coffee, clean the office buildings, drive the Ubers, ring up the customers and work more than one job to care for their families.
Affordability across the board should be the mantra, and mandate, for Massachusetts lawmakers and leaders.
Editorial cartoon by Chip Bok (Creators Syndicate)
