September 2026 Newsletter

More MTF reports....and researchers!

MTF is gearing up for the fall as we prepare to release our third annual Competitiveness Index, accompanied by a companion poll conducted by the MassINC Polling Group, and open registration for our annual Tax Policy Conference, where you will have the opportunity to hear from municipal, state, and federal leaders on a range of tax policy issues. We are also keeping an eye on key pieces of legislation, including the primary care bill that is being negotiated in conference committee, so check out our conference preview on the bill to catch up!

MTF is excited to announce that our research team continues to grow, as we will welcome our next Policy Start Fellow, Macarena Torti, and our new Policy Researcher, Lisa Salerno, later this month! We look forward to introducing Macarena and Lisa to our members and partners at our upcoming events.

Macarena Torti

Macarena was previously an Executive office intern at the Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General and a constituent services intern in Governor Maura Healey’s office. Torti recently received a B.S. in Economics & International Relations from Suffolk University.

Lisa Salerno

Lisa’s work will center on early education and care policy, after previously serving as a Senior Legislative Assistant to Congressman Jim McGovern, where she advised on domestic policy spanning early education through higher education, healthcare, and safety-net funding. She also held policy and communications roles at Network Health, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, and Benchmark Strategies. Lisa holds a B.A. in English Literature from Boston College and a Master of Public Administration Certificate from Harvard University.

ICYMI - We are excited to announce that MTF Senior Researcher Pablo Suarez is part of this year's class of the ALX100 list! Each year, We Are ALX puts together The ALX100 list to highlight the impact of people of Hispanic and Latin American heritage across the Commonwealth. 

Upcoming Events

Please reach out to Debbie Carroll if you have any questions regarding our upcoming events!

Health Care

MTF's Fellowships Update

MTF’s Policy Start Fellow, April Beatty, continued research on local aid, developing an overview of the Commonwealth's major programs, their role in supporting municipalities, and recent changes affecting their funding and distribution. She also assisted with onboarding preparations for MTF's next fellow, Macarena Torti!

Thank you to our Policy Start Fellowship sponsors!

MTF's Mid-Career Fellow, Philip Lynch, authored MTF's preview of the House and Senate primary care bills as they head to conference committee, outlining areas of agreement and key differences in the proposals related to primary care investment, community health centers, and workforce development.

MTF On the Road

MTF presented to the Bridgewater State University Board of Trustees on Massachusetts' fiscal outlook, sharing insights on the state's economic conditions and key policy challenges facing legislators.

Recent MTF Events

• September Policy Conversation with Joseph Masciangioli, Speaker Ron Mariano's General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor (9/10)