72% of voters approved the audit of the MA Legislature – my office has filed suit with the SJC to get it done. #mapoli

What is grossly irresponsible is that some of these greedy developers have so transparently exposed themselves for seeking only to take advantage of this good law for themselves, @andrewnbrinker, for the record. I actually fully support the zoning law but our office is not able to literally ignore that the local mandate law does require contemporaneous funding be appropriated. The law was just ruled a mandate by the SJC. That means it requires a funding mechanism as part of the law. Amazing how when we said the state had to fund cities and towns for the early voting law, because it was an “unfunded mandate”, none of these developers lost their minds about ensuring funding for that. No one suggested our office was trying to strip away early voting because it said the state had to ensure the costs were fully covered for that voting mandate. Nope. The Legislature simply ensured that when the costs were calculated- they were covered. It is the known responsibility of the division of local mandates to conduct analyses of the local mandate law when it receives requests so state mandated costs on cities and towns are covered. If any wrench exists, it’s the result of the language having not been properly vetted to ensure an adequate funding mechanism was in place. I know certain developers, seeking to exploit our housing initiatives for personal financial gain, have really gotten used to getting their way, right away lately, but Massachusetts neighborhoods are not to be treated like a personal Burger King for developers. This law is intended to help our communities so it needs to be fully funded in accordance with the law. The funding issue is easily resolved and could be addressed in the Legislature immediately. So let’s get to work, and get that done, so we can get past this time of local division and continue addressing the real need for continued zoning reforms and increasing housing in our state for those in need.