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| Government of Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
| Great Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | |
| Polity type | Presidential republic Federated state |
| Constitution | Constitution of Massachusetts |
| Legislative branch | |
Is Massachusetts a religious state?
Religion. As the United States does not collect religious data, it is unknown how many people of each religion live in Massachusetts. Some polls only measure religious adherence of church rather than the whole population. Massachusetts was founded and settled by Puritans in the 17th century.
Is Massachusetts the smartest state?
The smartest states in the U.S. are located in the Northeast, Midwest, and West. Massachusetts is the smartest state in the U.S. Massachusetts has the highest percentage of Bachelor’s degree holders at 42.1% of adults and graduate or professional degree holders at about 32.4%.
What states are referred to as Commonwealth?
There are four states which are officially known as commonwealths: Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, and Massachusetts. The word appears in their full state name and in documents like the state constitution.
Why is a state called a Commonwealth?
Each of these states was also a former British Colony. After the Revolutionary War, having Commonwealth in the state name was a sign that the former colony was now ruled by a collection of its citizens. Vermont and Delaware both use the term commonwealth and state interchangeably in their constitutions.
Is Massachusetts a state or a commonwealth?
Legally, Massachusetts is a commonwealth because the term is contained in the Constitution. In the era leading to 1780, a popular term for a whole body of people constituting a nation or state (also known as the body politic) was the word "Commonwealth." This term was the preferred usage of some political writers.
Is a commonwealth a state?
There are four states in the United States that call themselves commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The distinction is in name alone. The commonwealths are just like any other state in their politics and laws, and there is no difference in their relationship to the nation as a whole.
How many local governments are in Massachusetts?
There are 39 cities, 312 towns in 14 counties.
Is Mass DOT a state agency?
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) oversees roads, public transit, aeronautics, and transportation licensing and registration in the US state of Massachusetts....Massachusetts Department of Transportation.Agency overviewWebsitemass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-transportation6 more rows
What are the six states of the Commonwealth?
There are four US states whose legal names include the term Commonwealth: Kentucky, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. However, this term does not affect laws or life in these states today, nor did it when they were first created either.
What does it mean to be in the Commonwealth?
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule. The origins of the Commonwealth come from Britain's former Empire.
How does local government work in Massachusetts?
Local Government Most towns place executive power in a board of three or five selectmen elected to one- or three-year terms and retain legislative powers in the voters themselves, who assemble in periodic open or representative town meetings.
What are the forms of local government?
Local governments generally include two tiers: counties, also known as boroughs in Alaska and parishes in Louisiana, and municipalities, or cities/towns. In some States, counties are divided into townships.
What is the youngest town in Massachusetts?
Incorporated in 1920, East Brookfield is nicknamed "The Baby Town of the Commonwealth”, as it is Massachusetts' youngest community.
Who oversees the MA RMV?
BOSTON – Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary and CEO Jamey Tesler today announced the appointment of Colleen Ogilvie to the position of Registrar of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), a position she has held in an interim capacity since January 21, 2021.
What does Mass DOT do?
Our mission is to deliver excellent customer service to people traveling in the Commonwealth by providing transportation infrastructure which is safe, reliable, robust and resilient. We work to provide a transportation system which can strengthen the state's economy and improve the quality of life for all.
Who is in charge of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation?
The MassDOT board is comprised of eleven members who are all appointed by the Governor with one designated as the chair. Jamey Tesler (Chair) was appointed Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in 2021.
Why is Virginia called a Commonwealth and not a state?
When Virginia adopted its first constitution in 1776, the term commonwealth was reintroduced, most likely to emphasize that Virginia's new government was based upon the sovereignty of the people united for the common good, or common weal.
What are the 5 commonwealths in the United States?
(5) “United States territories and commonwealths” defined As used in this subsection, the term “United States territories and commonwealths” means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Why is USA not in Commonwealth?
The Commonwealth is a group of 54 nations that were once part of the British Empire. The US became independent from the UK in 1776, after 13 American colonies broke away and declared themselves a republic, refusing to recognise the British monarch as their head of state.
What are the benefits of a Commonwealth state?
Pros of Living in a Commonwealth-StatePeople are Organized Under a Single State Government. ... The Commonwealth States Elect their Leaders. ... You Have Greater Freedom and Prosperity in a Commonwealth. ... A Commonwealth will Also Have Laws to Protect its Citizens. ... Changes for a Commonwealth are not Made Through Force.
What is the government of Massachusetts?
Government of Massachusetts. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is governed by a set of political tenets laid down in its state constitution. Legislative power is held by the bicameral General Court, which is composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. The governor exercises executive power with other independently elected officers: ...
What is the power of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?
The governor exercises executive power with other independently elected officers: the Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and Auditor. The state's judicial power rests in the Supreme Judicial Court, which manages its court system. Cities and towns act through local governmental bodies to the extent that they are authorized by the Commonwealth on local issues, including limited home-rule authority. Although most county governments were abolished during the 1990s and 2000s, a handful remain.
How many houses are there in the Massachusetts General Court?
The state legislature is formally known as the Massachusetts General Court, reflecting its colonial-era judicial duties. It has two houses: the 40-member Senate and the 160-member House of Representatives. Members of both houses have two-year terms.
What is the Massachusetts registry of deeds?
Main article: Registry of Deeds (Massachusetts) All counties in Massachusetts have at least one registry of deeds, which is responsible for recording and holding copies of deeds, titles, and other land records within their district. Each registry is run by an elected register of deeds, who serves for 6 year terms.
How many councilors are there in the governor's council?
The Governor's Council consists of eight elected councilors elected from districts every two years, as well as the lieutenant governor. The council provides for advice and consent for judicial appointments, appointment of certain public officials including notaries public and justices of the peace, pardons and commutations, and certain payments from the state treasury. The governor is the nonvoting president of the council, but is chaired by the Lieutenant Governor in their absence.
How many votes does Massachusetts have?
Massachusetts has 11 votes in the electoral college for election of the President, which are given on a winner-take-all basis. The state joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact in 2009, though the Compact has not yet achieved sufficient national support to be activated.
How many representatives does Massachusetts have?
From the 2010 Census, Massachusetts has nine representatives. As of the 2020 election, all these officials have been from the Democratic Party. This makes the Massachusetts federal delegation the largest single-party federal delegation in the United States.
What state is Massachusetts?
Lists of United States state symbols. Massachusetts ( / ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɪts / ( listen), /- zɪts / ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous state in the New England region of the United States.
What is the official name of Massachusetts?
The official name of the state is the " Commonwealth of Massachusetts". While the designation "Commonwealth" forms part of the state's official name, it has no practical implications. Massachusetts has the same position and powers within the United States as other states. John Adams in 1779 may have chosen the word for the second draft of what became the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution because unlike the word "state", "commonwealth" at the time had the connotation of a republic, in contrast to the monarchy the former American colonies were fighting against. (The name "State of Massachusetts Bay" appeared in the first—rejected—draft.)
What is the Massachusetts Bay colony?
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was named after the indigenous population, the Massachusett , whose name likely derived from a Wôpanâak word muswachasut, segmented as mus (ây) "big" + wach8 "mountain" + -s "diminutive" + - ut "locative" (the '8' in these words refers to the 'oo' sound according to the Wôpanâak orthographic chart). It has been translated as "near the great hill", "by the blue hills", "at the little big hill", or "at the range of hills", referring to the Blue Hills, or in particular the Great Blue Hill, which is located on the boundary of Milton and Canton. Alternatively, Massachusett has been represented as Moswetuset —from the name of the Moswetuset Hummock (meaning "hill shaped like an arrowhead") in Quincy, where Plymouth Colony commander Myles Standish (a hired English military officer) and Squanto (a member of the now disappeared Patuxet band of the Wampanoag peoples) met Chief Chickatawbut in 1621.
How many interstates are there in Massachusetts?
There are a total of 36,800 miles (59,200 km) of interstates and other highways in Massachusetts. Interstate 90 (I-90, also known as the Massachusetts Turnpike), is the longest interstate in Massachusetts. The route travels 136 mi (219 km) generally west to east, entering Massachusetts at the New York state line in the town of West Stockbridge, and passes just north of Springfield, just south of Worcester and through Framingham before terminating near Logan International Airport in Boston. Other major interstates include I-91, which travels generally north and south along the Connecticut River; I-93, which travels north and south through central Boston, then passes through Methuen before entering New Hampshire; and I-95, which connects Providence, Rhode Island with Greater Boston, forming a partial loop concurrent with Route 128 around the more urbanized areas before continuing north along the coast into New Hampshire.
How many metropolitan planning organizations are there in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 10 regional metropolitan planning organizations and three non-metropolitan planning organizations covering the remainder of the state; statewide planning is handled by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector in Massachusetts.
How many people will live in Massachusetts in 2020?
At the 2020 U.S. census, Massachusetts had a population of over 7 million, a 7.4% increase since the 2010 United States census. As of 2015, Massachusetts was estimated to be the third-most densely populated U.S. state, with 871.0 people per square mile, behind New Jersey and Rhode Island. In 2014, Massachusetts had 1,011,811 foreign-born residents or 15% of the population.
When did Massachusetts allow gay marriage?
The state housed the first openly gay member of the United States House of Representatives, Gerry Studds, in 1972 and in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to allow same-sex marriage. In 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to approve a law that provided for nearly universal healthcare.
How Government Works in Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is one of the oldest state governments in the entire United States of America. In fact, Massachusetts is such an old state that it existed before there even were official states or even a United States to be a part of!
Municipalities in Massachusetts
Municipalities, or a city or town in any given state, are all incorporated in the state of Massachusetts. This means that all the land in Massachusetts is part of a particular city or town, and none of it is empty. Because of this, unlike many states, Massachusetts does not have any counties. It only has cities and townships.
Massachusetts State Government
Massachusetts has existed as a state far longer than the United States has existed as a country. The state government of Massachusetts is comparatively weak due to its counterparts in the rest of the United States. This is in large part due to the New England Town system, and that there is no unincorporated or county lands in Massachusetts.
Supporting Question
What is the role of state and local government in the U. S. political system?
Topic 6: The Structure of Massachusetts State and Local Government
Topic 6 explores the roles of state and local government in Massachusetts and around the nation.
What are the three branches of the Massachusetts government?
Massachusetts Government Structure. The government of the Commonwealth is divided into three branches: the Executive, the bicameral Legislature and the Judiciary.
How many cities are there in the Commonwealth?
All territory in the Commonwealth is in one of the 351 incorporated cities and towns that exercise the functions of local government, which include public safety, fire protection and public construction. Cities and towns or regional school districts established by them also provide elementary and secondary education.
What is Commonwealth audited financial statements?
The Commonwealth's audited annual reports include audited financial statements on both the statutory basis of accounting (the Statutory Basis Financial Report, or SBFR) and the GAAP basis (the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, or CAFR).
What is the role of the state treasurer in Massachusetts?
In addition to these responsibilities, the State Treasurer serves as Chairperson of the Massachusetts Lottery Commission, the State Board of Retirement, the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board , the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust and the Massachusetts School Building Authority . The State Treasurer also serves as a member of numerous other state boards and commissions, including the Municipal Finance Oversight Board.
How many members are on the Executive Council?
The Executive Council, also referred to as the "Governor's Council," consists of eight members who are elected to two-year terms in even-numbered years. The Executive Council is responsible for the confirmation of certain gubernatorial appointments, particularly judges, and must approve all warrants (other than for debt service) prepared by the Comptroller for payment by the State Treasurer.
What is the role of the State Auditor?
The State Auditor is charged with improving the efficiency of state government by auditing the administration and expenditure of public funds and reporting the findings to the public. The State Auditor reviews the activities and operations of approximately 750 state entities and contract compliance of private vendors doing business with the Commonwealth.
How many members are in the legislature?
Legislative Branch. The Legislature (formally called the General Court) is the bicameral legislative body of the Commonwealth, consisting of a Senate of 40 members and a House of Representatives of 160 members. Members of the Senate and the House are elected to two-year terms in even-numbered years. Each General Court meets for a two-year period.
How many counties are there in the Commonwealth?
The cities and towns of the Commonwealth are organized into 14 counties; county government has been abolished in seven of those counties. The county governments that remain are responsible principally for the operation of courthouses and registries of deeds. Where county government has been abolished, the functions, duties and responsibilities of the government have been transferred to the Commonwealth, including all employees, assets, valid liabilities and debts.
How many members are in the Commonwealth legislature?
The Legislature (officially called the General Court) is the bicameral legislative body of the Commonwealth, consisting of a 40-member Senate and a 160-member House of Representatives. Members of the Senate and the House are elected to two-year terms in even-numbered years. Each General Court meets for a two-year period. January of 2013 marked the start of the 188 th General Court, which runs through January of 2015. The joint rules of the House and Senate require all formal business to be concluded by the end of July in even-numbered years and by the third Wednesday in November in odd-numbered years. The two legislative branches work concurrently on pending laws brought before them.
What are the Commonwealth agencies?
These include the Commonwealth Connector Authority, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), individual Regional Transit Authorities and other entities . Budgetary information can be requested directly from these agencies.
What is the role of the Attorney General of Massachusetts?
The Attorney General represents the Commonwealth in all legal proceedings in both the state and federal courts, including defending the Commonwealth in actions in which a state law or executive action is challenged . The office also brings actions to enforce environmental and consumer protection statutes, among others, and represents the Commonwealth in public utility and automobile rate-setting procedures. The Attorney General works in conjunction with the general counsels of the various state agencies and executive departments to coordinate and monitor all pending litigation.
What are the three branches of the Commonwealth?
The government of the Commonwealth is divided into three branches: the Executive branch, the bicameral Legislature consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the Judiciary.
What is the role of the state treasurer in Massachusetts?
In addition to these responsibilities, the State Treasurer serves as Chairperson of the Massachusetts Lottery Commission, the State Board of Retirement, the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board , the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust and the Massachusetts School Building Authority . The State Treasurer also serves as a member of numerous other state boards and commissions, including the Municipal Finance Oversight Board.
How many members are on the Executive Council?
Also referred to as the “Governor’s Council,” this body consists of eight members who are elected to two-year terms in even-numbered years. The Executive Council is responsible for the confirmation of certain gubernatorial appointments, particularly judges, and must approve all warrants (other than for debt service) prepared by the Comptroller for payment by the State Treasurer.
Overview
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is governed by a set of political tenets laid down in its state constitution. Legislative power is held by the bicameral General Court, which is composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. The governor exercises executive power with other independently elected officers: the Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and Auditor. The state's judicial power rests in the Supreme Judicial Court, which manages its court system. …
Federal government
For Congressional representation outlined in the United States Constitution, Massachusetts elects two senators to the Senate, as well as a number of Representatives to the House of Representatives proportional to the state's population in the US Census. From the 2010 Census, Massachusetts has nine representatives. As of the 2020 election, all these officials have been from the Democratic Party. This makes the Massachusetts federal delegation the largest single-party f…
Executive
Massachusetts has 151 departments or agencies and over 700 independent boards and commissions. The head of the state's Executive Branch is by law the Governor, but it also has two types of executive officials that do not fall in the Governor's control. Constitutional officers are the elected officials specified by the state constitution, while independent agencies are created by statute and t…
Legislature
The state legislature is formally known as the Massachusetts General Court, reflecting its colonial-era judicial duties. It has two houses: the 40-member Senate and the 160-member House of Representatives. Members of both houses have two-year terms. The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives and controls the flow of legislation. The President is the presidi…
Judiciary
The judiciary is the branch of the government that interprets and applies state law, ensures equal justice under law, and provides a mechanism for dispute resolution. The Massachusetts court system consists of the Supreme Judicial Court, the Appeals Court, and seven trial-court departments.
Judicial power is centered in the Supreme Judicial Court, which oversees the …
County government
Only the southeastern third of the state has county governments; in western, central, and northeastern Massachusetts, traditional county-level government was eliminated during the late 1990s. District attorneys and sheriffs are elected by constituencies which mainly follow county boundaries, and are funded by the state budget. Although most county governments have been abolished, all counties still have a sheriff's department which operates correctional facilities and s…
Municipal government
Massachusetts shares with the five other New England states the New England town form of government. All land in Massachusetts is divided among cities and towns and there are no unincorporated areas, population centers, or townships. Massachusetts has four kinds of public-school districts: local schools, regional schools, vocational-technical schools, and charter schools.
Elections and politics
Massachusetts is known for its progressive politics, and is a stronghold of American Liberalism and the Democratic Party. In a 2018 Gallup poll Massachusetts was the state with the highest percentage of its population identifying as liberal and the lowest percentage identifying as conservative, at 35% and 21% respectively. This and the high profile of well known politicians from Massachusetts such as the Kennedy family has led to the derogatory political phrase "Massachu…
Overview
Massachusetts , officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Maine to the east, Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south, New Hampshire and Vermont to the north and New York to the west. The capital of Massachusetts is Boston, which is also the most po…
History
Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family, including: Wampanoag, Narragansett, Nipmuc, Pocomtuc, Mahican, and Massachusett. While cultivation of crops like squash and corn were an important part of their diet, the people of these tribes hunted, fished, and searched the forest for most of their food. Villagars lived in lodges called wigwams as well as l…
Etymology
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was named after the indigenous population, the Massachusett, whose name likely derived from a Wôpanâak word muswachasut, segmented as mus(ây) "big" + wach "mountain" + -s "diminutive" + -ut "locative". It has been translated as "near the great hill", "by the blue hills", "at the little big hill", or "at the range of hills." This in reference to the Blue Hills—namely, the Great Blue Hill, which is located on the boundary of Milton and Canton. Massachus…
Geography
Massachusetts is the 7th-smallest state in the United States. It is located in the New England region of the Northeastern United States and has an area of 10,555 square miles (27,340 km ), 25.7% of which is water. Several large bays distinctly shape its coast. Boston is the largest city, at the inmost point of Massachusetts Bay, and the mouth of the Charles River.
Environmental issues
Climate change in Massachusetts will affect both urban and rural environments, including forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and coastal development. The Northeast is projected to warm faster than global average temperatures; by 2035, the Northeast is "projected to be more than 3.6°F (2°C) warmer on average than during the preindustrial era". As of August 2016, the EPA reports that Massachusetts has warmed by over two degrees Fahrenheit, or 1.1 degrees Celsius. This is alm…
Demographics
At the 2020 U.S. census, Massachusetts had a population of over 7 million, a 7.4% increase since the 2010 United States census. As of 2015, Massachusetts was estimated to be the third-most densely populated U.S. state, with 871.0 people per square mile, behind New Jersey and Rhode Island. In 2014, Massachusetts had 1,011,811 foreign-born residents or 15% of the population. …
Education
In 2018, Massachusetts's overall educational system was ranked the top among all fifty U.S. states by U.S. News & World Report. Massachusetts was the first state in North America to require municipalities to appoint a teacher or establish a grammar school with the passage of the Massachusetts Education Law of 1647, and 19th century reforms pushed by Horace Mann laid much of the groun…
Economy
The United States Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the Massachusetts gross state product in 2020 was $584 billion. The per capita personal income in 2012 was $53,221, making it the third-highest state in the nation. As of January 2022, Massachusetts state general minimum wage is $14.25 per hour while the minimum wage for tipped workers is $6.15 an hour, …