THE PIONEER BLOG

Is Free Community College What Massachusetts Needs?

/in , , , , /by Eileen McAnneny

The Massachusetts Senate proposed making community college tuition free for all residents of the Commonwealth as part of its FY2025 budget. Pioneer explores whether this program is what Massachusetts needs to prepare its residents for gainful employment and how it interacts with the state’s extensive workforce development infrastructure.

Dana DiChiro

Unemployment in Massachusetts by Race

/in , , , , , /by Dana DiChiro

Unemployment rates vary based on racial groups. Most minority groups face higher unemployment rates in Massachusetts than the majority White population.

Andrew Mikula

The Housing Crisis has a Hand in Massachusetts Out-migration Trends

/in , , , , /by Andrew Mikula

Recently published IRS data shows that net out-migration from Massachusetts among young adults ages 26-34 is the highest on record. Some 9,498 more taxpayers in this age bracket moved out of Massachusetts than moved in during 2022, up from 9,241 in 2021 and 1,769 in 2012. In 2022, the net loss of taxable income in Massachusetts from 26-34-year-olds moving out topped $1 billion for the first time. For every 100 tax filers in this age group who moved out in 2022, only 76 moved in, down from 93 in 2012.   Figure 1: Effect of 26-34-year-olds Moving on Number of Taxpayers and Taxable Income in Massachusetts Figure 2: Ratio of 26-34-year-old Tax Filers Moving Into Massachusetts to Those Moving Out […]

Editorial Staff

Latest IRS Migration Data Show Exodus from Massachusetts Continues

/in , , , , , /by Editorial Staff

Massachusetts shed more than double the amount of adjusted gross income (AGI) in 2022 than any year prior to 2020, making it fifth among states in net AGI out-migration behind only California, New York, Illinois and New Jersey, according to data released Thursday by the Internal Revenue Service. 

Raif Boit

The MBTA’s Aging Infrastructure: Improvements have Failed to Materialize for the T

/in , , /by Raif Boit

Reform for the MBTA has long been a priority for Massachusetts government. However, the MBTA still struggles to grow its ridership and revenue, as its infrastructure grows increasingly in need of repair.

Raif Boit

Cape Cod Restricts Fourth of July Parties: What’s the Economic Impact?

/in , , , /by Raif Boit

With Fourth of July parties getting out of hand in recent years, Dennis Police established measures to limit the number of beachgoers this year. This may have an impact on Dennis economically, but it is a choice Dennis feels is worth making.

Dana DiChiro

What makes these five so-called “W” towns so appealing?

/in , , , /by Dana DiChiro

Learn about what makes these five Massachusetts “W” towns so desirable to live in, but also the costs associated with them.

Dana DiChiro

Part II: Push and Pull Factors for Massachusetts Businesses

/in , , , /by Dana DiChiro

High UI tax rates make it expensive for businesses to operate in Massachusetts. Learn what affects a company’s decision to operate in Massachusetts.

Andrew Mikula

Mayor Wu’s Office to Residential Conversion Pilot Program Prioritizes Downtown Revitalization over Housing Production, Fiscal Responsibility

/in , , , , /by Andrew Mikula

In July 2023, in response to a soft post-COVID office market and a daunting housing crisis, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu created a Downtown Office to Residential Conversion Pilot Program. The program uses property tax breaks of up to 75 percent of the assessed value for 29 years to incentivize property owners to convert Downtown Boston office space to apartments or condos. The program also requires the converted residential properties to conform to the city’s stretch energy code and inclusionary zoning policies for new development and institutes a 2 percent real estate transfer tax on future sales of those properties.  Applications for the program were originally due by June 2024, with construction due to start on the conversions by October 2025. […]

Raif Boit

Northwest Massachusetts’ Reliance on Industry Levies

/in , , /by Raif Boit

Some towns in NW Massachusetts spend significantly more per capita than their neighbors, without using methods such as large state funding, deficit spending, and high taxes. These towns gain significant portions of their revenue from industry tax levies.

Matt Mulvey

Examining the Academic Achievement Decline in New England Prior to COVID-19

/in , , , , /by Matt Mulvey

COVID-19 was not the beginning of student performance declines in the United States. Academic achievement for students across the country began to drop-off following the widespread implementation of the Common Core curriculum in 2013. While declines have occurred across the country, New England has experienced a particularly sharp decrease in student achievement.

Dana DiChiro

Part I: It May Be Better to Be Unemployed in Massachusetts than in Connecticut or New Hampshire

/in , , , /by Dana DiChiro

Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire all rank among the 10 wealthiest states in the country. Massachusetts is third – behind Maryland and New Jersey – with a median household income of $96,505. New Hampshire has a median household income of $90,845, making it the sixth wealthiest state, while  Connecticut is the eighth with a median household income of $90,213. It is clear that the populations of these states have high incomes compared to the rest of the country, but which is most desirable to live in if you find yourself unemployed? Historical and Current Unemployment Trends  First, it’s important to understand where the unemployment rates of these states fall in relation to the national rate. Using Pioneer Institute’s LaborAnalytics, the […]

Matt Mulvey

Puzzling “Relationship” Between Police Expenses and Crime Rates in Middlesex County

/in , /by Matt Mulvey

Some people may assume that there is a correlation between how much a town spends on their police and the crime rates in that town. But for certain towns in Middlesex County, there does not seem to be a clear connection between police expenses and crime rates. When stacked up against other towns in the county, there is a mismatch between how much money these towns spend on their police and their crime rates.

Raif Boit

Why The Best Public Schools Are The Best

/in , /by Raif Boit

  Massachusetts’ education system is famously excellent, routinely ranking at the top of the nation. Even in Massachusetts, however, some public school districts such as Brookline, Newton, Wellesley, and Weston consistently perform better than others and post higher standardized test scores.  In fact, according to Mass Report Cards, in the 2022-23 school year, 88 percent, 84 percent, and 75 percent of sophomores at Weston High achieved scores meeting or exceeding expectations respectively on the English Language Arts, Math, and Science MCAS tests, far exceeding the respective statewide public school averages of 60 percent, 53 percent, and 50 percent. Many attribute this success to funding; all these towns dedicate significant resources to their public schools. Brookline spent $128,842,776 on education in […]

Eileen McAnneny

Massachusetts Legislature Procrastinates Once Again

/in , , , , , , , /by Eileen McAnneny

There are less than seven weeks left to the Massachusetts Legislature’s formal sessions with much unfinished business to attend to.  Analogizing Massachusetts legislators to students, they are waiting until the night before a 10-page paper is due to begin the assignment that was given early in the semester. While some students can thrive under that type of pressure and hand in a top-rate assignment, for most students, procrastination does not lend itself to high-quality work.  That is likely to be the outcome for this legislative session given the sheer number of meaty bills that have passed both branches in different forms and still await resolution by conference committees before the July 31st deadline. It would be one thing if the […]