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Could Bus Rapid Transit Be the Future of Public Transportation in Boston?
/0 Comments/in Blog, Blog: Better Government, Blog: MBTA, Blog: Transportation /by Will KauppilaAs the Greater Boston Area continues to grow, it is important to plan future public transportation infrastructure to keep up with increased demand. In determining its vision for transit in the future, the MBTA has given careful consideration to new forms of transit that meet the demands of today’s commuters. One mode of transit that’s been especially prominent in this conversation is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). In 2013 the MBTA began working with officials from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP) to explore the possibility of bringing high standard BRT to Boston. BRT can be defined as a large-scale, fully integrated metro bus transit system. The MBTA helped form the BRT Study Group, which sought to determine where […]
Casino Revenue Projections: A Roll of the Dice?
/0 Comments/in Blog: Better Government, Blog: Economy, Blog: Transparency /by Thejasa JayachandranAs the Wynn Resort Casino breaks ground in Everett tomorrow, many predict a booming casino industry in Massachusetts. However, if the Commonwealth’s history with casinos says anything, we should proceed with caution. Plainridge Park Casino, the initial Las Vegas-style slot parlor in Massachusetts, finished its first year of operations in June. As reported in the Boston Globe, its performance fell well short of its projections. When Penn National Gaming won the bid for this casino, the company projected revenue hitting $300 million in the first year. When they closed the books in June, the casino barely nudged past the halfway mark with sales of only $160 million. What does this mean for Massachusetts? In 2011, Massachusetts legalized casino gambling with […]
No Ban for TNCs at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
/0 Comments/in Blog, Blog: Better Government, Blog: Economy, Blog: Transportation /by Eric SporelWhile there has been much discussion about whether or not transportation network companies (TNCs) should have access to Logan International Airport, another location critical to transportation service providers, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), has been an equal consideration for lawmakers. The parties involved in this debate are paying close attention to the conference committee that is currently revising the legislation. After both chambers of the legislature failed to reach a conclusion on House bill H.6064, with the House in favor of banning TNCs from the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center, and the Senate dissenting, it is not clear which direction the revised legislation will take. A comprehensive review of the legislative history for this bill shows the many […]
Shrinking Margins at the Massachusetts State Lottery
/0 Comments/in Blog: Better Government /by Prasanna RajasekaranLast week, the Massachusetts Lottery triumphantly announced that, for the fifth straight year, it set a new record for annual revenue and profit. But the details of its financials paint a different picture. For fiscal year 2016, the Lottery generated sales of $5.231 billion, up from $5.014 billion last year. Yet that led only to a $1 million increase in profit – from $985.9 million to $986.9 million. If its profit increase corresponded with its revenue increase (about 4.3%), the Lottery would have netted over $1.028 billion, $41.1 million more than its actual profit. So why the lower profit margin? The bulk of the Lottery’s expenses are prizes, which are the total winnings for all players in a given year. […]
Newly Proposed Theater Tax Credit All-Too Familiar
/0 Comments/in Blog, Blog: Better Government, Blog: Transparency /by Will KauppilaAs Pioneer reported earlier this summer, there have been questions surrounding the viability of incentives provided by the Massachusetts film tax credit since its inception in 2006. It was adopted to attract motion picture production companies by offering them generous tax breaks for filming on location around the state. In exchange, the companies are expected to create industry jobs for Massachusetts residents, and spur local investment and growth. While there has certainly been a recent uptick in big-budget film productions, much of the revenue produced is going out of state, and taxpayers are not seeing a reasonable return on their dollars. A recent Boston Globe editorial also echoed the pitfalls of the film credit, supporting the conclusion that it has […]
Pool Time and Part-Time
/0 Comments/in Blog: Better Government, Blog: Transparency /by Thejasa JayachandranIt’s official; we’re in a heat wave. Earlier this month, Governor Baker and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced that until August 19, public pools and athletic complexes will have extended operating hours. Going into effect across 20 locations for the second year in a row, this initiative is meant to provide Massachusetts’ children with access to recreational resources during school vacation. As Governor Baker stated, “Extending the hours of operation for these urban facilities will provide a safe location for families to enjoy the season, while promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.” For July, the selected public pools will be open until 8:00 PM on Tuesdays. In August, the pools will be open until 7:30 PM on […]
Fewer Employees, More Space: DCAMM’s Leasing Strategy
/0 Comments/in Better Government, Blog, Blog: Better Government /by Cameron RohallFor most public and private entities, space is the second-largest administrative cost, after personnel. Discussion of personnel costs often overshadows other administrative cost debates in the public sector, but policymakers should strive to ensure that space is used as effectively as possible, to maximize the value for taxpayers. All states utilize a combination of owned and leased spaces to satisfy their facility needs. Owned properties include all kinds of land and buildings, while leased properties are mostly office space. As of 2015, Massachusetts leases just over 7.2 million square feet of space, primarily office space, which it occupies in addition to its own facilities.[1] This is above average among New England states when analyzed on a gross square footage (GSF) […]
Update on the State of the Green Line Extension
/0 Comments/in Blog, Blog: Better Government, Blog: MBTA, Blog: Transportation /by Will KauppilaThe idea for the Green Line Extension (GLX) has been around for years, and its potential benefits have led many to call it a critical economic and environmental infrastructure project. So, when the first phase of construction began in 2012, it was met with great excitement. Fast forward to 2016, and much of that initial enthusiasm has been curbed with skepticism. Construction has been painfully slow, and project cost estimates escalated as high as $3 billion (now at $2.3 billion). Yet, despite concerns over the MBTA’s capacity to manage an operation of this scale and scope, the project is still very much alive. In May, a new, independent interim project management team commissioned by the MBTA Fiscal Management Control Board […]
The Mysterious World of NCAA Apparel Contracts
/0 Comments/in Blog: Transparency, News /by Prasanna RajasekaranThe world of collegiate athletics is, besides great entertainment, a monumental cash cow. In April, the NCAA extended its March Madness TV contract with CBS by 8 years – adding $8.8 billion on what was already a $10.8 billion deal. This works out to another billion dollars per year – for about a month of basketball. The business of NCAA sports is as broad as it is profitable. On a micro level, schools with large sports programs earn huge sums of money through ticket sales, donations, and media rights. The larger sports-related industries – apparel, sports drinks, footwear – often contract with schools to provide their products at a discount, if not for free. The value of these contracts can […]
The Battle over Logan Airport—Will TNCs Prevail?
/0 Comments/in Blog, Blog: Better Government, Blog: Transportation, News /by Eric SporelSince 2011, transportation network companies (TNCs) have established themselves as a popular mode of transportation in the City of Boston. Given their convenience and low cost, TNCs such as Uber and Lyft have become local consumers’ first choice over taxis.
The New Game of Life: Tuition and Debt
/in Better Government, Blog: Better Government, Blog: Higher Education, Higher Education, News /by Thejasa JayachandranBack in 2005, the Milton Bradley Company launched a new version of the classic The Game of Life. While similar in most respects to the game most of us grew up with, the updated version reflects today’s financial realities. Namely, you can choose a career and start with a salary or you can choose college and start out $100,000 in debt. College costs have skyrocketed over the last couple decades. Average tuition for a private, four-year institution has increased by more than one quarter in just the last 10 years. What’s more, this is not a symptom that is unique to private colleges. The Pioneer Blog has documented the University of Massachusetts’ tuition increases over the years for both in-state […]
Addressing Greater Boston’s Housing Crunch
/0 Comments/in Better Government, Blog, Blog: Better Government, Internships, Middle Cities/ Urban /by Amy DainGreater Boston’s housing crisis has emerged as one of the most pressing policy challenges for the region. Building enough homes for the growing workforce and retiring baby-boomers has proven challenging. In 2004, I conducted a study for Pioneer Institute of residential land use regulations in all of the communities within 50 miles of Boston to understand what was holding the region back from building enough houses. As policymakers consider new solutions to the decades-old challenge, I have been receiving a number of calls and emails for information about my research on zoning. I have been referring policymakers, advocates, and reporters to two reports: Residential Land Use Regulation in Eastern Massachusetts: A Study of 187 Communities. This report covers the technical […]
Volatility and Expansion at the MassCEC
/0 Comments/in Better Government, Blog, Blog: Better Government, News, Transparency /by Cameron RohallThis blog entry was edited from its original version on July 28, 2016. In 2008, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center (MassCEC) was established by the state Legislature, and it opened its doors the following year. The center’s mission is to promote the development of clean energy in Massachusetts, improve quality of life, and gradually help the Commonwealth transition towards renewable sources of energy. Its legislative mandate enumerates 10 goals, including the development of jobs in clean energy, support for education and workforce training, and financing for clean energy companies and projects. In accordance with M.G.L. ch. 23J §2, 10, MassCEC is directed to focus on assisting low and moderate-income communities in all its programs, making clean energy investments a […]
Behind the Glitz & Glamour: Are Massachusetts Film Tax Credits worth the Investment?
/1 Comment/in Blog, Blog: Better Government /by Will KauppilaMassachusetts currently offers 14 different tax credits available to qualifying entities. Each incentive is subject to different awards and issuance processes based on the discretion of the state agency that oversees issuance. A tax credit is refundable for an entity who earns more in tax credits than it owes in taxes, which means that Massachusetts will pay back the difference with a refund check. It is transferable for an entity whose credits are valued higher than its tax liabilities, meaning that it can sell any surplus credits to another taxpayer that owes taxes. These tax credits are given to privately owned businesses and individuals who have either tangibly created new job opportunities for Massachusetts residents, or have had other positive […]
Telemedicine: The Future of Healthcare
/0 Comments/in Blog, Blog: Healthcare, Blog: Healthcare Transparency, Expanding Healthcare Access, Healthcare, News /by Lauren CorveseTelemedicine sounds a bit like science-fiction, but the practice is far from fictitious. Many Massachusetts doctors practice telemedicine every day, as it is quickly gaining popularity. Telemedicine involves providing healthcare services through technology, rather than in-person (think of a video call, like Skype). What seems like a logical step toward efficiency in healthcare has become a heated debate on Beacon Hill over how to pay for it. It’s hard to argue against the benefits of telemedicine. First is its convenience: with telemedicine there is no traffic, no babysitter needed, no time taken off work and no gas consumed. With much of the stress of in-person visits eliminated, patients are more likely to seek care. It’s like a return to the […]