THE PIONEER BLOG

Sarah Delano

PFML v. FMLA: To Pay or Not to Pay Leave-Takers

/in , /by Sarah Delano

Congress passed the Family and Medical Leave Act in 1993 to ensure citizens’ job security should they need to take an extended leave, but it did not require any replacement wages to be paid for that time period. Then, Massachusetts passed their Paid Family and Medical Leave law in 2018 which set out requirements for employer and employee contributions to a PFML fund so that employees could get paid in addition to keeping their jobs should they need to take leave for certain reasons.

Teddy Wynn

Online Sports Betting as a Form of Tax Revenue

/in , /by Teddy Wynn

The legalization of sports betting in Massachusetts has been successful so far in terms of bringing in tax revenue. Although there’s a chance for a dip in volume this summer, it will continue to be a strong source of revenue for the commonwealth.

Peter Mentekidis

A Tale of Two Massachusetts: Wealth and Labor Differences Between East and West

/in , , , /by Peter Mentekidis

This blog compares the income, wealth, and property values of western Massachusetts to those of eastern Massachusetts, highlighting the west’s potential for growth.

Sarah Delano

Unemployment: A Massachusetts vs. New England Comparison

/in /by Sarah Delano

Massachusetts has seen a trend of above average unemployment rates in comparison to other New England states in recent years. This may be attributed to the greater average unemployment benefit payouts, and duration of benefits, which Massachusetts has had.

Teddy Wynn

Hampden County Resilience: Thriving Despite Manufacturing Decline

/in , /by Teddy Wynn

Hampden County has experienced decline in its manufacturing sector, a former backbone of its economy. However, the county has still experienced this in spite of this, showing growth in new sectors.

Sarah Delano

State, Regional, and National Employment Trends Point to an Aging Workforce: Part Two

/in /by Sarah Delano

This blog furthers the discussion about the aging workforce by examining how decreased employment among young people as they turn to education instead impacts the issue. Then, it explains the implications of an older workforce on the future of labor and productivity in the U.S.

Sarah Delano

State, Regional, and National Employment Trends Point to an Aging Workforce: Part One

/in /by Sarah Delano

This blog explores the factors which have contributed to observed trends of increased employment among the 65 and older demographic in Massachusetts, New England, and the United States at large, as it pertains to the aging of the workforce.

Peter Mentekidis

The MassLottery: A Bay Stater’s Favorite Pastime

/in , , , /by Peter Mentekidis

The Massachusetts lottery made $5.9 billion in 2021, making it the fourth-highest source of revenue for the state. This confirms a long-standing trend: that Massachusettans love to play the lottery.

Sarah Delano

Massachusetts is Losing Taxpayers to More Tax-Friendly States

/in /by Sarah Delano

This post explores the difference among tax policies in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Florida in order to explain the increasing amount of Massachusetts residents who are migrating from the state. Tax-friendly policies are very alluring to Massachusetts residents, seeing as the state is actually increasing the personal income tax rate rather than try to lower taxes, as both New Hampshire and Florida have done.

Teddy Wynn

Healthcare: Suffolk County’s Biggest Driver for Labor and Employment

/in , , /by Teddy Wynn

Suffolk County employment and labor trends have seen steady growth over the past 15 years. The rise of establishments and employment in the health care sector has directly contributed to these trends. Suffolk County has now surpassed Worcester and Essex counties in labor force and employment numbers.

Peter Mentekidis

The Confounding Massachusetts Estate Tax

/in , , /by Peter Mentekidis

The estate tax has become an increasingly significant source of revenue for the Bay State in recent years. Why is this: and is it a good thing?

Joshua Archambault

Massachusetts’ Misguided Middle-Class Health Insurance Subsidy Expansion

/in , , , , , /by Joshua Archambault

A proposal on Beacon Hill to expand insurance subsidies up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level, could push the small business insurance market into a death spiral, without reducing the number of uninsured and hurting those with preexisting conditions.

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Aidan Enright

A Model for Occupational Licensing Reform in the Bay State

/in , /by Aidan Enright

Licensing for many professions squeezes the supply of services, artificially inflating prices and creating wage premiums. One study from the Institute for Justice put the wage premium relative to an environment without any occupational licensing at a whopping 22 percent in Massachusetts.

Image by Freepik.comImage by Freepik.com
Aidan Enright

A History of Rent Control Policy in Massachusetts

/in , /by Aidan Enright

While many may only remember the 1994 referendum and the laws that gave rise to it, rent control policies – and opposition to them – stretch back more than a century in Massachusetts. The laws themselves varied widely from era to era, but the reasons for them – housing shortages and a lack of affordability – have been consistent. State and local lawmakers have each seen rent control as a way for the government to mandate affordability in the housing market. Yet, as tempting as price controls have been, every policy of its kind has eventually gone out of favor. Often the result of those policies’ negative externalities, like housing disrepair; reductions in supply; gentrification; and the misallocation of rental […]

Aidan Enright

Corporate Ownership: A Threat to Housing Affordability?

/in , /by Aidan Enright

An increase in corporate ownership of housing has some experts worried about potential consequences of such a shift. One study found a link between LLC ownership and housing stock that is in disrepair, with more rapid deterioration than would be expected if ownership had not changed.