MBTAAnalysis: A look inside the MBTA

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The MBTA shuttles over a million passengers a day around Greater…

The Clock is Ticking…….

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The clock is ticking towards December 30, 2017.  As part of…

Mapping Mass Migration: New Census Data Shows Continued Out-Migration from Massachusetts to Competitor States

"Mapping Mass Migration" is Pioneer's new newsletter covering…

What To Do About 340B

In 1992, Congress thought it had a brilliant idea to help hospitals…

The House Call – Mayor Wu Wants to Overhaul Boston’s Arcane Development Approvals Process? Here Are Three Reform Options

Pioneer Institute is debuting The House Call, a monthly newsletter covering housing-related news and market trends in Massachusetts. The first issue explores reform options for Boston's arcane development approvals process and major reform items from the state's November 2024 economic development bill. Read our December issue today!

The Roger Perry Internship Program

Pioneer has established the Roger Perry Internship Program to support college-age students who seek opportunities to enhance their educational experience with practical training in an energetic and creative public policy environment.

Massachusetts Job Market Bears Watching

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent national jobs report…

McAnneny October Monthly Musings – Ballot Initiatives

Election season is upon us.  In a few short weeks, voters will…

Is Massachusetts at a Turning Point – 10 Data Points That Give Me Pause

Massachusetts tops the charts in many studies.  Best public…

Wrap Up of the Massachusetts Legislative Session – Or Is It??

The Massachusetts Legislature meets for two years beginning in…

Average Weekly Wages of Healthcare Workers Across a Decade

From 2012-22 the healthcare and social assistance sector has seen the smallest growth in average weekly wages of any large industry in Massachusetts. This potentially has dire consequences on the employment crisis that this industry already faces.

Tracking Dunkin Prices Across Boston

While Dunkin is a staple of daily life for many people in Boston, its prices across locations are not necessarily consistent. Factors such as the level of foot traffic may cause prices to be higher or lower at different locations. So, where is the best bargain?

Massachusetts’s Debt and Liability in 2023

In the last decade, Massachusetts has accrued billions of dollars in debt. However, despite a large amount of debt, both overall and per capita, the state's debt as a percentage of GDP is normal amongst its neighbors.

What’s Included in Massachusetts’ $5.2 Billion Housing Bond Bill?

On August 1, 2024, the Massachusetts state legislature finalized…

 The Largest Groups Driving Massachusetts’s Migration

With Massachusetts losing billions in taxable income every year due to out-of-state migration, it is important to understand the demographics causing the biggest losses.

Highest Paid State Employees in Massachusetts

Every year, Massachusetts spends billions on payroll. With some departments spending significantly more and some employees receiving salaries multiple times their peers', it is important to understand where this money is going.

Understanding the Trends in Massachusetts’ Sin Tax Revenues

Sin Taxes, which are taxes on goods and services that are considered harmful or immoral, have brought in a significant amount of revenue for Massachusetts.

Increasing Number of Retirees Driving Pension Expenditures

Pension expenditures in the two largest public pension systems are on the rise in Massachusetts, so it's important to understand the factors behind the growth in annual payouts, including an increasing average pension and an increasing number of retirees.

Where Does Massachusetts’ Pension Money Go?

Billions of dollars went to retirees in 2023 from the state's two largest pension funds. Not unexpectedly, the data show that the amount of money given to a specific retiree may depend on many factors outside of where the retiree used to work.

Massachusetts Affordability and Competitiveness Ranking is in Freefall

Each year, CNBC ranks the 50 states on 10 broad categories of…

Average Weekly Wage Change for two Massachusetts Counties with Differing Densities

Each industry in a county varies differently in wage growth and decline. This blog analyzes how wages changed in major industries for the most urban and most rural economy in Massachusetts.

Suffolk County Residential and Commercial Taxation Changes Since 2018

Massachusetts is a relatively rich state, with an average assessed…

An Evaluation of 340B in Massachusetts

Despite the fact that the 340B Drug Pricing Program has expanded immensely in recent years, the amount of charity care that hospitals are providing has decreased. This points to several problems with the 340B program across the country and in Massachusetts, such as a lack of transparency and inaccessible care.

Migration to Massachusetts in 2022: Where Are People Going?

With thousands moving to Massachusetts every year, they bring income and assets that can affect the local economy. However, people from different regions of the country tend to favor different parts of Mass more or less, though the more urban area around Boston is al

The Economic Development Bill Starting to Take Shape; It Makes Big Bets on Life Sciences, Clean Technology and Applied AI

The Massachusetts Senate debated S.2856, its version of the biennial…

Disparities in LIHTC Data Illuminate Difficulties in Housing Production

While disparities in LIHTC awards and issuances are to be expected, the mismatch points to inhibitors of housing production that are outside the scope of the program's impact.

Examining the New Massachusetts Estate Tax

The new Massachusetts estate tax may be correlated to lower estate tax revenues. However, the inclusion of out-of-state property in the estate tax calculation has brought about important legal questions.

Massachusetts is Losing Thousands of Taxpayers a Year. Where Are They Going?

Massachusetts is facing a net loss of taxpayers and AGI. Learn about where these taxpayers are migrating to, and potential reasons for that migration.

At a Glance: Who Moved to Massachusetts in 2022? 

State-to-state migration can have serious impacts on the local economy. Migrants to Massachusetts come from all over the country, but significant portions of both new taxpayers and new taxable income come from just a few sources, such as New England, New York, Florida, and California.

Do No Harm to the Health Policy Commission

With only weeks left in the Massachusetts legislative calendar,…

How Public Transportation’s Efficiency Changed During Covid

The MBTA's efficiency plummeted during Covid; as people chose either personal transportation or personal work, the MBTA lost significant ridership. However, it maintained its vehicle fleet and the depth of its services even as its operating cost per passenger mile increased dramatically.

Is Free Community College What Massachusetts Needs?

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.