MBTAAnalysis: A look inside the MBTA

0 Comments
/
The MBTA shuttles over a million passengers a day around Greater…

The Clock is Ticking…….

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

Pioneer Institute Study Finds Massachusetts Saw Four-Fold Loss of Income to Net Outmigration

Net loss accelerated in recent years; main reasons include high taxes, housing and healthcare 

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…

Pioneer Institute Study Finds Wide Range of Approaches to Compliance with MBTA Communities Law

Lexington’s approach seen as a model BOSTON – As Massachusetts’…

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…

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.

Pioneer Institute Statement on the Project Labor Agreement Provision in the Massachusetts Economic Development Bill

Governor Healey should veto a provision in the recently passed…

Massachusetts Affordability and Competitiveness Ranking is in Freefall

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

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…

Study: U.S. Immigration System Limits Benefits Foreign Students Could Provide

Slow, inefficient system that discourages entrepreneurship puts U.S. at a competitive disadvantage

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.

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.

Unemployment in Massachusetts by Race

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

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

Recently published IRS data shows that net out-migration from…

Latest IRS Migration Data Show Exodus from Massachusetts Continues

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. 

Massachusetts Legislature Procrastinates Once Again

There are less than seven weeks left to the Massachusetts Legislature’s…

Study Finds Prevalence of Entrepreneurship Tied to Regulatory Environment, Portion of Immigrants

The prevalence of entrepreneurship is linked to both the regulatory environment and the portion of foreign-born immigrants in a jurisdiction, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute.

Thoughts on Outmigration and Competitiveness

?Thoughts on Out Migration and Competitiveness   A…

Study Finds Supply Shortage at the Heart of Greater Boston Housing Crisis

Construction costs, land use regulation and zoning among…

Commentary On The Senate Ways And Means Committee FY2025 Budget 

The Senate Ways and Means Committee (SWM) released its FY2025 budget on May 7th.  This spending plan totals $57.9 billion, an increase of $1.8 billion over the FY2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).  Like the Governor’s and House’s versions of the budget, the SWM budget is based on the consensus revenue estimate of $41.5 billion in tax revenue - a decrease of $208 million from last year’s consensus figure.

Pioneer Statement on Continuing Slide in Massachusetts’ Revenue

The Commonwealth’s tax collections continue to slide, totaling $3.594 billion in January, $268 million below what the state collected in January 2023, and short of the revised benchmark by $263 million. Massachusetts state government must live within its means by reducing FY2025 spending. The days of fiscal surpluses, unprecedented increases in year-over-year spending, and flowing federal aid have come to an end.

Pioneer Statement on Decline in State Revenues

The Commonwealth’s finances have stumbled hard in recent months, and based on a report the Department of Revenue (DOR) sent to the Legislature in January, the trend shows no signs of easing. Massachusetts needs a renewed emphasis on fiscal discipline and pro-growth policies to make the state economically competitive again.

Skill-based immigration could ease labor shortage

A recent Biden administration executive order that amends the Schedule A list, which identifies occupations experiencing labor shortages and allows immigrants in those occupations to expedite their employment in the U.S., could positively impact the hiring of skilled international workers for years to come — a welcome development as the country and Massachusetts struggle to attract talent amidst a worsening labor shortage.

My Musings on Massachusetts’ Fiscal Picture

Since the start of FY2024 on July 1, 2023, the state has experienced six straight months of revenues falling short of expectations. The single biggest factor is the unprecedented growth of the state budget since FY2021. The $15 billion increase in state spending contextualizes the seemingly modest projected revenue growth of 1.6 percent for FY2024 by highlighting that the base is very inflated.

The Massachusetts Workforce: Abundant Resources, Steep Challenges

Massachusetts features a strong workforce training system with abundant resources yet faces challenges in matching jobs and applicants, training youth, and attracting sufficient numbers of skilled immigrants, according to a pair of studies from Pioneer Institute.

Pioneer Institute Statement on the State Legislature’s FY2024 Tax Relief Package

The recent advancement of a tax bill H. 4104, that is expected to be enacted by the Legislature this week after languishing for more than 20 months, puts Massachusetts taxpayers one step closer to realizing some tax relief. However, it may be too little to tackle the Commonwealth’s affordability and competitiveness challenges.

Poll: MA Voters Oppose Legislative Proposals to Change Tax Rebate Law

A strong majority of registered Massachusetts voters oppose a plan recently announced by state legislative leaders that would change the way tax rebates are distributed in Massachusetts under a state law approved by voters in 1986, according to a new poll sponsored by Pioneer Institute and the Massachusetts High Technology Council.