economy

Surge in State Revenue, Growing Expenditures and Inflation

How has state government spending and revenue changed from 2017 to 2022? Changes in revenue and spending can be a key indicator of state priorities for the size and scope of government, as well as a state’s overall health and economic output....

Massachusetts Local Pensions: Fund Count, Access, and Benefits

Public employee pensions contribute to national savings, representing 21 percent of retirement assets according to the Urban Institute. These pensions help public workers plan and live out retirement, especially the 97 percent of Massachusetts government employees who do not earn Social Security benefits through their current job.
September 30, 2024

Study Finds Results of International Assessments Confirm Quality of MCAS

Economist and Fulbright Scholar concludes Massachusetts should return to participating in international testing as a benchmark for state results and internationally competitive economy

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

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.

Northwest Massachusetts’ Reliance on Industry Levies

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.
January 11, 2024

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.
November 27, 2023

A nuclear winter is coming for biopharma

The life sciences sector in Massachusetts — which has been flying so high for so long — is about to experience a very hard landing. With the adoption of prescription drug price controls in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), drug research and development — the heart of the life sciences sector in Massachusetts — is about to experience a nuclear winter.
September 25, 2023

Virtual Policy Briefing: Exploring the Intersection of Vocational-Technical Education and the Life Sciences Sector

Massachusetts is the nation’s leader in vocational-technical schooling and home to the most dynamic life sciences sector in America. We invite you to join us for a webinar on the nexus between the Bay State’s educational, life science, and competitive human capital needs in the 21st-century global economy.
September 21, 2023

University Science Research Is Under Threat

The Biden administration's formation of a working group to “develop a framework for the implementation of the march-in provision of the Bayh-Dole Act" could have serious adverse consequences for university research and biopharmaceutical innovation. It represents a particularly dangerous threat to the thriving life sciences cluster in Greater Boston.
June 13, 2023

Hampden County Resilience: Thriving Despite Manufacturing Decline

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.