Governor Healey’s budget invests in Gateway Cities

The Gateway Cities Journal

Policy Center
Mar 15, 2023 Policy Center

Our last journal offered thoughts on how Governor Healey can position Gateway Cities to thrive in this post-pandemic era by increasing the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), investing in regional transit, and lowering commuter rail fares. Now that the administration has unveiled its first budget, our readers will want to know, how did they do?

Gov. Healey can make a bold statement with HDIP, commuter rail fares, and RTA funding in FY24 budget

The Gateway Cities Journal

Feb 22, 2023

Governor Healey’s first budget will provide the opening look at the administration’s policy priorities. This glimpse comes at what is almost certainly a defining moment for Massachusetts. After a long string of success, the state’s economy faces serious peril, brought on by a potent combination of the COVID-19 shock, regulation inhibiting housing production, and systemic

Why Massachusetts can’t scale back rail infrastructure

Policy Center
May 18, 2020 Policy Center

Last week, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack indicated it may make sense to slow down planned improvements to the MBTA commuter rail network. Here's why this is the wrong move for Massachusetts.

FY 2019 Budget Lends Support to the “Gateway City Fare” Concept

Shows support for more equitable access to public transit

Policy Center
Jul 31, 2018 Policy Center

In a show of support for more equitable access to public transit, an outside section of the FY 2019 budget calls on MassDOT to review MBTA commuter rail fares, including an examination of the “fairness of the current distance-based fare system,” which effectively prohibits low-income Gateway City residents from utilizing the service, and also makes

Reading employer demand for transit in the job growth tea leaves

The picture we get is revealing

Policy Center
Aug 11, 2017 Policy Center

The best data we have to look at where jobs are growing over time come to us at the municipal level.* This isn’t great for getting a sense of whether employers are migrating to locations with strong transit service—ideally we’d have job counts for Census tracts or smaller geographies that represent actual station areas—but it’s

Explore research reports

MassINC is a key partner to the Boston Foundation, and all of us who are seeking to advance the regional conversation around economic opportunity and a strong quality of life for all. MassINC's robust, nonpartisan research is exactly what our citizens and leaders need to make good decisions.

Paul Grogan, Former President of The Boston Foundation
I watch my inbox for CommonWealth magazine’s Daily Download. I can count on the newsletter to tell me succinctly what’s happening in politics and public policy. The magazine itself always delivers in-depth news, analysis and commentary. It's simply outstanding, quality journalism. I am happy to support unbiased reporting through my participation in Citizens Circle.

Helen Chin Schlichte Former Public Administrator; President Emeritus, South Cove Manor at Quincy Point
MassINC's long-term dedication to Gateway Cities makes them a valuable resource to all of our communities. They are a true thought partner. They go the distance to help others appreciate our unique opportunities, needs, and perspectives.

Tim McGourthy Chief Financial Officer, City of Worcester
MassINC serves as a credible, thoughtful resource for all of us who are invested in the future of the Commonwealth. Its emphasis on careful analysis that is grounded in data, research, and polling makes an important contribution to and helps elevate the conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing the region.

Trevor Pollack, Manager of Special Projects for the Barr Foundation
The potential of Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities is limitless. MassINC’s dedicated work in promoting these cities has been, and will continue to be, instrumental in their individual and collective success.

Jay Ash
Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development and former chair of the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute
MassINC has always provided research showing the detrimental impact of the state’s unforgiving criminal justice system on our communities. Their polling confirmed that the public understood the need for change in our system. That criminal justice reform is at the forefront of bipartisan local and national debates today is in no small measure due to MassINC’s persistent and fair commitment to the issue.

Juliette Kayyem Faculty Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Founder Kayyem Solutions LLC
Through my partnership with MassINC, the Building On What Works Coalition is working to unite a diverse collection of civic leaders around an urgent call to encourage the state to act on the progress that has been made ensuring all children in Massachusetts have a true chance to succeed in the state’s economy. MassINC’s research and commitment to data driven public policy are helping to give the children of Massachusetts a better education.

Kim Driscoll Mayor of Salem
MassINC's work with the Gateway Cities is unmatched. As Eastern Bank strives to help businesses in these communities thrive, MassINC has been a tremendous partner, providing data-driven research and affirming that these cities are full of opportunities.

Bob Rivers Chairman and CEO of Eastern Bank
When MassINC speaks, it’s well worth listening. After all, the nonpartisan think tank has established itself as a thoughtful, careful, credible voice on public policy in Massachusetts.

Scot Lehigh Boston Globe Op-Ed Columnist
Few organizations in the country have better understood the important role of governance reform and accountability in education policy and economic development than MassINC.

Bruce Katz Former Vice President and Founding Director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at The Brookings Institution
[MassINC's] understanding of the complexity of the challenges facing the state’s older cities, its belief in the opportunities that present themselves in those communities, and its advocacy of the role that public higher education can and should play in them, has added to the understanding that policy makers need to have as they move our state toward the future.

Jean MacCormack

Why support massinc?

Reason #7

We enjoy what we do.

Whether it’s planning events, conducting research, or analyzing the news, our team works on projects that we’re passionate about.
Reason #6

We develop leaders.

Former MassINC employees have gone on to work at reputable organizations like Harvard University, Boston University, City Year, EnerNOC, and Governor Baker’s office.
Reason #5

We stick with it.

Our work on transformative development, which uses public and private funding for projects to revitalize an entire downtown or urban neighborhood, began as Policy Center research report in 2013. A year later, the state legislature passed a bill funding transformative development projects across Massachusetts.
Reason #4

We are nonpartisan.

Our Board of Directors includes prominent Massachusetts Democrats and Republicans. We are interested people’s ideas, not which side of the aisle they sit on.
Reason #3

We have a complete toolbox.

We aren’t just a think tank. We bring nonpartisan research, civic engagement, journalism, and independent polling together under one roof.
Reason #2

We have state-wide reach.

We know that Beacon Hill isn’t the only place to make progress. We’re on the ground in cities across the state working with local leaders.
Reason #1

We have unique networks.

We use our connections to bring together a cross-section of diverse leaders to solve problems. Our networks include mayors, economic development directors, superintendents, business people, newspaper editors, arts leaders, and regional transit officials.

Our sponsors