First take: Gov. Healey’s economic development bill

The Gateway Cities Journal

There’s a lot to like in Governor Healey’s economic development bill. The wide-ranging law includes several smart provisions on issues that matter to Gateway Cities, most notably, small business and inclusive entrepreneurship. But there are also some missing components, and big existential questions about our Commonwealth’s priorities and needs that merit reflection, as the bill

Secretary Hao Meets with Gateway City Leaders

The Gateway Cities Journal

Last week, MassINC hosted a wide-ranging virtual conversation with Yvonne Hao, the Secretary of Economic Development, together with mayors and senior staff from Gateway Cities across the state. Given the critical importance of sustaining the very positive collaborative working relationship that Gateway City leaders established with the Patrick Administration and built upon through the Baker

The Baker Administration’s Crowning Achievement

The Gateway Cities Journal

Leaders on Beacon Hill continue to look for solutions to the stalled economic development package. Embedding the bill’s provision in a supplemental budget, which Governor Baker would take the lead in drafting, is one scenario floating around the State House. This approach has one major downside: supplemental budgets cannot contain bond authorizations. If this is

For the Good of the Commonwealth

The Gateway Cities Journal

Gateway City leaders awoke Monday morning to incredibly disheartening news: The legislature had failed to pass the economic development bill and its long-awaited increase in the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP). Session after session, the omnibus economic development bill has been the primary vehicle for economic policy in Massachusetts. Many interests are now waiting patiently

House and Senate move on HDIP, Lesser fighting for inclusive entrepreneurship provisions

The Gateway Cities Journal

On Monday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released its version of the biennial economic development bill. Similar to the bill passed unanimously by the House last week, S. 3018 contains provisions increasing the annual cap on the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) to $57 million for FY 2023 and $30 million each year thereafter.

Event Recap | Gateway Cities Leadership Summit: Growing an Inclusive Economy II

On Tuesday, July 12th, MassINC hosted its Annual Gateway Cities Leadership Summit. The forum explored how municipal contracting can support the growth of businesses of color, a timely conversation with an unprecedented influx of federal resources flowing into Gateway Cities through ARPA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. MassINC Research Director Ben Forman and Executive Director

This is the moment to make transformative investments

The Gateway Cities Journal

The TDI program has been highly effective in Gateway Cities closer to Boston with relatively strong real estate markets. But the impact has been minimal in weaker markets outside of I-495, where Massachusetts desperately needs new sources of economic growth. Now is the moment to do right by the communities that state economic development policy has neglected for far too long.

Baker’s Seminal Economic Development Legislation

The Gateway Cities Journal

Gateway City economic development leaders huddled on Zoom Wednesday for a call with Sec. Kennealy. The discussion offered valuable insight into how Gov. Baker’s $3.5 billion economic development/ARPA 2.0 bill could sow seeds for growth. Here are our first impressions of the governor’s final major contribution to economic development policy.

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