All Research

Summary:

This poll was commissioned by MassINC as part of a newly-funded initiative to create a leadership network around the role of the arts in the economic revitalization of Gateway Cities, a strategy the National Endowment for the Arts calls “creative placemaking.”

Summary:

MassINC's new Middle Class Index looks at how well Massachusetts' middle income residents have been faring over the last decade.

Summary:

This report examines the advantages of a more regionalized approach to transportation financing that would give communities across Massachusetts the ability to invest in transportation infrastructure at levels consistent with their needs. The analysis quantifies the revenue generating potential of two regional financing mechanisms: a payroll tax and a tax on vehicle miles traveled.

Summary: MassINC is proud to release Going for Growth: New Education-Housing Partnerships to Stabilize Families and Boost Student Achievement, the fourth brief in a series exploring policy innovations to spur reinvestment and renewal in the state's key regional cities.

Summary:

With the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008, Massachusetts became one of the first states in the nation to commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting the ambitious 80 percent reduction target codified in this legislation will require support and participation from a broad coalition of residents, business interests, and state leaders. This new report presents an in depth public opinion survey that takes stock of progress to date toward building a strong culture of climate protection.

Summary:

Despite years of independent reports sounding the alarm, the state’s inadequate transportation finances continue to place this critical infrastructure in jeopardy. This stubborn challenge persists because transportation lacks a broad base of support and the public is not adequately informed about transportation infrastructure’s critical economic contribution. In response, the strategy paper offers a comprehensive plan that would set the stage for long-term stability.

Summary: The market for personal financial services in many Gateway City neighborhoods is awash with high-cost products that strip working families of hard-earned dollars they can ill afford to lose. This policy brief – the third in MassINC’s Going for Growth series – describes strategies to help families transition to lower-cost financial services and redirect their savings toward wealth building investments.

Summary: The place of college in the lives of current and future generations of American families has fun­damentally changed. Once the privilege of a few, college is now a virtual prerequisite for joining and remaining in the ranks of the middle class. This economic reality means more students con­tinue their education beyond high school each year. Ironically, concur­rent with this trend of increased college going, the cost of higher education has become more difficult for Americans of all backgrounds to mange. Aside from a home purchase, a college degree is now the most significant investment many families make.

Summary:

This policy brief examines Massachusetts housing investment over the last decade and a half and finds that state housing programs designed primarily to increase affordability in strong markets have not been able to meet the needs of Gateway Cities. The second in our Going for Growth series, this paper explores new strategies to catalyze the reinvestment Gateway Cities need for vibrant residential neighborhoods.

Summary: Building for the Future analyzes Springfield's social and economic conditions as they relate to future growth and development. This report was prepared jointly by MassINC and the UMass Dartmouth Urban Initiative to inform dialogue around a comprehensive long-term growth strategy for the City of Springfield.