This report catalogs the challenges we are likely to face in responding to climate change and demonstrates that there is more work to do to meet the agressive emissions reduction targets the state is legally obligated to achieve.
The data presented in this report show that the last decade was extremely hard for Bay State residents. For the first time since World War II, the Commonwealth ended the decade with fewer jobs and families went without a raise. The report describes how this sour economy created four key hurdles that Massachusetts must now overcome.
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.”
MassINC's new Middle Class Index looks at how well Massachusetts' middle income residents have been faring over the last decade.
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.
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.
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.
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.