Good morning friends,

Due to the Veterans’ Day holiday, there’s just one newsletter this week. Depending on how you look at it, this one is either two days late, or one day early. It’s longer than usual too. 

Jobs bill finally poised to pass

If the headlines in the Globe and on local and even national TV news are to be believed, the big news coming from Beacon Hill this week is that lawmakers are about to approve a new stadium for the New England Revolution.

In fact, the still-a-long-way-from-final stadium on the Everett waterfront is a just small part of the long-delayed $4 billion economic development bond bill that touches business sectors across the state.

For starters, the bill invests in two industries that can literally save lives:

• $500 million over ten years for the life sciences to continue to make Massachusetts a leader in solving health care challenges.

  
  

• $400 million ten-year investment in clean tech to support offshore wind and the development of technology that may solve our most daunting environmental challenges.

The same bill implements significant policy reforms in healthcare, education, public safety, digital health and concert ticket transparency. Plus funding for AI and up to $7 million in theater tax credits.

It’s not exactly the same thing, but all this focus on the stadium reminds me of when folks gushed that GE’s 2016 decision to move to Boston would “cement the region's reputation as a magnet for innovation,” even though what ended up driving the economy happened inside Mass Challenge, the Cambridge Innovation Center and other incubators.

Two more things in the economic development bill

• The Economic Development bill headed to the House today also extends approvals for building and other permits for two years statewide. That means developers of housing and other projects don’t need to go back to their city council or planning board and beg for more time to manage delays due to prevailing economic headwinds. (BBJ).
  
  
• The bill does not include a proposal many restaurant operators in our communities said they didn’t want anyway– a return of happy hour.  But it does include something restauranteurs and package store owners have wanted for years: Making it possible to grant liquor licenses to businesses whose managers are not U.S. citizens.  (State House News)

A step backwards for outdoor dining in Newton

Outdoor dining was a godsend for both restaurants and customers during the pandemic and continues to be popular during good weather.

It’s also considered a good way to bring energy to a street (operators decorate their spaces at their own expense) with benefits to many adjacent shops and other businesses.

But this week Newton restaurants learned that the city will no longer provide the concrete barriers that allow them to offer outdoor dining safely.

Newton Economic Development Director John Sisson says the existing barriers are suffering from wear and tear and that the Department of Public Works lacks storage space for the barriers during the offseason.

The barriers have been provided, delivered and installed for free for the past five years (although there’s an annual $250 outdoor dining permit fee which Sisson says will not be going away).

Next spring restaurants would need to either buy or rent their own barriers (plastic water-filled jersey barriers may be an option), or abandon that part of their business.

Indeed, several operators tell me off-season storage and moving the barriers (even plastic barriers weigh around 200 lbs. unfilled and filled about 1200 or so lbs.), may make sourcing their own barriers a non-starter.

Of course, given how little snow we get any more — and the fact that we often have balmy days in January and February —one solution would be to allow the existing setups to remain year-round.

We’ll know soon if Needham MBTA Communities repeal campaign has traction

That NIMBY group looking to repeal Needham’s recently approved MBTA Communities Act compliance plan has until tomorrow (Friday) to submit 3,750 signatures to force a Milton-style referendum.

If successful, the question will go to voters in January and would place Needham out of compliance for failing to meet the state law’s Dec. 31 deadline.

At a select board meeting this week town officials warned the town could lose millions of dollars in grants — for things such as transportation, infrastructure, climate initiatives and stormwater — should compliance be delayed.

That includes a pending grant that could yield over $10 million to slow car speeds, better accommodate bicycles and pedestrians and improve traffic flow along Highland Ave., which ironically happens to be where Needham’s plan would allow for many of the new multi-family homes.

The town is also in contact with the state to determine whether the $70 million they expect to redevelop affordable housing at Linden Chambers is tied to compliance.

A full list of grants at potential risk is here.

Peter O’Neil at the Needham Observer explains what’s next.

If you are a Needham voter please do not sign this petition.

Friday grab bag (one day early)

• If your business accepted Visa or Mastercard at any time between Jan. 1, 2004 and Jan. 25, 2019, you may be eligible for a share of a payment card settlement. Attend a webinar with the settlement administrator and legal team to learn about eligibility, how to submit your claim, and get answers to common questions. Nov. 21, 2 p.m. RSVP  or file a claim here.
  
  
• The City of Newton will present what officials hope will be final design ideas for its Newton Highlands Village Enhancement Project at a community meeting tonight (Nov. 14), 6 p.m. at the Newton Free Library and via Zoom.
  
  
• Months after acquiring a Cambridge company, Watertown’s Orna Therapeutics is laying off workers. (BBJ)
  
  
• Wellesley artist Marilyn Kalish and her husband Alan Kalish have opened West Newton Gallery at 1286 Washington Street, bringing back another creative space to the village after Artitudes Gallery closed there last year. (Fig City News)
  
  
• Needham-bred astronaut Sunita Williams says folks shouldn’t be alarmed by her “gaunt” look.
  
  
• The deadline to enter Wellesley Rotary Club’s "Dinner on Us" Sweepstakes is tomorrow (Friday).
  
  
• The next City Council hearing on Watertown Square is tonight (Thurs) 6 p.m. at City Hall
  
  
• City Manager George Proakis is seeking Watertown residents interested in serving on the Cultural Council as well as the Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee.  Details and application.
  
  
• MAPC's Transportation Funding Solutions: Raising Awareness, Raising Revenue event on Nov 21 will unveil new recommendations for funding Massachusetts ’transportation needs, giving attendees an exclusive first look at strategies to boost the statewide transit system. RSVP
  
  
• Watertown Police Chief Justin Hanrahan and Watertown Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson will participate in the Watertown Business Coalition’s “Meet the Chiefs” event next Weds., Nov. 20, 5-7 p.m. at Cambridge Savings Bank, 54 Arsenal Street. RSVP.
  
  
• Newton police report that a card skimmer was found on a payment device at the Newtonville7-Eleven on Washington Street (Newton Patch)
  
  
• Join us in Watertown tomorrow (Nov. 15) at 8:30 a.m. for a Coffee Connect at the brand-new Fly Together Fitness studio
  
  

Deadline nears for new small business reporting rule

The federal Corporate Transparency Act requires businesses with fewer than 20 employees to report their ownership information to the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network as part of an effort to curb money laundering and illicit financial operations.

The law went into effect Jan. 1 but existing small businesses have until the end of this year to comply. Businesses formed in 2024 have 90 days to fulfill the requirement.

This is not an annual requirement. Once done, business owners only need to update their information if there's an ownership change. Here’s the form.

Meanwhile, GBH reports how the rules may have a heavier impact on minority-or immigrant- owned firms.

New tax credit available for hiring National Guard members

A new program through the state’s Executive Office of Economic Development and Department of Revenue provides a $2,000 tax credit to Massachusetts businesses that hire active members of the National Guard.

This initiative comes after the administration’s recent announcement of the expansion of the Veteran Hire Tax Credit, a $2,500 tax break awarded to small business owners that hire qualified veterans, and the launch of the Veterans’ Equity Dashboard, which provides a centralized, interactive database related to veterans in the Massachusetts’ labor market.  

I wrote about the election. You wrote back.

Finally today,  I received a record number of emails in response to my Nov. 8 newsletter related to the election results.  Here’s a sample:

“Greg – don’t catastrophize.  As President Obama said in 2016 – the sun’s going to come up in the morning.”

“I couldn't agree with you more. Anyone who thinks that Trump is somehow automatically going to be good for business and business owners is either naive or delusional or both.”

“I'm honestly shocked at the partisan nature of your newsletter today on behalf of an organization that is supposed to represent a large group of diverse businesses. I was a Democrat from the time I moved here in 1997 until several years ago and am now happily an independent. The party left me, I didn't leave the party. My independence has allowed me to gather valuable information from a wider array of sources and have a greater understanding on all manner of subjects. For people who have made a more bi-partisan effort to understand the behavior and changes within both parties the outcome was less surprising. If the Democrats will stop name calling and vilifying anyone who thinks differently than they do, or who has had a different lived experience then maybe they can start regaining the trust of some of the people who have left the party. Calling everyone a bigot, racist etc isn't the answer.”

“Full agreement. We need to be the adults in the room, even when the bullies and juveniles act out of hand and will not listen.”

“I saw NOTHING positive in your missive today….Our economy will be robust, our schools won’t be teaching kids rubbish, our workforce will be taking home more pay (no tax on OT), our courts will try criminals and not the victims of crime, our free speech will be free- no cancel culture if you deviate from what the liberal elites dictate. Social security benefits will not be taxed. Jewish students won’t need to fear for their lives. I could go on, but you chose NOT to showcase a single positive outcome of this election. All in all a big win, even for Massachusetts residents.”

“Thank you Greg. Always value your thinking and practical research. And journalism! Here’s hoping for strength to get through the next 4years.”

“I am old enough to remember when Richard Nixon withdrew all defense contracts from the Commonwealth after we were the only state not to vote for his reelection. I have no doubt that blue states will be even more severely punished in retribution.”

“As head of a non political business organization, personal political bias shouldn’t be infused into newsletters! There are plenty of members that don’t share the opinions inferred. As a business owner, I discuss with employees constantly about leaving politics or political opinions out of our business. Thank you for the newsletters —they are informative but lately have had a singular political undertone.”

“Completely agree with your thoughts on our state Legislature. Keep up the advocacy!”

“Your message today is brave and helpful.  Thank you.”

“Try being positive. It helps.”

I appreciate everyone who wrote.  Keep your emails coming. on this, or any other topic.

And that’s what you need to know for today, unless you need to know what all those Ikea product names actually mean.

I told you today’s newsletter was going to be long.   Be back Tuesday!

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688