You know that $500 million state program that’s supposed to offer bonus payments of up to $2,000 to those essential workers who were there for all of us during the pandemic?
Sounds like a great idea, until you see the legislation's fine print.
Checks are due no later than March 31. But before that happens, state leaders are required to convene a 28-member commission – appointed from 15 various corners of state government and the private sector -- to come to a consensus on eligibility requirements, distribution method, and exact size, writes Matt Stout at the Globe.
Raise your hand if you have confidence that can happen with a committee of that size in that amount of time.
“…there’s a lot of red tape,” Gov. Charlie Baker said. “We would rather just put a premium pay program together and get the dollars out to people.”
The program would send payments of $500 to $2,000 to hundreds of thousands of employees in Massachusetts who worked in person during the pandemic and made less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($38,640 a year for individuals or $79,500 for a household of four).
COVID worries grip state businesses Confidence among Massachusetts employers fell for a fourth consecutive month during November amid renewed COVID-19 concerns, supply chain disruptions and the highest rate of inflation in three decades, according to the latest Associated Industries of MassachusettsBusiness Confidence Index.
A different survey from Alignable found that Massachusetts small business owners are more worried about Omicron variant than their counterparts in other states about its economic impacts.
Sixty four percent of owners across Massachusetts fear the variant will hurt their financial recovery, compared to 44 percent nationally, writes Diti Kohli at the Globe, with one in four small business owners saying they’re “highly concerned.”
Watertown biotech boom Forges forward Boylston Properties only broke ground on 100 Forge — a nine-story, 165,600-square-foot building at Arsenal Yards in Watertown — in February.
And it won’t open until late next year.
But in a sign of how fast Watertown has become a biotech destination 100 Forge is already fully leased to five venture capital-backed life science companies, Tim Logan at the Globe reported this week.
Matthews to exit Needham Select Board Just hours after Kevin Keane was elected this week to the Needham Select Board, a veteran board member who has been part of the town’s leadership for more than a quarter century announced plans to bow out.
Dan Matthews who served on that board for 26 years will not seek reelection when his seat is up for reelection in April.
Matthews says he decided he wanted to find other ways to contribute to the community a while ago. But he waited because he didn’t want his news to overshadow this week’s special election to fill a different seat.
There are few guys as nice, passionate and knowledgeable about Needham as Matthews. We’ve been lucky to have him.
Wellesley signals support for business community Once again, Wellesley will charge residential and commercial tax payers the same property tax rate, the only one of our four communities to do so.
The town has maintained a single tax rate for residential and commercial properties for years. The Select Board voted to do so again this week, sending a powerful message that Wellesley appreciates its business sector.
Select Board Chair Tom Ulfelder came out strongly in support of the single tax rate. He said it was especially important at a time when "we’re working so hard to give the retail sector a boost.
"This would be the wrong time to create a split tax rate which would impose a significant further burden financially on the commercial businesses that are here in town," he added.
Ulfelder also worried that a dual rate “might drive away potential new businesses."
Wellesley’s Linden Square hosts its Holiday Stroll Sunday (Dec. 12) from 12:30-3:00pm. And now through Sunday, 10% of sales from Linden stores, restaurants, and fitness studios will be donated to the Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club.
The City of Newton is looking for local businesses to invest in the future workforce by participating in work-based education and career exploration programs specific to young people looking to enter the workforce/trades industry after finishing high school. Contact Meghan Murtagh, 617-796-1436.
Beginning Monday, Needham commuter rail trains with more than 20 minutes of scheduled idle time will pull west beyond Needham Heights station into yard limits after deboarding passengers. The pilot program hopes to decrease noise and pollution for immediate abutters, according to State Rep. Denise Garlick.
Toys, toys and more toys Thanks to everyone who joined us at Wednesday’s chamber event to benefit Newton’s Holiday Gift Drive as well as to The Village Bank, The Street, Newton Rotary and our hosts at Showcase SuperLux/ Davio’s.
Your generosity and support helped us fill a carload full of toys, as well as $1,000 in cash donations.
Our Young Professionals Group will be spending your contributions locally at Newton’s Just Next Door and Henry Bear’s Park which means you'll be helping make a child's holiday special and helping a local businesses at the same time.
Feel their pain The folks who make Corona beer and those who work at Delta Air Lines know what it's like.
I’m talking about what it must feel like these days to work at Omicron Electronics Corp., an Austrian corporation with U.S. offices in Waltham and Houston.
"It is an unfortunate coincidence that the newest variant of the COVID-19 virus is called 'Omicron,'" reads a statement on the company’s website.
Omicron Electronics Corp. traces its name – from the Greek alphabet -- back 40 years, writes Rowan Walrath at the BBJ.
“Omicron is waiting for omicron to blow over,” she adds.
P.S. This is bittersweet day for your chamber team. It's our incredible colleague Tiffany Zi Hua Chen's last day with us after four amazing years of providing incomparable customer service to our members, along with remarkable energy, insights, organization, friendship and laughs. Tiffany only has an A-Game and we will miss her. Thanks Tiffany!
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