Good morning friends,

The Boston Business Journal just released its annual list of the Largest Chambers of Commerce in Massachusetts.

Once again, we’re the state’s 4th largest, with 1,189 sole entrepreneurs, small businesses, large employers and nonprofits as members.

Thank you for that.  

Thank you for the trust you place in us every day.  We’re proud of what we’ve achieved with your support.

We’re also gratified to be listed among a remarkable group of chambers from across the Commonwealth.

We communicate regularly with our chamber peers and other business organizations, sharing best practices and strategies.  Together, we advocate for issues vital to growing our economy, strengthening our workforce and maintaining our competitiveness.  It’s a collaboration that’s especially critical in times of uncertainty.

Results from a nationwide public opinion poll indicates that both businesses and consumers recognize the vital role chambers play in the prosperity of their communities. We’re grateful for that too.

The Harris Poll survey, conducted on behalf of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, found that 81% of U.S. adults agree that their local chamber is a trusted resource and partner for businesses.

• Around nine in 10 US adults feel that their local chamber has an impact on growing the local economy (90%) and addressing challenges within their community (88%).

  
  

• 64% who are familiar with their local chamber say knowing a business is a member of their local chamber would make them more likely to purchase goods and services from the business.

Whether you are a member of our chamber, a different chamber or — best yet —multiple chambers, thank you for the faith and confidence you place in us.

And if you don’t yet belong, we’d be honored to welcome you.

Employers could face a 45% UI bills spike  

Massachusetts’ businesses pay the third-highest unemployment insurance tax rate in the nation.

We also provide the nation’s third-most generous benefits. And we’re the only state offering up to 30 weeks of benefits.

But without intervention from Beacon Hill, our businesses will soon be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars more, as the UI fund races toward insolvency.

A new forecast projects that the UI account will run out by end of 2027.  That’s nearly a year sooner than the state projected four months ago, based now on an less optimistic assumption that unemployment will hover around 4.5% in the next five years, reports Chris Lisinski at State House News. (Globe subscribers: read it here.)

The rates employers pay is determined by how many of their former workers collect unemployment benefits and how much they’ve set aside to cover unemployment costs.  Under the current schedule, employers can expect to pay between $124.50 and $1,897.50 per employee per year. But by 2028, that per-employee cost range would spike to between $181.50 and $2,782.50 — a roughly 45% increase.

(Mass Taxpayers Foundation has a helpful explainer.)

That’s on top of what businesses are also paying to cover pandemic-era borrowing the state undertook to replenish the trust fund.

Lawmakers have in the past intervened to freeze looming unemployment tax rate increases.  That needs to happen again.   The system also needs to be reformed.  This can cannot continue to be kicked down the road.

“Fixing the UI system doesn’t mean abandoning workers,” writes the Mass Opportunity Alliance. “It means creating a sustainable, effective program that balances support for the unemployed with a healthy business environment that can generate the jobs they need.”

Our favorite astronaut flew into town last week

Suni Williams visited BID Needham and Wingate Living last week, sharing memories of growing up in Needham, the importance of resilience in the face of unexpected challenges and the future of space travel.

“Hearing Sunita share her extraordinary experience in space with our staff was truly inspiring. Her story resonated deeply as we reflect on our own resilience and the everyday challenges we face in our work as a community hospital,” said  BID Needham President John Fogarty.

Another office project is on hold due to market conditions

Demolition has begun on a Highland Ave. property in Needham. But construction of a 50,000 SF, two-story medical office building there is on hold.

Boston Development Group President and CEO Jodie Zussman tells Peter O’Neil at the Needham Observer the project is at the mercy of the overall construction market and interest rates, but also constraints imposed by the town.

A town zoning requirement to provide five parking spaces for every 1,000 SF of office space, for a total of 250 spaces, combined with a 40-foot building height limit, requires much of the parking to be located underground, adding considerably to the cost.

Tuesday grab bag

• Gov. Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Campbell have jointly issued  “Guidance for Employers Regarding Immigration and Work Authorization.”
• Campbell has also issued guidance regulating hidden charges or “junk fees. Businesses must comply with the new rules beginning Sept. 2 so you may want to review this.
• Boylston Properties secured $119M in refinancing for its 159K SF life sciences property at 500 Forge in Watertown. The property is fully leased to three tenants: Mariana Oncology, Orna Therapeutics and Aven Cell Therapeutics. (Biznow)
• Friday (Aug. 22) is the deadline to vote for our Newton Small Business Peoples’ Choice Awards and to enjoy the early bird discount for Newton Night, Sept. 17 at the West Newton Cinema.
• Future members? Two Natick businesses are relocating to our communities: D’Arcy Wellness Center, is moving to 277 Linden St., next to Captain Marden’s. Falcetti Pianos is headed to 2284 Washington St. in Newton in Lower Falls, next to Gregorian Rug. (Swellesley Report)
• RWA Wealth Partners, a woman-led wealth management firm with an office on Wells Ave. in Newton, has acquired a women-led firm in San Francisco. RWA has $18 billion in assets under management and employs more than 170 people, most of whom are local.  (BBJ)
• Watertown has openings for residents interested in serving on the Commission on Disability, Environment and Energy Efficiency Committee, Historic District Commission and Public Arts and Culture Committee. Apply.
• Now we’re arresting police officers?
• Waltham’s Skyhawk Therapeutics has signed a deal with Merck KGaA that could be valued at $2 billion. (BBJ)
• NBC10 recently took a look at Newton’s Washington Street road diet.
• Whoops! I had a bad link in last week’s newsletter celebrating our four outstanding 2025 Chamber Scholarship Recipients.

If you build them, they will shop (and dine)

We received several emails related to last Friday’s newsletter upset that Needham has removed bike lanes from plans to reconfigure Great Plain Ave. Here’s two excerpts:

• “People on bikes are essentially wallets on two wheels — we don't need big parking spaces and if you create a separate space for us, we don't block traffic. If you design Great Plain Ave. for the exclusive use of cars (four lanes is also hostile to pedestrians), you will indeed have a parking challenge. The issue is just geometry.”
• “Please remember that cyclists also go to restaurants in Needham, shop at businesses in Needham, and pay taxes that fund our roads. … It is short-sighted to build and plan in order to accommodate some people’s fear of change."

Another emailer pointed to an article in the Globe headlined “For some Boston-area parents, minivans are out. E-bikes are in” but only in areas with protected bike lanes.

Share your views too.

Might Trump determine the colors on Nonantum’s streets?

Finally today, pretty much everyone agrees that the removal of the Italian flag colors median on Adams Street in Nonantum could have been handled better.

But could the feds be the ultimate arbiter of whether the lines remain?

Sparked by the painting of rainbow-colored sidewalks across Florida in solidarity with the LGBTQ community after the Pulse nightclub murders, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy recently ruled that “non-standard” colors don’t belong on streets, reports the Washington Post. (gift link)

“This includes political messages of any nature, artwork, or anything else that detracts from the core mission of driver and pedestrian safety,” a statement from Duffy’s department reads.

Duffy gave states 60 days to study crosswalks at intersections and develop a list of “compliance concerns.”

And that’s what you need to know for today, except you have not lived until you’ve seen the German Shopping Cart Return Challenge.

Be back — along with the Black Moon — on Friday.  And thanks again, for being part of our chamber.

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

Max Woolf contributed to today’s newsletter.

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