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          Premier Event
          2026 Pinnacle Awards

          Join on us on Friday, January 30, as we host our highly anticipated 2026 Pinnacle Awards Luncheon.

          01/30/2026

          11:00am - 1:30pm

          Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport

          arrow-go
          Read More
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          Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Massachusetts Apprentice Network

          The Massachusetts Apprentice Network convenes employers, training providers, and talent sources interested in developing and implementing apprenticeship programs in occupations across industries and statewide in fields such as tech, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, and more.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
          Partnership with Boston Public Schools 

          The Chamber Foundation invites the business community to engage with Boston Public Schools leaders and their students to help build the future workforce.

          Read More
          Strategic Communication for Better Collaboration

          Level up your leadership and communication in this Boston Chamber workshop for professionals—gain essential skills in team alignment.

          Read More
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Prioritize Competitiveness with Economic Development Legislation

October 28, 2022

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce appreciates recent comments made by key legislators in both branches that a final bill will likely make it to the Governor’s desk before the end of the year. As healthy state revenues continue to exceed expectations and federal resources remain available, we hope measures that bolster the state’s economic competitiveness and support our workforce remain priorities for the Legislature as it negotiates a final bill for passage.

The Chamber recognizes that the provisions of chapter 62F complicated the state’s envious fiscal situation and that one-time, temporary tax relief will likely be released this year. The short-term relief is welcome, but a one-time refund should not replace long-term policy improvements supported unanimously by both the House and Senate that make Massachusetts a more affordable place to live and do business. Many provisions of the underlying economic development bills contain meaningful policy changes that improve the state’s competitiveness and help retain desperately needed workers and employers in Massachusetts.

As you know, employers and businesses placed a high priority on tax reform this year, recognizing that their employees would benefit from increasing the renters’ deduction and raising the dependent care credit in an economic climate confronting high inflation. The Earned Income Tax Credit is widely embraced because it is a sensible investment in both taxpayers and the broader economy. And our estate tax structure, without reform, means property owners and family-owned businesses in Massachusetts face the lowest exemption level in the country, despite having some of the highest property values. Crucially, many of these tax reforms target those that may not realize significant relief under chapter 62F.

Importantly, the state can afford these policy changes and improvements. Revenues greatly exceeded benchmarks again in September, and the Legislature prioritized a record level of savings in the Rainy Day Fund to weather unforeseen revenue disruptions. An additional $1.2 billion in federal funds that must be spent by 2024 remain from ARPA as well. In comparison, the tax reform measures adopted by both branches represent critical long-term relief to taxpayers with a modest impact to state revenues and would reinforce that our economic health is a priority for the Commonwealth.

Competitiveness is an increasingly significant factor for both employees and employers when determining where to locate. Remote work environments mean employers have access to talent across state lines, and workers can relocate more easily without leaving their positions. For those employers and workers that do not have options for remote work, a high cost of living puts Massachusetts at a disadvantage to lower cost states. While some of these costs are unavoidable, we believe the Legislature supported an economic development bill that made targeted progress in areas that improve our business environment. The Chamber hopes this legislation, including the complete tax reform package adopted by both branches, is enacted this year.

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