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          2:45pm - 4:00pm

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          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
          Strategic Communication for Better Collaboration

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

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The Chamber Submits Testimony in Support of FY24 Budget

April 21, 2023

The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce supports the efforts in developing the FY24 budget (H.3700). As the House proceeds to debate, below are the priorities of the Chamber.

Transportation

SUPPORT: MBTA Board Seat for the City of Boston (Section 27)
The Chamber supports creating a seat on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Board of Directors (MBTA Board) appointed by the Mayor of Boston. Given the significant portion of the T that runs through the City of Boston, in addition to the city’s large financial contribution to the system, Boston should have a designated seat on the MBTA board. The Chamber appreciates the House’s continued support on this issue.

SUPPORT: MBTA Capital Investments (Item 1596-2404 – $250M) and Workforce and Safety Reserve (Item 1596-2427 – $65M)
The House budget includes necessary investments into the MBTA system by dedicating $250M to capital improvements to bridge repair, rehabilitation, and replacement, station and accessibility improvements, and signal work through 2025. While significant organizational and culture changes at the MBTA must occur in wake of poor service and historic safety problems, this appropriate use of income surtax funds will help the MBTA begin to address critical infrastructure issues and encourage increased ridership.

In addition, the transfer of $65 million in funding for MBTA Workforce and Safety reserve will help address the specific safety and workforce shortfalls identified by the Federal Transit Administration in 2022. The MBTA must address these significant failures immediately by diligently deploying these funds for staffing and other important needs to increase confidence in the system. The Chamber strongly supports these spending priorities in the FY24 budget.

Business Climate

SUPPORT: Early Education and Care Stabilization Grants (Item 3000-1045 – $250M)
Access to affordable, high quality early education and care programs is a vital component to attracting and retaining talent in Massachusetts. Stabilization grants are essential to these programs as they face continuing challenges resulting from the pandemic and a tight labor market in 2023. Combined with the House’s support for rate increases for early education providers, these resources will not only support this workforce, but also the workforce of all employers with continued access to childcare options.

SUPPORT: High Demand Scholarship Program (Section 7)
The Chamber supports the creation of a high demand targeted scholarship program to address the challenging labor market, ensure equitable opportunities to access in-demand careers, and increase regional competitiveness for the Commonwealth. Developing an access point to long-term careers while removing the barriers that deter or exclude diverse talent creates a sustainable talent pipeline backed by economic research to ensure business needs are met. It also creates an opportunity to attract new businesses to the area by promoting a responsive labor force that is both high-quality and adaptable for on-going business needs. Additionally, including wrap-around support services in the scholarship funds facilitates further entry points for diverse and underrepresented populations to gain the education and skillset they need to successfully join the workforce and contribute to their local economies.

SUPPORT: Early College – Dual Enrollment (Item 7066-0019 – $12M) and Early Colleges Programs (Item 7009-6600 – $15M)
The House’s proposed funding will expand access for thousands of students to early college programming in high school. Early college is a proven strategy that increases overall college attainment and helps close equity gaps in college outcomes. This increased funding will meet the growing demand for high-quality early college programs and help colleges invest in wrap-around services to support students.

SUPPORT: Amendments #1308 (Finn) and #1274 (Jones) – Brownfields Tax Credit Extension
Set to expire on August 5, 2023, the brownfields tax credit allows taxpayers that pursue and complete environmental remediation of contaminated sites in economically distressed areas to recover 25% of costs. Brownfields often face significant hurdles to clean-up and redevelopment, inhibiting new uses and negatively impacting the surrounding community. The brownfields tax credit is an important tool that facilitates environmental remediation and returns properties to their highest and best use, contributing to local economies and tax bases. This is particularly important to needed affordable housing developments in these areas that rely on this credit for financing feasibility.

Housing

SUPPORT: Amendment #804 (Cabral) – Housing Development Incentive Program Expansion
Amendment #804 would increase the statewide cap on the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) from $10 million to $57 million on a one-time basis, and thereafter to $30 million annually, similar to language filed by Governor Healey in her tax relief proposal, H.42. HDIP is a critical tool in combating high housing costs in Massachusetts by incentivizing market rate housing production in Gateway Cities and other municipalities. As housing costs continue to soar, increasing all types of housing supply is more important than ever, and this valuable tool will help spur more production that may otherwise face prohibitive financial barriers.

Climate & Energy

SUPPORT: Clean Energy Investment Fund (Item 1595-6232 – $25M) and Amendment #951 (Roy)
The Chamber supports additional investments in the clean energy workforce as the Commonwealth adopts new sources of renewable energy and strives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Massachusetts is at the forefront of clean energy policy and the development of offshore wind, solar, and other clean energy technologies will create new jobs. These new industries will need access to a talented and trained workforce as the state moves from planning to implementing clean energy projects and necessary infrastructure improvements ahead of 2025 and 2030 emissions reductions requirements.

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