Boston Convention and Exhibition Center Expansion

Tomorrow, the Senate will vote on S2188, An Act relative to the expansion of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.  A similar bill passed the house 131-19.  There has been quite a bit of news coverage about this bill, which I have compiled below along with other resources and reports.  What do you think?  Is …

Add Winery Direct Shipping to Budget

As an adult voter in Massachusetts, I urge you to ADD A WINERY DIRECT SHIPPING AMENDMENT to the Senate’s version of the budget which mirrors the House’s budget amendment. If passed, this will allow wine lovers like me to purchase a limited amount of wine directly from wineries licensed by our state to ship. The …

Non-competition Updates

There appears to be some movement on the effort to cut back on the use of non-competition agreements in Massachusetts. This has been a long-term priority of mine. These agreements restrict employee mobility, hampering new venture formation and contributing to unemployment. They are bad for the innovation climate. At the same time, employers feel them …

Turnpike Air Rights Parcels 12 – 15 Citizen’s Advisory Committee

Last Thursday, March 27, 2014 the Turnpike Air Rights Parcels 12 – 15 Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) met to discuss the future of Parcel 13. A feasibility study for Parcel 13 was presented by MassDOT and the MBTA to highlight the unique challenges of the site for the community and potential developers. There will be …

Unemployment Insurance Rates for Construction Firms

One of the more complex issues currently before us is the rate structure for unemployment insurance. One of the major features of the Senate’s recently passed bill was a shift in rates that would charge more to companies who routinely layoff workers on a seasonal basis. This is only fair to other businesses — it’s …