The Boston city council has passed and recently upheld an ordinance that requires rental properties in the city to be inspected every few years whether or not a complaint has been made about the property. This seems to me like a gross invasion of privacy for tenants and an unwarranted increase in the size of …
Economy
casinos, consumer issues, convention center, development strategy, housing, industry regulation, inequality, intellectual property, net neutrality, non-competition agreements, olympics, poverty and assistance, turnpike air rights development, work
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 …
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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 …
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Title Clearing Bill
The Senate press Release regarding the Title Clearing Bill appears below — I was pleased to support this bill in the vote today. ===================================== Senate Passes Bill to Protect Homeowners BOSTON – The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed legislation to restore the titles of foreclosed properties after thousands of foreclosure sales in Massachusetts were determined …