Council in the News
Remote work looks like it’s here to stay
March 17, 2021CommonWealth MagazineBy: Shira Schoenberg Companies see gains from hybrid models Eastern Bank used to be a typical employer. Be in the office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an hour break for lunch. Its employees in Lynn, Boston, and elsewhere fought the...
When are we going back to the office? Big employers set timelines but remain cautious
March 14, 2021The Boston GlobeBy Jon Chesto Companies are suggesting a wide range of return dates, mostly from June to September After scrambling to shut down their offices last March, many top executives told their staffs that normal commutes would probably resume by...
A wealth tax, a SCOTUS case, and a likely Mass. exodus
March 10, 2021The Boston Globe By: Jim Stergios and Christopher Anderson If you don’t believe the $200 million annual loss to New Hampshire is a threat, consider the wealth drain to Florida. A case New Hampshire filed with the US Supreme Court last October against the...
Post-Pandemic Prospects: Tech Leaders’ Prescription for Preserving a Healthy Economy, Council President Chris Anderson on Hubwonk
March 9, 2021 Pioneer Institute Hubwonk Podscast Listen to Council President Chris Anderson on Hubwonk: Link
Half of State Workforce Could Stay Remote After Pandemic
March 4, 2021 By Matt Murphy The Baker administration has been quietly planning for a permanent "hybrid" work model for as much as half of the state workforce, and over the course of 2021 will be redesigning office space and equipping employees with the technology...
Local nonprofits join Uber, Lyft in new coalition for ‘app-based workers’
March 3, 2021Boston Business Journal By Lucia Maffei – Technology Reporter A new local coalition launches today in Massachusetts, backed by several large national companies including Uber and Lyft, as well as local industry groups and nonprofits, saying it plans to...
State health secretary explains why employer-hosted vaccine programs are being suspended
February 25 2021The Boston GlobeBy Jon Chesto, Globe Staff Companies had been encouraged by the Baker administration to apply Only several weeks after soliciting help from the business community, the administration is telling companies to suspend their COVID-19...
Pioneer Institute report helps build case against the Massachusetts top-earners’ tax
February 10, 2021The Boston GlobeBy Jon Chesto, Globe Staff Boston think tank warns of migration to low-cost locations because of increased acceptance of telecommuting The Pioneer Institute’s latest report warns of the economic threat to high-cost regions posed by the...
House Sponsor Favors Early Vote on Income Surtax
February 2, 2021 By Matt Murphy Rep. Jim O'Day, the House sponsor last session of a constitutional amendment to increase income taxes on the wealthy, said he'd like to see lawmakers take a vote this spring to put the measure on the 2022 ballot, rather than let it...
Listen to Council President Chris Anderson discuss Governor Baker’s State of the State speech and the Council’s 2021 economic recovery focus and policy priorities on Bloomberg Baystate Business Radio
January 26, 2021Bloomberg Baystate Business Radio Listen to Council President Chris Anderson discuss Governor Baker’s State of the State speech and the Council’s 2021 economic recovery focus and policy priorities. (Segment starts at ~16:45.): Link
Testing Seen as Critical Bridge to Vaccine
November 23, 2020State House News ServiceBy Colin Young Promising vaccine trial results have offered a glimmer of hope that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic could be approaching, but testing capacity is still "far short" of what's required to avoid "further...
COVID-19 testing in Mass. is ‘far short’ of levels needed to stop the spread
November 23, 2020The Boston GlobeBy Jon Chesto, Globe Staff The Massachusetts High Technology Council recommends that federal, state, and local governments develop a systematic, expanded testing regime using multiple kinds of tests. The number of COVID-19 tests taking...
Employers Highlight Steps Toward Inclusivity, Diversity
September 16, 2020State House News Service By Katie Lannan When staff from Wayfair talk to interns or other students interested in the company, they field "a lot of very direct questions about, what about Boston," said KeyAnna Schmiedl, the global head for culture and...
Corporate, Cap Gains Tax Hikes Favored in Poll: Income Tax Increase Opposed in MTA Poll
September 14, 2020State House News ServiceBy Colin A. Young With crunch time for difficult and potentially painful budget decisions drawing nearer each day, advocates for greater state spending are touting survey results that they say show "overwhelming support" among...
Employer survey indicates new normal will be very different
August 26, 2020CommonWealth MagazineBy Bruce Mohl Businesses say 47% of employees will continue to work remotely. A SURVEY OF COMPANIES in the Greater Boston area indicates nearly half of their employees will continue to work remotely after concerns about COVID-19...
Business groups are fighting Senate’s plan for local taxation districts
July 14, 2020The Boston GlobeBy Jon Chesto, Globe Staff Measure to be debated on Thursday would allow surcharges on sales and property taxes at the local level to pay for transportation needs. Statewide business groups are gearing up for a new tax battle on Beacon...
Mass. High Technology Council Launches New Diversity Initiative
July 9, 2020Boston Business Journal By Lucia Maffei – Technology Reporter The Massachusetts High Technology Council is launching a new diversity initiative that is set to be the main focus of the innovation economy advocacy group for the next five to 10 years, its...
States Rush to Keep Afloat Businesses Crushed by the Pandemi
July 7, 2020CNBCBy: Scott Cohn Among the countless things transformed by the coronavirus pandemic is the perennial competition between the states for business, jobs and the revenue that comes with them. Make no mistake, the experts say, that battle is still going...
Watch CNBC Special Correspondent Discuss the Council’s COVID-19 Recovery & Return to the Workplace Leadership
July 7, 2020CNBC Watch CNBC Special Correspondent Discuss the Council’s COVID-19 Recovery & Return to the Workplace Leadership. Link
Council President Chris Anderson Comments on President Trump’s Order Halting the H-1B Visa program on WBUR Radio’s Morning Edition
June 24, 2020WBUR Radio’s Morning Edition Listen to Council President Chris Anderson comment on President Trump's order halting the H-1B Visa program on WBUR Radio’s Morning Edition. Link