Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is pushing a plan to allow struggling communities to bring in more taxes from local businesses and to lower the amount of property taxes owners have to pay.
"Patrick is pushing legislation to allow communities to collect a tax of up to 2 percent on hotel and restaurant tabs, require some local pension funds to join the State Retirement Board, allow communities to buy health insurance through the state's Group Insurance Commission, and eliminate a property tax exemption for telecommunications firms. Communities levying the hotel and meals tax would be required to dedicate at least a quarter of the revenue to reducing residential tax bills."
"State Representative Pam Richardson, Democrat of Framingham, said a meals tax would help her town, which has dozens of restaurants lining Route 9. But she said the initiative could face a tough battle on Beacon Hill."
"Patrick said that he is launching the statewide push because he knows passage of the initiative is not a sure thing."
FULL STORY: Patrick campaigns for new income sources for towns
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
City of Costa Mesa
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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