Beacon Hill Scorecard -- May 19, 2006
House approves commercial permitting bill 134 to 14
The House voted 134-14 to approve legislation H.4741, aimed at promoting economic development by streamlining the commercial permitting process. The state’s leading business trade group, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, applauded provisions in the bill that would set the local permitting timeframe at 180 days, expedite permitting for specific sites within communities, and create a new Massachusetts Permit Regulatory Office within the Executive Office of Economic Development. Proponents have been pushing for passage of the bill for years, but have been unable to forge a consensus in a state where home rule is strong, and where there is local resistance to change in land use patterns that promote more development. Permitting reform is a priority in the Senate and within the Romney administration, but it’s not clear whether everyone on Beacon Hill will agree on a single bill this year.
Index finds decade-high gap between state, national confidence
The gap between consumer confidence in Massachusetts and in the nation as whole is larger than it's been in more than 10 years, as Bay State residents are growing more pessimistic about their economic futures. A survey by Mass Insight found consumer confidence in Massachusetts at its lowest level since January 2003 – while confidence nationally reached its highest point in four years last month, according to the Conference Board. The index is based on 500 consumer responses, gathered between April 28 and May 1, to five questions about current conditions and future expectations. Mass Insight is a non-partisan public policy, research and economic development consulting firm. Mass Insight officials say they hope the gubernatorial candidates will speak about their economic plans, especially in light of the state's population losses and the risk of brain drain brought on by educated residents moving out of state.
Rail advocates push $2.2 billion plan to include hotel/motel fees
A coalition of lawmakers, construction and environmental officials proposed a plan to impose new user fees and earmark existing taxes to fund more than $2 billion worth of public transportation expansion projects. The proposal is designed to set aside enough funding to expand commuter rail service to Springfield, New Bedford and Fall River, while adding more service on the Worcester and Fitchburg lines and running the Blue Line to Lynn.
To do so, lawmakers and transportation advocates want to assess new user fees on hotels and motels, sightseeing tours, rental cars, commercial airline tickets, commuter rail parking and ferry riders in areas to be served by expanded public transit. Proponents of the plan see it as a way to pay for projects the MBTA can’t presently afford, take cars off the state’s congested roads, and provide a jolt of jobs to the construction industry just as Big Dig work nears completion. Critics questioned the funding techniques.
Fishing regulations called too restrictive
Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, two mayors and Attorney General Thomas Reilly challenged regulations that would cut nearly in half the number of days some Massachusetts fisherman can be at sea. Reilly has filed a two-count complaint in Federal District Court challenging the emergency regulations issued by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and alleging that Massachusetts fishermen are restricted from access to 13 healthy fish stocks. Federal authorities promulgated the regulations as part of efforts to preserve and restore fishery stocks.
Healey and Mayors Scott Lang of New Bedford and John Bell of Gloucester said the emergency regulations, which went into effect May 1, will wreak havoc on the state fishing industry and the economy. Both mayors say the regulations don’t take into account the potential damage to the region’s economy, and are changing a formula that’s been working well for centuries. The regulations strengthen what the fishing industry says are already overly restrictive limits on how many days fishermen can spend at sea, by counting 1.4 days at sea for every actual 1 day at sea. Fishermen are already restricted to fishing 52 to 60 days per year.
Water transportation funds approved
Lt. Gov. Kerry Healy announced $10.2 million in grants for ports and ferry terminals, funded through a Seaport Bond Bill and a Water Transportation Program at the Executive Office of Transportation. The grants cover coastal communities from Gloucester to Martha’s Vineyard and including funding for improvements such as harbor dredging, harbor plan development and ferry terminal improvements.
Cape Cod area grants include:
• Bourne Monument Beach Repair, $25,000
• Harwich/Yarmouth Reef, $40,000
• Vineyard Haven Dredging, $30,000
• Ferry Feasibility Study between Woods Hole and New Bedford, $75,000
Study shows reduction in toxics use in manufacturing
Massachusetts manufacturers cut their use of toxic agents by 54 million pounds between 1994 and 2002, according to a study measuring the effectiveness of a voluntary technical assistance program under the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. It’s also a cut in costs for companies, which are able to reduce hazardous waste training for workers, and face less waste management and regulatory reporting.
Senate budget adds school aid
As anticipated, Senate leaders proposed a $25.4 billion budget that would expand higher education spending by $58 million and follow through on earlier promises for local aid to schools and towns, while using $350 million from the state’s stabilization fund. The budget also follows through on commitments to health care reform and MassHealth expansion, substance abuse programs and previously promised local aid expansions, while including tax incentives for businesses who hire people directly off the welfare rolls. It contains no cut in the state income tax, as was proposed by Gov. Mitt Romney.
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