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January 11, 2006

January 11, 2006. RECAP: Greater Boston’s Key Challenges & Scan of the Competition. Mary Jo Meisner, Vice President for Communications, Community Relations and Public Affairs The Boston Foundation. Greater Boston MSA Population 1969-1999. Greater Boston MSA Employment 1969-1999.

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January 11, 2006

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  1. January 11, 2006

  2. RECAP: Greater Boston’s Key Challenges & Scan of the Competition Mary Jo Meisner, Vice President for Communications, Community Relations and Public Affairs The Boston Foundation

  3. Greater Boston MSA Population 1969-1999

  4. Greater Boston MSA Employment 1969-1999

  5. …Since 2001, MA’s pop. & employment have declined relative to the U.S. Source: New England Economic Partnership

  6. Metro Boston’s 1990s economic engines are now lagging

  7. With a high and rising cost of living

  8. Our region now has the highest family costs among competitors

  9. Yet the housing affordability gap in Greater Boston continues to widen Ratio of Median Income to Income Needed to Purchase the Median-Priced House Threshold of Affordability Source: Median income from the Census (1990 and 2000) and Current Population Survey (2004). House prices based on the OFHEO index. Income needed based on a monthly payment including principal and interest on a 30-year conventional mortgage with 20% down, real estate taxes and insurance, and a qualifying income of 28%.

  10. The region has grown only due to immigrants, with recent net losses

  11. With global & regional competitors catching up

  12. Yet our public higher education funding is erratic & lower than competitor states

  13. Despite gains, MCAS proficiency is stuck in neutral, scores for young children are falling, and dropout rates are rising

  14. And waiting lists are rising for the first rungs of educational opportunity:Basic literacy & English classes

  15. To top it off: Weak networks & “brand” compared to competitors NETWORKS: More fragmentation, less collaboration, fewer linkages BRAND: “Old, cold, expensive, unwelcoming, and anti-business – a difficult place to get things done…”

  16. Infrastructure Costs Demographics and Immigration Our mutually reinforcing assets are now out of alignment, with housing costs our weakest link Forces Within the Dynamic System Contributing to Growth Mutual Reinforcement Unaligned Links Weakest Link Infra-structure Costs Strongest Link Regional Brand Education Education Regional Brand Demographics and Immigration Regional Networks and Collaboration Regional Networks and Collaboration …when there are engines that are not contributing you may be only as strong as your weakest link.

  17. We Have Big Ideas: • Focus strategies on talent & innovation • Create a talent-friendly environment • Drive growth from Greater Boston throughout the Commonwealth • Be a leader in creating talent partnerships with China, India and other innovation clusters

  18. But our competitors have Big Ideas, too: • Often the same ideas… For example:

  19. Chicago Metropolis 2020: a business-inspired, broadly inclusive plan for the 21st century

  20. NC’s Research Triangle: ‘Where the minds of the world meet’

  21. Research Triangle Park

  22. Innovation Philadelphia: local innovation/global partners, student retention initiative, wifi

  23. Multiple languages at phila.gov

  24. Central Florida: ‘Putting the pieces together’

  25. TheSan Francisco Bay Area

  26. A NEW MODEL: Coordinated, Distributed Leadership Open, Dynamic Civic Leadership • Regulatory Reform/Home Rule: • Rappaport & Pioneer Institutes • Sovereign Bank • MAPC • MMA, Mass Taxpayers, CURP New Leadership Pipeline John LaWare Leadership Forum 21st Century Jobs and Economic Strategies World Class Human Capital 21st Century Infrastructure • Housing • Commonwealth Housing Task Force • Innovation Economy Jobs • Economic Stimulus Bill • Jobs for Massachusetts • Global Massachusetts 2015 • Pre-K-11 Education • Early Education for All Campaign • Great Schools Campaign • Transportation • Multi-stakeholder CURP Initiative • Higher Education • Senate Task Force on Pub Higher Ed. • MetroBoston College Presidents’ Alliance • Energy • Mass Tech Collab., NE Council; • Regional Branding • & Marketing • New England Council • Boston Fed • 5th Century Trustees • Technology Access/Solutions • MA Technology Leadership Council • Health Care • Multi-stakeholder initiatives • Regional Planning • MAPC’s MetroFuture • Workforce Training • SkillWorks • Community - Industry Partnerships Cultural Facilities Economic Stimulus Bill/Match

  27. January 11, 2006

  28. Chapter 40R & 40S … and BeyondGetting the Incentives Right: Housing Barry Bluestone Director, Center for Urban & Regional Policy Northeastern University

  29. New Single Family Home Permits – Greater Boston

  30. The Commonwealth Housing Task Force • Not a new organization but a federation of business, labor, environmental groups, housing developers & advocates • Relies on housing studies & “report cards” to analyze the problem, craft new solutions • A partnership with NU’s Center for Urban and Regional Policy to encourage new housingconstruction

  31. Principles for a New Approach to Housing • INCREASE PRODUCTION EFFICIENTLY: Zone enough land to meet the demand for new housing when and where it is needed. • SMART GROWTH: Protect open space and enhance historic preservation while providing more housing. • GET INCENTIVES RIGHT: For developers and for local communities.

  32. 40R Basics • Overlay Districts near transit & city, town and village centers – the olde New England model • “As of right” residential development, with minimum allowable densities • 20% of the units affordable • Mixed Use

  33. 40R Incentives up to 20 units -- $ 10,000 201-500 units -- $350,000 21-100 units -- $ 75,000 over 500 units -- $600,000 101-200 units -- $200,000 A one-time “Bonus” for each new or rehabbed unit

  34. The School Cost Problem • A modest home in a typical community will have, on average, 1 student • the home will contribute $2,000 - $2,500 annually in property taxes for education, but the student costs $7,000 - $10,000 to educate • community forced to: reduce average education expenditures per child, or increase taxes through an override

  35. A Stumbling Block • Communities reluctant to permit higher density: municipal finance implications are not favorable. • School costs are a stumbling block (constraints from Prop 2 ½ and declining local aid)

  36. Declining Local Aid

  37. Local Spending Lagging

  38. Residential Property Tax Stress in the Commonwealth

  39. 40S School-Cost Insurance • Provides “insurance” for net new school costs • By underwriting net school costs, the Commonwealth provides an incentive for communities to permit modest priced single family home construction

  40. The Costs/Benefits of Chapter 40S • No costs until FY 2008 • < $2.0 million in 2008 ramping up to $35,000,000 in FY 2014 • Goal: 11,000 new single family housing units • Only 0.8% of the projected Chapter 70 School Aid budget in 2014.

  41. A Contribution to Economic Development – beyond Housing • New research at CURP -- working with NAIOP – underscores the critical role of local municipalities in economic development • Firms locate in cities & towns, not states • Local fiscal capacity is essential to attracting and retaining people AND firms • Must offset high private sector costs with quality public services • Limit high local property taxes

  42. 40S is only one aspect of local Aid Reform • The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation recommends an increase in local aid to 40% of state generated revenues - an estimated increase of $1 billion back in FY2005

  43. To Ensure Prosperity: • Implement Chapter 40R & 40S – New incentives to reduce the cost of living • Advocate for increased local aid investment in cities & towns to help them retain & attract business and jobs • Replicate “federation” approaches like the Commonwealth Housing Task Force to create consensus • Focus on leadership, partnership, and getting the incentives right

  44. January 11, 2006

  45. Building an Integrated System of Educational Excellence Maura Banta Corporate Community Relations Manager IBM

  46. Our global & regional competitors are advancing in educational attainment

  47. Education & immigrants – the key to the future workforce Educational Attainment: Immigrant Labor Force arriving in MA 90 - 00 Source: MassInc, US Census, CPS data.

  48. And despite investment and gains, MCAS proficiency is stuck in neutral

  49. Our funding of public higher education is erratic & among the lowest

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