1. Where is Massachusetts Going? How is Holyoke Doing? “Modeling Change for Urban Communities” Holyoke Community College Holyoke Chamber of Commerce Barry Bluestone Dean, School of Social Science, Urban Affairs, and Public Policy Director, Center for Urban and Regional Policy Northeastern University September 18, 2007

2. Massachusetts Trends in Economic Activity, Employment and Population Dynamics

3. Economic Activity Index: U.S. vs. Massachusetts: 1993-2007

7. -138,000

9. Source: Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development., Employment and Wages (ES-202).

10. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

11. U.S. Bureau of the Census

14. Where did they go?

15. The Massachusetts Cost of Living Problem

16. Greater Boston Family Budget 4 Person Family with 2 Children  Housing Costs: 7 th Highest MSA  Child Care: 7 th Highest MSA  Health Care: 7 th Highest MSA  Personal Care: 6 th Highest MSA  Fed/State Tax: 2 nd Highest MSA  Total Cost: 1 st Highest MSA Economic Policy Institute, Family Budget Calculator, 2005 Among 304 U.S. Metropolitan Areas

17. Top Decile: Metro Area Cost of Living Boston $ 64,656 Washington (D.C. portion) $ 61,440 Nassau-Suffolk, NY $ 60,780 Stamford-Norwalk, CN$ 60,720 Lawrence (Mass. portion) $ 59,280 New York, NY$ 58,656 Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA $ 58,236 San Francisco, CA $ 57,624 Worcester (Mass. portion) $ 55,704 Springfield, MA$ 55,320 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN$ 54,948 Nashua, NH $ 54,852 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$ 53,808 Oakland, CA $ 53,412 San Jose, CA $ 52,800 Pittsfield, MA $ 52,632 Rochester, MN $ 51,288 Monmouth-Ocean, NJ$ 50,736 San Diego, CA $ 50,088 Newark, NJ$ 49,992 New Haven-Meriden, CN $ 49,848 Honolulu, HI $ 49,824 Philadelphia (Pa. portion) $ 49,716 Boulder-Longmont, CO$ 49,596 Bridgeport, CN$ 49,272 Manchester, NH $ 49,152 Santa Rosa, CA$ 48,924 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $ 48,900 Hartford, CN$ 48,684 Trenton, NJ$ 48,576 Rochester, NY$ 48,540 Economic Policy Institute: Family Budget Calculator Universe: 304 U.S. Metro Areas

18. A Tale of Two Cities Basic Budget 2 Parents, 2 Children Boston Monthly Housing$1,266 Monthly Food$ 587 Monthly Child Care$1,298 Monthly Transportation$ 321 Monthly Health Care$ 592 Monthly Other Necessity$ 500 Monthly Taxes$ 824 Monthly Total$5,388 Annual Total $64,656 Raleigh-Durham- Chapel Hill Monthly Housing$ 779 Monthly Food$ 587 Monthly Child Care$ 866 Monthly Transportation$ 358 Monthly Health Care$ 368 Monthly Other Necessity$ 369 Monthly Taxes$ 350 Monthly Total$3,677 Annual Total $ 44,124 A Tale of Two Cities Source: Economic Policy Institute, “Family Budget Calculator, 2005”

19. What’s Important in Local Economic Development

20. What’s Important in the Business Location Decision Mean Scores for All Factors (1 = Very Important; 4= Unimportant) FactorMean Onsite parking for employees1.48 Rental rates1.52 Availability of appropriate labor1.63 Timeliness of approvals / appeals 1.67 Quality / capacity of infrastructure1.78 Access to airports / major highways* 1.79 Traffic congestion1.79 State tax / financial incentives**1.83 Land costs1.84 Competitive labor costs1.85 Access to major highways**1.85 Predictability / clarity of permitting 1.85 Property taxes1.87 Crime rate in the area1.87 Local tax / financial incentives1.90 Undesirable abutting land use1.91 Fast track / concurrent permitting1.93 State tax rates**1.96 Physical attractiveness of area1.99 Municipal rep. as good place to work 2.03 FactorMean Municipal rep. for economic dev.2.04 Zoning by right2.08 Municipal rep. as good place to live 2.10 Proximity to restaurants / shops2.11 Public transportation2.16 Complementary business svcs**2.16 Cost of housing for employees2.17 Access to airports**2.21 Critical mass of similar firms2.22 Awareness of brownfields2.24 Quality of local schools2.26 Awareness of strong neighborhood orgs 2.35 Permitting ombudsman2.38 Customized workforce training**2.49 Proximity to research/universities2.63 Availability of sports/cultural/recreational opps 2.65 Strong trade unions2.76 Informative municipal website2.82 Access to railroads**2.84 Municipal minimum wage law3.05 * Question asked in NAIOP survey only. **Question asked in CoreNet survey only.

21. Property Taxes, Local Spending, and Local Aid

30. Source: Massachusetts Department of Education, “School Finance Statistical Comparisons,” FY 2004

32. Source: Commonwealth Fusion Center, Crime in Massachusetts, 2004-2005. Retrieved July 10, 2007 (http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/msp/divisions/investigative_services/crime_reporting_unit/mass_hate_crimes_report_2005.pdf); Mass DOR Municipal Databank, “Fiscal Year 2000-2005 General Fund Expenditures.”

34. Source: Mass DOR Municipal Databank, “Fiscal Year 2000-2005 General Fund Expenditures.”