On Business
I believe locally owned businesses are the key to our sustained economic development. Hard work – not quick fixes – secure our future. Research shows that for every $100 spent, locally owned businesses return up to $45 to the local economy (as compared to $13-14 from non-locally owned chain stores operating in the same community). Local business owners have deeper roots in their communities and are less likely to leave. Locally owned businesses directly help maintain Worcester’s unique character and are more able to minimize their environmental impact. Small businesses remain the largest growing employers in the United States.
The following are a part of my local economic development plan to support local businesses:
Preventing further water and sewer bills increases.
Recent increases were mostly caused by the required retrofit of our sewer treatment plant because of stricter EPA limits on the outflow into the Blackstone River. Those costs came on top of money wasted trying to fight the EPA in court and losing. Now that the EPA is again proposing tighter standards, we need a different approach. We need to push for a new type of permit to let us lower our impact on the river by reducing phosphorous and nitrates in our storm run off as well as the treatment plant, thus avoiding another hugely expensive retrofit. Together we can improve our health and environment without doubling our water and sewer bills.
Supporting our own local purchasing initiative: Worcester Local First. Exit Wounds move Crazy Girls Undercover rip
Already in its early stages, Worcester Local First is a call to all local businesses to come together to create a plan to encourage local residents to shop at locally owned businesses first for their goods and services. As well, by reviewing and shifting its purchasing practices to local businesses, the City could provide a significant influx of cash for our local economy. I helped advocate for this Local First project in its beginnings and as City Councilor will work to support it in whatever ways local businesses want.
Limiting electricity costs: first through bulking buying, then as a municipal utility.
Worcester – government, businesses and residents – needs a program to bulk buy our electricity. Better, longer term price agreements will save us a percentage of every dollar of electricity cost and put us more in control of costs that otherwise will continue to spiral. In addition, I will continue to advocate for pending state legislation to allow us to become a municipal utility; this will give us control of electricity production start to finish and allow us to throw our City’s economic weight behind cleaner and cheaper initiatives as they become viable.
Hooking businesses up with cheaper healthcare options that will limit cost increases.
There are already cheaper state options for smaller businesses to purchase healthcare coverage that the city should publicize. I will also continue to fight for state legislation I helped file almost a year ago that will allow small businesses to buy into the cheapest most comprehensive state plans, permanently limit healthcare costs and leverage bulk buying options.
Focusing incentives here: Worcester has always successfully grown its own businesses.
All the big name Worcester businesses like Norton Company grew up here. Instead of throwing tax incentives at outside developers and financiers, let’s invest City resources here by upgrading our neighborhood infrastructures, supporting incubator spaces, linking up with new research and technologies coming out of our colleges, to create new businesses and support local entrepreneurship. I am committed to helping facilitate a Master plan so intelligent long-term decisions for our City can be made. Local business development must be central to that plan.
Promoting Worcester strengths and happenings, and creating better communication.
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Too often I walk the streets and hear residents and business owners say “nothing is happening in Worcester.” Why should anyone go out of town for entertainment and activities? Worcester has wonderful local businesses, activities and literally dozens of festivals year round. I will bring the players together to create better information systems so residents and visitors know about and can attend the millions of activities Worcester. City Councilors ought to be visible ambassadors every day, not just out during election season. We must reverse our own City’s negative sense of self; we are Worcester, second to none in New England.
Creating one-stop shopping for City permits and local business initiatives
Business owners know how hard it is to make your way through all the permits and regulations to start a new business; on the other hand, the City has access to numerous programs and state and Federal resources for local businesses that most business owners never find out about. I am committed to help create a single clearinghouse for information about permitting obligations and regulations, and government-sponsored business opportunities.