An Election That Demands Business Attention
People, and by extension business owners, don't generally care about city elections.
But they should.
Political campaigns are always targeted at the general populace, but issues surrounding economic growth provide business owners in Worcester with a golden opportunity to speak up and be heard during the current campaigns for mayor and City Council.
There are several issues impacting business, notably the following:
• The dual tax rate. In some years, the dual property tax levy requires businesses to pay at nearly twice the rate of homeowners. This is the primary issue that has divided the business sector and city government. But early this year, the City Council took a step in the right direction by refusing to opt for the highest possible commercial tax rate. If business owners want to see continued progress toward equal rates, they need to speak up and keep the pressure on local officials.
• Job growth. Worcester’s unemployment rate for August was 9 percent, well above the state rate of 7 percent. To cut into joblessness, the city needs to attract and retain businesses. While this is primarily the focus of the city manager and the economic development team, it’s the mayor and council that establish the priorities.
• Ease of doing business. This year, the city launched an online permit application process, spurred in part by complaints from the business sector. If this is a harbinger of more cooperation between the business community and City Hall, it’s a good beginning. This shows that when businesspeople raise issues at City Hall, sometimes action follows.
• The future of downtown. In addition to the knockdown and redevelopment around the former mall, the city is hoping to rebuild and revitalize the downtown theater district. This provides a perfect opportunity for businesses to become engaged in the early stages of what could be a major development project.
• Attracting new business and expanding others. The city has notched a couple of notable victories this year with the planned $120 million CSX Corp. expansion and the relocation of ThermoEnergy Corp.’s headquarters from Arkansas, which will add a few needed jobs. To keep this effort going, an actively engaged business community can help the city identify key areas where improvements can be made that can yield the best return on investment.
It’s easy to just sit on the sidelines and let local politics play itself out, but there is ample reason for the business community to be engaged. It’s a critical time for the city’s economy and, by extension, the region, since Worcester’s economic health can clearly impact the quality of life for residents in surrounding communities.
While businesses should be engaged, it’s also a two-way street. Those running for office have made a big deal this campaign season about jobs and economic development. But the rhetoric needs to turn into action after the city’s next mayor is sworn in. Local officials must take further steps to reach out to the business community and show that concerns that are raised are addressed.
Mayor Joseph O’Brien, who is not seeking re-election (although he is running for another term on the City Council), deserves much credit for bringing city government closer to the business community, especially with the formation of his task force on job growth and business retention that yielded a series of recommendations on how to boost business. O’Brien’s successor should pick up where he left off to move the city’s relationship with the business community forward.
But to do that, the next mayor and council need to hear loud and clear from businesses about the issues most important to them.
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