Dreaming Of A Better 2011
It’s nearly time to close the books on 2010. It was an interesting year for businesses in Central Massachusetts, to which anyone who reviewed our top headlines of 2010 on page 12 can attest.
From highs to lows, the last 12 months were a mixed bag. As we look toward a fresh start in 2011, we’ve compiled our own wish list for the business community in 2011:
Cost Containment
Everyone recognizes that health-care costs are too high. Yet little has been done to truly address the problem at either the state or the federal level.
We hope that our political and business leaders can come together in 2011 to develop true solutions to keep health insurance premiums from rising. This isn’t a matter of greed or inconvenience. Not curbing costs will further bruise the already battered small business owner. If this economy is to truly recover and grow, health care costs must be contained.
Real Change
The housing market is still limping along in Central Massachusetts and throughout much of the United States. Houses are sitting empty in neighborhoods throughout the region as homeowners have fled crushing mortgage payments.
The first-time homebuyers tax credit provided needed juice to the market in 2010, but when that credit expired, the momentum left the market.
As we enter spring next year, we hope that Americans will once again be in an economic position to begin investing in residential real estate.
Downtown Catalyst
For businesses and residents of Worcester, there was no better sound than the demolition activity at the former Common Outlets mall this year. Now that the Hanover Insurance Group has entered the picture as the developer for CitySquare, we seem blissfully close to real positive change in the energy of downtown. Our wish for 2011 is that this project continues its momentum into next year.
Energy In Focus
Without $4 per gallon gas prices it seems that the drive towards renewable energy may be losing steam in Massachusetts. We hope that in 2011 business gets behind clean energy sources like never before to make sure we don’t abandon important projects just because gas prices aren’t quite as inconvenient as they were back in 2007. Renewable energy seemed like a great idea after the gas crisis of the 1970s, but fell out of favor. Local and state leaders need to make sure we don’t repeat that same mistake.
Liquid Market
As it’s been said before, small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy. They grow, they hire and they drive development. There’s been a lot of talk from politicians about the need to increase lending to small businesses but not a lot of action. We hope that in 2011 every Central Massachusetts business with a good business plan and a strong balance sheet has the opportunity to fund expansions.
Budget Plans
We hope in 2011 that our elected leaders take a hard look at government spending. The federal deficit is at historic levels, and states like Massachusetts are equally strapped. Taxing businesses cannot be the answer to these budget woes in 2011. We need streamlined taxing structures and compromises on spending. Individual Americans and businesses have had to make tough choices through this recession. Now it’s time for our government leaders to do the same.
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