The Research Bureau is pleased to present its latest report Foreclosure in the City of Worcester. This report explores Worcester’s recent experience with foreclosures and offers insights into the process. Foreclosure is a necessary part of a real estate market. Yet efforts must be made to limit its impact on households and neighborhoods alike.
See More...EACH YEAR on July 1, Massachusetts cities and towns must implement a new budget. The City of Worcester’s Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) budget takes effect on July 1, 2018. Municipal budgets must balance—expenditures cannot exceed revenues.
See More...A well-designed city, or district within a city, draws residents and visitors into public spaces, building community and supporting businesses and economic development. Many cities recognize the value of good design, but their degree of commitment and capacity for planning and regulation, as well as the level of community concern and participation, vary greatly.
See More...In preparation for the upcoming elections for Mayor, City Council, and School Committee, The Research Bureau has prepared a set of questions for the candidates. The questions cover a broad range of issues and are meant to challenge the candidates and the public to think about key issues facing the City today and in the coming years.
See More...This report explores national studies and local practices, resulting in a series of recommendations for Greater Worcester cities and towns on the adoption and implementation of an employee evaluation system.
See More...In order to further the Worcester City Council’s deliberations on tax policy, The Research Bureau is pleased to present a White Paper on criteria for consideration in preparation of annual tax rate determinations and alternatives to secure a more equitable single tax rate.
See More...The Worcester Regional Research Bureau is pleased to present the third annual Worcester Almanac—our compendium of information of all things Greater Worcester. A small, not-for-profit organization, The Research Bureau’s mission is to serve the public interest of Greater Worcester by con-ducting independent research and analysis of public policy issues to promote informed public debate and decision-making.
See More...In Massachusetts, state and local government retirees are eligible for pension and other post-employment benefits (OPEB), such as health care. Since these obligations are accrued daily but not due for decades in some cases, policymakers discount the cost and ultimately push the expense onto future generations.
See More...In Massachusetts, municipalities have limited tools to entice businesses to locate and expand in a weak marketplace. The most frequently used alternative is the Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP) and its tax increment financing (TIF) initiative.
See More...Since 1984, the City of Worcester has set residents against businesses in an annual duel over property tax rates. As municipal budgets continue to grow, a zero-sum game exists in which a decrease in taxes on one property class necessitates an increase in taxes on another.
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