Worcester has more than 1,500 nonprofits exempt from property taxes that would otherwise pump $21 million into city coffers. This puts the burden squarely on the shoulders of residential taxpayers.

Most newspaper coverage of the issue of payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) applied to tax-exempt property owners reads like a boxing match: round after round of punches and parries about how much nonprofits cost a city in lost revenues, how much nonprofits contribute outside of paying property taxes, and so on. This article from Worcester, Mass. is different in the depth of its analysis, drawing on a report from the Worcester Regional Research Bureau (WRRB).

WORCESTER — Edward C. Freni, director of aviation for the Massachusetts Port Authority, told a City Council subcommittee last night that despite another loss of commercial flights out of Worcester Regional Airport, the authority still sees the airport as a strategic asset.

What is The Research Bureau (Worcester Regional Research Bureau)?

“We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, which examines public policy issues that are of interest to area officials and residents. We look at subjects like public education, municipal finance and economic development. It's really unusual to see an organization like ours operating in a city the size of Worcester.”

An important lesson emerged from The Research Bureau’s panel discussion Tuesday afternoon at Assumption College on recruiting and retaining quality teachers: Just as with some algebra problems, there’s more than one solution that satisfies the equation.

Commenting on the construction of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in September 1999, an editorial in the Telegram & Gazette took a strong position against a Project Labor Agreement, an arrangement that favors trade unions at the expense of independent building contractors. Titled “Project labor blackmail,” the editorial stated: “The union says the agreement ensures labor harmony and uninterrupted construction. Translation: If you don’t have a PLA, we see to it that there will be interruptions. This utterly immoral arrangement is supported by spineless politicians because many of their campaign contributions come from organized labor.”

WORCESTER — A Research Bureau panel yesterday on teacher recruitment will spill over onto a future School Committee agenda, at least as concerns two new-teacher programs.

A new report on Worcester's economy paints a picture of a city becoming more residential and more centered on service industries like health care and education.

"Benchmarking Economic Development in Worcester: 2012," by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau finds that the service sector represents 90 percent of jobs in the city and 85 percent in Worcester County.

The Worcester Regional Research Bureau held a wine and cheese reception March 8 to celebrate its new offices at Assumption College in Worcester. The Worcester Regional Research Bureau is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that conducts research about public policy issues of concern to the greater Worcester region.

WORCESTER — Four municipal employees were honored last night with Thomas S. Green Public Service Awards at La Maison Francaise at Assumption College.

The awards are given annually by The Research Bureau for outstanding contributions to public service.