Priority Issue: Good Jobs in Our Community
| I am committed to the economic development of Worcester. The city needs a new focus on expanding jobs and our local economy. We cannot allow our community to grow into a bedroom community where people live and work in Boston and only come home to sleep. While a certain portion of our residents will continue to work in the Boston area, we must strive to create employment opportunities near their homes. |
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I believe that we need to create and encourage job growth in Worcester through targeted economic incentives to small businesses. Although the economic boom of the last decade largely bypassed Worcester, the city has become very competitive in the housing and wage markets. Regionally targeted incentives will give companies and businesses the opportunity to keep jobs and grow jobs in Worcester, as well as our housing prices will allow families to live and grow here. While every politician talks about expanding jobs, I have some concrete proposals.
With all of the colleges and hospitals in the city, Worcester is a natural focal point for the coming biotech revolution. While the city has made a start with the gateway project and conjunction with WPI, it is only a start. We need to begin more Gateway-like projects throughout the city. Furthermore, we must offer incentives for biotech firms to locate in Worcester and stay in Worcester. We must assign a specific department at City Hall into ensuring all the residential biotech companies are happy in Worcester and do all that is possible to address their problems.
With Worcester’s central location in both Massachusetts and New England, we are well suited to lure distribution centers to do business here. This is an area that to date has received little to no focus by current office holders even though it could bring hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs into our local economy.
The recycling industry is growing into a booming sector of the economy. We must work to bring this growing industry into Massachusetts and Worcester. Not only is the recycling industry good for the environment, it provides jobs at every part of the pay scale. By focusing on drawing recycling companies to Worcester, we can make our local economy the hub of a new emerging field.
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