Cannabis

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Substantial Budget Shortfalls Predicted for Next Year

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Even with better-than-expected revenue during the past three months, economists are warning Massachusetts lawmakers that tax collections could fall below projections by as much as 12 percent for this fiscal year ending July 1, 2021. 

According to Revenue Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder, tax collections are expected to fall between $1.2 billion and $3.6 billion below projections. Moreover, those figures are based on lowered projections made after the coronavirus crisis started. 

Snyder's and other economists presented their projections at a hearing this past Wednesday. 

Compounding the problem is the fact that Mass. unemployment currently remains among the highest in the nation at 11.2 percent. 

As Eileen McAnneny, president of the business-backed Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation pointed out, most of those gains realized so far this fiscal year have come from federal aid including the expanded unemployment benefits to the tune of $15.8 billion.

To help close the gap, President of Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, Marie-Frances Rivera, along with a coalition of Mass. workers’ unions are imploring lawmakers to raise taxes on the state's wealthiest residents.  

Patch.com has more on this story.

Tight Budgets Expected to Put a Drag on Commuters

In the wake of revenue shortfalls, commuters in Massachusetts can expect increased fares, reductions in services, and slowed pace of repairs to the state’s transportation infrastructure. 

Like many agencies across the country, the MBTA is experiencing lower than expected fare revenue as a result of the pandemic. While ridership levels are slowly increasing, the agency expects continued uncertainty. 

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is considering a number of budget cuts including reducing and potentially eliminating some services after seeing a decline in ridership of up 95%.

Despite the fact that the MBTA has received more than $800 million as part of the CARES Act, the agency has been unable to balance its 2020 budget. The agency is estimating a budget deficit between $308 and $577 million for the 2022 fiscal year (which begins next October). 

A fare cap was instituted in 2016 by Gov. Charlie Baker that limits fare hikes to no more than 7 percent in a two-year period. Fares were increased in 2019 and cannot be raised again until 2021. 

Some of the proposed cuts include:

  • Ending subway service at midnight

  • Reducing train frequency

  • Eliminating commuter rail service on weekends and after 9 p.m. on weekdays

  • Eliminating some “non-essential” bus routes

Meanwhile,  according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, toll revenue has also declined by roughly one-third during the pandemic putting at risk repairs to the state’s roadways and infrastructure projects including repairs to the Tobin Bridge, highway system tunnels in Boston, and maintenance on I-90.

Here are some facts and figures as reported by MassLive.com.

  • For the first eight months of 2019 MassDOT brought in roughly $245 million in revenue. 

  • Toll revenue during the first eight months of 2020 is down approximately $80 million, to $163 million as of August.

  • Revenue from the Western Turnpike dropped to $60 million for  January 2020 to August 2020 compared to $92 million for the same period last year.

  • State highway extension and the tunnel system toll revenue totaled $129.6 million between January and August 2019. That number fell to $77.3 million during the first eight months of 2020.

  • Toll revenue on the Tobin Bridge of $24.3 million between January and August 2019 fell to $17.3 million for the same period in 2020.

  • In March, trips on the Massachusetts Turnpike, the tunnel system and the Tobin Bridge combined were down to fewer than a million a day compared to 1.5 million per day prior to the pandemic.

Learn more at the Daily Free Press, MassLive.com, and Mass Transit Magazine.

Curaleaf Receives CCC Approval for Acquisition of Alternative Therapies Group

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has approved Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.’s acquisition of Alternative Therapies Group.

Curaleaf is one of the leading vertically integrated cannabis operations in the country.

Joseph Lusardi, Chief Executive Officer of Curaleaf, said in a statement:

"We appreciate the work of the Commission, and we are pleased to have secured the final regulatory approval for our acquisition of ATG's Amesbury cultivation and manufacturing licenses and facility, paving the way for a successful completion of the transaction, and we thank the Commission. As we look ahead, the integration of ATG's cultivation and processing facility will expand our cannabis grow capacity in Massachusetts by 60%, allowing us to better address the rising demand we continue to see among medical and adult-use customers as well as expand Curaleaf's wholesale market presence. Overall, these enhanced production capabilities will provide a powerful growth engine for our business in 2021 and beyond as new harvests come online."

ATG operates a 53,600 square foot cultivation and processing facility in Amesbury, Massachusetts with dispensaries located in Amesbury, Salisbury, and Salem. Curaleaf also operates dispensaries in Provincetown and Ware, as well as a co-located medical and adult-use dispensary in Oxford, and a medical dispensary in Hanover. 

Read the company press release here.

Business is Still Booming For Cannabis

The Massachusetts marijuana industry has generated $273 million in sales since reopening roughly four months ago, after a short closure due to pandemic-related restrictions. And according to data from the Cannabis Control Commission, more than the $217 million in sales were generated in the four months prior to the shutdown. 

The WBUR website has more on this story.

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State Budget Closes with $700 Million Deficit

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Gov. Charlie Baker filed a proposed closeout budget with the Legislature Wednesday that shows the state is ending fiscal 2020 with a close to $700 million budget gap claiming that the deficit is due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lower-than-anticipated sales tax revenues, deferral of business taxes, lower gaming revenue, and lower gasoline taxes. 

To cover costs, Baker proposes to bridge the budget gap by diverting money from excess capital gains taxes which are currently earmarked for the state’s $3.5 billion rainy day fund, and that $108 million that was not spent in fiscal 2020 be carried over into fiscal 2021. Further, the governor proposes $424 million in new spending to cover costs incurred by the state Medicaid program. 

The bill now goes to the House for consideration. 

Read more about the proposal at Commonwealth Magazine.

The High Cost of the Coronavirus Response 

Massachusetts has spent $838 million of the $1.1 billion supplemental budget bill appropriated for combating the Covid-19 virus, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The biggest expenditure, according to the report from Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael Heffernan to the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees was $350 million for personal protective gear — slightly less than lawmakers’ earlier projection of $356 million.

The report includes a breakdown of expenditures incurred by the state:

  • $20 million designated by the Baker administration to “address racial disparities in health during the 2019 coronavirus pandemic,” has yet to be released

  • Also, an additional $111 million meant for health providers, hospitals, and nursing home payments has yet to be released

  • Only $29 million of the projected $44 million budget assigned for a contract tracing program has been utilized by the state

  • $47 million spent on field hospitals by the state is considerably less than the anticipated $85 million

Other Local Aid

The supplemental budget bill also allocated funds to cities and towns in Massachusetts to aide programs with the following grants:

  • $846,000 for virtual learning programs

  • $1 million to local boards of health

  • $2.5 million to re-open schools

  • $7.2 million for food distribution

  • $25.7 million mostly channeled through the state’s rental assistance program, for housing programs

The remaining funds may be utilized by the state for Fiscal Year 2020, as the books have yet to be closed on the year ended June 30th.

Delve deeper at the Boston Patch.

Eviction Protection Bill Clears Housing Committee

The Joint Committee on Housing has cleared a path for an eviction protection bill just 18 days before the state’s eviction ban is set to expire. The bill’s authors seek to extend the current eviction moratorium. Should the bill pass, rent increases would be frozen until one year after the official end of the state of emergency.

According to the report in Commonwealth Magazine, all 14 Democrats on the panel voted to advance the bill while Republican Reps. David DeCoste and Will Crocker voted no, and Republican Sen. Patrick O’Connor of Weymouth abstained. 

Several changes were made to the initial draft that was filed at the end of  June including an allowance for landlords to apply for a tax credit from the state that would be equal to the amount of rent owed. In order to receive the credit, landlords would have to forgive the debt of tenants who can’t pay because of COVID-19–related financial hardship.  

Moreover, the bill would allow landlords with fewer than 15 units to pause mortgage payments for up to six months. Those payments would then be added to the end of their loan. 

Also, under the bill, eligibility for the Residential Assistance for Families in Transition program would be expanded to make low-income households that would be eligible to receive up to $10,000 to be used to pay rent.

Revised Ridership Estimates Put Federal Funding of East-West Rail Service In Jeopardy

A recent presentation to the East-West Passenger Rail Study Advisory Committee has revealed more details about the project. Consultants for MassDOT stressed in the presentation that the latest estimates of ridership might put required federal funding at risk at only about one-tenth of the level required to be considered “competitive.” 

Ethan Britland, the study’s project manager had this to say:

“Federal funding rules say that a (benefit-cost analysis) of 1.0 or higher makes it more competitive for federal funding, so we’re only at about 10 percent. As we all know, these are very expensive cost estimates, so federal participation, we feel, is key for any future project development that may happen. But with BCAs this low, it would be challenging for federal competition.”

And Kimberly Robinson, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission stated:

“It is imperative that we look at the economic benefits of this type of infrastructure development. It is key to really understanding the full picture, because what we’re building, I believe, is opportunity and opportunities in many different ways.”

New projections suggest that passenger rail expansion into Palmer, Springfield, Chester and Pittsfield Massachusetts would attract 278,000 to 469,000 riders per year at a cost ranging between $2.4 billion and $4.6 billion.

Currently, the MBTA does not offer rail service west of Worcester. However, existing tracks currently carry freight and Amtrak trains all the way to Chicago.

The project team will submit a draft report summarizing its findings and the advisory committee’s recommendations Oct. 16. The document will then be released for a 30-day public comment period.

‘Cultivating Talent’ Cannabis Industry Job Fair 

On Oct, 9th from 2-4:30 pm, the “Cultivating Talent” job fair, aimed at those seeking employment in the cannabis industry will be held outdoors at Cambridge’s Starlight Square.

Employment opportunities include patient services, customer service, cultivation, security, logistics, retail, and quality assurance.

Attendees must be at least 21 years old, wear face masks and maintain a 6-foot distance from others. Do NOT attend if feeling ill. Capacity will be monitored. 

Interested parties may register online. Resumes are preferable, but not required.

Register online for the Cultivating Talent cannabis industry job fair. 

More of the Latest Massachusetts News

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Mass Cannabis Sales Up Sharply this Summer Despite High Prices

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According to cannabis industry analysts BDSA, cannabis sales are booming in the Bay State fueled by strong adult-use sales. All totaled, the Mass. medicinal and recreational cannabis industry raked in $92 million in July of this year with year-to-date sales blowing past $412 million. July’s take was a staggering 24 percent higher than June’s.

This is despite the fact that Mass. cannabis prices are among the highest in the country. According to the Boston Globe, marijuana products in Mass. sell for “around double the price of their equivalents in the most mature recreational markets, according to a review of dispensary menus around the country and new data provided to the Globe by several analytics firms.”

The Globe goes on to claim that “cannabis here is even pricier than in other states that legalized the drug more recently; only the nascent and heavily taxed Illinois market approaches the Bay State’s exorbitant prices.”

According to the report, an eighth of an ounce of flower costs $50 to $60 on the Mass. recreational market. And that’s before adding about 20 percent in combined state and local tax. That’s more than twice the cost of cannabis flower in Oregon. The discrepancy in vape prices is similar.

Although lower prices might not result in higher overall sales figures, price drops would likely drive more buyers in from the illicit market in the state resulting in similar revenue streams but reducing the resources spent chasing black market sellers.

“Experts attribute the high cost in Massachusetts to the state’s steep cannabis taxes, seasonal climate (which forces most marijuana cultivation to take place inside expensive climate-controlled facilities with artificial lights), and, most of all, a slow and onerous business licensing process that has limited the number of new producers and retailers opening for business. Four years after voters signed off on legal cannabis, there are just 36 cultivators and 70 retailers operating in the Massachusetts recreational market.” — The Boston Globe

Cannabis sales are expected to jump even higher once new delivery rules are put in place in Mass. The Mass. Cannabis Control Commission recently drafted delivery regulations that call for two distinct delivery license types — one for consumer sales and one for wholesalers. 

Below are some statistics on Mass. cannabis sales according to BDSA:

  • Flower sales accounted for 48 percent of overall monthly revenue in July, up 26 percent over June.

  • Mass. cannabis consumers bought $44.5 million worth of flower in July.

  • Additionally, pre-rolled Joints brought in $9.8 million, or about 11 percent of total cannabis sales — an increase of 28 percent over June.

  • Concentrates accounted for a little over one-quarter of July sales at $23.7 million, with 71 percent of that, or $16.9 million being spent on vape products.

  • Ingestibles (edibles and sublinguals) accounted for 14 percent of overall sales in July at $12.6 million, 85 percent of which was spent on edibles.

Check out New Cannabis Ventures.com for this story.

More “Green Communities” Clean Energy Grants Awarded

We’ve written about the surge in clean energy grants in Massachusetts in previous weeks and the trend continues. Since 2010, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has awarded over $136 million to Green Communities in Designation Grants and Competitive Grants.

This week, more than $13 million in Green Communities grants were doled out to 103 municipalities across Massachusetts.

The grants help to support increased energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the state. The grant program is just one of many programs in the state’s mission to reduce its carbon footprint to zero by 2050.

“The Green Communities program continues to make significant progress in helping municipalities reduce their carbon footprint and save on energy costs. Our administration is committed to supporting clean energy and energy efficiency efforts that make the Commonwealth’s cities and towns cleaner, healthier, and more affordable places to live.” - Mass. Governor Charlie Baker

Click here for additional information on awarded projects and funding amounts. 

In related news, however, a newly released study claims that communities with high proportions of renters and non-English speakers had some of the lowest participation rates in a program called Mass Save.

According to the study conducted last year, just over one in ten eligible households in the city of Chelsea participate in Mass Save programs, with Brockton, Everett, Lynn, Lawrence, and other communities with a high proportion of renters and non-English speakers.

According to the study, more than one-third of homeowners in affluent communities such as Bolton and Carlisle have participated in the program.

NBC Boston has more on this story.

Single-Family Home Prices Jump 15 Percent in August

Low inventory drove the median price of single-family homes in Massachusetts up by 14.3 percent year-over-year to $480,000 in August. That is according to a new report by the Warren Group. 

Here are some detailed statistics on rising home prices in Mass.:

  • 6,675 single-family homes were sold in Massachusetts last month.

  • Year-to-date 36,145 single-family homes have been purchased in Mass. at a median sale price of $435,000.

  • 14,518 condos have been purchased at a median sale price of $417,000.

  • On the mainland, Berkshire County saw the steepest increase at 21.8 percent with a median price of $263,000.

  • Offshore, Nantucket and Dukes Counties both recorded massive year-over-year price increases nearing 50 percent.

  • The median price of condos in Berkshire County grew by 77 percent to $310,400.

  • Single-family home prices in Boston jumped 59 percent with a median price of $2.8 million. 

  • The median price of condos grew by 11.7 percent to $195,450.

  • Condo prices in Boston fell by just under 10 percent compared to August 2019 as buyers fled to the suburbs.

  • Single-family homes in Worcester rose by more than 15 percent to $290,000.

  • Single-family homes in Springfield went up 18 percent to $196,500.

  • Condos in Springfield rose by more than one-third compared to August 2019 to a median price of $148,500.

Read all about it at MassLive.com.

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Capital Continues To Flow to Clean Energy Projects

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Over the course of the past couple of years, money has been continually flowing into numerous clean energy projects across the Bay State. This week is no exception. And the trend will continue as the state continues to move towards its net-zero emissions goals. 

Here are a few examples of grants awarded just this past week: 

Mass DOER Awards Ashland More than $70,000 For Energy Efficiency Enhancements

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Green Communities competitive grant program was created to facilitate the reduction of carbon emissions by municipal buildings, facilities, and schools.

Under the program, the Town of Ashland has been awarded a $71,021 grant earmarked for energy efficiency upgrades at the Town Hall as well as the installation of an electric vehicle charging station at Ashland Community Center.

Specifically, the town plans to use the funds for the following projects:

  • $63,521 for LED lighting upgrades for Ashland Town Hall. 

  • $7,500 for the purchase and installation of an electric vehicle charging station at the Community Center. 

In a statement on the matter, Town Manager Michael Herbert said:

“We place a high priority on sustainability in Ashland, and are appreciative that the Baker/Polito administration shares in that mindset. The Green Communities program is a good example of the partnership that can exist between state and local government, and these competitive grants help us demonstrate the cost-saving aspects of sustainability as well.”

Read more at FraminghamSource.com.

Worcester Polytech Receives $4 Million DOE Grant for Energy Efficiency Research

The DOE along with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center has awarded a $4 million grant to Worcester Polytechnic Institute. This grant is earmarked for advanced research and development focused on energy efficiency in industrial drying applications.

According to Jamal Yagoobi, head of WPI’s mechanical engineering department and director of CARD, 1.2 percent of the Country’s energy consumption is used for drying foods, lumber, and paper products. 

Yagoobi says the goal of the project is to “develop state-of-the-art testbeds to increase product quality of various food and forest products while decreasing the energy required to dry them,” and that it could also have a large-scale impact on the chemical industry.

Read all about it at EnvironmentalLeader.com. 

Clean Energy Center Grants $150,000 for Framingham Design Study

The City of Framingham has been awarded $150,000 to fund two design studies aimed at increasing energy resiliency in emergency shelters, fire stations, and public housing in Framingham’s Concord Street and A Street neighborhoods.

Facilities covered by these studies include: 

  • Framingham High School

  • Fuller Middle School

  • McCarthy Elementary School

  • Mass Bay Community College/Farley School

  • Fire Stations #5 and #2

  • A Street Pumping Station.

Read more at the Framingham Source.

$21M Granted for I-495, Mass Pike Interchange Overhaul

Transportation is another area of the Massachusetts economy seeing an influx of grants. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded a $21 million grant allocated for improvements to the I-495 and Massachusetts Turnpike interchange in Hopkinton under a program called “Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development,” (BUILD). The funds will be used to address safety issues and improve traffic flow.

According to MetroWest Daily News, the interchange is used by nearly half of freight trucks entering Eastern Massachusetts.” Moreover, approximately 75,000 commuter vehicles use the interchange daily.

The report can be found at MetroWest Daily News, along with these related reports:

BlackbirdGo Cannabis Delivery Launches

A new cannabis delivery service called BlackbirdGo has launched in Massachusetts. Blackbird is a cannabis business software company owned by TILT Holdings. The company has partnered with Commonwealth Alternative Care to offer cannabis delivery and curbside pickup services via its online marketplace. 

Blackbird currently works with over 400 wholesale and retail operators across Nevada and California. And, According to Blackbird, the operation is currently the leading cannabis delivery service in Nevada operating a fleet of more than 100 trucks making 5,000 deliveries per month. 

TILT says the company plans to partner with additional Mass. dispensaries and to expand its marijuana delivery services across Massachusetts.

THC net has more on this story. 

Adult Use Dispensary Opening in Arlington 

Mass. licensed cannabis seller Apothca has opened a new dispensary in Arlington Heights at 1386 Massachusetts Ave. beating both Cambridge and Somerville to the punch. Apothca has also relocated its medical dispensary from its Water Street location to the Arlington Heights location.

More of the Latest Massachusetts News:

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Labor Day Progess

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Massachusetts Transportation Collective Forms to Reduce Construction Costs 

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recently unveiled a collective purchasing agreement among the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), and Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), along with 13 area municipalities representing more than one-fifth of the state’s total population.

Cooperation between the public transportation agencies is intended to bring down costs of several improvement projects including bus and bike lane road markings.

MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak says of the collective:

“This is another example of the region working together to move everyone forward. Increasingly, we all need to collaborate in new ways to better serve our riders and constituents. This agreement will ensure that public agencies like the MBTA will be using their funds as cost-effectively as possible, especially throughout the current public health and economic crisis.”

And MAPC Transportation Director Eric Bourassa stated:

“Establishing more bus and bike lanes is critical for the region as we continue to re-open the economy during this pandemic. By reducing costs for the MBTA as well as cities and towns, we can stretch our public dollars further to make public transit and cycling better and safer.”

The MBTA has estimated that the joint effort could save taxpayers more than $2 million in 2021 and make regional roadways more reliable for tens of thousands of daily bus riders.

Mass Transit Magazine has more on this story.

MBTA Lowers Fares For Charlie and Everyone Else 

After increasing fares several times in the past few years, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has now lowered both cash and CharlieTicket fares to match CharlieCard prices. The fares have been lowered to $2.40 for rapid transit — a reduction of 50 cents from the previous fare. 

The reduction was instituted due to budget issues caused by decreased ridership. According to an MBTA financial report, the MBTA is facing an estimated $300-million budget deficit. 

Jarred Johnson, chief operating officer, and development director at TransitMatters, an organization advocating for affordable transportation, says the fare change will benefit lower-income riders, riders without bank accounts, and recent immigrants.

In an email to the Daily Free Press, Johnson states:

“The real issue isn’t costs, it’s that the T needs more revenue and needs to be less reliant on fares to be more resilient for future disasters or pandemics. It is often still difficult for bus riders to reload their card if there’s not a train station close by.”

Marc Draisen, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, hopes the change will prevent the agency from having to lay off workers or raise fares. 

Read all about it at Daily Free Press. 

Mass DOER Finalizes Solar Incentive Program 

The Mass. Department of Energy Resources has issued final regulations intended to strike a compromise between various stakeholders and environmental advocates by maintaining land-use restrictions and expanding SMART. 

SMART is a long-term sustainable solar incentive program sponsored by Eversource Energy, National Grid, and Unitil Corporation. 

The program originally covered 17 projects totaling 53.273 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV). It has since been made available to solar PV projects of all types and sizes, up to 5 MW. 

Lexology.com reports:

Under the new rules, Solar projects on private property, either “owned or operated by a municipality or where the project’s owner has assigned 100% of the output to the host municipality” will be considered as public entity Solar Tariff Generation Units —  a “raised structure allowing for continuous growth of crops underneath the solar photovoltaic modules, with height enough for labor and/or machinery as it relates to tilling, cultivating, soil amendments, harvesting, etc.; and grazing animals.” 

Under DOER’s finalized rules, the SMART program will double the size of solar projects from 1.6 gigawatts to 3.2 gigawatts. Changes to SMART also increase prices for public entities developing solar, from 2 cents to 4 cents per kilowatt-hour. 

The SMART program is one keystone of the state’s goal to become the most energy-efficient state in the nation, according to DOER Commissioner Patrick Woodcock. Woodcock believes the guidelines will “allow for Massachusetts to maintain its national leadership role in the solar industry while protecting the Commonwealth’s natural resources.”

Lexology.com has a more extensive report.

Cannabis Commission Approves Cannabis Delivery Rule Changes 

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission announced several changes to its delivery license model including dividing delivery licenses into two categories — courier-style licenses and wholesale licenses. 

The new rules don’t require license holders to maintain a brick-and-mortar location and allow delivery businesses to purchase inventory directly from cultivation and manufacturing facilities rather than from retailers. 

Interestingly, applications for delivery businesses are exclusively limited to economic empowerment applicants and social equity program participants for a period of three years.

After Friday’s meeting, Commissioner Shaleen Title tweeted: 

“With this change creating unprecedented exclusivity for social equity + economic empowerment businesses, Massachusetts might be back on track to be the first state with a functioning national model for equity. Very grateful to all who took the time to comment, and my colleagues.” 

According to MJBizDaily, “Massachusetts is one of the only states in the nation to set aside marijuana delivery licenses exclusively for minority entrepreneurs.”

To qualify for a social equity license, applicants must be located in an area disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs or have a child or spouse with multiple cannabis convictions.

Additional rule changes were also unveiled after last week’s meeting. 

To learn more, check out these sources:

Massachusetts Airports Rake in $9.8 Million In Infrastructure Grants 

Eleven Mass. airports will be the recipients of a total $9.8 million grant from a $1.2 billion Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fund. The fund is intended to beef up airport safety and infrastructure across the U.S. All told, more than 400 airports across the country will benefit from the influx of capital. 

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced the grants stating:

“This $1.2 billion federal investment will improve our nation’s airport infrastructure, enhance safety, and strengthen growth in local communities, which is especially important as the economy recovers from COVID-19.”

Following is a list of Mass. airports and the allocation of funds:

  • Boston Logan International Airport to support a Voluntary Airport Low Emissions Program (VALE): $1,365,716 

  • Chatham Municipal Airport to conduct an airport-related environmental study: $347,000

  • Barnstable Municipal-Boardman Airport in Hyannis to improve the aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle building: $506,700 

  • Mansfield Municipal Airport to remove obstruction markings and lighting: $216,300 

  • Harriman-and-West Airport in North Adams to install perimeter fencing: $660,898 

  • Norwood Memorial Airport to conduct an environmental study: $283,332 

  • Pittsfield Municipal Airport to conduct an environmental study: $66,581 

  • Plymouth Municipal Airport to reconfigure an existing taxiway: $3,986,590 

  • Provincetown Municipal Airport to install taxiway lighting and purchase an emergency generator: $1,736,682 

  • Southbridge Municipal Airport to rehabilitate the runway and conduct an airport wildlife hazard assessment and a miscellaneous study: $217,000 

  • Martha’s Vineyard Airport to conduct an environmental study: $366,016

According to the American Journal of Transportation, $13.5 billion has been granted to America’s airports to improve infrastructure and safety since January 2017,  with $10 billion being delivered in 2020. 

Mass. Credit Union Partners with Cannabis Payment Processor

Benzinga reports that GFA Federal Credit Union has announced a new partnership with cannabis payment processor Hypur. The partnership will bring much needed digital payment options to Mass. dispensaries.

Hypur’s chief revenue officer, Tyler Beuerlein, told Benzinga:

“Digital payment solutions like Hypur Pay are now essential to helping cannabis businesses thrive and empowering cannabis consumers to buy products when and how they want to, just as they would for any other purchase.” 

This is an exciting development for Mass. dispensaries. 

Learn why at Bezinga.com.

More of the Latest Massachusetts News

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Home Prices Breaking Records in Massachusetts

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After three consecutive months of double-digit declines, a real estate market report released last week shows home sales are now booming in Massachusetts with condo and single-family homes commanding record selling prices. 

Boston.com, pointing to the fact that there has been a near 10 percent decrease in home sales compared to the first seven months of 2019, called the development, “one of the few bright spots in the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Here are some statistics brought to light in the report:

  • The state saw a 5.3 percent increase in single-family home sales in July

  • The median sales price for single-family homes ($460,000) was a record high for the month of July.

  • Prices are seeing an 8.2 percent year-over-year increase.

  • The month-to-month condo sale prices jumped 10.3 percent to $430,000 compared with July 2019.

  • Year-to-date, there have been 11,933 condo sales — a 13.7 percent decrease from the first seven months of 2019.

  • In Greater Boston, sales of single-family homes and condos were up 31.3 percent and 39.4 percent from June.

  • The median sales price for single-family homes in Boston hit a record $700,000 in July, a 6.9 percent increase. For condos, it was $592,750, a 2.2 percent increase.

  • Although the number of single-family homes on the market in July reflected a 27.2 percent year-over-year decrease and a 3.3 percent drop since June, the condo market saw an 18.3 percent increase in active listings year over year and a 9.2 percent rise since June 2019.

The statistics were gathered by analytics firm Warren Group. Boston.com has an extensive report listing statistics for 64 Mass. communities. That report can be found here.

Mass. Reaches 1% Coronavirus Testing Rate, a New Low 

Public health officials in Massachusetts are reporting that the state has reached a new low for coronavirus tests with a rate of just 1 in 100 testing positive. 

Not to get too optimistic, health officials also released an updated version of the state's new community-level risk assessment map.

These are the “high-risk communities” listed in the report:

  • Brockton

  • Chelsea

  • Everett

  • Framingham

  • Lawrence

  • Lynn

  • Revere

  • Sutton 

  • Winthrop

New Study Confirms Staggering Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Cases in Massachusetts 

Meanwhile, a new study shows a staggering disparity in COVID-19 cases in the state with black and Latino communities taking the brunt of the epidemic.

The problem is not just confined to Mass. cities and towns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that:

“COVID-19 infection rates are 2.8 times higher in the Hispanic or Latino and American Indian or Alaska Native populations, when compared to the rate for non-Hisanpic [sic] white people. For Black people, the case rate is 2.6 times higher and the death rate is 2.1 times higher. Case and death rates for white and Asian Americans are similar.”

The Boston Globe has more on this story.

Unemployed Look Forward to $300 Weekly Boost 

State officials have announced that unemployed residents in Massachusetts will be getting a temporary boost of $300 per week for three weeks. That is according to a report at Boston.com. 

The raise is the result of a Gov. Baker’s application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA has been tasked with distributing up to $44 billion to states.

At the time the monies were made available (via executive order), Gov. Baker criticized the federal government for not doing more to help states. “But if this program is there and it turns out to be the only thing that’s there,” said Baker, “I don’t think Massachusetts should pass on that.” 

McBride Stepping Down from Cannabis Commission 

Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission Public Safety Chair Britte McBride has announced she will be vacating her seat.

In an interview with MassLive McBride had this to say:

“I took this appointment to contribute to the establishment of a sound regulatory structure for the state and I’m really proud of the work that we’ve done, but after a lot of thought, it just feels like it’s the right time for me to step back and to assess what my next step is going to be. You kind of step back occasionally and assess where you are and for me, it’s that moment in time… I’m really passionate about public policy, I love being a problem solver and I get a lot of joy out of the challenge of building things, which is why this job really spoke to me and why this appointment, I think, really fit with who I am professionally. It was something novel and challenging and there were certainly a lot of problems that needed to be solved and a lot of issues that needed to be addressed, so I don’t know what the next thing is going to be but I’m hoping I’ll land on something that combines those elements.”

The exact date for McBride’s departure is not yet clear and no new plans have been announced other than that she plans to explore her options. However, she says, she is committed to staying on until the current regulatory process is complete which could be as early as October. 

Read more at MassLive.com.

Forbes Lists “Best Employers In Massachusetts” 

Forbes Magazine has released a list of what they see as the best employers in Massachusetts (with at least 500 employees). Leading the list are health care companies with Boston Children's Hospital at the top. 

Following Boston Children's Hospital are Lawrence General Hospital, and Partners HealthCare System. 

Forbes worked with Statista to determine the rankings. Statista surveyed 50,000 Americans to determine job satisfaction rates across the country.

Here are the Top 10 employers in Mass. according to Forbes:

  1. Boston Children's Hospital

  2. Lawrence General Hospital

  3. Partners HealthCare System

  4. Raytheon Technologies

  5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  6. Cambridge Health Alliance

  7. Procter & Gamble

  8. United States Department of Defense

  9. Boston College

  10. Herb Chambers

The full list can be found here.

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Wheels of Government Keep Turning

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Feds Pledge $25.8 Million to Mass. Public Housing Authorities “To Help Keep Residents Housed”

Funds appropriated via the CARES Act are being awarded to public housing authorities across the U.S. Of the more than $470 million being distributed, Mass. residents can expect to see more than $25 million. 

The funds are intended to help low-income families remain in their homes and thereby stem losses for property owners resulting from overdue rent and possible evictions. 

According to the report in Boston Real Estate Times, eligible coronavirus-related activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Procuring cleaning supplies and/or services to maintain safe and sanitary HCV units, including common areas of PHA-owned Project-Based Voucher (PBV) projects.

  • Relocation of participating families to health units or other designated units for testing, hospitalization, or quarantine, or transportation to these locations to limit the exposure that could be caused by using mass transportation.

  • Additional costs to supportive services vendors incurred due to coronavirus.

  • Costs to retain or increase owner participation in the HCV Program, such as incentive or retention costs (e.g. the PHA offers owner an incentive payment to participate in recognition of added difficulties of making units available for HCV families to rent while stay-at-home orders or social distancing practices are in effect).

  • Costs for providing childcare for the children of PHA staff that would not have otherwise been incurred (e.g. children are at home due to school closings, PHA staff are working outside of regular work schedules, etc).

The funds will be distributed via Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) and Mainstream vouchers.

Amazon In Discussions with Simon Malls To Transform Vacant Shops Into Distribution Centers 

Amazon is in talks with Simon Property Group to potentially take over vacated department stores and turn them into Amazon distribution hubs. Should the deal come to pass, “it could have a big impact on Massachusett’s commercial real estate,” according to a report at Mass Live.

Talks have, for the most part, centered on Sears or JCPenney locations at five of the 14 Simon Mall locations across Mass. including North Attleboro, Peabody, Marlborough, Braintree, and Saugus.

Amazon is on track to become “the largest non-institutional occupier of real estate in the region,” according to real estate research. Recently, a 3.6 million-square-foot Amazon distribution center was approved for North Andover and a 100,000-square-foot delivery station is planned for South Boston.

The Wall Street Journal broke this story.

Recent Cannabis News

There’s a lot of activity going on related to the Mass. cannabis industry this month.

For starters, High Times reports that Massachusetts brought In more than $150 million in cannabis taxes. That is according to the Commonwealth Dispensary Association and the Mass. Cannabis Control Commission. 

Mass. dispensaries have sold more than $785 million in cannabis products and accessories since opening in November 2018. More than $30 million of that, or around 20 percent, has come in since Memorial Day when recreational shops reopened. 

Mass. Cannabis Workers Vote to Unionize 

According to a report by Ganjapreneur, workers at at least three Massachusetts cannabis companies including Cultivate Holdings in Leicester, Massachusetts have voted to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1445. 

Back in 2019, more than 100 workers at Sira Naturals in Milford, Needham, and Somerville voted to join UFCW Local 1445. Employees at Mayflower Medicinals in Holliston, Massachusetts voted in July to join Local 1445 as did employees at New England Treatment Access’ Franklin cultivation facility. 

One of the largest U.S. private-sector union, UFCW represents 1.3 million workers in retail and food processing industries. 

CCC Revisiting Delivery, Caregiver Limits, Vape Warnings

Although the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission made applications for recreational marijuana delivery licenses available in May the regulatory agency has yet to issue a license. Currently only medical marijuana delivery is permitted in the state. 

The CCC’s draft of delivery regulations attracted significant public comment and there is “some concern that the delivery will not work as currently written,” says WNYT News 13. 

Currently, delivery licenses are only available exclusively to participants in the CCC's Social Equity Program and certified economic empowerment applicants. That window will stay open for at least two years. 

Also included in the CCC’s latest draft of regulations:

  • Caregivers would be permitted to service up to 10 patients each.

  • Retailers must disclose that vape products could be hazardous to health.

  • Delivery licensees would be permitted to have an interest in another license type (and vice versa).

A vote on final regulations is planned for on Sept. 24. The CCC stopped accepting comments on the draft regulations on Aug. 14. 

On a side note, the Mass. CCC is also being petitioned to allow medical marijuana patient certifications to take place via a telehealth appointment rather than in person. 

Vertical Integration Rules Reconsidered

Although the CCC has given signs that it is not enthusiastic about eliminating vertical integration requirements for medical cannabis suppliers, the agency is soliciting public opinion on the topic. 

Currently, unlike the recreational marijuana market, medical marijuana dispensaries are required to grow, manufacture, and sell their own products.

Advocates of eliminating the vertical integration requirement claim that the rule adds cost to the final product putting the treatment out of reach for some patients. It also reduces product options and makes it difficult to open new dispensaries. 

According to current state law, no individual can hold more than three marijuana licenses of a particular type. Should the vertical integration requirement be eliminated, some operations would instantly hit that cap. Workarounds are being discussed.

Massachusetts is currently the only state to require vertical integration. Colorado and Florida have eliminated the requirement.

Commonwealth Magazine has more on this story.

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Mass. Economy Sees Worst Quarter Ever

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Although there are many indications that the economy is beginning to see signs of a slow recovery, the numbers are in for Q2. And, frankly, they aren’t good. Facts and figures show that Massachusetts’ economy, along with the rest of the nation, has seen its worst quarter ever. 

Here are some of the dismal statistics:

  • Mass. real gross domestic product (GDP) declined at an annualized rate of 43.8 percent in April, May, and June — the largest drop in history according to MassBenchmarks.

  • Payroll employment fell by 16.5 percent in Q2 — an annualized rate of decline of 51.4 percent.

  • Wage and salary income in Massachusetts fell 11.2 percent — an annualized rate of decline of 37.7 percent.

  • Mass. had the highest unemployment in the nation at 17.4 percent in June.

  • Mass. residents filed nearly 20,000 new unemployment claims for the week ending July 18.

Read more at MassLive.com.

Mass. Issues Strict Travel Restrictions 

Gov. Charlie Baker has signed off on a new executive order requiring travelers to fill out a travel form prior to arrival when entering the state from another state considered to be at high-risk for COVID-19. 

Moreover, a quarantine period of 14 days will be required unless travelers can show a negative COVID-19 test result issued within the previous 72 hours. 

The fine for violating the order is $500 a day. The order goes into effect Aug. 1.

You can read the full order and find more details here.

Cannabis Social Equity Proposal Calls for Loans Rather than Grants

Mass. lawmakers are contemplating a measure that aims to create a loan program designed to promote social equity within the state’s cannabis industry, whereas several other states with similar programs have offered social equity grants.

Detractors of the plan claim that it only offers minorities more debt instead of the promised equity. This comes at a time when there has been much criticism over the increasing lack of social equity in the state’s cannabis programs.

The current plan calls for 10 percent of cannabis tax revenue to be applied toward loans for social equity and economic empowerment. 

Comparing the plan to social equity programs in other states, California awarded $10 million in equity grant funding in October 2019 and an additional $30 million in April 2020. And Illinois devotes 25 percent of cannabis taxes to social equity grants. 

Mass. Cannabis Commissioner, Shaleen Title, in an interview with Boston Public Radio stated that she is ‘embarrassed’ by industry inequities as only three of 70 approved economic empowerment applicants have opened for business.

Meanwhile, Mass. cannabis regulators are seeking input on potential changes to regulations pertaining to both the recreational and medical cannabis programs in the state. The Mass. CCC will hold a virtual public hearing on August 3, 2020 at 10:00 AM. It will also be accepting written comments on the regulations through August 14.

Mass. Offers Commercial, Industrial, and Residential Buildings Financing for Energy Improvements

MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources have announced the availability of financing for energy improvements on commercial and industrial buildings, as well as multifamily properties with five or more units and buildings owned by nonprofits. The program is being run through Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Massachusetts. 

Under the program, property owners will be able to finance energy efficiency upgrades, as well as renewables, and gas line extensions. The financing would be repaid via higher tax assessments on the properties.

MassDevelopment President and CEO Lauren Liss had this to say:

“Together with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, MassDevelopment is pleased to administer PACE Massachusetts, a new low-cost, long-term financing tool for property owners looking to reduce energy consumption through capital improvements. We continue to encourage cities and towns to ‘opt in’ and enable property owners across the state to take advantage of this program.”

You can learn more about the program at FraminghamSource.com.

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