Author: Mass Business Blog

Municipalities Want to Open the Tap on Liquor Licenses

  By

New restaurants constitute a significant economic development opportunity on the local level. Large-scale retail and commercial retail development plans often include restaurant spaces as part of the overall project.

In Massachusetts, municipalities have liquor license caps set by the Legislature. Because of this, an increasing number of Massachusetts cities and towns are running into a persistent obstacle to development plans that include bars and restaurants: they simply don’t have any more liquor licenses to award.

The lack of available liquor licenses in some cities and towns has forced developers and municipal economic development officials to put projects on hold while they seek special legislation to authorize additional licenses.

The current system creates a barrier to development and thrusts state lawmakers into the position of middlemen between developers and local planners.

bar

The lack of available liquor licenses has forced developers to put projects on hold.

State Rep. Colleen Garry, a Democrat representing Dracut, recently asked a legislative committee to grant more than a dozen new licenses at once to accommodate planned and anticipated restaurant development in Tyngsborough. If her request is successful, other cities and towns at or near their state caps would likely seek a supply of new liquor licenses to facilitate future development, as well.

Tyngsborough officials have said an envisioned business corridor, which must include new restaurants to thrive, could serve as an economic engine for the area, State House News Service reported.

Ms. Garry said restaurant developers require a greater level of certainty about whether liquor licenses are available before investing time and money into plans that could end up hinging on the vagaries of Beacon Hill politics.

Her bill would carve out a supply of 14 additional licenses for the town, with the condition that they may not be transferred for three years after they’re issued by the town. The provision was added to limit the possibility of developers seeking the valuable licenses to flip for profit, rather than to use long term.

A New Era of Manufacturing for Central Mass

  By

Central Massachusetts is no stranger to the manufacturing industry. The region has a long, proud history in the field. Though the products being produced may have changed, Central Massachusetts remains at the forefront of a new era of advanced manufacturing.

At this time, nearly 56 percent of all manufacturing positions in Massachusetts are considered “advanced.” The old stereotype of the industry as being dark, dirty and declining is quickly being replaced with a brighter, 21st Century vision of advantageous and accelerating growth.

To keep this positive, forward momentum going, and to promote the new manufacturing brand, the New England Council and Deloitte Consulting recently released “Advanced to Advantageous: The Case for New England’s Manufacturing Revolution.” The report evaluates the region’s strengths and advantages. It also identifies opportunities for investment and collaboration which can be used as a road map for growth and developing a competitive edge.

Collaboration seems to be an important part of the detailed report, which includes six recommendations for manufacturers, lawmakers, educators and others to help reinforce regional cooperation.

In a small regional community like New England, it becomes even more imperative for stakeholders in the area to work together to create viable educational pathways which will ensure lifelong learning and the ability to transfer credits for acquired knowledge. The council also advises that we should focus on improving the smoggy manufacturing image to attract new workers. The manufacturing industry of today is safe, innovative, and pays well, especially in advanced manufacturing positions.

The effort will require aligning both state and federal regulations with industry needs. State policy makers have been urged to include advanced manufacturing as a part of state economic development job creation plans.

Massachusetts is already leading the way in the effort, with Gov. Charlie Baker’s Workforce Skills Cabinet, which is made up of the secretaries of labor and workforce development, education development, as well as housing and economic development. The cabinet was created to address the current skills gap. Officials in neighboring states now have an opportunity to follow the governor’s example.

State officials are encouraged to begin a regular dialogue with their peers in the neighboring five states to compare ideas and exchange best practices. They should also work together to secure federal funding for the establishment of a New England advanced manufacturing hub under the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation initiative (NNMI). Acting as a highly effective “teaching factory,” the NNMI would be ideal for addressing the industry’s challenges and training the skilled workforce the New England needs.

Central Massachusetts is in a position to continue its long history of excellence in manufacturing. It will take a collaborative effort to continue to advance the industry.