Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | June 30, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 21 BY KEITH LINHARES Special to WBJ W orcester is at a crossroads. As New England's second-largest city, we're experiencing real mo- mentum and have undeniable potential. New residents from Boston and beyond are making Worcester their home and looking for things in other New England cities: walkability, density, and ease of access to small businesses. As we grow, we face a choice: do we shape Worcester into a dense, walkable city with vibrant neigh- borhoods, or let it turn into an overgrown suburb? Our continual debate over the dual tax rate, which pits commercial property owners against residents, is unproductive. ere's a better way: a Land Value Tax. LVT could lower residential property taxes and boost local businesses. Our current property tax system inadvertently holds us back. Taxing buildings and land equally penalizes invest- ment. If you add a new apartment or fix up a storefront, your tax bill goes up. Meanwhile, a derelict building or vacant parking lot in a desirable area incurs a modest tax bill. is system rewards blight while fueling sprawl. at's not how we build a vibrant, thriving city. LVT taxes only the value of land, not the buildings on it. A more common model, the split-rate tax, simply taxes land at a higher rate than buildings. e impact is powerful: it becomes expensive to sit on valuable, underused land. A vacant downtown lot would face a tax bill reflecting its true potential, encouraging the owner to develop it. Because LVT shis taxes away from buildings, homeowners could see their taxes decrease. In Allentown, Pennsylvania, LVT lowered taxes for 3 out of 4 residents. Imagine the change in Worcester's landscape. Sur- face parking lots and neglected parcels become sites for new housing and businesses. LVT promotes infill development and supports pedestrian-friendly, mixed- use neighborhoods. LVT could ease Worcester's housing crisis. By encouraging denser development in areas with existing infrastructure, we could increase housing supply and lower costs. Taxing land doesn't discourage produc- tive behavior. It captures for public benefit a portion of the value created by the community investment our tax dollars fund: schools, parks, roads, and safety. Implementing LVT would take work. Land assess- ments must be accurate, and protections like circuit breakers or deferrals will be needed to safeguard vulnera- ble homeowners. ese challenges are solvable. Allen- town and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, have already shown that thoughtful, gradual implementation is possible. With careful study, LVT could shape Worcester toward becoming a vibrant, equitable, and forward-looking city. Keith Linhares is a candidate for District 1 of the Worcester City Council. Unleash Worcester's potential through smarter taxation Manufacturing & construction need Job Corps T he manufacturing and construction industries have been in the midst of a workforce crisis for decades. As more high school grads attended college, companies in both sectors struggled to find employees. On top of that, manufacturers in particular have fought to shed the outdated notion their jobs were low-paying, dirty, dangerous, and offered limited career growth. With a growing need to manufacture more prod- ucts domestically and construct new housing, these industries need workers more than ever. erefore, it's disheartening to see the Trump Administration's efforts to summarily close the national Job Corps program, including centers in Graon and Devens. Current legislation proposes to take the program's funding out of next year's federal budget, and Trump is using that as an impetus to effectively close the centers now, although a court ruling has temporarily paused that effort. Job Corps was founded in 1964 as a place where low-income, high-risk 16 to 24 year olds receive vocational training and career pathways. e centers oen partner with local industry and companies to determine the workforce needs in a region. e centers in Graon and Devens had nearly 500 folks going through their program as of late May when the administration moved to close the facilities. ose centers have a number of business partnerships, particularly with the local manufacturing industry, and placed graduates at local companies like Wirefab, Boch Knives, and True Robotics. On top of the manufacturing and construction trades, the Central Massachusetts centers have vocational programming for at-need positions like nursing and culinary arts. e effort to shutter these places is a cutback in an area of critical need for this region's employers. Historically, Job Corps has a graduation rate of more than 60%, according to the National Job Corps Association, and the Devens and Graon facilities have had a nearly 100% graduation rate in the last few years. Considering the program focuses on high- risk populations, these grad rates are quite impressive and don't line up with the numbers Trump is ped- dling. Moreover, the program creates a steady stream of work-ready young people ready to help in the local industries most in need. Job Corps is only a small piece of solving the manufacturing and construction workforce crises, but it has a vital role nonetheless. We need all hands on deck to get more skilled workers into these key industries, and any program efficiently creating well- trained workers needs to be supported. If we are going to build America and bring more manufacturing back, we need all the workers we can get. W W Keith Linhares Benefitting from pet-friendly workplaces BY SLOANE PERRON Special to WBJ D ogs make us happy. Our furry best friends help us stay active, provide unconditional love, and are the perfect couch potatoes during a binge-watching session. We call them many things: companions, family members, even fur babies, but co-workers might be a surprising addition. As more companies prioritize mental health and connection, pet-friendly workplaces are gaining traction among business leaders. Setting clear boundaries. While allowing pets in the office offers numerous proven benefits, the workplace remains a professional environment and should be treated accordingly. Clear guidelines are essential, covering which types of pets are permitted, who is responsible for clean-up, and how to accommodate colleagues with allergies or discomfort around animals. Linda Villalobos of Insperity recommends reviewing building management policies and securing pet-damage insurance before introducing pets into the workplace. Capitalizing on the benefits. Boosting team morale, reducing stress, and facilitating a stronger work-life balance are just a few benefits that pet- friendly companies are leveraging to improve retention and recruitment. "Nearly half (47%) of the 1,000 dog owners surveyed reported that they expected dog-friendly policies as standard in the workplace, and 23% indicated that having dogs in the office has made it easier to get to know their colleagues. For around a quarter (26%) of owners, their workplace had become dog-friendly in the last one or two years, which they claimed had helped to reduce stress (65%), boost team morale (54%), and improve workplace atmosphere," Honey Wyatt writes in an article for HR Magazine. Creative cost savings. e ripple effect of a pet- friendly workplace can even lead to cost savings, both for employees and employers. When staff can bring their dogs to work, they're less likely to miss time or leave early to handle pet care, resulting in more consistent schedules and higher productivity. Employees appreciate the reduced personal expenses, while employers benefit from improved retention and fewer costs related to hiring and training. "It's a benefit that does not take a lot of money to implement, yet it can save the employee money in the form of less paid to dog sitters, dog walkers, kennels, etc.," explains Bridget Miller in a piece for HR Daily Advisor. W

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