Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 8, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 21 BY MARYBETH CAMPBELL AND TIMOTHY MURRAY Special to WBJ T he President Donald Trump Administration's fiscal 2026 budget signals potential devastating cuts that would undermine several key economic investments in social services, including to the Heat and Energy Assistance Program, more commonly known as fuel assistance. is should be deeply concerning to low-income beneficiaries of these programs and to local businesses. Reducing investments in fuel assis- tance isn't just a blow to low-income families, it's a direct hit to local economies, workforce development, and small business stability. Each year, Worcester Communi- ty Action Council administers up to $12 million in direct payments to small businesses across our region through its fuel assistance program. Millions of dollars are paid to more than 70 local heating oil companies, HVAC technicians, fuel delivery services, and other small enterpris- es that keep homes safe and warm. ese aren't abstract numbers. ey represent pay- checks, jobs, and the survival of businesses in commu- nities like Worcester, Southbridge, Webster, Leicester, Charlton, and beyond. In fiscal 2025, WCAC helped more than 30,000 people pay their heating bills. Our business partners were critical in the delivery of services that included no-heat emer- gencies, responding to seniors who were out of oil, and preventing shut offs for families with children. Cutting programs like fuel assistance ignores the inter- connectedness of family stability, small business success, and economic growth. Programs like what is offered via WCAC don't just help people survive, they help them move toward economic mobility through programs, partnerships, and advocacy. If we're serious about building a stronger, more equi- table economy, we cannot afford to step away from these proven investments. We urge our elected officials and the voice of voters to protect and strengthen fuel assistance in the federal budget. Our families, our businesses, and our communities are counting on it. Marybeth Campbell is CEO of Worcester Community Action Council. Timothy Murray is president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. Cuts to fuel assistance leave residents and businesses in the cold High drama at the CCC is bad for business T he personnel issues at the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission are about to get even more dramatic, with CCC Chair Shannon O'Brien now being rein- stated to her leadership role two years af- ter she was suspended and fired. Since July 2023, the regulatory agency has paid out at least $1.5 million to settle personnel disputes between warring factions at the agency. at money, which would have been better spent on literally anything else, was the result of countless self-inflicted wounds, as CCC leaders engaged in a power struggle that has produced only losers, particularly the businesses in the cannabis industry and the consumers who support them. e most recent settlement of $304,591 is to be paid to former CCC chief communications officer Cedric Sinclair. He was suspended in December 2023 and was reportedly the subject of a smear campaign by O'Brien and other CCC officials, who said he bullied and sexually harassed employees at the agency. e settlement with Sinclair includes the CCC agreeing to release a statement thanking him for his time serving the agency. e news of Sinclair's settlement came shortly aer the agency reached a $42,500 settlement with a former employee and whistleblower Meghan Dube, who in her attempt to alert agency leaders to the personnel dysfunction, particularly in the human resources department, was instead ostracized and eventually suspended. When Travis Ahern took over as CCC executive director at the start of this year, it could have kicked off a new era for the agency, although turning around a culture of chaos and toxicity is easier said than done. It's hard to imagine O'Brien's return will help. Even the judge who ruled she had been wrongfully terminated by State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg harshly criticized O'Brien's leadership when she was head of the CCC board and acknowledged her rein- statement would cause short-term disruption. As all this drama has been playing out, cannabis businesses are facing unprecedented pressures, large- ly due to oversaturation in the market and crashing prices, as WBJ Managing Editor Eric Casey writes in his story "Revolutionary collapse" on page 10. While the CCC's internal dysfunction isn't causing this problem, it's not helping either. Onerous regulations that take way too long to reform, consumer protec- tion concerns that go unaddressed for months, and the generally slow responsiveness to the needs of the industry have been real factors that have put further pressure on cannabis operating margins. What is the solution to this ongoing drama and dysfunction? A proposed cannabis reform law passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives in June, which has languished in the state Senate. e bill would significantly overhaul the CCC structure, lower the barrier to entry for medical marijuana retail, increase purchase limits for consumers, and finally address the selling of hemp products. We hope the Senate can move this bill forward with alacrity, because until a CCC overhaul is complete, the canna- bis industry's future will remain in turmoil. Marybeth Campbell The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. W Timothy Murray W

• Cover