Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 20, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 7 Member DIF Member FDIC Protecting your business from fraud is hard. But it doesn't have to be that hard. With Cash Management services like fraud prevention from Country Bank, keeping your business finances secure is a walk in the park. Get started today at CountryBank.com/CashManagement. the park. C A S H M A N A G E M E N T I S A WA L K I N gas companies, aiming to improvise res- ident and business energy efficiency by offering rebates, services, and benefits. It is funded by a charge on all ratepayer electric bills. e report released Sept. 29 from State Auditor Diana DiZoglio found 27% of residents of low-income cities, defined as those with incomes below the state median, contributed more than the average rate to Mass Save. Between 2019 and 2023, Worcester's Mass Save deficit of $17.31 million, showing the ratepayers in the city contributed far more money than they received through the program. e defi- cit was the fourth largest in the state. e report found residents of Gate- way Cities and municipalities with Environmental Justice Communities contributed disproportionately more to Mass Save than others, and Worcester falls into both these categories. Gateway Cities are those with a population greater than 35,000 and less than 250,000, with a median household income lower than the state's average, and a lower-than-average rate of those completing a bachelor's degree or a higher degree, according to Massachu- setts General Laws. An Environmental Justice Commu- nity is defined by benchmarks includ- ing a household income is 65% or less than the statewide annual median, is made up of at least 40% of minorities, and has at least 25% of its households speaking English less than very well, according to the Massachusetts Office of Environmental Justice and Equity. In addition to being a Gateway City, 92% of Worcester is designated as an environmental justice block. Worcester's per-capita net contri- bution to Mass Save was 125% higher than the state average from 2019-2023. Other Central Massachusetts commu- nities who contributed more than they received from Mass Save were: - Marlborough – 318% higher than the state average - Fitchburg – 129% higher - Milford – 124% higher "We need a Mass Save program that is fair and transparent, stops shiing the energy savings burden onto work- ing-class communities like ours, and lowers costs for our families already paying the highest utility prices in the state," Fitchburg Mayor Sam Squailia said in a Sept. 29 press release from the auditor accompanying the report. "While Mass Save has a noble mission of promoting energy efficien- cy in the commonwealth, its current programmatic structure undermines its mission by widening inequality, eroding economic justice, equity, fair- ness, and opportunity, and deepening the very disparities that contribute to the environmental justice challenges we must continually seek to address," DiZoglio said in a Sept. 29 press release. W Three L.L.Bean stores in Central Massachusetts come November when the Maine-based clothing retailer opens its location in Framingham Source: L.L.Bean $32.6 million Sales price of the site of a Lowe's in Framingham bought in Sep- tember by The Mount Vernon Co., a Boston-based real estate firm Source: Middlesex South Registry of Deeds 47.5 Massachusetts' business confidence index score for September, marking the state's seventh consecutive month in pessimistic territory. Source: Associated Industries of Massachusetts Enrollment growth at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester since fall 2024 Source: Quinsigamond Community College 15%

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