Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 30, 2017 | Worcester Business Journal 33 Understand ballot initiatives' impact The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. E aster Seals Massachusetts has been a leader in pro- viding services to people with disabilities in the commonwealth for almost 75 years. In addition to strong programs like employment training, transi- tion, recreation and rehabilitation, this is accomplished today though assistive technology. With a team of augmentative commu- nication and assistive technology spe- cialists providing evaluations, training and caregiver education throughout the state, thousands of people are served on an annual basis. Unfortunately, this is only a small percentage of the people who would achieve greater independence with assistive technology. That is why MassMATCH, managed by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) exists. The goal of MassMATCH is to maximize assistive technology in consumer's hands. This is accomplished through a number of programs, including the Assistive Technology Regional Centers. The Assistive Technology Regional Centers (ATRC) are locations where people with disabilities, family members, therapists and caregivers can come to learn about, try, and even borrow assistive technology for up to four weeks at a time. These centers have a variety of low- and high-tech devices to help people to achieve greater independence in their homes, schools, work and communities. Easter Seals MA has been fortunate to manage the MassMATCH ATRC: Boston for over 10 years. When the contracts for this site and its sister site in Pittsfield came up earlier this year, the Easter Seals MA team knew it would apply to continue running the Boston site, but we also saw an unmet need in Central Massachusetts. Having run the Boston center for so long, but also being headquartered in Worcester, Easter Seals MA has collected data on people in Central Massachusetts who have utilized equipment from ATRC: Boston. The missing piece was the opportunity for Central Massachusetts residents to have a local center to come into and trial equipment before borrowing. Understanding state funding is always tight, the Easter Seals MA team formulated a plan to create ATRC: Worcester as a collaborative effort. Utilizing not just MassMATCH funding, but also private donor funding lead by Roy and Diane Brazelton, Easter Seals MA could create a welcoming and accessible space right in Worcester for Central Massachusetts residents to learn about and explore technology close to home. Fortunately, MRC was very supportive and gave approv- al for the creation of the MassMATCH ATRC: Worcester, which is run by Easter Seals MA in our office at 484 Main St. The center, which is housed in the Fuller Classroom in the Roy and Diane Brazelton Assistive Technology Center, is filled with technology to assist people in every aspect of daily life. Now people in Central Massachusetts have a local place where they can go to find devices to ensure equal opportunities to live, learn, work and play. Paul Medeiros is president and CEO of Easter Seals Massachusetts. Disabled needed more tech services V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L BY PAUL MEDEIROS Special to the Worcester Business Journal Paul Medeiros WO R D F R O M T H E W E B Tweets of the week "Yet another reason why we should be #Amazon's #1 pick for new HQ." - City Councilor Kate Toomey (@katetoomey), Oct. 24, on a story about Worcester Polytechnic Institute introducing a logistics supply program "Most likely, Amazon is going to pick a state that is run fiscally well and with moral and ethical standards, which knocks Mass out." - David Ginese (@DGinese), Oct. 20, on the Bay State's chances of landing Amazon's second headquarters W Facebook feedback "Graduated from Assumption in 2012 and frankly, the issues raised in the article don't surprise me at all. Tensions between academic development and the religious mission were very high when I was there, and I've heard that they've only gotten worse." - Mark Mulligan, Oct. 20, on a story about Assumption College faculty voting no confidence in President Francesco Cesareo "No!!" - Brendan Donahue, Oct. 20, on a story about College of the Holy Cross considering renaming its Crusader mascot M assachusetts' law allowing voters to have a direct say in creating and passing laws through ballot initia- tives turns 100 years old next year, and the state once again looks to have several interesting initiatives up for public vote. The first-ever law passed by ballot initiative came in 1920, when voters labeled beer as a non- intoxicating drink and therefore exempt from Prohibition (Best ballot-initiative law ever!). Since that time, the ballot has been used to allow Sunday sporting events, legalize contraceptives and create a recreational marijuana industry. While it would be easy to paint ballot initiatives as some sort of mob rule, the complex process required to get a measure on the ballot, and the Legislature's ability to re-shape the legislation after the fact – without altering its original intent – means the will of the people can become the law. One of the challenges with ballot initiatives is the public tends to view them as individual mea- sures. Seasoned legislators and others leaders who make it their business to see the forest through the trees understand how one law might impact sever- al others, and how a collection of laws sends a message about the state's priorities. In 2018, it seems very likely that we'll have a handful of ballot measures which may sound fair on their own, but collectively would be very unfriendly to businesses. The first is the proposal to increase the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour. We're on the record in support of this move for Massachusetts given our high cost of living, but the state will need to develop a plan to phase in an jump of this mag- nitude (a 36-percent increase). The last time the Legislature dealt with a significant increase of this magnitude was when it increased minimum wage over three years from $8 to $11, which remains the highest minimum wage in the nation. The second ballot measure would require 16 weeks of paid family leave and 26 weeks of paid medical leave for employees. While it's a good idea for companies to offer their workers robust bene- fits and encourage employees to have a healthy work-life balance, paid leave should not become a one-size-fits-all law. The current Massachusetts law calls for eight weeks of unpaid leave, if the employ- ee is not covered under the Family Medical Leave Act, which gives works 12 weeks of unpaid leave. The third ballot measure would impose a 4-per- cent surtax on all incomes of more than $1 million per year, including those for businesses. On its face the proposal simply makes the highest earners pay a higher tax rate, but it also serves to make a big jump in the business income tax in Massachusetts. Some 25 years ago Massachusetts earned its unfor- tunate "Taxachusetts" moniker and was not con- sidered business friendly. Fast forward to today, and the state has not only shed that old reputation, but has a diverse, vibrant economy putting it in the driver's seat in attracting growing industries. Tax law changes are better left to experienced lawmak- ers who can understand what the complex web of taxes says about the state. There are 21 proposed ballot measures approved by Attorney General Maura Healey for eligibility. Each of them are still required to meet several other deadlines before actually appearing on the ballot. Will these three measure make it all the way onto the final statewide ballot? That remains to be seen. If they do, and all three pass, then it will be up to the legislature to mitigate the big potential down- side of having all three of them become law. Taken one at a time, each may have its merits, but passed as a group they would send a very negative signal to the drivers behind the state's robust economy. W

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