Tomorrow night, Worcester City Councilors will vote on the annual tax rate for residents and businesses in the city.

And, like most everything in 2020, the vote will take place virtually via the city’s online meeting platform, WebEx.

VOTING HISTORY

Over the past five years, the Worcester City Council has widened the gap between the commercial / industrial / personal tax rate and the residential tax rate. If there was ever a year that this council should consider helping our businesses, it is this year.

BUSINESSES ARE SUFFERING…FOR MANY REASONS

Many of our neighborhood brick and mortar businesses have seen historic losses in revenue during 2020. On top of that, the long delay on a second stimulus package for these hard-hit businesses and the soon-to-be-implemented minimum wage increase will hit them hard.

THERE’S MORE

The unemployment assistance Trust Fund is projected to have a $5 billion deficit by end of 2022. Unemployment assistance premiums are expected to increase $319 per employee in 2021, which is a 60% increase to employers.

Healthcare premiums for small businesses will increase by an average of 7.9%, despite the low use during the shutdown. That represents an annual increase of $648 for individual coverage ($8,808 annual cost) and $1,788 for family coverage ($24,084 annual cost).

The Paid Family and Medical Leave program will cost employers $1 billion when fully implemented and will offer 12 to 26 weeks of paid family leave and 20 weeks of paid medical leave. And, employers must assume the additional cost of filling positions while an employee is on leave.

The minimum wage is scheduled to increase by $0.75 to $13.50 for hourly workers (an added $1,560 for a full-time worker next year) and $.060 to $5.55 for tipped employees effective Jan. 1, 2021.

YET, THE BUSINESSES STILL SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY

Our business community sponsors:

Our little league and other sports teams,

Charitable endeavors,

Schools…and so much more.

With many of our small businesses closing for good and suffering financially, now, more than ever, is the time they need our help.

 

PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL

Please call and / or email your Worcester City Councilor and ask them to vote for an equitable tax rate. They can be reached at 508.299.1049 with the exception of Mayor Petty who can be reached at 508.799.1153.

District 1  |  SEAN M. ROSE —  RoseS@worcesterma.gov

 

District 2  |  CANDY F. MERO-CARLSON — Mero-CarlsonC@worcesterma.gov

 

District 3  |  GEORGE J. RUSSELL — RussellG@worcesterma.gov

 

District 4  |  SARAI RIVERA — RiveraSA@worcesterma.gov

 

District 5  |  MATTHEW E. WALLY —  WallyM@worcesterma.gov

 

 

MAYOR JOSEPH M. PETTY, 508-799-1153  E | Mayor@worcesterma.gov

 

MORRIS A. BERGMAN — BergmanM@worcesterma.gov

 

DONNA M. COLORIO — ColorioD@worcesterma.gov

 

KHRYSTIAN E. KING — KingK@worcesterma.gov

 

GARY ROSEN, 508-799-1049 — RosenG@worcesterma.gov

 

KATHLEEN M. TOOMEY  — ToomeyK@worcesterma.gov