Join hundreds of Massachusetts business leaders in charting a course for full recovery.

Please Read and Sign

Dear State Leaders –

As committed Bay Staters who represent large and small businesses collectively employing tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents, we want the Commonwealth to thrive and we hope to work with you to achieve that goal. As business leaders, we feel compelled, however, to express alarm at tax proposals that we believe would both be harmful to overall state employment and break with historical precedents — and we respectfully urge the legislature to refrain from initiating any tax increase.

There are currently before the legislature numerous statutory and even constitutional proposals to raise taxes and fees on Massachusetts businesses. We believe that the legislature must move in a different direction and refocus its attention on creating the premises for an economic recovery that will support robust job creation for the Bay State’s working men and women.

We believe that the legislature should adopt a do-no-harm approach to Massachusetts’ post-pandemic economic recovery.

At the start of 2020, just a year ago, the Massachusetts economy was the envy of the Northeast and much of the nation. More of our residents were working than ever before. Individuals and families across the Commonwealth benefitted from historically low unemployment rates that made skilled workers in high demand, provided stronger wages and expanded economic opportunity.

Growing economies at full employment generate robust tax revenues, and even without tax hikes, Massachusetts businesses and workers contributed to recurring state budget surpluses of over $1 billion. The windfall allowed the public sector to further invest in infrastructure and vital services like education, and to build an emergency fund that has not been drawn down in seven years.

Just a year later, hundreds of businesses have closed as a result of the virus and more than 300,000 people who were in the workforce in February 2020 are no longer working. State policy should stimulate, not hamper, our recovery. Additional taxes will make it harder for Massachusetts businesses to get our people back to work — especially as the adoption of remote work has lowered barriers to relocating jobs outside the state.

We are excited to get back to providing the products and services that people want and need. We are heartened to get those who are hurting — our neighbors and friends — back to work. Unemployment rates capture only a slice of the picture; many have stopped looking for work altogether. We want them back working, productive, able to pay their mortgages, rents and bills, and saving for the future.

We appreciate the legislature’s support of our employees at a time of duress, just as we applaud the decision by legislative leaders to lighten the burden of unemployment insurance rate hikes on Massachusetts businesses.

Many surprises await us in 2021 and 2022. Listening intently to the Biden administration’s announcements, we expect significant changes in regulations and tax policy for both individuals and businesses.

With all these changes, what we need most to get people back to work is stability and predictability, including stable state tax policies. The influx of federal money from COVID relief legislation can help avoid the potentially devastating impacts of state tax increases on Massachusetts’ already fragile economy. It is worth noting that the Commonwealth was due to receive $8.3 billion in federal relief in 2021 and 2022, even prior to the recently enacted $1.9 trillion federal stimulus law.

We urge you to make getting Massachusetts back to work your top priority. Jobs enhance the well-being of families across Massachusetts. They are a source of dignity and hope. Jobs and prosperity are what will bring us back to being the envy of the Northeast.

As always, the business community hopes to work in partnership with you as you chart a course toward recovery. We firmly believe that dialogue between the public and private sectors is the best way to arrive at policies that benefit all Massachusetts residents.

Respectfully,

SIGNATORIES

Bill Achtmeyer
Chairman & Managing Partner, Acropolis Advisors

Irina Aguirre
Owner, Boston Psychotherapy Group

Aron Ain
CEO, UKG

Durron Allen
Co-founder, Pardon Our Appearance

Richard W Anderson
President, R. W. Anderson & Sons Inc. Builders

Matthew Anderson
President, Anderson Framing & Remodeling

Nancy S Anthony
Chair, Fernwood Council. LLC

Kevin Barbary
Principal, Office Resources Inc.

Joseph Basile
President, Catania Oils

Andrew Beaudry
Member, Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Western Mass

Jeanne Bell
Controller, Westside Finishing Co., Inc.

Jeffrey Bergeron
President & Owner, N.R. Bergeron Drywall Contractor, Inc

Mat Bergeron
Owner, Bent Tree Development

Peter Berube
President, PS Berube Construction design-Build inc./ BGL Custom Homes LLC

Christopher Bilotto
President & COO, Office Properties Income Trust

John Bologna
President & CEO, Coastal Engineering Co., inc.

David Breazzano
President, DDJ Capital Management, LLC

Kenneth Briand
Operations Manager, Semper Diving & Marine Corp.

Carleton Burr
Chairman, Burr Brothers Boats Inc

Gary Campbell
CEO, Gilbert Campbell Real Estate

Donald Chace
President, Chace Building Supply

Cathy Chaisson
Broker/Owner, Mass Properties

Michael Chaisson
President, Chaiss Construction Inc.

Maedon Coburn
Owner, Appleseed Pesonnel Services

Mark Cohen
President, Oprsystems, Inc.

Oleg Cohen
CEO, AssureBridge

Thomas Colatosti
CEO, Oasis Systems

Ryan Conway
Owner, Digital Tradesman

Paul Cormier
President & CEO, Red Hat

Stephen Costello
President & CEO, The Bank of Canton

Frank Cousins
President, Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce

Anne Cronin
Owner, Annie’s Gluten Free Bakery, LLC

Sue Curtis
Owner, Cooperstown Environmental

Thomas Davis
Retired Executive Director, Greater New Bedford Industrial Foundation

Stephen DeFalco
Chairman & CEO, Creation Technologies

David DelGallo
Senior Consultant, Baystate Benefit Services

George DeMambro
Senior Consultant, Schooley Mitchell

Gjergj Demiraj
President & CEO, Guttenberg Technology

Brian DeVellis
President, ESG Associates Inc.

Stephen Dixon
Presdient, Stephen Dixon, Inc

Deane Dolben
President, The Dolben Company, Inc.

Andrew Dolben
Executive Vice Presidnet, Dolben Company

Shannon Donovan
Owner, Sunflour Pastries

Zhanna Drogobetsky
Owner, Casa Design Group

Christopher Egan
Manager, Carruth Capital LLC

Laurence Ehrhardt
CEO, Ballast Lane Applications LLC

Thomas Erb
President, Electric Time Company, Inc.

Stephen Fantone
Founder, President, & CEO, Optikos Corporation

Carlos Flores
President & CEO, Sonesta International Hotels Corporation

John Foley
Owner, AJZ Windmill

Robert France
CEO, Senate Construction Corp.

Jennifer Francis
President & COO, Diversified Healthcare Trust

Tom Gamble
President, Tag Heating & Cooling

Lee Gaudette
President, Gaudette Insurance Agency, Inc.

Peter Goedecke
Founder, Goedecke & Co., LLC

Jeff Gordon
President, EXIT Assurance Realty

Jon Gorrie
Account Executive, EBP

Rick Green
CEO, 1A Auto Inc.

Harold Grinspoon
Founder, Aspen Square Management

Mario Guay
Controller, SMC Ltd.

Scott Gutz
CEO, Monster Worldwide

John Hajjar
President, Foxcroft, Inc.

William Harris
President, WH Cornerstone Investments Inc.

Ellen Herzfelder
Chair, BetterVet

Weston Howland
CEO, Howland Capital Management

Mike Hullinger
President, Capital Risk Management, Inc.

Harvey Hurvitz
CEO, Cape Cod Lumber Company

Frank Hyer
CEO, Thayer Scale

Christine Jarest
HR Manager, Berry Global

Lawrence Kady
Managing Director, Jay Development Corp

Margie Kaitz
CEO, National Lumber

Michael Kane
President, 126 Self Storage

Peter Kershaw
Chief Operating Officer, Crystal Engineering

David Kindred
President, Kindred Homes, Inc.

Daniel Lagan
President, Congress Asset Management Company

Joseph Landers
Executive Officer, Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts

Edward Laquidara
Owner, Animal Adventures

John Largey
Owner, Skyline Homes

Pamela Layton
CEO, 4Immune Therapeutics

Toby Leary
President, Cape Gun Works

Thomas Lorenzini
President, Tremont Mortgage Trust

Brian Lupien
VP of Finance, Pulte Homes of New England

Ted Mahoney
President, Fairview Millwork

Paul Malzone
Owner, Data Destruction Services

James McCabe
President, Pulte Homes

David McGrath
Owner, Northeast Veterinary Partners

Jeffrey Mitchell
Owner, Closets by Design

Kathleen Mitford
EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, PTC

George Mock
President, Nye Lubricants, Inc.

William Montone
Senior Vice President, Brooks Automation

Gerard Moufflet
CEO, Acceleration international

John Murray
President & CEO, Service Properties Trust

Joel Murray
President & CEO, The Norfollk & Dedham Group

Antoine Nader
Manager, Longwood Group

Avi Nelson
Manager, Besrev, LLC

David Nislick
CEO, Excelitas Technologies

Dave Nolan
President & Owner, South Wharf & Cape Yachts

David Parker
President, Old Boston Restorations Inc

Jonathan Peckham
Division Manager, Concord Lumber Corporation

Jonathan Pertchik
CEO, Travel Centers of America

Alex Peselman
President, Mission Capital Group

David Peterman
President, PR Restaurants LLC

Ted Pietras
President, Dwight Realty

Michael Plisinski
CEO, Onto Innovation

Adam Portnoy
President & CEO, The RMR Group

Katherine Potter
President & CEO, Five Star Senior Living Inc.

Noel Powell
Owner, Aaronap Cellars

Thomas Rauh
President, TR3 Solutions

Michael Reilly
President & Chairman, Fred C. Church, Inc.

Mitchell Roberts
CEO, PR Restaurants

Vincent Roche
President & CEO, Analog Devices Inc.

Peter Sabettini
Manager, Littleton Storage Solutions

Ronald Salvucci
Treasurer, Mass Bay Electrical Corp.

Chris Saucier
VP, Northeast Tool Supply

Steven Saunders
Partner, Nutter McClennen & Fish

Edward Schatz
President & CEO, Clocktower Development Corporation

Diane Schmalensee
President, Schmalensee Partners

Vladimir Shclover
President, VSL Technology, LLC

Jeffrey Sheehy
President, Whittemore Company

Hamilton Shepley
President, Shepley Wood Products Inc

Thomas Shields
CEO, Dalton Electric Heating Co., Inc

Brian Shortsleeve
Founder, M33 Growth

Thomas Silva
President & Owner, Triple S Construction Company

David Slutz
Director, Potentia Manufacturing Group

Sara Stancombe
Owner, Owen Jacobs Salon

Ray Stata
Chairman, Analog Devices, Inc.

Edward Stikeleather
President, IBC Corporation

Arthur J Stock
Founder, New England Cranberry

Chris Sullivan
President, BiltRite Construction Inc.

Richard Sullivan
Vice President, F&L Landscaping Corporation

Ann Sullivan
President, Metro Equipment Corporation

Scott Swain
President, Dave Swain Associates

Mike Szelest
Owner, Ayer Shop ‘n’ Save

Stephen Themelis
Owner, Niklaus Painting and Construction Co.

Peter Townsend
CEO, M.L. McDonald Sales Company, LLC

Alan Trefler
Founder & CEO, Pegasystems

Michael Trotta
President & CEO, Crystal Engineering Co., Inc.

Mark Vasapolli
Regional Vice President, Primerica

Frank Wezniak
Chairman, Photovac, Inc.

Landen Williams
Co-founder & Managing Partner, WilliamsMarston LLC

Tripp Woodland
President, Woodland Contracting

Matthew York
President, YORK Building & Remodeling

Fabio Zellino
Owner, Pure Italian LLC

SIGNATORIES BY LOCATION

Number of employees represented: 15,645