Oct. 23, 2026

Good morning,

Max Woolf here,

In today’s newsletter, we discuss two ballot questions, two new housing developments and two chamber events.

But first, Needham’s own ballot decision.

On Nov. 3, voters will decide whether to approve a $243 million override to build a new Pollard Middle School. Our Board of Directors has voted unanimously to support the plan. 

Our reasoning comes down to two things: Needham’s strong public schools are among its greatest economic assets. And rejecting this proposal could mean paying significantly more to replace a school that needs replacing anyway.

But our support should not be seen as a blank check. Our businesses are already under tremendous pressure; future financial decisions must keep business attraction and retention in mind.

Read our full statement.

Question 8 won't make marijuana disappear

For decades, marijuana was bought and sold in parking lots and back alleys. When Massachusetts voters legalized recreational sales in 2016, they deliberately brought that market into the open, creating a regulated industry where products are tested, sales are tracked, and customers must show ID.

One decade later, Question 8 seeks to repeal cannabis legalization, threatening to undo much of that progress and put thousands of legitimate jobs and businesses at risk.

Consider Garden Remedies, a Massachusetts-owned cannabis company with a dispensary in Newton. Since CEO Jeff Herold founded the company, it has grown to employ 175 people, many of whom have spent years building careers in an industry the state (and voters) encouraged them to enter.

They're hardly alone. More than 15,000 people work across 782 licensed cannabis businesses statewide. Last fiscal year, recreational sales generated about $280 million in state tax revenue.

The chamber recognizes the legitimate public health concerns surrounding marijuana use, particularly among minors. But cannabis consumption won't disappear if this measure passes. The legitimate local businesses, jobs and tax revenue we've spent a decade building, however, would. 

Please join us in voting No on Question 8 this Nov.

The complicated case for and against Question 5

While some ballot questions, like Question 8, are fairly black and white, others are so complicated you might struggle just to finish reading them, let alone understand what you're voting on.

That includes Question 5, which requires voters to dive into the weeds of Massachusetts tax law. But behind the complicated formulas is a debate with significant implications for our economy and state budget.

I'll try to make this painless. No promises.

Massachusetts currently limits how much tax revenue the state can collect each year. If collections exceed that limit, the state must return the excess to taxpayers. If you've never heard of this, it might be because refunds have been triggered just twice in 40 years, in 1987 and 2022.

Proponents of Question 5 want to change the rules of that game. Under the current system, the revenue cap keeps rising each year, even if actual tax collections fall short. Think of it as a target that keeps moving farther away, even when the state doesn't come close to hitting it.

Question 5 would reset that target based on the previous year's actual tax collections. Supporters argue this would make taxpayer rebates more likely and encourage greater restraint in state spending.

Comparison of tax rebates over the last ten years  | Mass Taxpayers Foundation

More rebates sound appealing. But would that actually lead to more responsible state spending?

When it comes to tax policy analysis, few know the subject better than the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation (MTF). In its must-read explainer, MTF agrees that Question 5 would trigger rebates more often.

But the business organization opposes the measure, warning it wouldn't rein in state spending but could create serious budget challenges, especially during and after recessions.

Ultimately, Question 5 leaves voters with a difficult decision: Put more money back in your pocket, or create more challenges for an already strained state budget?

Either way, this will all be over soon

No matter where you stand on the ballot questions, statewide races and contests across the nation, we’re all going to need a way to process it all.

So join us bright and early the next morning – Wed., Nov. 4, 8:20 a.m. — for our (Post-Election) Coffee Connect at the Brookline Senior Center.

Celebrate. Commiserate. Argue about what the numbers mean.

Or ignore politics completely and make a few new business connections.

You’ll also get a look at the Senior Center, a gathering place for Brookline residents for 25 years.

And yes, there will be coffee.

RSVP required.

Can we actually speed up housing growth? 

Brookline's newly elected, pro-growth Select Board has made speeding up the town's notoriously lengthy development approval process a priority. (They even hired a consultant to tell them how to do it)

Now comes an early test of that commitment.

At a contentious public hearing this week, neighbors came out in fierce opposition to developer Nordblom's proposal to replace a Coolidge Corner parking lot at 26 Pleasant Street with 96 apartments, including 14 affordable units.

Despite the board's strong support and a host of negotiated community benefits, opponents urged another round of review by a special committee, insisting they weren't trying to kill the project, just seeking more process. 

But one resident dropped the pretense when he proudly admitted that his opposition was “NIMBY indeed.” 

Another worried that new residents would overwhelm Coolidge Corner's already overcrowded shops…tell that to local merchants desperate for more customers.

The developer's attorney warned that further delays could amount to a “death penalty” for the project. 

The question now is whether this Select Board can live up to its new goals and shepherd this process through a final Town Meeting vote this fall.

Friday grab bag

• We've talked ad nauseam about the potential benefits of Question 7, which would cap minimum lot sizes at the size of an NBA basketball court. In dueling Fig City News op-eds, I explore how the measure could offer a new way to tackle one of the Newton City Council's biggest headaches: teardowns, while City Councilor Pam Wright isn't convinced.
• Plans to make Waltham's Moody Street more pedestrian-friendly appear to be dead, with the city's planning director confirming that his department is no longer pursuing pedestrianization in the corridor. (Waltham Times)
• The Town of Brookline is seeking public input on the future of the town-owned portion of the former Newbury College campus on Fisher Hill, with affordable housing among the potential uses being considered. Residents can complete the community visioning survey through Oct. 28.
• Breadsong Bakery, a longtime Auburndale staple, will close at the end of the year. Edgar Zavala and Rumyana Gizdova have operated the family-owned bakery at 349 Auburn Street since 2008.
• Tropical Smoothie Cafe is taking over the former AT&T store at 88 Needham Street, across from McDonald's. The national chain serves made-to-order smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads and bowls, though an opening date has yet to be announced.
• The Needham Rail Trail is being resurfaced for a smoother ride, with work underway along the entire 1.7-mile trail over the next two weeks. Residents are asked to avoid the trail on weekdays during construction
• Garrison House in Brookline Village is closing. Clementine, a new bar from restaurateur Mathew Freid, will take over the space at 6 Harvard Square. (Brookline.News)
• The Laredo administration is hosting a public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. at 1294 Center Street (and via Zoom) to gather feedback on the future of the Newton Center Plaza, including options for making it permanent while potentially restoring some parking. As it stands, the parklet will be removed before winter.
  
• Needham Park and Recreation will host its Annual Fall Family Day Oct. 24, 9:30- 5 p.m. Free activities include a concert, mini-golf, a petting zoo and inflatables. Details
  
  
• Our region is becoming so expensive that even families traveling for lifesaving medical care are struggling to find somewhere to stay. A Boston Globe report highlights growing demand for affordable lodging near our world-class hospitals.
  
  
• Brookline celebrated some of its oldest residents with a party of a century, honoring community members who have reached the remarkable milestone of 100 years or more. Brookline.News has the story on this celebration of longevity.
  
  
• Yes, that’s Congressman Jake Auchincloss assembling an assault weapon in his Newton kitchen. (Globe)

Senior living plans take shape on Route 9 in Wellesley 

Developer Jumbo Capital is finally moving forward on one of several properties it recently acquired in Wellesley.

The developer updated the Planning Board this week on its plans to replace an aging office building at 888 Worcester St. (Route 9) with a senior living facility operated by Life Care Services (LCS).

LCS operates more than 100 facilities nationwide, including a 223-unit facility in Woburn that Jumbo representative Tom Powers said would serve as a model in terms of both scale and operation.

The biggest hurdle is zoning. The Residential Incentive Overlay (RIO), which facilitated projects like Waterstone in Lower Falls, was eliminated by Town Meeting this spring. Planning Board members questioned whether Jumbo could create an entirely new zoning district in time for spring Town Meeting.

Board member Tom Taylor urged Jumbo to "speed up the gas" on community outreach to meet that deadline.

Meet the college president who isn't waiting for change 

While many colleges struggle to adapt, Brandeis University President Arthur Levine is reinventing how higher education prepares students for the workforce.

And we're excited to announce he'll join our Fall Business Breakfast panel on Nov. 13.

Since arriving at Brandeis in 2024, Levine has overhauled its liberal arts education to better prepare graduates for the workforce, introducing career advising from day one, practical learning experiences and a second transcript documenting students' skills, not just their grades.

Next up: shorter, stackable credentials to help students adapt to changing employer needs.

"We don't have the time, we don't have the money, to wait," Levine recently told the Globe's Hilary Burns. "Our only alternative is to lead."

Burns will moderate our panel, which also features UMass Amherst Provost Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, MassBay President David Podell and Lasell University President Eric Turner.

Get your tickets.

And that's all you need to know unless you need to know why we can't get a Robin Williams/Good Will Hunting statue on the Boston Common. 

Max Woolf (he, him)

Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager

Charles River Regional Chamber

617-431-6101

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