Presentation to the Haverhill MA City Council 10-11-2016: the need for a catalyst to jumpstart industrial growth in our city

1. Long Term
Industry Growth Catalyst
is Major Gap
Sharp Increase in Business Tax Base Growth Needed
John Michitson
Andy Vargas
Melinda Barrett
October 11, 2016

2. Bottom Line Up Front
• Problem:
• Data reveals sharp decline in business tax base growth in last 5 years
• Catalyst for commercial growth Harbor Place underway
• Spawning new commercial opportunities downtown
• New consultants in economic development office off and running
• Addressing new leads in downtown & industrial parks
• Major gap: catalyst for long term industrial growth
• Innovation economy transforming manufacturing quickly
• Hypotheses: Need niche & research/training center in advanced manufacturing
• Example research and training centers identified
• Why Haverhill needs leap in business tax base
• Address push & pull factors (facilities, great schools, clusters or niche, navigating City Hall, taxes)
• Recommendations

3. Haverhill Commercial, Industrial & Personal Property
(CIP) Growth 2016
*Tax Increment
Financing (TIF)
Incentive
Delays Tax Benefit
of Recent
Development
Commercial &
Industrial
Tax Base Growth
Small in 2016
Source: City Assessor
Personal Property – 89%
Commercial – 9%
Industrial – 2%

4. Haverhill Commercial, Industrial & Personal Property
(CIP) Growth 2007 - 2016
$0
$200,000
$400,000
$600,000
$800,000
$1,000,000
$1,200,000
$1,400,000
$1,600,000
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
CIP Total
Personal Property
Commercial and
Industrial
Commercial &
Industrial
Tax Base Growth
Declined Sharply
in Last Six Years
Source: City Assessor/Mass.Gov
*Tax Increment
Financing (TIF)
Incentive
Delays Tax Benefit
of Recent
Development

5. Haverhill CIP Growth vs. Similar Cities
0
1000000
2000000
3000000
4000000
5000000
6000000
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Commercial &
Industrial
Tax Base Growth
Declined in Last
5 Years vs.
Similar Cities
Source:
City Assessor/
Mass.Gov
*Tax Increment
Financing (TIF)
Incentive
Delays Tax Benefit
of Recent
Development

6. Harbor Place Commercial Growth Catalyst in
Downtown
Domino Effect
Started
Downtown
Investors
Source: Harbor Place
Source: Eagle Tribune

7. New Economic Development Resources
2014
• William Pillsbury, Director
(One-man band!)
2016
• William Pillsbury, Director
• Noah Koretz, Planner
• Nate Robertson, Economic Dev.
• Alison Colby-Campbell, Marketing
Investors
Identifying & Addressing
New Leads in Downtown
& Industrial Parks +
Developing Marketing
Materials
Source: Eagle Tribune

8. • Hypotheses: Need niche & research/training center in advanced
manufacturing
• Examples:
• The Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center
(MGHPCC) in Holyoke
• Factory 2050 at UK’s Sheffield University
• Georgia Tech Internet of Things Research Center
• Advanced manufacturing workforce development training center, in
conjunction with NECC, HHS, Whittier Vo-Tech, UMASS/Lowell & industry
(concept)
Gap: Catalyst for Long Term Industrial Growth

9. Why Haverhill Needs Leap in Business Tax Base
• Meet its long term financial needs
• Provide good jobs at every level to reflect our diversity
• Turn around our challenging neighborhoods and improve our quality
of life
• Provide support and funding needed to
continue improving public education
Fantini Bakery $3M Expansion in
Mount Washington NeighborhoodFamily owned since 1902Sources: Fantini Bakery & MB

10. • Facilities – expansion, growth of company
Push or Pull Factors
• Taxes – rate, breaks, etc.
• Great schools – education for children of employees
• Clusters or niche – collaboration, innovation, productivity
• Navigating City Hall – information, leadership, vision

11. Addressing Push or Pull Factors
• Facilities – expansion, growth of company
Recommendation:
• Zoning review
• Master Plan
• Information Design & Distribution – What’s available? Why come?
Search engine optimization (SEO)

12. Addressing Push or Pull Factors
Recommendation:
• School Facilities (Capital Improvements) – submitting statement of interests (SOIs)
to MSBA in a timely manner
• “The team also recommends that the district develop a long-range facilities plan. Without a
comprehensive long-range capital plan it is not clear to staff or the public what kind of schools
students will attend and how suitable they will be for learning.” (Department of Elementary &
Secondary Education, Haverhill Accountability Report, 2015)
• Get Data Driven!
• “The district does not have an up-to-date, data-driven District Improvement Plan. There is little
evidence of student achievement driving budget decisions, and the two new goals developed
for the district do not reflect analysis of current student achievement results.” (DESE)
• Great schools – education for children of employees

13. Addressing Push or Pull Factors
Recommendation:
• Asset mapping – Building on common industries in Haverhill – advanced
manufacturing, food, etc.
• Define our story – what is Haverhill’s story, our brand?
• Clusters or niche – collaboration, innovation, productivity

14. Addressing Push or Pull Factors
Recommendation:
• Master Plan!
• Redesign of www.HaverhillMA.gov -- this is our city’s front door, perhaps more so
than exiting off 495!
• Transparency & Ease of Understanding Data – it should be easy for businesses to
get a high level view of the state of the city, utilizing all the data we collect
(ClearGov)
• Business Portal – A clear & concise roadmap of what it takes to bring your
businesses to Haverhill/starting a business here.
• Navigating City Hall – information, leadership, vision

15. Recommendation
• Request that Economic Development Director/Team:
• Address Push or Pull Factors and associated recommendations
• Address niche, value and feasibility of a research/training center in advanced
manufacturing
Thank You