This Bill Would Pay People To Move To Western Mass.

I left the greater Boston area about eight years ago to start a new life with my now wife, who is originally from Pittsfield. It seems every time I return for a visit, there are more and more people living there. It's no surprise why, Boston's economy is booming.

Since GE left Pittsfield in the late '80s, the population and the economy of Pittsfield has struggled to fully recover. I still consider it a great place to raise a family; however, just like the rest of "western" Mass.

Although not so much to correct our population issues, but rather to help "spread the wealth" to Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties, State Senator Eric Lesser of Longmeadow suggests we pay "Boston" people to move here. Really!

He wants to reimburse people who move to the state’s four westernmost counties and work from their homes or coworking spaces. To be eligible for up to $10,000 for relocation and setup expenses, they would need to be employed by a business outside of the region. -boston.com

Borrowed from a similar bill that the State of Vermont just enacted in to law and took effect Jan. 1, Lesser hopes this $10,000 incentive to move west will at least get the folks on the fence about leaving the Boston area to do it.

It is, at least, a nice attempt from government to help level the disproportionate economies throughout the state. We'll see if it passes.