Today, on behalf of the minority, immigrant, and women-owned businesses we serve, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice has sent a request to Governor Charlie Baker to discuss the high cost of filling as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) in Massachusetts. The $500 yearly fee is nearly 5 times more expensive than the other 49 states. This disproportionately affects small businesses in underserved and underrepresented communities.

The Commonwealth could continue to collect fees by instituting a tiered structure based on the business’s profits, this system would only collect fees commensurate with the business’s size.

At a time of growing income inequality in Boston and across the country, eliminating barriers for small businesses to thrive allows our Commonwealth to stay competitive and foster entrepreneurship in minority, immigrant, and low-income communities.