CommonWealth Beacon staff
Posted inThe Codcast

The politics of who gets a musical education

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

On this week’s episode of The Codcast, what it means when political forces come for the arts. CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith talks with Élider DiPaula, the new executive director of Project STEP — a 12-year music program focused on bringing students from underrepresented or marginalized backgrounds into the world of classical string music. The program lost a federal grant this spring, as did hundreds of other programs considered out of step with President Trump’s nationalist priorities for the arts.

Posted inThe Saturday Send

Proposed gas bill hikes plus four more stories

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

A utility company asks for permission to dramatically raise gas rates, and the MBTA’s Phil Eng says he’s open to permanently remaining transportation secretary. Plus: a legislative task force recommends at least a doubling of the share of health care spending on primary care, new data on home insurance in Massachusetts is turning heads across the industry, and the Mass. Municipal Association recommends a gargantuan increase in local aid and reforms to loosen — but not eliminate — Prop 2½.

Posted inThe Codcast

A showdown over Boston property tax rates

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

This week on The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith talks with Greg Maynard, executive director of the Boston Policy Institute, as Boston the city council prepares for a Wednesday vote expected to raise taxes on single-family homes. Maynard says the administration is not moving quickly enough to inform the public about dire revenue forecasts or adopt new measures which could make up the difference.

Posted inThe Saturday Send

New Green Line cars get the green light and four more stories

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

This week, the MBTA says it’s ready to roll out Green Line cars with anti-collision alerts and Gov. Healey proposes a flood disclosure mandate for home sellers. Plus, Mayor Wu makes a third run at a temporary shift in the city’s tax rate, the Commonwealth’s case against Meta finally heads to court, and the Legislature cuts funding for communities hosting casinos.

Posted inCommonWealth Voices

How a 1940 electoral system reform in Cambridge made its 2025 housing breakthrough possible

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

Earlier this year, Cambridge quietly accomplished what few cities have dared: through an ambitious zoning reform, it legalized four-story buildings across nearly every neighborhood. The reform dramatically increases the city’s capacity for new housing, with projections that it could add 3,590 net new units by 2040.

This is more than just a housing “win.” It’s a triumph for Cambridge’s unique brand of representative democracy—one that balances citywide priorities with fair representation for diverse communities. 

Why did Cambridge succeed where other cities have failed? The answer lies not just in zoning, but in how Cambridge elects its city council.

Posted inThe Saturday Send

Everett’s new chapter and four more stories

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

This week, Hallie Claflin sits down with Everett’s incoming mayor, Robert Van Campen, following his upset defeat of incumbent Carlo DeMaria. Plus: a state audit zeroes in on the 2023 closure of a Leominster maternity unit and Jennifer Smith breaks down the legal, legislative, and political processes for Massachusetts ballot question campaigns.

Also, Michael Jonas and Jim Peyser discuss restoring civic discourse on The Codcast and Rhode Island Current’s Shauneen Miranda explains the latest developments in the ongoing legal battle against the Education Department’s restructuring plans.

Posted inCommonWealth Voices

On bail policy, Massachusetts must catch up

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

Massachusetts has positioned itself as a leader on a range of policy domains under attack by the Trump administration. But as a national conversation has arisen about cash bail and public safety, fueled by misinformation from the White House, Massachusetts is on the sidelines.  

At the same time, Massachusetts has been undergoing its own experiment with releasing people who would otherwise be detained pretrial this summer—people who were denied their right to counsel while bar advocates declined taking new appointed cases, holding out for a pay raise to continue serving as public defenders.

Posted inThe Saturday Send

Rent control splits progressives and four more stories

by CommonWealth Beacon staff

Chris Lisinski and Jennifer Smith delve into politics of the divisive rent control ballot question splitting progressive supporters. Plus: the House presses pause on its contentious energy policy bill, 11 ballot campaigns move ahead, new documents reveal state agencies never followed a 2017 rule to cut emissions, and Chris Lisinski breaks down how lawmakers concluded their final formal sessions for the year.

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