The remote access policy, a vestige of the pandemic era, allows members of the public to log on to Zoom, a phone conference line, or YouTube to participate in the meetings.
Gintautas Dumcius
Posted inPolitics
New commission to change controversial state seal already behind schedule
The advisory commission, focused on replacing the controversial emblem, must offer up three options for the state seal, as well as the flag and the state’s motto.
Posted inPolitics
Mayor Wu could see a challenger from Boston’s business sector
If O’Brien enters the race, he would join a field that currently includes Josh Kraft, son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Posted inPolitics
Wu fends off GOP critiques of Boston immigration policies
Mayor Michelle Wu defended Boston’s immigration policies on Wednesday, testifying with three other blue state mayors before a GOP-controlled House Oversight Committee.
Posted inTransportation
Meet Beacon Hill’s new top House lawmaker on transportation
Colleagues call Arciero a pragmatist who’s willing to listen, while Beacon Hill observers note that he was already a key player who helped shepherd Gov. Maura Healey’s multibillion housing bill.
Posted inHousing
A new wrinkle in MBTA Communities rebellion, courtesy of DiZoglio
Responding to a request from Wrentham officials, Auditor Diana DiZoglio waded into a local battle over the controversial MBTA Communities law, finding that the law is an “unfunded mandate” handed down by state officials.
Posted inGovernment
Behind the scenes of the fight over accessory dwelling units
“This one-size-fits-all ADU law completely disregards local zoning regulations without considering the specific needs of individual cities and towns,” Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan wrote.
Posted inTransportation
This is one of the biggest decisions the MBTA will make in the next five years
The commuter rail system sees 550,000 weekly passengers and the MBTA officials want to see even higher numbers, part of an effort to ease traffic congestion by making the commuter rail a more attractive alternative.
Posted inGovernment
The pandemic led to more access to local town meetings. Beacon Hill will decide what comes next.
If local officials weren’t livestreaming democracy before the pandemic, Massachusetts officials smoothed the path to the new paradigm by creating new provisions under the state’s Open Meeting Law.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: The tensions and tangles over federal funding
The saying about New England’s fluid weather – wait a minute, and it’ll change – could also apply these days to the pronouncements coming out of Washington.
Posted inPolitics
More than a year in the making, Josh Kraft launches mayoral bid
The face-off between Josh Kraft and Michelle Wu has no precedent in modern Boston politics.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: New nonprofit swings into action on unemployment insurance
How a problem is explained in a poll can sometimes contribute to the result.
Posted inTransportation
Suburban commuter rail stations need more housing density, new report says
“For Greater Boston, leveraging the vast, underdeveloped land around commuter rail stations represents a crucial opportunity to address housing shortages, reduce car dependency, and better utilize existing transit infrastructure,” the report said.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: The empty seat inside the State House press gallery
Is the Associated Press pulling back from coverage of the Massachusetts State House?
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Maura Healey’s echo | Bitcoin strategic reserve?
There was talk of no new taxes, fixing the MBTA, and cutting red tape, all while avoiding direct references to Donald Trump.
Posted inTransportation
Healey task force turns to existing tax to boost MBTA, transportation infrastructure
Healey administration officials are attempting to deploy millionaires tax revenue in a way that was first tested on a smaller scale last year.
Posted inEducation
The dividing line on millionaires tax money
One of the main backers of the 2022 ballot question says a split between education and transportation shouldn’t be locked in.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: An ad campaign’s cutting room floor
History, as the aphorism goes, is written by the winners. So are the tourism ads celebrating the victories 250 years later.
Posted inTransportation
Healey huddles with her transportation task force ahead of report’s release
The governor met with her transportation funding task force as its members convened their final session and prepared to submit a final draft of a report expected to be released in the coming days.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Super PACs could make a big comeback in Boston
Prior election cycles in Boston offer a possible preview of what’s to come in this year’s mayoral contest.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: What they read this year on and off Beacon Hill
CommonWealth Beacon rounds up the end-of-year reading lists for politicians and policy leaders across the state.
Posted inState Government
Political Notebook: When a governor blowtorched a fascist and other tales
Those tales and others are detailed in a new book from Josh Cutler, a former Democratic lawmaker from Duxbury who joined Gov. Maura Healey’s administration earlier this year.
Posted inTransportation
After high-level meeting, massive I-90 Allston project remains a work in progress
At a meeting this week of high-level state and city leaders, there were signs that elements of the I-90 Allston project are still fluid, and state officials are racing to lock in federal funding amid concerns that the incoming Republican administration may try to punish the heavily Democratic Bay State.
Posted inGovernment
Political Notebook: Lack of roadmap riles some on transportation task force
Members of Gov. Maura Healey’s transportation funding task force gathered this week in downtown Boston. But whether they’ll get to where they’re supposed to go is in the eye of the commuter.