The Democrats who control the levers of power in Massachusetts spent most of the year fretting about upheaval from the federal government and preparing for more expansive action down the line.
Economy
Posted inState Government
Amid shaky economy, tax cut proposal draws heightened scrutiny
Already buffeted by economic pressures and federal funding cuts, top Democrats are beginning to warn that major financial upheaval would follow if voters approve a pair of tax-reform measures en route to the 2026 ballot.
Posted inOpinion
We can’t sit idle as Washington pulls the plug on the Massachusetts innovation economy
The Commonwealth needs to act boldly and creatively to respond to the threats to its innovation economy. Fighting to reverse these moves in Washington should be a top priority, but we surely can’t count on that happening.
Posted inEnvironment
Mass. home insurer of last resort sees spike in enrollment
Massachusetts’s home insurance market, officials and experts stressed, is in a much better place than other parts of the country. Still, signs of change are emerging.
Posted inEnergy
‘Rate shock’: Healey’s affordability push meets a dramatic proposed gas bill hike
Liberty Utilities, which services a small southeastern pocket of Massachusetts, filed its rate hike request in June and is asking the Department of Public Utilities for permission to raise gas rates by about 55 percent on average.
Posted inOpinion
Efficient electric equipment, powered by clean sources, is the answer to the energy affordability crunch
Better equipment and cheaper energy sources are critical to achieving an affordable energy future.
Posted inPolitics
A third tilt at the windmill for Wu’s tax shift
In letters to the city council and business leaders on Wednesday, Wu warned that residential property taxes are poised for a second double-digit year-over-year increase in a row, with officials projecting a 13 percent rise next year.
Posted inPolitics
How incoming mayor Robert Van Campen will write Everett’s next chapter
In a closely watched upset, City Councilor Robert Van Campen beat DeMaria by 9 percentage points. His promise to restore trust and accountability in City Hall wasn’t hard to sell. But Van Campen has a tough act to follow, despite DeMaria’s scandals.
Posted inHousing
Beacon Hill clears hurdle for Weymouth naval air base redevelopment
After a series of stops and starts stretching back 15-plus years, Beacon Hill is on the verge of removing one of the last remaining obstacles to redevelopment of the former naval air base in Weymouth.
Posted inState Government
Unions: Buyout talks could affect 2,000+ state workers
Labor leaders say the Healey administration approached them to begin conversations about a buyout program that could reduce the state workforce by roughly 2,000 positions, the latest attempt at belt-tightening amid upheaval from the federal shutdown and funding cuts.
Posted inEconomy
Survey: Mass. business confidence stuck in longest rut since pandemic
Federal policy changes and high costs within Massachusetts continue to squeeze businesses, and by one metric, Bay State employers have not felt this negative about the economic outlook since the first year of the COVID pandemic.
Posted inOpinion
Lawmakers must resist Big Tech fearmongering, pass data privacy bill
PERSONAL DATA HAS become the de facto currency of the digital age, and we’ve surrendered more control over our lives than we may have realized. Our every click is treated […]
Posted inHousing
Boston housing permitting lags as residents express support for zoning changes
Eighty-one percent of Boston residents, according to a new Abundant Housing Massachusetts poll, support a goal of building 30,000 new homes in Boston – signaling broad agreement on the scale of the crisis, even as questions persist about whether such targets are achievable or even useful.
Posted inOpinion
Addressing food insecurity starts with adequately staffing the state office responsible for SNAP benefits to meet the rising need
THE RECENT REPUBLICAN megabill, H.R.1, slashed the largest amount from basic needs programs in American history to give tax breaks to the wealthy. The bill cuts 20 percent of funding […]
Posted inEducation
Mass. faces grim reality of fewer international students
Massachusetts’s schools have recruited higher proportions of international students than colleges and universities almost anywhere else because of a demographic decline and the comparatively high cost of higher education here. But even before the second Trump administration, there were signs the bottom was falling out.
Posted inHousing
In fight against Nantucket housing development, an unusual battle cry
Whether it’s just a calculated bid to pull any available lever in the NIMBY arsenal or the legitimate invocation of a serious environmental threat, or perhaps both, the review petition is now in the hands of the Healey administration.
Posted inOpinion
Funding was the start – now we need to build out systems to help our immigrant workforce learn English
IN POLITICS, timing can be everything. When the Boston Foundation’s Latino Equity Fund released “The ROI of ESOL,” documenting the economic returns of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) […]
Posted inGovernment
Municipalities crank up the heat with report warning of financial ‘perfect storm’
A new report from the Massachusetts Municipal Association could put more pressure on Beacon Hill to reconsider stalled reforms amid bigger-picture economic uncertainty and a persistent “affordability” debate.
Posted inOpinion
A tale of two Bakers: Charlie, don’t forget Hobey
Hobey Baker remains the beau-idéal of the amateur sportsman, a species endangered by the NCAA’s budding plans for play for pay. What does Hobey Baker have to say to Charlie Baker in these days of change?
Posted inEconomy
‘No margin for error’: State economic check-in spotlights tricky balancing act
With the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and a state economic lag colliding, Massachusetts budget-writers weigh options to balance the outlook.
Posted inOpinion
Trump administration assault on offshore wind is bad for business and our economy
Offshore wind can deliver critical energy needs while supporting the region’s economic growth and job creation. These moves by the administration send a troubling signal to employers: after years of planning, layers of government oversight, and finalized permits that survived court scrutiny – suddenly, there is a government reversal.
Posted inEducation
Report highlights persistent challenges in early child care workforce
Despite “fragile progress,” the Commonwealth’s early child care system continues to suffer from a workforce problem, according to a new analysis published by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. The report makes several policy recommendations and highlights that the state is losing out on billions in tax revenue.
Posted inHealth Care
New poll shows high satisfaction with health insurance in Mass., even as residents delay or skip care for cost reasons
New polling for CommonWealth Beacon conducted by the MassINC Polling Group paints a picture of Massachusetts residents mostly happy with their health care coverage, especially when compared with other states, even while large slices of the population report struggling with cost and access.
Posted inOpinion
‘Junk fees’ unfairly rob consumers. New regulations banning them go into effect today.
Americans spend tens of billions of dollars on hidden or surprise “junk fees” that deceptively raise costs beyond advertised prices.