THE EXPIRATION OF last year’s temporary expansion of the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC) has caused millions of children to fall into poverty. Congress’s inability to come to any agreement […]
Economy
Posted inEducation
We must invest in early education and care
WITH COSTS OF LIVING increasing, it is stressful having to choose between filling up your gas tank, buying enough food to feed your family, or paying for housing. It seems […]
Posted inOpinion
Inflation having big impact on Mass. public policy
Usually, if your boss offers you a 5 percent raise, that’s good news. Right now, it’s a pay cut, thanks to inflation. That may sound strange, or depressing, but it’s our economic reality.
Posted inEconomy, Health Care, Opinion
What’s causing the infant formula shortage?
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here. A baby formula shortage has added to the woes of American parents already confronted with the pressures of raising […]
Posted inEconomy
Nantucket voters send short-term rental regs back for more work
AFTER CONTENTIOUS months of debate, Nantucket voters at town meeting Monday night passed basic regulations for short-term rentals, but declined to take any action on dueling proposals that would have […]
Posted inOpinion
We need new tools to deal with epidemic of wage theft
MASSACHUSETTS NEEDS new legislation to curb wage theft because what happened in Amherst should have never happened and should never happen again. Nine undocumented Hondurans worked 10 hours a day, […]
Posted inEducation
Reimagining access to college in Roxbury
EDUCATORS AND POLICYMAKERS have been talking about providing all students access to college and career pathways for decades. The impact of technical training and two-year and four-year degrees on earnings […]
Posted inEconomy
Climate, downtowns, housing focus of Baker spending bill
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday filed a $3.5 billion economic development bill that focuses on climate-related projects, downtown revitalization, and housing. The bill is chock-full of specific local projects, a […]
Posted inEconomy
Bold action needed to close the racial homeownership gap
APRIL 11, 2022, marked 100 days since I became the executive director of a nonprofit organization that has become near and dear to me. In 2004, my real estate agent suggested […]
Posted inOpinion
Do the math on gender, racial wage gaps
YOU’RE HAVING a conversation with a close coworker that takes an unexpected turn when he reveals that he has gotten the promotion you were both up for. An uncomfortable feeling […]
Posted inEconomy
Rideshare ballot showdown poses ‘unusual’ question
MASSACHUSETTS HAS A long history of putting complicated policy questions that lawmakers have been unable to resolve to a direct vote in statewide elections. This fall looks like it will […]
Posted inEconomy
Baker, with business backing, renews push for tax relief
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER is using tax filing day to publicly urge lawmakers to adopt his $700 million tax break plan – a call House leaders have so far ignored. “There’s […]
Posted inArts and Culture
Demolition redo: Petersham must vote again on fate of Nichewaug Inn
A DECADES-LONG battle over whether and how to preserve the historic Nichewaug Inn in Petersham appeared to come to an end last December, when voters at a special town meeting […]
Posted inEconomy
Short-term rental battle riles Nantucket
THE REAL ESTATE listing for the four-bedroom home on Nantucket portrays an idyllic setting for a summer vacation, a mile from the beach. There’s a deck overlooking a large yard; […]
Posted inEconomy
Senate unionization bid could test pro-labor stance of Spilka
STAFFERS IN THE Massachusetts Senate – and soon the House – are pushing to unionize. But in an ironic twist, their ability to unionize is dependent on the agreement of […]
Posted inArts and Culture
Small-town challenges and conflicts plague efforts to save historic inn
IN THE LATE 1800s, wealthy people would travel in the summer from Boston to the rural Worcester County town of Petersham for fresh air, tennis, croquet, and views of Mount […]
Posted inEconomy
3 Walgreens in Roxbury, Mattapan closed for sanitary violations
THREE WALGREENS stores located in Roxbury and Mattapan were shut down for six days early in March because of extensive and long-running violations of the state sanitary code, but the […]
Posted inEconomy
Technology, remote work shaping future labor force
THE NATURE OF work is changing due to technology, automation, and the explosion of remote work. Addressing the challenges posed by these shifts will require not only traditional workforce supports […]
Posted inOpinion
Getting crypto regulation right
BLOCKCHAIN, CRYPTO, and Web3 — these aren’t just hot new buzzwords for the tech industry, they’re becoming the focus of Bay State members of Congress and financial regulators, and for good […]
Posted inEconomy
SJC says franchises must comply with independent contractor law
THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT ruled Thursday that companies operating as franchises need to comply with the state’s independent contractor law, a ruling that could lead companies to newly scrutinize the […]
Posted inEconomy
Baker’s $4,000 employer hiring bonus called ‘deeply misguided’
ONE OF THE STATE’S leading policy analysts is raising alarms about a proposal put forward by Gov. Charlie Baker to give nonprofit and for-profit businesses a $4,000 stipend for each […]
Posted inEconomy
Baker offering employers $4,000 for each worker hired
FRUSTRATED AT the disconnect in Massachusetts between available jobs and available employees, the Baker administration is offering for-profit and non-profit employers $4,000 for each new worker they hire this year. The […]
Posted inEconomy
GOP lawmakers renew effort to suspend gas tax
REPUBLICAN STATE SENATORS plan to force a vote on a temporary suspension of the state gas tax on Thursday, despite failing in a similar effort in the House. Although they […]
Posted inEconomy
Dealing with deserted downtowns now high on Baker menu
THERE WAS MORE than just the scent of bacon and eggs in the air at yesterday’s Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast. There was a whiff of irony present, too. […]
