The Download

New from CommonWealth Beacon ICE STORM: Massachusetts officials are bracing for another possible immigration surge, but what could they actually do if a Minneapolis situation unfolds in the Bay State? […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon GROWTH ON ICE: Massachusetts population growth has slowed to a crawl – a combination of President Trump’s immigration policies and more people leaving the Bay State […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon EVERETT: Everett’s new mayor, who is just settling into office, is now tasked with implementing a flurry of major development deals put into motion as his […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon STATE OF THE STATE: Gov. Maura Healey leaned into affordability concerns and took aim at the Trump administration during her 2026 State of the Commonwealth speech. […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon OFF TRACK: Updated MBTA financial projections rolled out last week suggest the agency is once again careening toward a shortfall in the next 18-plus months. Chris […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon LITERACY REFORM: The Senate will take up its own version of a House-approved early literacy reform bill next week, increasing the likelihood that a new law […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: On the newest episode of The Codcast, Massachusetts Health Connector executive director Audrey Morse Gasteier and Health Care for All senior director of policy […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon ENERGY BURST: House leaders are planning a rare series of closed-door meetings for lawmakers this week to discuss the path forward for legislation aimed at lowering […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon TRANSFER FEE: After a proposal from Gov. Maura Healey that would have authorized new fees on property sales to fund affordable housing failed, supporters of the […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon ON HOLD: Between last June and October, Massachusetts was the worst performing state in the nation on paying out unemployment claims. Jordan Wolman and Chris Lisinski […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon MBTA: A French company in charge of running the state’s commuter rail network was once on thin ice with the state. Now its a finalist for […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: Host Jennifer Smith convenes a start-of-year roundtable on this week’s episode of The Codcast to hear what municipal leaders and advocates want Beacon Hill […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon GATEWAY TO CONFUSION: The state’s Gateway Cities designation comes with significant economic perks, meant to shore up the anchors of regional economies. But how does a […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon INCLUSIONARY ZONING: Just as an end-of-year lawsuit launched a broadside against a decades-old policy to boost affordable development, state lawmakers moved to make it easier for […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon CAMPAIGN FINANCE: State Rep. Chynah Tyler of Boston will pay a $6,000 civil forfeiture to the state and submit to greater campaign-finance scrutiny for the next […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon INSURANCE: The state’s home insurer of last resort will soon need to decide whether to raise rates for the first time in two decades after a […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon BEACON HILL: There’s a lot of unfinished business on the Legislature’s plate this year, stretching from major budget questions to health care, housing, and energy affordability. […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: The staff of CommonWealth Beacon gathered on microphone to reflect on 2025 and to look ahead to 2026. With editor Laura Colarusso moderating, reporters […]

The golden dome of the State House is reflected in the windows of a building across Beacon Street from the capitol. (Photo by Andy Metzger) The top 5 CommonWealth Beacon […]

‘The exits are growing, the entries are slowing’ in primary care December 29, 2025 By CommonWealth Beacon Staff The primary care crisis has become an innovation problem for states. The […]

A rally attendee holds up a sign in support of using state dollars to fund SNAP benefits outside the State House on October 28, 2025. Our top five Beacon Hill […]

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper (right) speaks about energy affordability at a press conference alongside Gov. Maura Healey on October 14, 2025. Our top five climate stories of […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon BUILDING CHARGE: Bay State officials announced Friday they are entering contract negotiations with four companies to procure nearly 1,300 megawatts of battery storage. More than half […]

New from CommonWealth Beacon ZONING: The long-running fight over the MBTA Communities Act is once again heading back to the state’s high court, which is weighing an argument from reticent […]