The Saturday Send
National dark money anti-pot group bankrolling efforts to ban recreational marijuana in Mass., Maine
By Chris Lisinski
A national anti-pot organization allowed to hide its donors is bankrolling an effort to eliminate recreational marijuana use in Massachusetts, representing a fraction of the more than $11 million raised so far on a record-breaking set of ballot questions.
What’s behind Massachusetts’s $250m investment in health insurance subsidies
By Jennifer Smith
The state still has a few days left of open enrollment through the Massachusetts Health Connector. And from executive director Audrey Gasteier’s perspective, Massachusetts saw “exactly what we worried we would see this open enrollment,” both due to “congressional inaction” on renewing the subsidies and the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last year.
Trump administration targets program for chronically homeless residents, sparking fear for vulnerable populations in cities like Springfield
By Hallie Claflin
The overhaul has been temporarily and partially blocked by a federal judge, but the move is impacting local administrators of the federal program across Massachusetts and has threatened millions of dollars in funding for permanent housing and thousands of beds for the chronically homeless.
Staring down another deficit, MBTA budget fix could be an even tougher sell in 2026
By Chris Lisinski
The T is once again warning of a financial shortfall on the horizon, but this time around, its push for more state funding will bump up against a tighter economic environment and a series of federal cuts affecting every corner.
Healey comes out swinging against Trump in election-year address
By Chris Lisinski
Gov. Maura Healey’s final State of the Commonwealth before she’s up for reelection featured plenty of criticism of the Trump administration, plus hints of modest new action to rein in costs of living.
Filling the health care funding gaps
This week on The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith unravels the latests state health coverage moves with Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Connector, and Alex Sheff, senior director of policy and government affairs at Health Care For All.
Published by MassINC