70 percent of Mass. infants live in child care deserts, according to state data
By Jennifer Smith
Enrollment differences between regions, student age groups, and income levels paint a picture of a system struggling to meet potential demand and where slots are most readily available to those with higher incomes.
‘Easier said than done’: Former mill cities struggle to rehab vacant, blighted properties in Western Mass.
By Hallie Claflin
In recent decades, historic mills and old industrial buildings in Gateway Cities across the state have been renovated and converted into much-needed housing. But while Eastern Massachusetts cities have had success, cities farther west with weaker housing markets still struggle with an array of blighted properties that have yet to be developed.
Kraft 2.0 looks a lot like the first version
By Michael Jonas
Boston mayoral challenger Josh Kraft is looking to recharge his struggling campaign, but it’s not clear how a speech he delivered on Sunday does much to juice his candidacy.
The good, the bad, and the uncertain in Trump’s tax bill
By CommonWealth Beacon staff
On The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon executive editor Michael Jonas talks with reporter Jennifer Smith about two recent stories she wrote parsing the sprawling Trump tax and spending bill. They discuss why it’s so hard to know if Opportunity Zones have been effective, and why affordable housing advocates are mixed on the administration’s approach to low-income renters.
Flashback Friday: Taking the laws into their own hands
By John E. McDonough
With nearly 50 initiative petitions filed by Wednesday’s deadline by groups hoping to put questions on the 2026 ballot, we revisit John McDonough’s November 2002 article on the history and mechanics of ballot initiatives in Massachusetts for this Flashback Friday.Â
Published by MassINC
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