EVEN THE MOST LOVING PARENT is challenged to provide quality care for his or her child when he or she is struggling with the many ways in which poverty constrains his or her choices. Here in Massachusetts, there is no reason anyone should […]
Deep poverty increases risk of child welfare system involvementÂ
Posted inEducation
After showdown, all systems go at New Bedford charter school
THE CONTENTIOUS SHOWDOWN over a controversial New Bedford charter school plan may have faded from view, but the nuts-and-bolts work of getting a new school up and running has continued […]
Posted inEducation
Coordinating services for students pays huge dividend
THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION recently joined the chorus of educational and civic leaders calling for better ways of addressing students’ comprehensive needs so that they are ready to learn and engage […]
Posted inPolitics
Mass Cultural Council weathers Boston Herald storm
STATE BUDGET-WRITERS put a gloss of stringency on their handling of the Massachusetts Cultural Council budget, but ultimately imposed few real restrictions on how the council conducts itself aside from […]
Posted inThe Download
You call that extortion?
Was Boston Calling’s hiring of union labor in 2014 an extorted demand? Or a bargaining chip? While federal prosecutors continue to make their case that it was the former, a […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
You call that extortion?
WAS BOSTON CALLING’SÂ hiring of union labor in 2014 an extorted demand? Or a bargaining chip? While federal prosecutors continue to make their case that it was the former, a […]
Posted inTransportation
Baker pushes telecommuter tax credit
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER called a press conference on Thursday to detail transportation initiatives he has launched since taking office and to lay out a number of measures he sees on […]
Posted inTransportation
Baker remarks on transportation bond bill
Governor Baker’s remarks as prepared for delivery at a press conference July 25 on a transportation bond bill: “Good afternoon. Today we will provide a brief update on transportation here […]
Posted inEducation
Late budget means late financial aid at UMass
THE LATE STATE budget has created downstream delays for the University of Massachusetts, postponing a tuition hike, which is expected to be 2.5 percent, and the delivery of financial aid […]
Posted inDrug Addiction
Supervised drug use proponents trudge onward
MARYLOU SUDDERS, the governor’s secretary of health and human services, led a state commission that concluded supervised drug consumption sites would be useful tools for Massachusetts because they prevent overdose […]
Posted inUncategorized
A budget item that keeps ballooning
IN 1973, in the wake of two horrific fires in Boston and Chelsea, the Legislature approved an assessment on property and casualty insurance companies to pay for firefighter training. The […]
Posted inThe Download
Are vaccines a religious matter?
More and more parents are citing religion in choosing not to vaccinate their children against a host of diseases. Children entering school are required by state law to be immunized […]
Posted inUncategorized
Are vaccines a religious matter?
MORE AND MORE parents are citing religion in choosing not to vaccinate their children against a host of diseases. Children entering school are required by state law to be immunized […]
Posted inState House News Service, Uncategorized
Lawmakers hike assessment on utilities 50%
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THOUGH LAWMAKER LEFT a handful of proposed taxes on the cutting room floor when they compromised on a budget, the fiscal year 2020 spending plan being […]
Posted inPolitics
Lawmakers call Pollack back next week on RMV
SETTING THE STAGE for another confrontation with the Baker administration, leaders of the Transportation Committee on Wednesday scheduled a hearing next week in their ongoing probe of the massive procedural […]
Posted inOpinion
Why is off-peak Red Line service being cut?
IT’S NOT SURPRISING that service on the Red Line has suffered in the wake of the June 11 derailment that took out a large chunk of the line’s signal system. […]
Posted inThe Download
Finding a more ‘perfect fit’ for parking
IN THE EFFORT to get more housing built to meet demand — and to temper the continued run-up in costs that make the Boston region one of the most expensive […]
Posted inTransportation
Unused parking spots driving up cost of housing
A WIDESPREAD OVER-SUPPLY of parking in metro Boston residential developments is driving up the cost of housing and may encourage people to own cars who otherwise would not, according to […]
Posted inTransportation
T notes: Capital spending reaches $1b
THE MBTA SPENT more than $1 billion on capital projects in fiscal 2019 – about $50 million more than the transit authority’s goal for the year. The good news was […]
Posted inPolitics
Walsh pitches ride-hailing fees as traffic solution
BOSTON MAYOR MARTY Walsh wants to reduce traffic choking city streets and enhance transit options in the city through a mixture of targeted taxes on ride-hailing services and investments by […]
Posted inThe Download
Pacheco raises concerns on offshore wind pricing
Sen. Marc Pacheco of Taunton raised an interesting policy issue on Monday when he spoke out against a provision in the Legislature’s budget that would tweak the way the state […]
Posted inEnvironment
Pacheco raises concerns on offshore wind pricing
SEN. MARC PACHECO of Taunton raised an interesting policy issue on Monday when he spoke out against a provision in the Legislature’s budget that would tweak the way the state […]
Posted inTransportation
T notes: Workforce slated to grow 10.5% this year
THE MBTA WANTS TO INCREASE the size of its workforce by 10.5 percent this fiscal year. In a presentation to the T’s Fiscal and Management Control Board, Matt St. Hilaire, […]
Posted inPolitics
Local Puerto Ricans join calls for island governor to quit
MASSACHUSETTS PUERTO RICANS are joining the groundswell of calls for the island’s governor, Ricardo Rosselló, to resign following the release of private chats showing him and other top government officials […]