The Download: Political Notebook – Amid ballot fight, teachers union dipped into legislative races | Crucial meeting for Healey’s MBTA task force
Political Notebook: Amid ballot fight, teachers union dipped into legislative races
THE FINAL TALLY isn’t in yet, but the latest numbers show the Massachusetts Teachers Association spent more than $15 million on Question 2, their successful ballot measure to neuter the […]
Always broke: The MBTA’s long-running theme
History offers important lessons to learn, or at least not repeat, as the T approaches yet another budget year with a projected deficit looming.
More MBTA shutdowns expected in 2025
MBTA riders who slogged through this year’s shutdowns should brace themselves for more next year, though they’ll be more limited in scope and duration, according to transit officials.
Early child care system has a workforce problem
MASSACHUSETTS’ CHILD CARE system serving the state’s most vulnerable children has seen improvement in recent years, but a new report warns that issues with recruiting and keeping workers could undermine […]
To understand 2024 results, hindsight is not 2020
This year’s Massachusetts results are much more on par, in terms of turnout and outcome, with every other presidential election so far this century — other than 2020. In that way, they represent more of a reversion to the mean than a shift to the right.
Emergency shelter commission backs recommendations for $1B program
A special commission tasked with offering solutions to the state’s overwhelmed emergency housing assistance program voted on Tuesday to approve a report with a series of recommendations, but no clear roadmap.
Vocational admissions debate getting heated
As state officials move closer to considering changes to admission policies governing vocational high schools, including potentially requiring the use of a blind lottery system to award seats, the temperature of the debate is getting turned up.
Governor should strip anticompetitive ticketing provision from economic development bill
Gov. Healey should send an amended version of the bill back to the Legislature to protect fans from the Ticketmaster monopoly and so that consumers can continue to freely shop around for tickets versus having a single source.
A chance for an education reset
Massachusetts should significantly increase the rigor and relevance of its aspirations so that a high school degree reflects real readiness for success today. It would represent a missed opportunity to revise graduation measures without asking ourselves broadly as a state what the degree itself should mean for an individual student and for the public good.
Spending in legislative races topped $11 million
Just over 300 candidates campaigned for the 200 seats in the House and Senate this year, with $11.2 million over the last 10 months flowing out of their campaign accounts, paying for consultants and mailers aimed at voters, newspaper subscriptions, and food and drinks for staff and constituents.
Setting the record straight on energy storage and clean energy costs
Mass. Fiscal Alliance’s recent critique of the state’s pending clean energy legislation regarding battery storage procurement is heavy on alarmism and light on accuracy. The conversation around costs and benefits must be rooted in facts—not misinformation and back-of-the-envelope calculations designed to undermine progress.
State officials must ‘repent’ for MBTA’s ‘crippling debts,’ watchdog says
An independent group took a deep dive through the history of public transit in Boston for its latest report about funding woes.
Introducing CommonWealth Beacon editor Laura Colarusso
This week on the Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon’s Jennifer Smith introduces CWB’s new editor, Laura Colarusso. They discuss her background in journalism, motivation for public service, and the challenges and opportunities in the ever-changing field.
CommonWealth Beacon’s new editor on public service journalism
Colarusso comes to CommonWealth after more than three years at Nieman Reports, which is the Harvard University Nieman Foundation magazine focused on the journalism industry.
Why both sides are wrong about the millionaires tax
Despite strong claims from both sides, two years after Massachusetts voters approved a new 4 percent surcharge on income over $1 million, we don’t really know how the tax is working.
Political Notebook: Golden Gate earthquake felt in Boston
When the fog in San Francisco lifted and the mayoral election tally rolled in, the outcome caught the attention of some people 3,000 miles away in Boston.
Voters overwhelmingly rejected the MCAS grad requirement. Here’s what should happen now.
NOW THAT THE public has definitively rejected MCAS as a graduation test, there is much pressure to create new graduation requirements. We at Citizens for Public Schools believe any major […]