THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION’S preliminary review of the proposed BI-Lahey et al merger and the comments of the commissioners on that review surprised me a bit. Here are my […]
5 takeaways from the Beth Israel-Lahey merger review
Posted inOpinion
Transportation equity: Is it a good thing?
What do we think about when we think about transportation equity? There is regional equity – the question whether every region in a state, or every neighborhood in a city, is equitably treated from […]
Posted inTransportation
Lyft testing subscription model
LYFT IS TESTING subscription models across the country, offering customers a package of rides for a flat, discounted fee. The packages promote Lyft loyalty and some bear a resemblance to transit passes. One customer in […]
Posted inOpinion
What has Galvin been doing on election security?
A DAY AFTER THE INDICTMENT of 12 Russians who allegedly interfered with our 2016 elections, Secretary of State William Galvin told the The Boston Globe he’s “picking up the pace” […]
Posted inHealth Care
Past time to get serious about health care costs
LAST SEPTEMBER, Pioneer observed that Massachusetts had dodged a federal bullet when the US Senate failed by one vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Had they succeeded, the Commonwealth […]
Posted inPolitics
Baker administration drops ball on regs
WITH ONLY DAYS left in this legislative session, plenty of lawmaking remains to be done. And even after the session ends, there will still be work left to do. One […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Boston considers non-citizen voting
Voting is the core of democracy. But who gets to vote has been fraught with political disagreement since America’s earliest days. Recently, a series of decisions from the Supreme Court […]
Posted inOpinion
Inaction on environmental justice has consequences
THERE’S AN OLD SAYING in politics: elections have consequences. Well, inaction has consequences, too. And every day that Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, Sen. Karen Spilka, and their Ways and Means colleagues […]
Posted inPolitics
Lelling: Trump’s point man in Massachusetts
ANDREW LELLING, the US Attorney for Massachusetts, is emerging as a loyal Donald Trump lieutenant in one of the bluest states in the country. Little was known about Lelling when […]
Posted inThe Download
Lelling: Trump’s point man in Massachusetts
Andrew Lelling, the US Attorney for Massachusetts, is emerging as a loyal Donald Trump lieutenant in one of the bluest states in the country. Little was known about Lelling when […]
Posted inTransportation
Baker budget highlights
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Thursday reversed course and approved an $8 million funding increase for regional transit authorities but refused to support a pilot program to see if cutting tolls at […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
In Suffolk DA’s race, calls to coalesce
WHAT HAD BEEN a strong undercurrent in the Suffolk County district attorney’s race is now becoming an open topic of conversation – and consternation: The fact that candidates with similar […]
Posted inThe Back Story
US Attorney carries Trump’s message on immigrants
WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP took office 19 months ago, the US Attorney’s office in Massachusetts started issuing more and more press releases about cases where the defendants were identified by their […]
Posted inTransportation
Growing calls to tackle traffic’s toll
NEVER MIND THE Democratic Legislature or smart growth and transportation advocacy groups. Gov. Charlie Baker is now getting pressure to embrace a pilot program calling for variable-price tolling from the […]
Posted inThe Download
Growing calls to tackle traffic’s toll
Never mind the Democratic Legislature or smart growth and transportation advocacy groups. Gov. Charlie Baker is now getting pressure to embrace a pilot program calling for variable-price tolling from the […]
Posted inEconomy
Community benefit districts facing headwinds
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE RECENT CONTROVERSY over legislation that would allow local organizations to levy fees on property owners to improve their neighborhoods has led the leader of the House […]
Posted inOpinion
MA solar hurting, needs legislative help
AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, Massachusetts legislators will break for the remainder of the summer. That leaves just a couple days for them to act on key bills that […]
Posted inEnvironment
3 utilities seek $426m for negotiating hydro contracts
THE THREE UTILITIES that negotiated hydro-electricity contracts on behalf of the state are seeking compensation equal to 2.75 percent of the deal, a total of nearly $426 million over 20 […]
Posted inEducation
Maybe busing isn’t the (only) problem
SCHOOL BUSING IN BOSTON is a four-letter word, a phrase often spewed as a profanity whenever the subject of the city’s schools comes up in conversations, which is to say […]
Posted inEducation
Maybe busing isn’t the (only) problem
School busing in Boston is a four-letter word, a phrase often spewed as a profanity whenever the subject of the city’s schools comes up in conversations, which is to say […]
Posted inEnvironment
Baker officials tout hydro contract benefits
BAKER ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS said a massive purchase of hydro-electricity from the Canadian province of Quebec will be priced at a levelized flat rate of 5.9 cents a kilowatt hour for […]
Posted inArts and Culture
Common Core’s slashing of fiction drains life out of schools
“LIVE, THEN, AND be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget,” reads The Count of Monte Cristo by French novelist Alexandre Dumas, “that… all human wisdom is contained […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Whole lot of lying going on
A STATE SENATOR and the outgoing Boston police commissioner demonstrated that they are not above lying when it comes to getting what they want. State Sen. Barbara L’Italien showed what […]
Posted inThe Download
Whole lot of lying going on
A state senator and the outgoing Boston police commissioner demonstrated that they are not above lying when it comes to getting what they want. State Sen. Barbara L’Italien showed what […]