Despite the wide latitude afforded by the language, a budget-balancing maneuver by Gov. Maura Healey using millionaire tax money is drawing criticism on Beacon Hill and shaping up as the first real test of what exactly voters intended for the money.
Struggling with dos and don’ts for millionaire tax
Posted inThe Codcast
Striving for fairness in spending the fair share funds
This week on the Codcast, Commonwealth Beacon’s editor Bruce Mohl sits down with Phineas Baxandall, Policy Director for the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center, and Pete Wilson, Senior Policy Director for Transportation for Massachusetts. They discuss the recent controversy between the Healey-Driscoll administration and state Legislature over distributing surplus revenue collected by the millionaire’s tax.
Posted inHousing
Single stairwell buildings could be next frontier in housing reform
The report estimates that doing away with the second stairwell could cut construction costs by 15 to 25 percent and add about 130,000 new homes on undeveloped small- to mid-sized parcels near public transit in the Greater Boston area.
Posted inOpinion
Learning firsthand the value of helping immigrants
Hosting a family, however, is one way I can assert my values in this troubling time. I encourage others to find ways to do the same.
Posted inOpinion
Train conductors, NFL players do it — why not the president?
We simply cannot roll the dice and hope that the president we elect is cognitively sound enough to handle this kind of pressure.
Posted inSource Document
Boston business groups accept idea of property tax shift as talks continue
We have collectively encouraged the city to utilize other tools available to them and embraced by previous city administrations: reduced spending growth, short term use of a portion of the city’s ample reserve funds, and direct assistance to vulnerable residents.
Posted inBallot Questions
Political Notebook: Does Healey have coattails on Question 2?
Healey is opposed to Question 5, which would establish a minimum wage for tipped workers. She’s still considering her vote on Question 3 (unionization for Uber and Lyft drivers) and Question 4 (legalization of psychedelics). On Question 1, which would explicitly authorize the state audito to audit the Legislature, Healey doesn’t plan to take a stand, telling GBH she’ll “leave that to the voters.”
Posted inOpinion
New State Police head should prioritize higher ed for troopers
The reputation of the agency has been tarnished by the failings of some of its members. As you work to build a strong police force and restore public trust., I implore you to prioritize utilizing higher education as a means to help in accomplishing this goal.
Posted inState Government
House nixes Healey’s millionaire tax budget maneuver
Healey’s accounting maneuver aroused opposition from a group of activists who worried that it set a bad precedent.
Posted inMedia
In Melrose, an experiment in hyper-local AI podcasting
Catalini sighs describing the Melrose news options over the 25 years since he moved with his wife to the city, which felt “robust” at the time. Now, almost nobody is covering hyper-local news like override votes or digging into the overwhelming documentation around proposed zoning policy, he said.
Posted inEnergy
House, Senate reach deal on climate bill
The key negotiators – Rep. Jeffrey Roy of Franklin and Sen. Michael Barrett of Lexington – released a statement saying they have an agreement in principle and hope to release the final bill in the coming days.
Posted inOpinion
When people struggle, their pets also struggle
Scientific research also repeatedly cites the profound positive impact of pet ownership on individual well-being and community health.
Posted inTransportation
Green Line train derailed going 36 mph in 10 mph zone
According to the safety board report, the Green Line train entered a 10 mile-per-hour speed zone traveling 36 miles per hour and then passed through “a double red signal” without stopping. The train then reached a switch that was still in the process of moving to steer the train toward its destination.
Posted inEducation
Healey, Campbell lean into MCAS battle, urging voters to keep graduation test
Appearing together at a Roxbury youth services nonprofit, Gov. Maura Healey and Attorney General Andrea Campbell said it was important to defeat Question 2 to maintain a single statewide education standard for all public school students.
Posted inEnergy
Lamont, Healey take different approaches on offshore wind
“I think it’s high, but that’s what they’re negotiating,” Gov. Ned Lamont said, referring to Massachusetts. “I’m very concerned about the cost of electricity. I know what it means for the consumer. I’ve heard that loud and clear. That’s why I’m very cautious about entering into any contracts for high-priced, let’s say wind, in this case.”
Posted inNews Analysis
A feisty Deaton fights to claim middle ground
When John Deaton speaks, he wants voters to see Charlie Baker. Elizabeth Warren is trying to make sure they see a potentially decisive vote for whoever emerges as Mitch McConnell’s even harder right successor as Senate Republican leader.
Posted inGambling
Sports betting hits record high in September
Bettors set their own record last month by putting about $678.75 million on the line as wagers on September sporting events. That unseats the previous record monthly handle of $658.7 million wagered on events in December 2023.
Posted inMarijuana
Search for new cannabis agency chair could be hampered by Legislature’s review, Goldberg says
“We’ve made a commitment to begin looking. It might prove to be more challenging because those who might consider it might be concerned about changes that could take place,” Treasurer Deborah Goldberg said in reference to the Legislature. “But we’ll address this as we move forward.”
Posted inGambling
iLottery off to a very slow start
Treasurer Deb Goldberg announced a new timeline for the online lottery, saying the initiative will not launch until April 2026, near the end of fiscal 2026.
Posted inBallot Questions
Psychedelics debate pits psychiatrist against Navy vet with personal experience
Question 4 on the ballot would decriminalize five psychedelics, including psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms. The measure would create a regulated system for the use of the psychedelics in licensed therapeutic settings. while also allowing those over the age of 21 to cultivate, possess, consume, and “share” these substances.
Posted inOpinion
Should we impose a moratorium on new prison construction or expansions?
Advocates say a moratorium on prison construction makes sense because the state’s incarceration rate has dropped dramatically and most imprisonment is inherently dehumanizing, and too many criminal offenses are the result of race-based oppression. Opponents say we need updated prison facilities, even with fewer prisoners behind bars.