The Download: Looking ahead at West-East Rail
Looking ahead at West-East Rail
Compass Rail will improve existing services, like the North-South routes in Western Massachusetts, and bind them to a new rail system connecting the east and west parts of the state.
Women have made progress in politics, but challenges remain
Every poll has shown that women candidates are viewed by voters as better negotiators and problem solvers than men.
Why can’t the Legislature do its job?
Surely, one might be excused for thinking the Legislature would act expeditiously to fix a statute it was in such a hurry to enact. But no. The Legislature did nothing.
Why is state spending precious resources on high-end housing?
The state should devise a meaningfully competitive framework for HDIP awards based on factors including affordability and the municipal affordable housing track record. It should prioritize weak market and distressed areas along with a range of bedroom sizes and benefits to local residents.
Healey goes big on offshore wind – pretty much alone
Connecticut, where soaring electricity prices have triggered what some are calling rate rage, did not take part in what was billed as a three-state offshore wind procurement. A spokesman for Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont didn’t return phone calls, and Healey surprisingly indicated she didn’t know what Connecticut was doing.
Political Notebook: A Mariano drubbing in Camberville | Boston papers trade jabs on NH race
State rep races in liberal districts in Cambridge and Somerville were also referendums on Beacon Hill’s centralized power structure under Democrats, and voters made clear that they don’t like it.
Markey threatens Steward’s de la Torre with contempt
“When I voted on July 25 to issue the first subpoena from the Senate Health Committee since 1981, it was not a request for Ralph de la Torre to answer for what he’s done, it was a demand that he answer for what he has done. It was a demand that 15 of my bipartisan colleagues joined,” Markey said.
Healey needs to keep score on energy transition benefits
Massachusetts can lead by example, demonstrating how a state can effectively integrate equity goals into its environmental justice policies.
Pro-Trump candidate pushes recount in Senate primary race
The possibility of a recount in a Republican primary is unusual, given that the Republican Party in Massachusetts has trouble even finding candidates willing to run for office.
Headaches ahead for the region’s power grid
The first big change is expected to come in the 2030s, when peak demand for electricity from the power grid will shift to the winter months instead of the summer months. The change is expected to come about as businesses and homeowners begin using electricity to heat the buildings where they work and live.
Why risk-averse Gen Z is watching from the sidelines
When we weigh the decision of whether to engage effortfully with the world or just stay home, it’s no wonder we gravitate toward the option that involves less risk.
Judge approves sale of 6 Steward hospitals in Mass. for total of $343m
Mass. chips in $42m to keep hospitals operating through end of Sep
Latest numbers have Cambridge state rep staving off ouster
The numbers, obtained by CommonWealth Beacon, show Decker winning with 3,472 votes to MacKay’s 3,431 votes. The new numbers are based on previously uncounted ballots, including overseas ballots. It was unclear on Wednesday how many more ballots, if any, remain uncounted.
SJC clerk race upends usual glide path to the ‘velvet coffin’
Races for obscure elected county positions like the Supreme Judicial Court clerk post that was on Tuesday’s primary ballot are usually low-profile affairs that turn on name recognition, but that narrative was disrupted when the race became a proxy battle over the direction of Boston politics.
Uber-progressive Uyterhoeven defeats challenger from right
In the House, incumbent Democrat Rady Mom of Lowell was defeated by challenger Tara Hong by a margin of 47 to 42 percent. On the Governor’s Council, challenger Maura Dolan held a narrow lead over incumbent Marilyn Delaney in a rematch of their election fight two years ago.
Decker’s challenger declares victory in Cambridge
The primary battle between Decker and MacKay shaped up to be a classic race between a hard-charging insider and an outside organizer.
Fair Share amendment is working as intended
The Fair Share Amendment was designed to address two related problems: our unfair tax system, and years of inadequate investment in public education and critical transportation infrastructure. We’re already making great progress on both counts.
Offshore wind is answer to skyrocketing electricity demand
We are now facing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to embrace an innovative, effective source of energy that would not only power millions of American homes and businesses, but spur economic growth, support thousands of new, good-paying jobs, and strengthen our grid and energy independence—all while addressing our climate imperative.
Latest GE blade problem blamed on positioning of turbine
A preliminary investigation suggests the blade failure on August 22 at the Dogger Bank wind farm off the coast of the United Kingdom happened because the turbine was left in “a fixed and static position” that made it vulnerable to high winds during a subsequent storm.
Engagements: the business of the state?
This week on the Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon’s Jennifer Smith is joined by Meredith Goldstein, love advice columnist for the Boston Globe. They discuss the meaning of relationships, gender roles, and marriage in the context of upcoming arguments before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on what happens to engagement rings after a broken engagement.