The press has been giving Gov. Charlie Baker a lot of advice on how he should deal with President Trump, so we thought we might as well get into the […]
The Codcast: What should Charlie do?
Posted inPolitics
Lawmakers override Baker pay raise veto
THE HOUSE AND SENATE on Thursday overrode Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of legislation authorizing big salary increases for lawmakers, constitutional officers, and judges. The Senate also sweetened the pay hike […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
Eversource seeks higher fees on customers with solar
Eversource is proposing special charges for customers with solar installations to make sure they pay their share of the cost of operating the power grid. The proposed charges are contained […]
Posted inTransportation
TransitMatters outlines Faster Forward initiative
WE AT TRANSITMATTERS were a bit startled to hear the assertion, made in the governor’s recent State of the Commonwealth address, that while “the MBTA’s historic failure during the winter […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
A protectionist whine
In January, the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission suspended the licenses for several days of Total Wine in Everett and Natick, outlets run by the country’s largest alcohol retailer, Total […]
Posted inPolitics
Some senators in line for even bigger payday
STATE SENATORS COULD SEE THEIR PAY rise dramatically under a little-noticed provision in the pay raise bill and a proposed rules change that together would allow the lawmakers to collect […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion, Transportation
Let’s boost transit-oriented development
I WAS RECENTLY honored to accept an award on behalf of the Commonwealth Housing Task Force for our work with respect to transit-oriented development. Anyone who has seen all the […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download, Transportation
A dirge for taxis
It was raining hard in ‘Frisco I needed one more fare to make my night A lady up ahead waved to flag me down She got in at the light […]
Posted inEnvironment
New solar plan cuts subsidies in half
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION UNVEILED a next-generation solar incentive plan on Tuesday that is expected to cut in half the subsidies paid by the state’s electric ratepayers while giving developers more […]
Posted inPolitics
Healey sues Trump
MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey on Tuesday sued President Trump over what she called his “startling and chaotic” executive order banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, saying the act violated […]
Posted inHealth Care, The Download
Lahey + Beth Israel: Is bigger better?
Even with all the uncertainty surrounding health care and the Affordable Care Act, Lahey Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are convinced bigger is better. The two hospital […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Health Care, Opinion
Making addiction treatment work for inmates
AS A PHYSICIAN, who treats and supports individuals battling substance abuse, I try to be available when the call for help comes, especially from those involved with the criminal justice system. The call for […]
Posted inUncategorized
T means-tested fare experiment called bust
THE MBTA ON MONDAY said an experiment with a means-tested fare for its costly paratransit service failed to attract enough riders to make it worthwhile and decided instead to offer […]
Posted inTransportation
Despite high scores, T may replace private cleaning vendor
MBTA OFFICIALS ON MONDAY said they may replace one of their private cleaning contractors as part of a selection process that requires would-be vendors to, wherever possible, maximize the use […]
Posted inPolitics
Gonzalez throws his hat in the ring
ON PAPER, JAY GONZALEZ and Charlie Baker look remarkably alike. Both are policy-minded managers who ran the state budget as secretary of administration and finance. Both went on to serve […]
Posted inTransportation
T board wary of expansion proposals
THE MEMBERS OF THE MBTA’S oversight board indicated on Monday that they are extremely wary of expanding service at a time when so much work remains on improving the quality […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Rosenberg likens Trump travel ban to Nazi Germany
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE DRAWING LINKS TO Nazi Germany, the president of the Massachusetts Senate condemned the Trump administration’s move to bar entry into the country of nationals from seven […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Extreme vetting needed
You have to give Donald Trump credit for follow through. He railed against immigrants throughout his campaign, and at one point called for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims […]
Posted inEnvironment
Governors can wield influence over pipelines
WITH NEW FEDERAL ENERGY POLICIES evolving to be starkly at odds with our priorities in Massachusetts, it is vital that we understand what authority our state has to influence controversial […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Baker rips ‘irresponsible’ pay raise
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOV. CHARLIE BAKER needled the legislative pay hikes that lawmakers approved for themselves this week as “fiscally irresponsible,” but defended the Legislature’s process and stopped short […]
Posted inTransportation
T made little progress reducing absenteeism in 2016
MBTA OFFICIALS MADE ALMOST NO PROGRESS last year in curbing employee absenteeism, in part because success in reducing one type of absence was offset by a surge in another area. […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Episode 34: Speaking up for the pay hike
Sen. William Brownsberger has been a supporter of the pay raises and one of the few willing to speak out in justifying the hikes. He joined us on The Codcast […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
The Codcast: Speaking up for the pay hike
There was a lot of stealth and quiet involving the now-passed pay raise for state officials that sits on Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk awaiting his promised veto. When House Speaker […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
Baker moves to collect tax on internet sales
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER IS LAUNCHING an initiative to indirectly start collecting sales tax from Massachusetts residents making purchases over the internet. The move by Baker is somewhat risky, both politically […]