Suffolk University is in a constant identity crisis. Of course, when you have five presidents in six years, that’s bound to happen. And, if the university’s board of trustees has its […]
Suffolk-cating presidents
Posted inEducation, Opinion
Why Suffolk community stands behind Margaret McKenna
MARGARET MCKENNA IS the fifth president Suffolk University has had since 2010; now, seven months into her first term, the chairman of Suffolk’s board of trustees wants to fire her. […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
What gives with T’s sweetheart deal?
The Pioneer Institute released a report this week highlighting what it called a “sweetheart deal” for MBTA employees, but union officials are saying the deal isn’t as sweet as the […]
Posted inOpinion, Transportation
More thoughts on the Seaport District
MY RECENT THOUGHT PIECE on how to address the growing mobility mess in the Seaport/Innovation/Fort Point Channel District (the District) triggered a fair amount of reaction, and prompted me to […]
Posted inPolitics
Senate puts teeth into public records reform
THE STATE SENATE unveiled its version of Public Records reform, potentially the first major overhaul since the law was enacted in 1973, placing a hard time limit on responses, requiring courts […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Committee approves millionaires tax
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE LEGISLATURE’S COMMITTEE ON REVENUE on Thursday morning gave its stamp of approval to a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish a 4 percent surtax on […]
Posted inEnvironment, The Back Story
Cape Wind mounting comeback
CAPE WIND, the controversial Nantucket Sound wind farm given up for dead last year when it lost a lucrative pair of utility contracts, is trying to mount a comeback. Jim […]
Posted inGambling, The Download
Walsh cashes in his chips
Maybe it was the heady feeling of closing the deal to bring General Electric to town or perhaps the realization that he needed to cut his losses that pushed Boston […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Baker budget’s focus is fiscal restraint
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE GOV. CHARLIE BAKER’S ANNUAL BUDGET PROPOSAL filed Wednesday featured the administration’s focus on fiscal restraint, with an emphasis on limiting overall spending growth and growing state government’s […]
Posted inPolitics
Baker diverts $150m from rainy day fund
THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION said on Wednesday that it is steadily reducing the state’s reliance on one-time revenue solutions, but nevertheless wants to balance the fiscal 2017 budget using $150 million […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics
Baker: Tax credits should help local firms
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER said on Wednesday that he is filing legislation to pare back the cost of the state’s film tax credit and increase the reach of another tax break […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
House moves on driver’s license sanctions
THE HOUSE MOVED on Wednesday to form a conference committee with senators to resolve differences between the two branches on a criminal justice reform bill that earlier this month seemed […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Health Care
Healey questions legality of Sovaldi pricing
A correction has been added to this story. ATTORNEY GENERAL MAURA HEALEY is warning the maker of a breakthrough hepatitis C drug that the company’s $1,000-a-pill price may constitute an […]
Posted inThe Download
Football heading for trouble
Looking to stop the flow of tears falling into area beers, NECN’s Broadside host Sue O’Connell offered this on-the-bright-side tweet on Sunday night: “Hey #PatriotsNation, the good news is your […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Criminal justice reform bill stalls
A BILL TO end the mandatory suspension of the driver’s license of any drug offender, which looked like it was sailing through the State House as a consensus-winning, early step […]
Posted inEducation, State House News Service
State board votes 6-4 to close charter
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE IN AN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED GYMNASIUM filled with parents and bureaucrats, the state’s education board voted narrowly on Tuesday to revoke the charter of Dorchester Collegiate […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Baker right on hydropower, clean energy contracts
DAN DOLAN’S broadside against Gov. Charlie Baker’s proposal to bring additional hydropower into our electricity market reminds me of the time when the New England power generators essentially told me […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Amazing gains in global health – 2015
WE GET SO caught up these days in the Donald and Hillary and Ted and Bernie shows. Yet there is so much else going on in the world about which […]
Posted inDrug Addiction, Health Care, The Download
New law offers women drug treatment instead of prison
The disgraceful practice of sending women who have been civilly committed for substance abuse disorders to the state prison in Framingham rather than a treatment facility is finally coming to […]
Posted inTransportation
T ridership: Flat or flying high?
NO ONE CAN SEEM TO AGREE whether the glass is half full or half empty when it comes to MBTA ridership. In its annual report, the T’s Fiscal Management and […]
Posted inUncategorized
Supreme Court upholds demand-response payments
THE US SUPREME COURT ruled 6-2 on Monday that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has the authority to pay major consumers of electricity for commitments to use less power during […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service
Downing will not run for sixth term
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WITH A DECISION that surprised many of his colleagues, Sen. Benjamin Downing, a rising star in state Democratic politics, said Monday he would not seek a […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Raise the net metering cap
MASSACHUSETTS SPENDS more than $28 billion per year on energy and electricity, with much of that money leaving the state to pay for fossil fuels from other parts of the […]
Posted inOpinion
Municipalities shouldn’t go it alone on IT
EVERY ONE OF US relies on the services of local public works departments, pretty much every day, from morning to evening, in one way or another. Think for a moment […]