US SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN on Monday called Republican presidential contender Donald Trump a “blowhard” for his recent comments about U.S. Sen. John McCain and decried the partisan politics that she […]
Warren calls Trump a ‘blowhard’
Posted inEconomy, State House News Service
High debt weakens state fiscal standing, report finds
THE MASSACHUSETTS ECONOMY continues to purr, but ongoing fiscal stresses have left the Bay State among the bottom dwellers in a new set of state fiscal health rankings. Massachusetts placed […]
Posted inThe Download
Public records law may get boost, but it won’t come easily
The Globe’s Todd Wallack has been all over the story of problems with the state’s weak public records law. But his latest installment, on the front of Sunday’s paper, was […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, Transportation
Baker names MBTA control board
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER dipped into the Bay State’s deep bench of transportation and finance experts as he named members of a new MBTA fiscal and management control board. State lawmakers […]
Posted inPolitics
Baker’s budget balance
IF THERE IS a punching bag in state government, it is the Governor’s Council. Derided as an anachronistic holdover from colonial days, the eight-member body’s main job is to confirm […]
Posted inThe Download
What is news worth?
The Boston Globe is betting that Bostonians are willing to pay a lot more for their online news. The newspaper on Monday is boosting the price of its digital […]
Posted inEducation, Opinion
A lesson on tuition for immigrants
ALLOWING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS in Massachusetts to pay in-state rates for tuition and fees for public colleges and universities is an emotional issue, similar to just about every other issue surrounding […]
Posted inGambling, The Back Story
Walsh’s steadily expanding casino lawsuit
OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has steadily increased the intensity of his legal attacks on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, to the point where the case is […]
Posted inEducation, State House News Service, The Download
Educating illegal immigrants
The question of granting in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants for public colleges and universities continues to vex lawmakers. Should we punish children who, through no fault of their own, landed […]
Posted inGambling
Wynn files latest permit application
WYNN RESORTS on Wednesday filed its latest application seeking a key state environmental permit for its proposed Everett casino, which suggests the Las Vegas company is ignoring Attorney General Maura […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Dealing with chronic homelessness
IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, the city of Boston put the finishing touches on a new shelter for 400 homeless individuals on South Hampton Street and announced a bold homelessness […]
Posted inEconomy
Globe hiking digital price 74%
THE BOSTON GLOBEÂ is raising its digital subscription cost by 74 percent in a move that executives say is an attempt to raise revenue and to match price with value. The […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Pioneer, the Pacheco law, and the revenge of the Blue Mass Group nerds
The MBTA is an easy target for critics. The Greater Boston transit system seems to be the only state agency operating with a permanent bulls-eye on it. The Pioneer Institute […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Energy ‘combo platter’ doesn’t need new greenfield pipelines
WE HAVE HAD TWO STRONG WINTER SEASONS in a row with high energy costs. Some have said we lack infrastructure capacity, resulting in a classic supply and demand dynamic that […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics
Somerset goes after carbon tax funds
AN OUTSIDE SECTION of the Legislature’s budget would use up to $3 million from a regional carbon tax to help the town of Somerset offset the loss of property tax revenue […]
Posted inGambling, The Download
Healey’s curious casino intervention
With Wynn Resorts on the verge of filing its third application for a key state environmental permit, Attorney General Maura Healey on Monday urged state transportation officials to require the […]
Posted inEducation
Chang takes charge
TOMMY CHANG HIT the ground when he became Boston’s new school superintendent on July 1, and it’s no wonder. Not only did the former Los Angeles school administrator bring lots […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Fair housing laws just got fairer
It got crowded out of the news by the blockbuster decisions on health care (issued the same day) and same-sex marriage (issued the following day), but an important Supreme Court […]
Posted inEconomy, Olympics, Opinion
Olympics jobs shouldn’t be union only
BOSTON 2024’s second plan to host the Summer Olympics in Massachusetts attempts to convince taxpayers it’s financially feasible and responsible. However, the inclusion of a discriminatory and costly hiring policy […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion, Politics
Lift the solar net metering cap
DESPITE THE INCREASED ADOPTION of solar power in Massachusetts, the right of every citizen to have access to predictable and clean power is in danger. And it’s up to industry […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Financing the Affordable Care Act
NOW THAT THE the lawsuit challenging federally established health care exchanges, King v. Burwell, has been relegated to history’s dustbin, let’s return for a deeper dive into the June 2015 report from […]
Posted inThe Download
And thus spake Martin Meehan
Media types will tell you they view public relations people, who they often refer to as flacks, as necessary evils. PR folks will say the same about journalists, except for […]
Posted inGambling
Boston wins some, loses some on gaming suit
THE CITY OF BOSTON survived a procedural challenge to its lawsuit against the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Thursday, but the municipality’s bid to start issuing subpoenas and deposing witnesses was […]
Posted inGambling, The Back Story
Mystery figure in Crosby ethics probe revealed
THE MYSTERY FIGURE who spurred a state ethics investigation of Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby turns out to be Charles A. Baker III, a lawyer and top Democratic political […]