As the United States and countries worldwide strive to implement ambitious climate policies to address the climate crisis, they face opposition from factions that exploit environmental policies to advance narrow, often detrimental agendas.
Misinformation threatening efforts to address climate change
Posted inTransportation
South Coast Rail coming to New Bedford, but not with MBTA assessments
Under state law, communities that are members of both the MBTA and a regional transportation authority can deduct their assessment by the regional transit authority from the assessment of the T. In New Bedford’s case, the city’s $1.4 million assessment by the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority surpasses the MBTA assessment of $750,000, so New Bedford won’t have to pay the T anything.
Posted inOpinion
Dissecting the ‘toxic’ State House culture
The culture incentivizes a Stockholm syndrome-like relationship to power, where reps fall in line for crumbs from leadership, and advocates and organizations fall in line for access to the reps.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Regan v. City Hall | Campbell correction | The windfall that wasn’t?
Regan has now moved into the policy arena, signing on with people who are clashing with Wu, such as the North End restaurateurs angry over a ban on outdoor dining.
Posted inTransportation
Some MBTA board members call for more funding
Normally, board meetings are highly choreographed affairs where everyone sticks pretty much to a script. At Thursday’s meeting, however, board members made clear that more money is needed for the T, even though Gov. Maura Healey has shown little enthusiasm for new taxes and fees.
Posted inTransportation
Coming this summer, T riders can use credit cards, phones to pay their fares
The start of contactless payment — a feature in place in other major transit systems, including New York City’s subway — will mark a milestone in a delayed, over-budget project to modernize fare collection at the T.
Posted inMarijuana
What does potential fed shift on cannabis mean for states like Mass.?
While proponents of social equity in the marijuana industry are cheering the sentiment, they say these more lenient federal gestures, which are silent on established state cannabis regulations, could create confusion.
Posted inOpinion
For WBUR, GBH, the answer is merge, purge, diverge
For WBUR and WGBH the problems are fundamental. Expenses are up, the number of listeners is down, as is advertising dollars – who knew they had advertising income? – culminating in operational deficits.
Posted inEnergy
Vineyard Wind 1 trying to pick up pace with good weather
The slow pace of construction isn’t a major problem in the long run, but it suggests building a wind farm off the coast, particularly during the winter months when winds are unusually strong, is not easy.
Posted inState Government
After years of scandals, have the State Police turned a corner?
Under the State House’s golden dome, there’s been little interest over the years among legislators to take stock of the theft of public funds and abuse of public trust, and whether the agency has been truly reformed.
Posted inOpinion
Lowering financial hurdles for Black, Latina women
From gender and racial pay gaps to a lack of assets, Black and Latina women often start at a financial disadvantage, lacking the generational wealth which often provides a safety net for their White counterparts.
Posted inHealth Care
‘Concordant care’ called crucial in improving Black childbirth outcomes
A recurring theme was that people of color, and Black women in particular, benefit from having their care provided by someone who looks like them and who understands their experience in the world.
Posted inTransportation
Beacon Park Yard back in operation
Harvard’s rail venture isn’t about transporting people; it’s about hauling dirt away that has been excavated during the construction of the university’s so-called Enterprise Research Campus.
Posted inState Government
Millionaire surtax revenues far exceed expectations
Massachusetts has collected about $1.8 billion from a voter-approved surtax on the state’s highest earners through the first nine months of the fiscal year, the Department of Revenue said Monday in a quarterly report.
Posted inOpinion
As mayors, we need more tools to boost housing production
We urge the Legislature to act quickly to pass the Affordable Homes Act, in its entirety, this session, and to give local leaders the tools we need to support our current and future residents.
Posted inMarijuana
Cannabis Control Commission drags its feet on two-driver rule
“The two-driver rule is a hurdle and a handcuff that companies like mine are facing,” said Gyasi Sellers, the owner of cannabis delivery company Treevit. “There are a lot of companies like mine that are running out of time. Some have gone under already and that rule is one of the primary causes of that.”
Posted inHealth Care
What will happen to Steward hospitals in bankruptcy?
Eric Gold laid out how the bankruptcy may unfold. First, Steward will propose its ideas for a restructuring and how debts should be paid. Such a plan will likely spur debate among creditors, hopefully leading to an acceptable compromise plan that will need to be approved by the bankruptcy judge, he said.
Posted inThe Codcast
Steward Health Care in court
This week on The Codcast, Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute and John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are joined by Eric Gold, partner at Manatt Health and former Chief of the Health Care Division at the MA Attorney General’s Office. They discuss the implications of the Steward Health Care bankruptcy for regulatory oversight, as well as the healthcare reform bill currently in the legislature.