Massachusetts Corrections Commissioner Harold Clarke is leaving after just three years on the job to become the director of Virginia’s prison system. The departure was so sudden that it prompted […]
Taking his reform elsewhere
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Reading between the (poll) lines
Over the last month or so, we have seen a steady stream of new polling data in the Massachusetts gubernatorial election. In reading these polls, there seem to be two […]
Posted inPolitics
A campaign car wreck
“(Bleep) him.” It’s probably the most honest utterance to date in the increasingly toxic battle for the governor’s office, which is starting to look more like a barroom brawl than […]
Posted inState House News Service, The Download, Transportation
Taking the T to the Big Apple
By Gabrielle Gurley The financially hobbled MBTA continues to come up with creative ways to reel in cash. World Wide Tours, a New York City-based, family-run bus company, approached the […]
Posted inEconomy, The Back Story
Movie mystery
Each year the Massachusetts Department of Revenue is required to release a report analyzing the financial impact of the state’s film tax credit. The first report, covering 2006 and 2007, […]
Posted inPolitics
Probation chief kept detailed records on who backed job applicants
The patronage probe at the state’s Probation Department has taken a startling new turn, with agency officials disclosing to investigators that they maintain a database of people who contact the […]
Posted inBallot Questions, Uncategorized
Parks crisis leads to ballot question
California’s budget crisis has taken a terrible toll on the state’s park system, with more than half of the state’s parks partially closed or struggling with deep service cuts. But […]
Posted inEnvironment
Net metering windfall in works?
A state program designed to help homeowners and municipalities launch renewable energy projects is getting a makeover on Beacon Hill that could give private wind power developers a financial bonanza. […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Tea Party for real in Massachusetts
For those who continue to view the Tea Party as a fringe group of “nutcases” or the butt of an easy political joke, take notice. The Tea Party has a […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
High housing costs still pricing many out
By Paul McMorrow The housing bust has done little to ease the pressure housing costs exert on working families in eastern Massachusetts, a new report from the Urban Land Institute […]
Posted inThe Back Story, Uncategorized
Convention center tries hand at banking
The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority jumped into the banking business this week, offering an unusual $18 million loan to a private company seeking to build a new Boston Tea Party […]
Posted inPolitics
Globe to charge for newspaper content
The Boston Globe made waves today by announcing its plans to lock its newspaper content behind a paid subscription firewall. But setting up a paywall is one thing. Making it […]
Posted inEducation, Opinion
Can an index lead to more creative thinking?
This past July Newsweek reported on an emerging “Creativity Crisis.” According to research described in their report, American kids are steadily losing their creativity. Presciently, just a few days before […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics, The Download
Wind subsidy tucked inside spending bill
By Bruce Mohl A special interest wind power subsidy is tucked inside a spending bill that is the focus of a power struggle between Democrats and Republicans on Beacon Hill. […]
Posted inEconomy
City begins revoking Filene’s permits
Boston development officials are initiating a process to pull development permits from the stalled Filene’s project today. Aides to Mayor Tom Menino believe the move, which they are describing as […]
Posted inEnvironment, The Back Story
Wind bill aids Kingston project
The push and pull over wind turbine siting legislation in the Massachusetts Senate revolves around issues of policy and politics, but it’s also about money. A little-noticed section of the […]
Posted inPolitics
New probation officer donated to senator
The state’s probation commissioner was suspended in May for allegedly handing out jobs and promotions to people who donated money to politicians on Beacon Hill, but his replacement is doing […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Polls suggest little change in gov race
Following last night’s release of the Suffolk poll, you may have read this morning about how Patrick is increasing his lead, or Baker is slipping, or some other story about […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
School segregation report tells us what we knew
By Michael Jonas To borrow from a certain sage of the ’60s, you don’t need a demographer to know the racial breakdown of Boston and Springfield area schools. But a […]
Posted inEconomy
Chiofaro proposes smaller towers
Boston developer Don Chiofaro unveiled a new, smaller design for his Harbor Garage redevelopment project today, but the $1 billion project was quickly dismissed by city officials and the proposed […]
Posted inPolitics
SJC denies bid to quash subpoena
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court today denied a motion by a high-ranking House lawmaker to quash an independent counsel’s subpoena in connection with an investigation into patronage at the state’s […]
Posted inPolitics
SJC hears arguments on Petrolati subpoena
The attorney for Rep. Thomas Petrolati said there has been no decision on whether his client will testify under oath if the Supreme Judicial Court rejects his bid to quash […]
Posted inThe Download, Uncategorized
Murphy’s creative writing
By Michael Jonas Let’s hope Boston City Councilor Steve Murphy would bring a more straightforward approach to managing the state’s books than he does with his creative bending of press […]
Posted inPolitics
Petrolati renews bid to quash subpoena
Rep. Thomas Petrolati today renewed his efforts to quash a subpoena issued by the independent counsel investigating patronage at the Probation Department, saying it raises “delicate separation of powers and […]