MBTA rail inspectors are stepping up their response to the thousands of crumbling concrete ties on commuter lines, ordering engineers to throttle back for safety along the damaged tracks. It […]
Broken MBTA ties trigger safety orders
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Mass. is Tax Foundation’s 15th least favorite state
The DC-based Tax Foundation came out with its annual State Business Tax Climate Index today, ranking Massachusetts 36th in business friendliness (down from 32nd last year). That's still better than […]
Posted inState House News Service, The Download, Uncategorized
Martha’s big sister
It may seem like a first, but we've been here before. Congressman Michael Capuano thinks The Woman is the one to beat in the US Senate race. The State House […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Sharing service
"Reduce overhead!" "Cut administrative costs!" It's hard to find anyone who is against cutting costs — especially in the current economy, and especially when the cuts are the vague kind […]
Posted inState House News Service, The Download, Transportation
Mission Impossible II: MBTA Crisis Management
Good afternoon, Mr. Mullan. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is plagued by many problems, among them multibillion debt, aging infrastructure, and a significant cohort of employees for whom customer service […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Loyalty and the US Senate race
Today's Herald raises two questions about the special election to replace the late US Sen. Ted Kennedy: Is Attorney General Martha Coakley too deferential toward Boston Mayor Tom Menino? And […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Boston’s mayor race “toughest” to call in the US?
Ballot Box's Josh Goodman divides all of this year's big-city mayoral races into the competitive and foregone conclusion categories, but he finds Boston's to be the most unpredictable:The toughest case […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
One Beacon’s 121A tax agreement expires
One Beacon Street's 40-year-old tax agreement with the city of Boston expires today, paving the way for the office building to be taxed on its assessed value in the coming […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
What state are we in?
Here's a news flash you don't see often in this state: Republicans in the US Senate race outnumber Democrats, 2-1. Granted, that ratio includes only candidates who have made formal […]
Posted inState House News Service, The Download, Transportation
Trick or Treat: The Revenge of Dan Grabauskas
Revenge is a dish best served cold. For the former MBTA general manager, there's probably nothing more delicious than the headline "State Transportation Secretary is resigning "Secretary of Transportation James […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Fact checking the 2d mayoral debate
During the second Boston mayoral debate Thursday night, Kevin McCrea and City Councilors Michael Flaherty Jr. and Sam Yoon traded fire with incumbent Mayor Thomas Menino. The politicians rattled off statistics and references […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
The State House as cash cow
The state of Arizona, now running a $3 billion budget deficit, is planning to sell up to 32 government properties for quick cash — possibly including its House and Senate […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Turn toward politics a natural one for City Year cofounder
The newest name in the US Senate sweepstakes: Alan Khazei, cofounder of the national service organization City Year, who says he's considering entering the Democratic primary for the seat held […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Back(track) to the future
After months of insisting that deteriorating concrete ties on the Old Colony Commuter Rail line posed no safety risk or operational problems, the MBTA will begin replacing thousands of the […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
US Senate race a snooze?
Dan Kennedy says that the special election to fill the late Ted Kennedy's Senate seat "may be over before it begins," thanks to Attorney General Martha Coakley's considerable advantages in […]
Posted inEducation, Politics, The Download
Menino’s poor grade on schools
Today's Boston Globe editorial on Mayor Tom Menino's education record offers a devastating assessment of the mayor's leadership on an issue that he famously challenged voters to judge him "harshly" […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Whip City aims to become Warehouse City
Tuesday, September 8, 2009 The city of Westfield, once renowned for the manufacture of horse whips, is now looking toward the trucking industry for economic salvation.
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Coakley and Lynch: Come on in, the water is fine
With the news that US Rep. Steve Lynch has joined Attorney General Martha Coakley in taking out nomination papers for US Senate, the first two candidates in the Democratic primary race may be […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Hollywood-style voting takes a baby step in Massachusetts
The attorney general's office has the list on the two dozen or so ballot questions that have been "certified" (that is, supporters can now start to collect signatures for them) […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
“Schlumpy and shrill” need not apply?
The Boston Herald's Margery Eagan may have written the entire narrative of the upcoming election to replace US Sen. Ted Kennedy in two sentences. She thinks that Attorney General Martha […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
A weak showing for Menino, but does it change the race?
We learned last night why Mayor Tom Menino relishes debates as much as a date with the dentist's drill. But we also learned why none of his three challengers has […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Fact-checking the Boston mayoral debate
During the Boston mayoral debate Wednesday night, candidate Kevin McCrea leveled a series of charges against Mayor Thomas Menino and his other rivals. What follows is a closer examination of those […]
Posted inHealth Care, State House News Service, The Download
Local foods mean local smells
Tewksbury residents went to Beacon Hill yesterday to argue about the regulation of odorous hog farms. The State House News Service's Jim O'Sullivan reported (via Wicked Local Tewksbury) that the […]
Posted inHealth Care, The Download
Kerry to face the (town meeting) music
It's John Kerry's turn. The state's soon-to-be-senior senator will follow scores of congressional colleagues who have waded into the uncertain waters of a town meeting that is likely to focus […]