In a very early — if not premature — forecast of next year's gubernatorial races, Stateline.org lists Massachusetts as one of nine states considered "safe" for the incumbent party. (New […]
Stateline.org calls Gov. Patrick “safe” for re-election in 2010
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Springfield budget cuts hit 311 phone line and CitiStat program
There's a widespread belief (or hope) that tough times can offer a "golden opportunity" for government reform, but things may not be working out that way in Springfield. Urban Compass […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Beacon Hill scandals and the one-party state
In the wake of Sal DiMasi's departure from Beacon Hill, CommonWealth magazine associate editor Alison Lobron weighs in on the Bay State's one-party political culture in today's Boston Globe: After […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Is Obama following in Romney’s devious, partisan footsteps?
Marc Ambinder reports on the GOP's shocked reaction to the idea that President Barack Obama might work toward electing more members from his own party in the next congressional election: […]
Posted inThe Download, Transportation
Mike Dukakis on how to fix America
Former governor Michael Dukakis has an interview with The Infrastructurist in which he says he understands why Amtrak isn't getting that much money from President Obama's stimulus bill (not enough "shovel-ready" […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, The Download
FBI: Gangs migrating to suburbs; 640 gangs operate in New England
The FBI has just released its National Gang Threat Assessment 2009, which estimates that there are "approximately 1 million gang members belonging to more than 20,000 gangs" in the US […]
Posted inState House News Service, The Download, Uncategorized
Starting Line 2009: February 6 at the Parker House
It's the start of the legislative year on Beacon Hill — and the middle of a national economic crisis that brings increased demand, diminished resources and high expectations. How will […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, State House News Service, The Download
Kayyem hailed for “responder revolution” in state homeland security
Juliette Kayyem, the Massachusetts undersecretary for homeland security, gets kudos for her success in shaping up Boston's notoriously territorial first responders from HSToday Magazine, a McLean, Virginia-based monthly that provides […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
The Bay State “lurch” to the right?
In what can most charitably be chalked up to the dangers of wading into territory outside of one's zone of competence, The New Republic 's Marty Peretz has weighed in […]
Posted inEducation, The Download
Bay State is tops in college completion, not so hot for immigrants’ high school completion
The education gap between native-born citizens and immigrants is apparently higher in Massachusetts than in most states, according to a new report by the US Census Bureau. Last week's press […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
State’s Public Records Law in need of repair
The state's Public Records Law is in desperate need of repair, according to a group of panelists who discussed the law today at a State House forum sponsored by CommonWealth […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, The Download
A Capital idea
John R. Schneider, MassINC's executive vice president, offers his take on the governor's FY 2010 budget: Included in the governor's FY2010 budget is a new approach to managing the state's […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, The Download
Patrick wants greater tax credit disclosure
With Massachusetts issuing more and more tax credits to companies, Gov. Deval Patrick is calling for greater public disclosure of who is receiving these benefits and how much good they are doing for the […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
New Mexico legislators fight for the right to doze through sessions
The New Mexico state legislature is reluctant to air its business on the Internet, and one lawmaker is refreshingly (or depressingly) frank about the reason. From the New Mexico Independent: […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, The Download
The tax horse is out of the revenue barn
Gov Deval Patrick, who rode into office on a promise of reducing property taxes, has come full circle on the T-word with the stark realities of the economy smacking him […]
Posted inState House News Service, The Download, Transportation
The MBTA isn’t the only transit agency in dire straits
The MBTA isn’t the only transit agency in the country with fare hikes or service cuts on the horizon. Transportation for America, "a broad coalition of housing, environmental, public health, […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Tough negotiations with firefighters’ union forecast in Haverhill
Here's another example of municipal officials trying to save money vs. public sector workers trying (like everyone else) to preserve their incomes in a tough economy. From the Eagle-Tribune's Shawn […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
New Bedford city councilors are not “complementary” potted plants
City politics in Boston are still pretty quiet, but there's plenty of bad blood in New Bedford, according to SouthCoastToday's Jack Spillane: Mayor [Scott] Lang recently described the council as existing […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Politics, The Download
Prisons making more demands on state governments
Stateline.org reports on states trying to cope with runaway prison costs (the fourth biggest expenditure for state governments, after health care, education, and transportation). In Kentucky, this has meant the […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Ka-ching: Delay pads DiMasi’s pension
Perhaps the revelation last week that relatives of House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi had their loans paid off by an indicted associate of the longtime North End pol was the straw that broke the […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Saugus reluctant to give up its small-town identity
Saugus may become the latest Bay State community to adopt a city form of government while refusing to call itself a city. (See Franklin, Watertown, and at least nine other […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Housing starts hit “record” low in 2008
Housing construction in the US hit an "all-time low" in December, according to new data from the National Association of Home Builders. (The definition of "all-time" is not clear; there […]
Posted inThe Download, Uncategorized
CommonWealth magazine releases Winter 2009 issue
The new issue of CommonWealth magazine is out, with timely and thought-provoking articles on the Democratic Party’s political monopoly in Massachusetts, the mortgage foreclosure crisis hitting some of the state’s […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Worcester wants struggling artists
Despite the bad economy, Worcester is apparently proceeding apace in its bid to become a magnet for the creative class (or, in Michigan lingo, a cool city). The Daily Worcesteria […]