BOSTON MAYOR MARTY WALSH said during Tuesday night’s mayoral debate that he pulled the plug on the city’s Olympics bid. “I was the person who actually pulled out of the bid and I was very clear from the very beginning that I was not going to mortgage the future of the city,” he said during […]
Municipal Government
Posted inPolitics
Amazon vs. marijuana
WHEN A CHICOPEE woman won the record-setting Powerball jackpot in August, lost in the cacophony were the two $1 million winning tickets sold in Dorchester and Watertown. Despite the disappointment of not hitting the big one, neither winner said “no, thanks” to the lesser sums. But that appears to be what’s happening in Massachusetts with […]
Posted inEducation
Flying without a PILOT
Photo by Frank Curran Lowell and UMass Lowell signed a master agreement in August, committing the university to providing nearly $8 million in cash and in-kind contributions for the community over the next 20 years. The agreement includes new funds for repair and upkeep of the city-owned minor league baseball field and a commitment to […]
Posted inThe Download
The Codcast: Boston and Lawrence narrow mayoral fields
When it comes to the November match-ups for mayor in Boston and Lawrence, it looks like very different tales of two cities, one where a highly competitive race is now on tap, and one where that seems unlikely. That’s the assessment from this week’s Codcast with Yawu Miller, senior editor of the Bay State Banner, […]
Posted inOpinion
Nonprofits deserve a lot more scrutiny
THE ISSUE ARISES every so often, like a phoenix from the flames, especially around budget time. This year was no different. How do we, and how should we, tax nonprofit entities? Are nonprofit entities paying their fair share? Are nonprofit entities truly nonprofit? Before we answer that question, we need to take a closer look […]
Posted inThe Download
4 takeaways from sales tax moves
You could actually see an industry in transition on Wednesday. Amazon held a giant job fair at nearly a dozen of its US warehouses, including the one in Fall River, as the company sought to fill 50,000 empty positions across the country. At the same time, the Retailers Association of Massachusetts announced it was mounting […]
Posted inEnvironment
Cities and states must take lead on climate change
CLIMATE CHANGE CREATES risks that scientists have been warning about for decades. Fortunately, many actions that reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change and hedge against longer-term risks can also benefit public health right now. Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions often go hand in hand with reductions in air pollutants with well-established relationships […]
Posted inThe Download
Baker (still) flying high
It’s great to be on top. Just ask Gov. Charlie Baker. The Republican governor has maintained his No. 1 ranking in the latest Morning Consult poll showing America’s Most and Least Popular Governors. Baker clocks in with a 71 percent approval rating, with just 17 of state voters disapproving of his performance. His steady popularity […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Eminent domain reform needed in Massachusetts
UNDER OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, there are various powers that are absolute and from which there are no appeal. One example of such a power would be the president’s pardon or executive clemency power. A president can, theoretically, pardon anyone for a federal crime for any reason or for no reason. Another example, a little […]
Posted inThe Download
Galvin throws shade on Millennium tower deal
Long ago, Beacon Hill insiders used to call then-Rep. William Galvin the Prince of Darkness because of his penchant for intrigue and political machinations. But now Galvin is coming to be known as the Lord of Light, the guy championing sunshine, not shadows, on Boston Common. As secretary of state and the overseer of the […]