“Mass General Brigham backs extra tax on some real estate transactions to fund affordable housing,” Boston Globe

“Mass General Brigham, the state’s largest private employer, put its support behind affordable housing legislation, blaming the housing crisis for contributing to public health disparities in communities and staffing shortages at its hospitals.

The health system submitted testimony Wednesday to the state backing a proposed law that would allow cities and towns to collect a fee on certain real estate transactions to help pay for affordable housing efforts. The legislation has been sitting with the state Legislature since last year, but backing from an influential hospital system with 80,000 employees could give it momentum.”

“Lyft makes largest one-time political donation in Massachusetts history, fueling gig worker ballot fight,” Boston Globe

“The rideshare giant Lyft gave a whopping $14.4 million to a committee supporting the petitions, most of which came in a $13 million donation on Dec. 30, newly released records show. The single contribution is the highest the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance has ever listed in an online database that tracks reporteddonations to campaigns, ballot question coalitions, or other political committees regulated under state law.”

“Workers who braved darkest days of COVID-19 deserve extra pay,” Boston Globe

“There’s a lot of agreement on the notion that workers who put themselves in harm’s way during this pandemic deserve recognition — and some extra monetary compensation. But in Massachusetts, so far none of the money the state received from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan has been paid out for that purpose. Meanwhile, a classic Beacon Hill fog has descended on the process of doling out the money, making it hard to tell exactly what’s going on between Governor Charlie Baker and the Legislature.”

“County jails hit by COVID outbreak,” Daily Hampshire Gazette

“Jails throughout the Pioneer Valley are coping with outbreaks of COVID-19 among their inmate and detainee populations, as well as staff, but so far during the unprecedented spike in cases nationwide due to the omicron variant, no local sheriff’s departments have reported serious illness, hospitalization or death in their facilities.”

“Federal lawsuit alleges brutal abuse by Souza-Baranowski officers,” CommonWealth

“The public has no idea how brutal and violent it can be behind the wall,” Danavian Daniel, one of the named plaintiffs, said in a statement distributed by Prisoners’ Legal Services.  He called his experience “terrifying and dehumanizing.” 

“Pandemic-driven changes to Open Meeting Law should be made permanent,” CommonWealth

“While local journalists and their audiences will benefit from this hybrid access, so will other groups of citizens such as those with disabilities, with family or work obligations, with limited transportation, or other circumstances making it difficult to attend government meetings in person. From a press perspective, this legislation is about government transparency and accountability. But it’s also about equity and providing access to all citizens.”

Julia Mejia, “With the necessary resources, urban leaders and parents of color can lift up Boston’s schools,” Boston Globe

“BPS is not without its problems. But these are problems that can be solved by turning to the community, not by initiating yet another executive leadership retooling. That kind of thinking is lazy and intentionally avoids the core problems facing BPS. You can swap the players up at the top all you want, but the instability created through that process trickles down to parents, students, and teachers, and we’re left exactly where we started, only less engaged and less hopeful for the future. We need to be creating real pathways to parent engagement and empowering parents, students, and teachers to steer us in the right direction. We need to make our district whole, not fracture it with change for the sake of change.”

“Massachusetts created a commission to study qualified immunity. Reform advocates aren’t happy with the result.,” Boston.com

Pressley — who has called for the complete abolishment of qualified immunity but also reluctantly backed the 2020 police reform bill — said the outcome was “a missed opportunity to address the hurt and harm felt by those murdered or abused at the hands of law enforcement.”

“The commission’s recommendation to delay action to address this unjust doctrine for two years is dangerous, and means that more communities in Massachusetts—particularly Black and brown communities—will be denied the accountability necessary to heal,” the Boston Democrat said, reiterating that qualified immunity must be abolished “immediately.”

“Making riders tap their CharlieCard to leave could reduce expected fare evasion surge, new analysis finds,” Boston Globe

“The nearly $1 billion Automated Fare Collection 2.0 system, already severely delayed and over budget, will allow riders to board buses and trolleys using all doors.” Why are we paying so much on fare collection? #FreeTheT

“Some top Mass. lawmakers say the entire state should require proof of vaccination for certain indoor venues,” Boston.com

“I support a statewide vaccine mandate for entry into restaurants, bars, and public spaces,” Markey said in a statement Thursday, adding that, “We need to focus on getting as many people vaccinated and boosted as quickly as possible.”

“Sizing up Mayor Wu’s push to make the T free,” Boston Globe (letters)

“First, we are not even close to solving the climate change crisis. We depend too much on cars. In urban areas, we need to encourage the use of public transit in place of cars. Our goal has to be fare-free transit for the entire system, since the only way people will give up their car is if they know they can hop on and off everywhere a bus or train stops.”

“For marginalized groups, COVID testing shortages a bigger burden,” Boston Globe

“The inequities have continued to plague communities of color and low-income communities across the state,” said Carlene Pavlos, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association. “They continue to be the hardest hit.”

“All around Massachusetts, cities and towns want to go fossil fuel free. Here’s why they can’t.,” Boston Globe

“Across Massachusetts, dozens of cities and towns have said they want to outlaw the use of fossil fuels in newly constructed buildings — considered an easy and effective step toward a carbon-free future…The state’s new climate legislation aimed to do just that, and required the state to come up with a new building code that would allow cities and towns to move ahead…The Baker administration promised a draft by fall 2021 but failed to deliver. And now some climate-concerned legislators want the administration to answer for it.”

“Two Commutations Should Be Just the Beginning,” Boston Globe

“But they should not be exceptions to the rule. Rather, they should be the exemplars — the kind of candidates the Board of Pardons should be looking for as they sort through the dozens of petitions that remain before them from prisoners looking just to have their cases heard. Hearings should not be the rarified events they have come to be during this administration.”

“Massachusetts House passes $55M bill to address COVID supply struggle,” State House News Service

“The bill (H 4340) appropriates $30 million to establish and expand COVID testing sites, with at least $5 million dedicated to expanding vaccination rates among kids ages 5 to 11. The youth vaccination efforts would be focused on communities disproportionately affected by the virus….Another $25 million would go towards “the acquisition and distribution of high-quality personal protective masks for children and faculty in elementary and secondary public school districts.”