Andrew Brinker, “‘It’s an invasion.’ In towns across Eastern Mass., resistance grows against ambitious state housing law.,” Boston Globe, March 3, 2024.

“If we don’t have enough thoughtful people who understand what’s really going on here, [a zoning proposal] will be defeated, because there will be people who just don’t want any change at all,” said Shaw, who says Rockport needs more housing to maintain its economic vitality. “It is pretty easy to imagine a group getting 30 or 40 people to go to Town Meeting and vote, and kill this zoning.”

Shannon Larson, “These 10 homes were among the most expensive sold in Massachusetts in 2023,” Boston Globe, March 1, 2024.

Imagine the revenue that could be raised for affordable housing if these communities were allowed to pass a real estate transfer fee.

Jennifer Smith, “AG Campbell sues Milton over MBTA Communities law,” Commonwealth Beacon, February 27, 2024.

“The housing affordability crisis affects all of us: families who face impossible choices between food on the table or a roof over their heads, young people who want to live here but are driven away by the cost, and a growing workforce we cannot house,” Campbell said in a statement. “The MBTA Communities Law was enacted to address our region-wide need for housing, and compliance with it is mandatory.”

Matthew Ferreira, “It’s official: New Bedford stands against MCAS as a graduation requirement. Here’s why.,” The Standard Times, February 21, 2024.

“I knew a lot of students that were dropping out after they failed the MCAS in 10th grade because they were like, I’m not going to graduate anyways,” said first-year New Bedford High geometry teacher and 2019 graduate Taryn Padilla. “Now teaching geometry, I see everyday how the constraints and pressure of this test are not only hindering student engagement in classes but hindering teachers’ ability to actually create engaging lessons….”

C.J. Polychroniou, “To Democratize Finance, We Must Take the Banks Away From the Bankers,” Truth-Out, February 17, 2024.

“One possible way to accomplish this dual feat is by creating an alternative banking system that democratizes finance. In fact, the movement for public banking — a system where banks are owned by the people rather than the wealthy elite — is gaining momentum in many parts of the country.”

Samantha Gross, “Two years after pay structure revamp, Mass. Senate to boost pay for staffers,” Boston Globe, February 14, 2024.

“Senate staff pay was a central tenet of a nascent unionization effort among staff, who announced their intent to form a union in 2022. Spilka, however, has not recognized the union. While Massachusetts has a long pro-labor tradition, state law carves out legislative staff from the definition of public employees who may collectively bargain.”

Taylor Dolven, “The T is on track to be broke soon. There’s no long-term fix.,” Boston Globe, February 12, 2024.

“The answer is straightforward, there are clear funding solutions out there,” said Yonah Freemark, a senior research associate at the Urban Institute and author of a recent report about how states can increase public transit funding. “The agency is being tasked with waiting another few years to solve problems that were caused by previous administrations.”

Senator Joanne Comerford, “Taking on the free community college critics,” Commonwealth Beacon, February 11, 2024.

“Community college students deserve the chance to learn and to climb a meaningful career ladder with a well-lit path to economic mobility….Investments made today will be directly linked to their success and to the long-term well-being of public higher education and our state — for generations to come.”

Ashley Shook, “Amherst supports bill for fully funded public higher education,” WWLP, February 8, 2024.

“Amherst follows the lead of Boston which was the first Massachusetts city to vote in support of the bill to make higher education more accessible in the state. The Cherish Act includes fully funded community colleges and state universities, fair wages, better working conditions, and extra support for students.”

John Keenan, “I visited supervised consumption sites in six cities. Here’s what I found.,” Boston Globe, February 5, 2024.

“What I saw and learned in Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Quebec City, Philadelphia, and New York leads me to believe that Massachusetts should allow any community that chooses to host a supervised consumption site to do so as a pilot program, using the experience and data to better inform Massachusetts policy makers and residents of the role such facilities can play in efforts to combat the drug epidemic. They can save money, and they will save lives.”