“The Police State Is Failing Officers Too,” The Nation

“As a society, we have been taught that police should respond to every issue, and as a result, their outsize budgets take away resources from basic community needs, including schools, affordable housing, and infrastructure. This one-solution-fits-all approach is backed by neither data nor common sense, and all too often leads to violence and death.”

“MBTA Looking at $230M Shortfall When Federal Aid Runs Out,” State House News Service

“In fiscal year ’24, even after using about $100 million in fiscal year ’24, we still have a gap of $236 million,” O’Hara said. “Our fiscal cliff is then in fiscal year ’24.” A great case for Fair Share

“How Air Pollution Across America Reflects Racist Policy From the 1930s,” New York Times

“Urban neighborhoods that were redlined by federal officials in the 1930s tended to have higher levels of harmful air pollution eight decades later, a new study has found, adding to a body of evidence that reveals how racist policies in the past have contributed to inequalities across the United States today.”

“Federal COVID funds offer Boston Mayor Michelle Wu a big boost with her big plans,” Boston Globe

“The biggest barrier in this city is believing that we can’t do more,” Wu said. “And so being able to show and have people see with their own eyes and live the impacts is going to be transformational for making the case for larger investments down the line.”

“How Did This Many Deaths Become Normal?,” The Atlantic

“The United States reported more deaths from COVID-19 last Friday than deaths from Hurricane Katrina, more on any two recent weekdays than deaths during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, more last month than deaths from flu in a bad season, and more in two years than deaths from HIV during the four decades of the AIDS epidemic.”

“Boston Progressives Fear Rollback of Reforms After DA’s Early Exit,” Bolts

“There’s a strong and growing body of research that shows that declining to prosecute nonviolent misdemeanor cases not only minimizes individuals’ current involvement with the criminal legal system, but also substantially reduces the probability of future involvement,” Cohn told Bolts. 

“Chang-Diaz aims for big, progressive change,” CommonWealth

“We have seen so many examples, time and time again, where people power movements have taken on and won against establishment powers in Massachusetts,” she said. “In the end, we have to remember…that it’s not money that wins elections. It’s people that win elections.”

“2 senators say proposed building code comes up short,” CommonWealth

“The straw proposal bars a city or town from mandating all-electric new construction, even after local officials allow for vigorous analysis and debate. For municipalities in Massachusetts and other progressive states, all-electric construction is the favored strategy for decarbonizing new buildings. Barring communities from employing it would be a significant setback,” the senators said. They added, “Bottom line: Despite its unequivocal support of ‘net zero emissions’ by 2050, despite the special challenges of reducing emissions in buildings, and despite having been given a full 18 months by the Legislature to do its work, the Baker administration has proposed a municipal opt-in specialized stretch energy code that comes up short.”

“‘This should not be survival of the fittest.’ For high-risk people, COVID is far from over,” Boston Globe

“In a way, it was comforting to see people indoors for a while. I thought they would understand what it’s like to not leave your house,” she said. “But when given the chance, the world went outside in a flash and left me behind. I see all my friends living their lives. When is that going to be me?”

“State Senate hires a pay consultant in wake of report that says staff pay ‘breaks with best practice’,” Boston Globe

“The conversation around staff pay was always . . . can we afford to have this conversation with the Senate president now?” Raynor said. “It’s wild when you see the policies you’re pushing for addressing poverty and the fiscal cliff, and realize it’s about you.”

“Senate passes ‘period poverty’ bill,” CommonWealth

“We don’t expect school nurses to pay for toilet paper for everyone in the school,” Jehlen said. “Why should they pay for menstrual products?”

“State Police troopers may have inflated hours they worked in hundreds of details, inspector general finds,” Boston Globe

“The change, the report notes, “appears to remove the incentive for troopers to misrepresent” their hours. But it also means troopers will likely be paid for more time than they actually work, Cunha’s office said.”

“Fewer than 10% of applicants have been granted medical parole, frustrating some Mass. lawmakers,” WBUR

“It reminded me of ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,’ ” said Eldridge, a Democrat whose district includes Middlesex and Worcester. “It was incredibly outdated and cramped and just not ideal for providing health care to prisoners in their 70s and 80s.”

“‘A no-brainer’: Merrimack Valley RTA makes all buses free to ride for two years,” Boston Globe

“I’m about to say something completely radical,” Berger said. “What I’m going to say that’s radical is that we are going fare-free, and that ain’t radical, that’s mainstream.”

“Local-option COVID approach slammed,” CommonWealth

“Not only are we seeing a patchwork of different rules in different communities in this state, which is confusing for the public and also less effective for the public health protections, but it also means that the decisions are getting pushed on to the backs of local public health staff who are then the folks who are being harassed and threatened,” Pavlos said. “That’s really unacceptable.”

“Ending mask mandate won’t bring us back to normal,” CommonWealth

“The pandemic is far from over. Just a few weeks ago, our ERs were overflowing and our primary care colleagues were pulled in to cover hospital shifts. While we are relieved to see the decline in Omicron cases, more variants are sure to emerge. Just last week, the World Health Organization announced a newly detected, even more contagious Omicron subvariant.”

“Massachusetts’ roadmap bill created an environmental justice advisory council. Where is it?,” Boston Globe

“The historic climate law that Governor Charlie Baker signed last March included provisionsmeant to make sure low-income communities and people of color don’t suffer disproportionate environmental harm from new polluting projects….It required Baker’s administration to appoint a special council to weigh in on which communities should have certain environmental protections, on the grounds that they’re already overburdened by pollution from fossil fuel infrastructure…But nearly a year later, Baker hasn’t appointed anyone to the council yet. And the body’s first report is due in July.”

“Mass. residents should welcome law on licenses for undocumented immigrants” (Letter), Boston Globe

“We found that not just immigrant and US-born Latino residents in those states responded more positively to welcoming immigration policies, but also most white, non-Latino residents did as well. Like immigrant and US-born Latinos, white residents displayed a more positive emotional response and felt like they belonged in their state more when immigration policies were more welcoming.”

“14 Takeaways From The Latest U.N. Study On Climate Change’s Deadly Toll,” HuffPost

“But the report emphasizes what millions of people can already intuit from dramatic shifts in weather patterns: Ways of life that sustained generations are coming to an abrupt and chaotic end, causing great suffering that world governments’ responses so far have proven woefully inadequate to ease, much less reverse.”

Katherine Clark, “My miscarriage was crushing. Overturning Roe could make the ordeal even worse.,” Boston Globe

“But the campaign against reproductive justice doesn’t start and end at abortion. As legal abortion access hangs in the balance, it is clear that attacks on reproductive health care and attacks on policies that support families and children are all part of an orchestrated plot to maintain the status quo and keep it from those who have been left out and left behind.”

“Mayor Michelle Wu’s push for free buses is spurring other cities and towns to act,” Boston Globe

“Wu indicated that the fare-free service is just the first step toward a larger goal of making all buses — and eventually all public transit — in Boston free, something she campaigned on and hopes to achieve through partnerships with other municipalities, the Legislature, and the federal government.”

“Workers grateful for COVID leave pay,” State House News Service

“Birchmore, who has lived in the U.S. for 21 years after moving from Brazil, said she originally wasn’t expecting to receive anything when she took time off to recover from COVID-19. It was supposed to be a “tough time for us,” she said, “because less money but the bills are still the same, you know, you are always worried about that.”

“But the [sick leave payments], it was something amazing, okay, it helped me so much because I received my regular paycheck. I didn’t have any problems with that,” she said.”

“The fight over gig work is ugly, expensive, and nowhere near over,” Protocol

“Here we have corporations that are willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to use a ballot measure process to buy a law,” he said. “We are talking about workers — workers are going to be a very centered strategy, and drivers are part of the strategy. But if we allow the conversation to strictly be about one thing, the amount of resources and money [these companies] have to sort of confuse that issue is undeniable.”

“A “Millionaire Tax” Would Advance Racial Justice in Massachusetts,” Mass Budget

“A millionaire tax would advance economic and racial justice in Massachusetts, both in the way the tax is collected – from very high-income households, which are predominantly white – and through the ongoing investments it would make possible.”

“It’s time for top earners to pay their fair share,” Berkshire Edge (Letter)

“We will all do better when we all do better. Taxes are the cost of a civilized society, and all should share them, fairly. Yet now they are overwhelmingly borne by the workers while avoided by the wealthy. It is high time the highest income brackets contributed their fair share. It’s time we put our collective resources to work where our espoused and constitutionally enshrined interests and values are. Please vote for the Fair Share Amendment on November 8.”

“17 inspiring ways to celebrate Black History Month,” Boston Globe

“Since 1976, the United States government has officially recognized February as Black History Month, and with each passing year, incredible displays of Black art and culture, as well as important education initiatives, have come into the spotlight for public consumption. This February, we’ve gathered a selection of inspiring and creative ways to learn about and celebrate Black history and Black life, both online and throughout the Boston area. For the next 28 days — and beyond.”

“Rent Control — its history and why we need it now,” Incorruptible Mass

“Over the last 100 years, rent control has been the norm. It’s just that 25 years ago, the real estate lobby used some sneaky tactics (and millions of dollars) to ban it in Massachusetts. Today we talk with State Rep Mike Connolly and Beth Huang about how we’re moving toward cities being able to enact this crucial tool for keeping our housing safe and affordable.”

“Cannabis policy for people, not corporations!,” Incorruptible Mass

“Today we talk to Shaleen Title from the Parabola Center, who has been actively involved in the effort to put equity and justice at the heart of drug policy here in Massachusetts. We talk about how our state was early to make marijuana legal through a ballot initiative, but our legislature has been slow to enact the details that would make our drug policy fair.”

“Reproductive rights: What happens if Roe v Wade is overturned?,” Incorruptible Mass

“Today we talk with Dr Jennifer Childs-Roshak from Planned Parenthood about reproductive rights. With the likelihood that the US Supreme Court will strike down Roe, we talk about what that means for reproductive rights around the country and here in Massachusetts.”

Lois Ahrens, “Transparency, accountability for sheriffs, DOC,” Daily Hampshire Gazette

“We know that the DOC and sheriffs are experts at building walls. Walls to keep people in. Their walls are also designed to keep information locked in. Data may sound like subject for nerds. Who cares about data? Clearly the answer is that sheriffs and the DOC do. They know that standardized data will hold them accountable.”

“Pressley says she is ‘deeply disappointed’ same-day registration isn’t included in Mass. voting bill,” Boston Globe

“Same-day registration is critical to boosting voter turnout, especially among Black, brown, low-income, and immigrant communities, and arbitrary voter registration deadlines should not be a barrier to exercising the right to vote,” she said. “I urge my State House colleagues to swiftly reverse course.”

“House stands firm against same-day voter registration,” CommonWealth

“Even if a study happens, we’re just back where we are today and we start over,” Elugardo said, later adding, “The increases in turnout that we’re codifying today have been concentrated in communities that don’t include people who are Black, indigenous and other people of color.”

“House should pass same-day voter registration,” CommonWealth

“House leadership and members must vote to include same-day registration and strong jail-based voting reforms in the VOTES Act so that we can guarantee that no eligible voter who wants to participate in our democratic process gets turned away. Then, it’s time for all of us to roll up our sleeves and work on the harder, and year-round, task of increasing the number of people who want to participate in the first place.”

“Mass. Senate President calls for same-day voter registration as House takes up voting rights,” GBH News

“Eighteen other states have same day registration, I believe that Massachusetts should be at least the 19th at this point in time,” Spilka said on Boston Public Radio Tuesday. “Too bad, we should have been number one earlier, but at least we should be doing it. I believe we should be doing anything to help people who want to vote.”

“Galvin: Registration Reform Study Not Needed,” State House News Service

“Secretary Galvin does not think further study of Election Day registration is necessary, and he was not consulted on this requirement,” Galvin spokeswoman Deb O’Malley said in a statement to the News Service in response to questions about his point of view. “He strongly supports moving forward as soon as possible with Election Day or same day registration, which is why he included it in his election reform proposal a year ago.”

“Elected officials from 15 municipalities want the MBTA’s help to eliminate bus fares,” Boston Globe

“Thirty elected representatives from Cambridge, Amesbury, Boston, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Newburyport, Newton, Rowley, Somerville, Wakefield, Watertown, Winchester, and Worcester sent a letter to Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority general manager Steve Poftak Thursday calling on the agency to make it easier for them to create fare-free bus lines.”

“Millionaire’s tax opponents sue over ballot language,” CommonWealth

“Dedicating the money in our state constitution is the strongest way possible to ensure that the revenue raised by the Fair Share Amendment is spent on essential investments in education and transportation,” the coalition [Raise Up Mass] said in a statement. The group said money is needed as Massachusetts recovers from the pandemic, and added, “Massachusetts families deserve an honest debate and they deserve the stronger economy we can provide them with through the additional revenue raised by the Fair Share Amendment.” 

“Boston’s rental market has reached an all-time high,” Boston Globe

“That’s an all-time high for Boston, which has long ranked among the priciest cities in the country but typically lagged behind the Bay Area — where the weather and booming tech scene pushed pre-pandemic real estate prices into the stratosphere.”

“Lawmakers press bill on funding police alternatives,” Daily Hampshire Gazette

“It really struck me that … the best solution we had in our community to a situation that the caregivers couldn’t control was to call in armed police officers,” she [State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa] said. Police officers “are not the people to call when your kid is having a meltdown, or at least they shouldn’t be.”

“A simple card that drives conservatives crazy,” Boston Globe

“Good bills often idle on Beacon Hill, and this one, perhaps because it would generate a knee-jerk anti-immigrant reaction, has remained stubbornly in limbo. But there’s a simple reality to consider: Undocumented workers are here in abundance and often driving to their jobs. Let’s make our roads safer for everyone in the Commonwealth.”

“Massachusetts Democrats support democracy, right? Right?,” Boston Globe

“In a state whose leaders once helped shape the foundational principles of this democracy, there should be no room for halfhearted measures for, or delay on, voting reform.” A great editorial from the Globe — and, alas, many Democratic state reps answered the titular question with a resounding “NO”

“100 Millionaires And Billionaires Sign Open Letter Pleading For Higher Taxes,” HuffPost

“To put it simply, restoring trust requires taxing the rich. The world — every country in it — must demand the rich pay their fair share,” the letter states. “Tax us, the rich, and tax us now.”

“Should Massachusetts guarantee anyone serving a life sentence the chance for parole?,” Boston Globe

“In Massachusetts 34 percent of those serving life without parole are Black, yet Black people comprise only 9 percent of the state’s population. Massachusetts ranks first in the nation for racial disparities in incarceration rates of Hispanic residents, and 12th for Black residents. This is a racial justice issue and our Commonwealth’s overuse of life-without-parole sentences is disproportionately impacting Black and Brown families and communities.”

“Money starts to flow into ‘millionaires tax’ ballot fight,” Boston Globe

“Putnam Investments CEO Bob Reynolds gave $200,000 to the cause, making him the biggest donor to the opposition campaign as of Dec. 31, according to campaign finance documents filed with the state on Thursday.” He clearly can afford to pay his fair share.

“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.”

Darryl Murphy, “Poll finds most Mass. voters support free bus service for low income communities,” WBUR

“Almost three quarters of Massachusetts voters support free bus service for low income neighborhoods, according to a new poll from MassInc Polling Group…The group polled more than 1,000 voters to gauge consensus on issues including free public transportation and a November ballot measure that would change the state constitution to allow a 4% surtax on any income over $1 million. The revenue generated would go toward public education and transportation…About 70% of those surveyed supported the proposed tax.” Even more, majorities supported every fare-free transit proposal polled.

Nathalie Baptiste, “How 2020’s Heroes Became 2022’s Acceptable Casualties,” HuffPost

“Once it became apparent that the United States didn’t have the collective will to slow the virus down — and was more concerned with keeping the machinery of capitalism churning — there were no more banging pots or commercials about the heroism of the people who clean our streets, make our food and take care of us when we’re sick. Now, they’re selfish and lazy and just looking for a handout. There are no more heroes of the pandemic — only villains.”

Jeremy C. Fox, “Lydia Edwards wins state Senate seat in special election,” Boston Globe

“Like so many in our communities, I know what it’s like to be unable to afford school lunch, to lose a job and panic about next month’s rent, to live each day breathing in air pollution and to worry about tomorrow as the sea levels continue to rise,” Edwards said in a statement. “Together, with our pain and purpose, we will fight for laws and the social conditions that protect people, communities, and our planet.”

Chris Lisinski, “Like housing costs, interest in rent control running high in Massachusetts,” State House News Service

“We know that other cities across the country who have implemented rent stabilization and rent control are seeing it working, are seeing that it doesn’t come with the sky falling and some of the consequences that opponents would have you believe,” Wu said. “It does mean that people are put first instead of profits. It does mean that we are working toward a vision of cities where everyone is welcome and everyone has a home.”

Geoff Foster, “Voting reforms will improve our democracy,” CommonWealth

“Let’s finally do away with these barriers to voting and take deliberate steps to increase voter turnout in the Commonwealth. Voters support these reforms and the times demand them. Until the VOTES Act is passed in its entirety, our work remains unfinished.”

Michael Jonas, “Report slams sheriffs over campaign money from contractors, employees,” CommonWealth

“The report included 13 of 14 Massachusetts sheriffs and said they accounted for nearly $2.7 million of the $6 million in potential conflict-of-interest donations across the 48 sheriffs’ departments that were examined. The top Massachusetts recipient in the report was Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph McDonald, with $738,000 in donations that the groups deemed an “apparent conflict.” “

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

“This unconstitutional brutality included beating and kicking prisoners; gouging eyes; grabbing testicles; smashing faces into the ground or wall; deploying Taser guns, pepper ball guns, and other chemical agents; ordering K9s to menace and bite prisoners; and excessively tightening handcuffs and forcing prisoners’ arms into unnatural and painful positions, among other positional torture tactics,” the attorneys wrote in the lawsuit. 

Yawu Miller, “Local officials, teachers blast Baker on COVID response,” Bay State Banner

“Speaking to the Banner, Najimy said her union wants in-school instruction, but that schools should have the option to close temporarily when infections reach a critical point. The ban on remote learning makes in-school instruction worse in schools experiencing COVID outbreaks and the resulting shortages of teachers and other staff, she said.”

Yawu Miller, “Court ruling seen as blow to Boston police gang database,” Bay State Banner

“We need to end the gang database,” said Armani White, a Roxbury activist who works with the group Right to the City Vote. “We need to think about how we provide resources and fund initiatives that prevent crime, not keeping databases that are about monitoring Black men.”

“Already-strained child-care field struggles to cope with COVID challenges,” Boston Globe (Letters)

“In short, we are facing a full-scale collapse of our child-care system. The Legislature must address this critical issue, taking advantage of federal recovery funds and a state budget surplus to build a more equitable system for young families and for providers, as laid out in the Common Start bill. We can’t miss this one-time chance to build a system that really works.”

Wheeler Cowperthwaite and Joe Difazio, “‘Cause for concern’: Warren, Markey seek federal review of Plymouth jail conditions,” Patriot Ledger

“These concerns include lack of access to food and hot water, inadequate medical care, insufficient hygienic maintenance, limited and monitored interactions with counsel, violation of their rights to practice religion, and retaliatory punishment – all of which give us cause for concern about the rights and health of those detained on behalf of ICE at (the jail),” Warren and Markey wrote in the letter.

Neema Avashia, “It’s been a long, arduous week for Mass. teachers. Why won’t our state leaders apologize?,” WBUR

“And there is no clear, proactive messaging from the state about how we should approach this period of intense interruption. The only messaging is that of blame. It is hard, as someone who has dedicated her life’s work to the education of young people, to not feel angry about the utter vacuum of vision, and the speed with which our leaders seek to point fingers at the people whose daily labor is actually required to keep our schools open, and keep our students safe and supported and learning.”

Editorial Board, “Vaccination rates for Massachusetts children, ages 5-11, are a ‘tale of two states’,” Boston Globe

“For example, the lowest vaccination rates occur in many of the poorest communities, such as Athol (14 percent); Fall River (15 percent); New Bedford (16 percent); Brockton and Springfield (17 percent); Holyoke and Lawrence (24 percent); Haverhill (25 percent); and Lowell (30 percent). Meanwhile, most of the wealthier suburbs show a much higher vaccination rate for this age group. For example, Arlington, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Medfield, Needham, Sherborn, and Wayland have a vaccination rate above 95 percent.”

“Commission sharply split on qualified immunity proposals,” CommonWealth

“Commission member Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil Rights, had a harsher response, calling it “deeply frustrating” and “a colossal failure” that the commission failed to recommend immediate reforms to qualified immunity. “The delay tactics that characterized this commission are really dangerous and harmful for people of color who are at risk of police brutality,” Espinoza-Madrigal said. “We need immediate changes to the qualified immunity doctrine, and this cannot be delayed for years to come.”  “

“Losing patience with Governor Baker after waiting hours in line for a COVID test,” Boston Globe

“Unlike them, Baker, a former health care executive, doesn’t seem able to rise to the occasion. People with far less access to resources than Baker have for almost two years cared for each other by masking up, getting vaccinated, and getting tested. We elect our leaders to provide care and respond quickly in moments of crisis, not make excuses or pass the buck. Baker must step up and accept responsibility for this dangerous debacle, and fix it. None of us can afford for him to be a reluctant leader.”

“Commission wrestles with incarceration costs, benefits,” State House News Service

“Between fiscal years 2016 and 2020, the average population of people in Department of Correction custody declined from 9,743 to 7,935, according to data published by the Special Commission on Correctional Funding. Over that same five-year span, the agency’s total spending increased from about $580 million to more than $732 million, driving up the cost per inmate from $59,535 in FY2016 to $92,368 in FY2020.”

“New Year’s to-do list for Governor Baker, Mayor Wu stirs reaction,” Boston Globe (A letter from Margaret Heitz!)

“Re “New Year’s resolutions for the new mayor and the outgoing governor” (Editorial, Jan. 1): To follow up its 2022 resolutions for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Governor Charlie Baker, the Globe needs to create a list for the state Legislature. Leading the list should be legislative process reform; the residents of this state deserve — and don’t have — an open process that fairly weighs the interests of families and of corporate associations. Will the Globe create that list? Will it spotlight the lawmaking system’s perennial autocratic dysfunction? Will it point to needed changes? (See, for example, last January’s report from the Climate Social Science Network at Brown University, “Who’s Delaying Climate Action in Massachusetts? Twelve Findings.”)”

“‘People’s house’ still shuttered, but crucial work lies ahead,” Boston Globe

“At the start of the pandemic and in anticipation of the 2020 presidential election, lawmakers wisely brought the state’s absentee voting laws into the 21st century, allowing no-excuses mail-in voting and, for the first time, early voting in primary elections. The reforms, however, were only temporary — extended once to include last year’s municipal elections. But the law died on Dec. 15, and efforts to extend it permanently have stalled. The Senate, in its bill (passed last October), wants to add same-day voter registration to the package; the House, which voted earlier for most of those reforms, seems not amenable to the voter registration piece. All those Democrats squabbling over the shape of voting reforms is just unseemly.”

“MTA attacks Baker on testing,” CommonWealth

“We are tired of Band-Aid approaches from Baker and [Education Commissioner Jeff] Riley when it comes to facing the biggest public health threat of our time,” said MTA President Merrie Najimy in a statement.

“With supplies running short, school employees will each get only one COVID-19 test,” Boston Globe

“The state will provide only one COVID-19 test per school employee, instead of the two originally planned, as supply shortages continue to challenge efforts for a safe return to school, education officials confirmed Saturday.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education notified school superintendents Friday night that the department had received 227,166 tests from two manufacturers, enough to provide one to each teacher and staff member.”

“Colorado governor pardons 1,351 Coloradans convicted of marijuana possession,” Denver Post

“More than 1,300 people convicted of possession of less than two ounces of marijuana will have their criminal records cleared after Gov. Jared Polis announced Thursday he would issue a mass pardon.” MA, your turn.

“New England is warming faster than the rest of the planet, new study finds,” Boston Globe

“New England is warming significantly faster than global average temperatures, and that rate is expected to accelerate as more greenhouse gases are pumped into the atmosphere and dangerous cycles of warming exacerbate climate change, according to a new study.”

“‘Rubber stamp’ justice? In Mass., prison officials almost always deny prisoners’ claims of abuse behind bars,” Boston Globe

“Every year, Massachusetts prisoners file hundreds of grievances alleging all manner of mistreatment behind bars, from excessive force to racism to harassment — all at the hands of prison employees….And year after year, state records show, prison officials reject almost all of them.”

“Wu is right to stay the course amid anti-vax misinformation,” Boston Globe (A letter from Jonathan Cohn!)

“Wu has shown no sign of backing down, and we are all better for it. But those of us who believe in science, public health, and solidarity as the way forward on the pandemic and other issues need to be more vocal in our support so that we can relegate the misinformation and invective to the mere noise that it is.”

“Mass. to start trimming back housing assistance in Jan.,” CommonWealth

“We think that certainly we want the funds to be available longer, but the commonsense way to do that would be to seek additional funds,” said Kelly Turley, associate director of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. “This is not the time for families, households, elders, to be experiencing additional housing instability in the midst of the ongoing public health crisis.” 

“The Bill for My Homelessness Was $54,000,” New York Times

“Leaving homelessness did not mean immediate freedom. Instead, coming back to the world of the housed meant first having to navigate an obstacle course of fees and fines that I had incurred while homeless. In the process, I learned that the most traumatized and vulnerable members of our society are often burdened with bills that they have no idea how to handle, making finding secure housing that much harder.”

“Massachusetts’ minimum wage is increasing again in the new year. Here’s why,” WBUR

” “Massachusetts’ minimum wage will increase to $14.25 an hour on Jan. 1. It’s the final adjustment to the state’s wage floor before it becomes $15 an hour in Advocates are welcoming the scheduled increase. “It will mean that hundreds of thousands of workers will be seeing a raise — and so it’s cause to celebrate,” said Phineas Baxandall, a senior policy analyst at the left-leaning Mass. Budget and Policy Center. “

“Low-income communities could be saving money on energy while helping the climate, but the DPU is standing in the way,” Boston Globe

“By now we could have had people getting discounts on their bills,” said the Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, the city of Boston’s chief of Environment, Energy and Open Spaces. “I just can’t understand why — when people are suffering and struggling to pay their bills — you would stop us from building them renewable energy, and then giving those credits to support people.”

“Tougher Vaccine Rules Are Welcome (Letters),” Boston Globe

“I have no doubt that the mayor’s decision will be good for the economy and for our community’s health and well-being.”

“All for one, and none for all: Is banning single-family zoning easing the housing crisis?” Boston Globe

“Single-family zoning is just one arrow in the quiver for apartment-averse communities; other exclusionary rules, such as minimum lot sizes, setbacks, and parking requirements, yield similar results by different means. The best indicator that recent single-family zoning reform efforts are working, Ptomey said, is that people have begun discussing changes to those other policies, too.”

“Report finds Hispanic residents have harder time getting health care,” CommonWealth

“The report found that nearly one in three Massachusetts residents had difficulty accessing care at a doctor’s office – whether because a clinic wasn’t accepting new patients, the office did not accept their insurance, or they simply could not get an appointment as soon as they felt they needed one.” Why we need Medicare for All

“The Equity-Enhancing Power of Mandates,” Boston Globe

“Mandates rely on the simple public health principle that universal application of an intervention can be a powerful tool for reducing disparities. For example, fluoridation of drinking water helped close disparities in dental outcomes. Bans on smoking in public places benefit communities equally. Applying taxes to all tobacco products decreases inequity by disproportionately reducing tobacco use in low-income groups.”

“These 24 States Improved Access to Voting This Year,” Democracy Docket

“States across the country saw an unprecedented attack on the right to vote this past year. In the wake of Trump’s unfounded election claims, states like Texas and Georgia passed restricting laws that will make it harder for Americans to vote. But at the same time, many other states — 24 — took steps to make voting easier, enacting reforms like universal mail voting, expanding access for people with disabilities and banning prison gerrymandering. Here’s a roundup of some positive voting reforms this year you may have missed.” If only MA were on the list!

“The most neglected story of 2021? Immigration,” Boston Globe

“Our country’s vast and complex immigration system is incontrovertibly broken: Millions of residents live in the shadows without status and yet keep contributing to our economy — many of them as essential workers. Then there’s the trauma that immigrant parents and their children continue to suffer after being separated at the border. The federal government reportedly stopped negotiating a potential monetary settlement with the families, which would have helped repair the harm it so cruelly inflicted on them.” MA needs to act by passing the Safe Communities Act and the Work & Family Mobility Act.

“The M.I.T. Professor Defining What It Means to Live,” New York Times

“Not paying people enough to live implies indifference to whether they continue to live, undermining basic standards of decency and further eroding the foundations of a functional democracy. With many companies now inching toward more humane compensation, the question of how to define a living wage deserves broader public discussion.”

“It was once called a ‘useless job.’ Now, lieutenant governor may be the hottest race in Massachusetts politics,” Boston Globe

“In the weeks since Governor Charlie Baker and his lieutenant governor, Karyn Polito, said they would not seek reelection, it’s her office — not the top statewide seat — that has stirred a surge of interest among the Democratic Party’s state bench.

At least 10 Democrats are running for or are considering seeking state government’s number two post in 2022, an unusual number for a down-ballot seat that typically draws a smattering of green or lesser-known political candidates.”

“A changing of the guard in Lowell as a diverse leadership takes office,” Boston Globe

“For the first time, Lowell will have three Cambodian-American city councilors, a breakthrough for the country’s second-largest Khmer community.If, as expected, one is chosen by his peers as the next mayor,he would become the first Cambodian-American to lead a US city, observers say. The new City Council will also include its first biracial member in Corey Robinson, and Stacey Thompson will become the first Black woman to take office in Lowell as a member of the School Committee.”

State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, “A Short: Devenscrest Evictions,” YouTube

“Early July, with no warning, over 50 Ayer Tenants living in the Devenscrest neighborhood received eviction notices in their mailboxes alerting them to leave by the end of September. The Devencrest apartments were recently sold to new owners. This is a tragic housing crisis that is not just happening in Ayer but all around the country. A month ago, State Senator Jamie Eldridge visited the neighborhood and listened to these residents talk about their personal stories, struggles and worries as they navigate this plight.”

“In a record-breaking year of weather, signs of a changed world,” Boston Globe

“In a year when Boston set several record high temperatures, not a single low temperature record fell. Instead, the city experienced nine days in which the coldest point of the day was the warmest it has ever been on that day of the year, going back to the start of the historical record in 1872, according to data from the Northeast Regional Climate Center.”

“Senate showdown pits family roots against Boston councilor,” CommonWealth

“I’ve been at both ends of the economic spectrum in my life, and that’s a lot of our district,” Edwards said of the First Suffolk and Middlesex District, which reaches from wealthy Beacon Hill to immigrant-rich sections of East Boston and Revere. “And my experience has been in fighting for people on the margins who are always struggling.” 

“Crumbling concrete, leaky ceilings: Twitter watchdogs chronicle disrepair on the MBTA,” Boston Globe

“Nearly every day, MBTA riders come across anything from cracked columns, loose flooring tiles, and leaky ceilings. While the T’s website has options to report problems inside stations, a small army of commuters is increasingly turning to a different medium to air their concerns: Twitter.” Just the latest example of why we need the Fair Share Amendment

“Revealed in dark of night and passed hours later in nearly empty chamber, Mass. House moves $4 billion bill toward governor,” Boston Globe

“The final version of a bill spending billions in federal aid was revealed late Wednesday, long after dark. By Thursday morning, the $4 billion package emerged in a nearly empty chamber of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where it was approved without an audible “yea” or “nay.” Four minutes later, the session was over.” We deserve a better process than this.

“Charlie Baker’s Empty Suit,” WBUR

“The response to those cascading crises by the man who ran for governor in 2014 touting his executive experience and management skills? Baker “forgot” he had named Bennett Walsh to be superintendent of the Soldiers Home. He “didn’t know” until after the New Hampshire crash about the backlog at the RMV that eventually resulted in the suspension of thousands of drivers’ licenses. He didn’t get around to appointing a new oversight board at the MBTA until October, weeks after he vowed to make it a priority. The botched vaccine rollout was the federal government’s fault for not supplying enough vaccines fast enough. He signed a watered-down police “reform” bill years after the state police scandal broke.”

“Polite, Legal, and Unacknowledged: The Devastating Biases of Well-Heeled Suburbia,” The American Prospect

“This concentrated white affluence in certain Massachusetts suburbs is not just the result of the free market in housing; government zoning deserves a big part of the blame. In the relatively diverse city of Cambridge (median household income of $103,154), for example, the zoning code states that the minimum lot size for multifamily housing is 900 square feet, while 15 miles away, in Weston (median household income of $207,702), the multifamily minimum lot size has been set at 240,000 square feet, some 267 times higher than Cambridge’s.”

“Why You Should Get Off the Sidelines in the Abortion Debate,” WBUR

“Overwhelmed? That’s understandable. This issue is complex and has long been stigmatized. On top of that, there is just so much going on. So many valid causes that need your attention. So many demands of daily life. But the privilege you may have once held to sit out the abortion debate has evaporated. You’re part of an overwhelming majority of abortion rights supporters in America. Abortion access is about to be decimated, and the consequences will hit almost every corner of our society.”

“Boston City Council approves $8 million to make three MBTA bus lines fare-free starting next year,” Boston Globe

“Fare collection is a very inefficient way of generating revenue,” Berger said in an interview. “It slows the bus ride down, it makes it less competitive. … If we’re able to speed up the route by allowing people to enter through all doors, that will allow us to put more service on the road for the same cost.”

“Correction Department cries out for oversight,” Boston Globe (Editorial Board)

“What happens behind prison walls ought not to be shrouded in secrecy or mystery. It’s time to consider a better way — and that better way must include independent oversight of a department that has been a law unto itself for far too long.”