The Senate makes bold investment in regional transit

The Gateway Cities Journal

Inadequate public transportation has long been a shared concern for Gateway City leaders across the state. Many of their residents are simply trapped on nights and weekends, when bus service is either extremely infrequent or entirely unavailable. This has serious implications for individual health and wellbeing. It also reduces the available workforce, and regional economic

New Poll: BPS parents voice concerns about children’s emotional well-being, physical safety

68% say they are at least somewhat concerned with their children’s physical safety

A new poll of parents of Boston Public Schools students finds parents remain concerned about their children’s physical safety and emotional well-being while at school. In all, 68% say they are at least somewhat concerned with their children’s physical safety (see chart). Parents of color express greater concern about physical safety than do white parents.

Poll: More than three-quarters of Massachusetts residents support boosting funding for regional bus service

79% of Massachusetts residents support increasing funding for the state’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs)

As lawmakers on Beacon Hill dig in on this year’s state budget, 79% of Massachusetts residents support increasing funding for the state’s 15 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs), which provide local bus and paratransit service beyond the reaches of MBTA bus and subway service.  Nearly as many (74%) support using some of the new voter-approved surtax

K.I.S.S Early College and HDIP

The Gateway Cities Journal

Economic development strategies are most likely to succeed when their logic is clear and simple, so that communities embrace the plan, and pursue it with laser focus long enough for it to work. This is playing out with Early College and HDIP. Gateway City leaders have spent years working to operationalize these programs. In March,

Playing matchmaker for MassINC

By Scot Lehigh, Globe Columnist

March 16, 2023 If I worked in the matchmaking industry and were writing a personal ad on behalf of today’s column subject, it would go something like this: Effervescent, energetic 27-year-old overachiever who loves in-depth conversation and fact-based analysis and is passionate about problem-solving seeks a high-spirited philanthropist (or two or three) for mutually pleasing

Governor Healey’s budget invests in Gateway Cities

The Gateway Cities Journal

Our last journal offered thoughts on how Governor Healey can position Gateway Cities to thrive in this post-pandemic era by increasing the Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP), investing in regional transit, and lowering commuter rail fares. Now that the administration has unveiled its first budget, our readers will want to know, how did they do?

CommonWealth’s A Little Goes a Long Way Campaign

Donate to CommonWealth's Spring Fund Drive

CommonWealth is Massachusetts’ only Civic News Organization, and we’re free for everyone! You rely on CommonWealth day in and day out, week after week and month after month. Now we hope we can rely on you. A monthly gift of any size lets us continue to bring you the Massachusetts news that you value. With

Massachusetts has a plan to increase affordable housing — now it needs the budget

Gateway City mayors and managers' opinion piece in the Boston Globe

The Housing Development Incentive Program is a powerful tool to jump-start additional housing development that contains a mix of market-rate and affordable units based on project agreements negotiated by local government. With families scrambling for homes and prices at record levels, one might wonder why Massachusetts continues to produce just a fraction of the housing

Gov. Healey can make a bold statement with HDIP, commuter rail fares, and RTA funding in FY24 budget

The Gateway Cities Journal

Governor Healey’s first budget will provide the opening look at the administration’s policy priorities. This glimpse comes at what is almost certainly a defining moment for Massachusetts. After a long string of success, the state’s economy faces serious peril, brought on by a potent combination of the COVID-19 shock, regulation inhibiting housing production, and systemic
< 1 2 3 4 5 >>|

Our sponsors