Are free buses closer than they appear?
The Gateway Cities Journal
Free buses may be the bold idea Massachusetts needs to rebuild a culture of public transportation as we emerge from the pandemic in 2021.
Who Will Rescue the Student Opportunity Act?
The Gateway Cities Journal
The problem in a nutshell: The Legislature hasn’t provided certainty that the state will make good on its promise to deliver the funds in equal increments over the law’s seven-year phase-in period. Lacking confidence that they will see these scheduled increases in Chapter 70 aid, school districts have been hesitant to develop plans to deploy the new funds strategically.
Correctional Officers Can Lead the Way Out of the Tough-on-Crime-Era
Report argues steep drop in incarceration positions frontlines workers to provide rehabilitation
Massachusetts has an unprecedented opportunity to make better use of limited public safety resources by reducing the incarcerated population and reinventing correctional practices with more leadership and direction from those on the frontlines.
Refunding Corrections
7th Annual Policy Summit | Event Recording
Focusing on criminal justice information systems, MassINC and panel experts review efforts to increase transparency, improve data collection, and root out racial bias.
TTOD “Transformative Transit-Oriented Development” Talks
Presented by MassINC and the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute, the TTOD (Transformative Transit-Oriented Development, pronounced “TOD”) Talks are a series of lectures and panels designed to explore the many ways in which planning, development and local policies affect the socioeconomic and political inequities in our communities – with a special focus on the legacy cities outside of
Rooting Out Racial Bias
Event Recording
Focusing on criminal justice information systems, MassINC and panel experts review efforts to increase transparency, improve data collection, and root out racial bias.
Top Gateway City Budget Priorities for FY22
The Gateway Cites Journal
Funding for Early College and lifting the cap on the Housing Development Incentive Program are among the top FY22 priorities for Gateway Cities and their residents.
Forecasting the Impact of Transit Cuts on Equitable Transit Oriented Development
In December 2020, the MBTA approved widespread cuts to bus and commuter rail service despite objections from officials and transit advocates. Starting in January, twenty bus lines will be shut down, and weekend commuter rail service will end for communities along the Fitchburg, Franklin, Greenbush, Haverhill, Kingston/Plymouth, Lowell and Needham lines. What impacts will the
Budgets for the days ahead: A survey of Massachusetts voters
With budget deficits created by the COVID-19 pandemic, legislators and political officials across the commonwealth are facing difficult choices. Demands for government services have soared, while revenue projections are uncertain. State and local government are on the frontlines of the public sector response to the crisis as businesses close, unemployment remains high, and a historic
