Somewhere between delivering kegs and writing for CommonWealth magazine, Paul McMorrow discovered a reverence for facts and figures. The 30-year-old associate editor, who also pens a weekly column for The Boston Globe, believes the best stories are those that start with a fact-based foundation that can be colored with comment and context. “When you cover
CommonWealth first with New Year’s Eve probation stunner
Talk about burying the lead. Paul Flavin, the attorney for suspended Probation Commissioner John J. O’Brien, sent out a press release at about 2:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The release went on for 1 1/2 pages about how O’Brien was being used as a scapegoat for hiring practices that are “systemic in the culture
Wonk & Roll: Bang bang
John Schneider Smith and Wesson has received a $6 million state tax credit to add 225 jobs to its plant in Springfield. Meanwhile, local officials in Pittsfield are sitting on pins and needles to see if federal funding is coming their way for components of a defense project to be built in their city resulting
Boston Globe editorial series highlights MassINC’s Gateway Cities effort
On November 29, The Boston Globe ran the first of a five-part series of editorials advocating for the state’s Gateway Cities. The series argues for state policy changes to better support older, mid-sized cities from Lawrence to Pittsfield. The editorials refer to MassINC’s ongoing advocacy for these communities beginning with the major research report, “Reconnecting
Wonk & Roll: The next UMass president
With Marty Meehan out of the running for UMass president, we thought it might be helpful to nominate a few other candidates for consideration. So, in no particular order—other than alphabetical—here is our list: Ian Bowles—All agree that the soon to be former Massachusetts secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs has done a stellar job
Don’t give GE $25m in tax credits
1 Monday, November 29, 2010 I received a voicemail this morning from a machine tool manufacturer in Springfield. The owner was irate about a Boston Globe report describing tax credits the state has been negotiating with General Electric. He said he could hire new workers if the state would help him invest in new equipment. I expect the governor’s office is
CommonWealth takes top honors in Capitolbeat awards
CommonWealth magazine once again won top spots within several categories in this year’s Capitolbeat Awards, a contest for reporting on state and local government. A joint investigation by CommonWealth and Fox 25 on how Boston public employees are taking advantage of an affordable housing benefit earned the number one spot in the large market television
What just happened?
Watch the video clips here BOSTON—Over 100 people gathered for a standing-room-only event at Suffolk University Law School Friday morning to talk about the 2010 statewide elections. MassINC Polling Group president Steven Koczela joined Boston Globe columnist Scot Lehigh and NECN reporter Alison King to discuss the campaigns, the issues, and the voter
The MassINC Polling Group starts strong
Since opening its doors in August, the MassINC Polling Group (MPG) has quickly gained a statewide and national audience for its unique brand of independent, issue-oriented polling work. Steve Koczela, President of MPG, sees this strong entrance into the opinion research marketplace as an encouraging sign for the start-up subsidiary of MassINC. On
Post Election poll frames “What Just Happened”
Charlie Baker only won by 14 points among unenrolled voters, and lost the female vote by a resounding 24 points, according to a special post-election voter survey taken Wednesday, November 3rd, by the MassINC Polling Group. Baker’s margin among unenrolled voters was well short of what was needed to overcome Democrat’s statewide advantage in party registration.