Another clue on declining T ridership

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 21, 2018

New Census data offer another clue about why transit ridership is falling all across the country, including at the MBTA. The data indicate 8 million workers nationally are now doing their jobs primarily from home, according to a report in Governing. For the first time, telecommuting narrowly edged out public transportation when respondents were asked(...)

The Download/ Politics

For tax plan, Gonzalez’s gives it the college try

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 20, 2018

The Massachusetts Republican Party has hammered Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jay Gonzalez for not releasing details of how he would pay for an ambitious agenda that calls for new spending on education and transportation. Gonzalez has answered that with a plan — but he’s now getting hammered over the details of it. Gonzalez is proposing a(...)

The Download/ Politics

The politics of disasters

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 19, 2018

Disasters have a way of defining politics and elections. Many believe Hurricane Sandy, and then-Gov. Chris Christie’s embrace of President Barack Obama, helped push the president over the top for reelection because of his administration’s response. Likewise, many pundits thought President George W. Bush’s flyover and ham-handed handling of the relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina(...)

The Download/ Health

It’s Jaws all over again

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 18, 2018

The fatal shark attack on 26-year-old boogie border Arthur Medici Saturday at Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet scared the hell out of me. Reading about the terrible incident, I could hear the John Williams theme to Jaws in my head. “Don’t go in the water.” The 1975 Steven Spielberg movie, based on the book by(...)

The Download/ Transportation

The Codcast: Bus lane: Everett just did it

By CommonWealth Staff dedicated bus lane, Everett, The Codcast, Transit Matters 0 Comments Sep 17, 2018

Everett wanted to launch a dedicated bus lane, so Mayor Carlo DeMaria Jr. just did it in December 2016. No community meetings or endless analysis. DeMaria gave residents four days notice that the parking lane on a 1.5-mile stretch of Broadway was going to be eliminated during the early morning hours and then put up(...)

The Download/ Media

Spotlight on Spotlight

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 14, 2018

For more than 50 years, the Boston Globe’s award-winning Spotlight Team – not the same people, they do change them – has put a spotlight on corruption, scandal, and inequity in the region. From exposing James “Whitey” Bulger as an FBI informant to revealing slothful schedules of Massachusetts judges to uncovering redlining by mortgage companies(...)

The Download/ Education

Superintendent showdown

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 13, 2018

Mayor Marty Walsh quickly sought to stabilize the Boston Public Schools in late June by tapping local education nonprofit leader Laura Perille as interim school superintendent to replace Tommy Chang, who exited abruptly with two years left on his contract in the face of mayoral displeasure with his tenure. But that move is now running(...)

The Download/ Health/ Politics

Questions about ballot questions

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 12, 2018

With primaries out of the way and the November elections bearing down on voters, the push for two of the three referendums on the ballot is beginning to heat up. The onslaught of dueling data is just beginning to hit stride as both sides will tout studies and grab onto fungible facts that boost their(...)

The Download/ Politics

The chameleon governor

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 11, 2018

Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr calls Gov. Charlie Baker Tall Deval. Democratic rival Jay Gonzalez suggests Baker is indirectly backing the Trump agenda in Washington. And Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi portrays the governor as a timid, calculating wimp always trying to balance on a political tightrope. Will the real Charlie Baker please stand up? All of this(...)

The Download/ Media/ Politics

The Codcast: Disagreeing agreeably

By CommonWealth Staff 0 Comments Sep 10, 2018

“Politics, Ideas & Civic Life in Massachusetts” has been the tagline describing the focus of CommonWealth’s coverage since the magazine was launched 22 years ago. We didn’t say it explicitly, but the goal also was to promote a civil civic life here. A robust exchange of views and ideas, argued vigorously but respectfully, seemed then(...)


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