Statistically Significant

By Robert David Sullivan Demographics, State Government 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

Illustrations by Travis Foster Commuter trains to nowhere Increased commuter-rail service is a key component of “smart growth,” but not all train stops allow for car-free living. Some are simply too far from supermarkets, hardware stores, fitness clubs, and the like. According to the website WalkScore, which gives locations “walkability” scores ranging from 0 to(...)

Politics

Free riders

By Robert David Sullivan State Government 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

Massachusetts, once known for its raucous politics, now ranks last in the nation in the percentage of voters with a choice as to who represents them in the State House. There are both Democratic and Republican candidates in only 27 of 160 state representative districts this year. (With contests in five of 40 Senate seats,(...)

Politics

Voting made easy

By Gabrielle Gurley 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

INTRO TEXT The young man in a tattered baseball cap walked up to Sharon Adair’s table at the Ward 5 polling place near City Hall in Concord, New Hampshire. Daniel Taylor wasn’t on the list of registered voters for the September primary, but that didn’t stop him. Adair confirmed that Taylor’s driver’s license had a(...)

Politics

Local ink

By Dan Kennedy Media and Journalism 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

It’s hard to be optimistic about the newspaper business these days, but Kirk Davis is trying. Davis is the president and publisher of GateHouse Media New England, which owns more than 100 newspapers in eastern Massachusetts — and which itself is part of GateHouse Media, a national chain of some 500 papers based near Rochester,(...)

Politics

Paper tiger

By Colman M. Herman Ethics and Open Government, State Government 1 Comment Oct 21, 2008

INTRO TEXT A law designed to shine a bright light on the inner workings of state and local government in Massachusetts is instead leaving much of the bureaucracy in shadows, if not total darkness. A seven-month investigation by CommonWealth revealed that public officials at all levels of government frequently game the Massachusetts Public Records Law,(...)

Economy

Tax poll

By Robert David Sullivan Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

A proposal to eliminate the state’s income tax is back on the ballot this year, after losing 40 percent to 48 percent, with 12 percent of voters blanking on the question, six years ago. That vote coincided with a gubernatorial election in which Republican Mitt Romney did not endorse the measure but ran a “tough(...)

Politics

Divided loyalties

By Alison Lobron Demographics, Municipal Government 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

“So, what do you do?” My friend visiting from San Francisco stifled a laugh when she heard this familiar line at a cocktail party. She has a theory that Bostonians can’t use any other question to start a conversation with a stranger — and, furthermore, that until we’ve established what a person does (meaning gainful(...)

Politics

Three thoughts

By Bruce Mohl Ethics and Open Government 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

I first met Colman Herman, the author of this issue’s cover story on the Massachusetts Public Records Law, years ago when I was a Boston Globe reporter. He had asked Attorney General Thomas Reilly to enforce the state’s item pricing law. When Reilly did nothing, Herman sought to enforce the law on his own with(...)

Economy/ Politics/ Opinion

The elimination of the states income tax is back on the ballot in November We present four distinct views on the question

By Carla Howell, Sen. Richard Tisei, William Ardinger and Sandra Fenwick State Government, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

Cut the waste and build the economy Why are 1.35 million Massachusetts voters already planning to vote yes on Question 1 to end the state income tax? Should you join them? There are three things to consider: what the debate is, government by the numbers, and why the people of Massachusetts benefit if you vote(...)

Economy/ Politics/ Opinion

Help wanted

By Edgar Dworsky Cost of Living and Consumer Affairs, State Government 0 Comments Oct 21, 2008

the job of being the voice of consumers in government has been vacant for years in Massachusetts. Not since the ’80s and early ’90s have we had political figures who made long-term commitments to consumer issues and were vocal advocates for the rights of the little guy. Back then, we were a state that prided(...)

Fall 2008