What’s in a name?

The deeper you look, the more problems turn up

By Colman M. Herman Current Affairs, Municipal Government 0 Comments Apr 11, 2018

BOSTON RED SOX OWNER John Henry says he is “haunted” by the fact that a street that abuts Fenway Park, Yawkey Way, is named after a man many consider to have been racist to the core — one Thomas Yawkey. So Henry is doing his level best to dehaunt himself. Under Yawkey’s ownership, the Red(...)

Environment/ Politics/ Technology/ Spring 2018

Tax that dirty water

Communities impose new stormwater fees to deal with pollution

By Jack Sullivan Environment, EPA, Municipal Government, pollution, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Apr 10, 2018

LISA MURPHY DOESN’T have any control over how much rain or snow falls on her property in Milton, but she is nevertheless being charged a special fee for stormwater runoff. The fee is calculated based on the amount of impervious surface on her property—her paved driveway and patio as well as the footprint of her(...)

Economy/ Housing

Senate goes light on short-term rental regs

Lodging industry pans bill as a gift to Airbnb and other home-sharing apps

By Jack Sullivan airbnb, Boston, Housing, MA House, Massachusetts Senate, Municipal Government, Sharing economy, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Apr 4, 2018

THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE has passed its bill for short-term-rentals, a stripped-down version of the House measure that simplifies the tax on hosts and eliminates any tiered structure so that people offering a single room in their home are treated the same as the investor with scores of units for rent. The Senate bill, passed on(...)

Tracking Transportation/ Economy/ Transportation

Walsh wants to hike parking fines

Boston mayor proposes increased penalties to raise $5 million for transportation needs

By Jack Sullivan Environment, Mayor Marty Walsh, MBTA, Municipal Government, parking revenue, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Apr 3, 2018

BOSTON MAYOR MARTY WALSH will unveil a $5 million plan to improve the city’s transportation system, ranging from repaving roads and sidewalks to creating dedicated bus lanes, and plans to hike parking violation fines to pay for the effort. Walsh plans to include the money in his fiscal 2019 budget to be unveiled Tuesday and(...)

Economy/ Politics/ Uncategorized

City stalls on Yawkey name change

Commission puts off vote after hearing on Sox owner’s legacy

By Jack Sullivan Boston Red Sox, Charity, Fenway Park, Mayor Marty Walsh, Municipal Government, Racism, Tom Yawkey, Yawkey Way 0 Comments Mar 29, 2018

A STANDING-ROOM ONLY crowd, including reclusive former Red Sox CEO John Harrington making an emotional plea to retain the street’s moniker, left disappointed after a Boston commission charged with overseeing the city’s public ways unexpectedly delayed a controversial vote to rename Yawkey Way on Thursday. The city’s Public Improvement Commission, which had been slated to(...)

Economy/ Housing

Walsh pulls Airbnb proposal

Mayor says more time needed to enact regulations

By Jack Sullivan Affordable housing, airbnb, Boston City Council, Massachusetts Legislature, Mayor Marty Walsh, Municipal Government, Taxes and Budget Issues 0 Comments Mar 21, 2018

JUST HOURS BEFORE the Boston City Council was set to vote – and likely reject – Mayor Marty Walsh’s proposed ordinance to regulate short-term rentals such as those listed on Airbnb, he withdrew his bill and said he’d come up with another “in the coming weeks.” “During a robust process, including s public hearing and(...)

Energy/ Opinion

With more control, communities choose clean energy

Aggregation saves money while meeting climate goals

By Darlene Lombos Clean Energy, Climate change, Energy, Municipal Government 0 Comments Feb 19, 2018

ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS, COMMUNITIES are taking control over where their energy comes from. By leveraging local bulk purchasing power, more than 100 towns and cities in the Bay State have increased the amount of renewable energy they buy each year, while at the same time producing savings for consumers. Community Choice Energy (CCE, also known as(...)

Economy/ Politics/ Technology

Rosenberg suggests House to blame for Airbnb inaction

Senator says ‘it’s not rocket science’ to craft regulations

By Jack Sullivan airbnb, Governor Baker, Lyft, Massachusetts Legislature, Municipal Government, Sharing economy, Taxes and Budget Issues, Technology, Uber 0 Comments Jan 18, 2018

SEN. STAN ROSENBERG chastised his fellow lawmakers on Thursday for dithering for years while the short-term rental industry embedded itself in the market and grew unencumbered by regulations and the lodging tax “It’s not going away, technology is not going away,” said Rosenberg, who was part of a CommonWealth magazine Newsmakers panel discussing how Beacon Hill(...)

Economy/ Housing/ Politics/ Technology/ Winter 2018

The Airbnb gold rush is on

Whole buildings, like this one in Chinatown, are being converted into hotels

By Jack Sullivan Affordable housing, airbnb, Housing, Massachusetts Legislature, Municipal Government, Sharing economy, Technology 4 Comments Jan 9, 2018

Photographs by Ken Richardson AIRBNB, LIKE THE draw of ride-hailing apps to car owners, started with the premise that your home can make you a little extra money by renting out rooms to travelers looking to save a few dollars. Empty-nesters, they said, could rent out junior’s bedroom now that he’s moved out and put(...)

Economy/ Education/ Housing/ Politics/ Transportation/ Winter 2018

Mayor of firsts

Yvonne Spicer says she’s undaunted by new challenges—a good trait for the first person to serve as mayor of Framingham.

By Jack Sullivan Affordable housing, Economic development, Economy, Education, Framingham, Municipal Government, Spicer, Transportation 0 Comments Jan 9, 2018

Photographs by Frank Curran YVONNE SPICER, like a lot of her fellow Framingham residents, freely admits that she voted against the charter question to make the state’s biggest town a mid-sized city. But once the measure passed by the thinnest of margins, the former teacher and vice president of the Museum of Science did what(...)


Current Issue
Spring 2018 Spring 2018 See articles Download/View PDF Browse all issues Fall River’s lightning rod See all »	Spring 2018 Spring 2018 See articles Download/View PDF Browse all issues Fall River’s lightning rod See all » Spring 2018 Spring 2018 See articles Download/View PDF Browse all issues Hollywood haves and have-nots See all » Spring 2018 Spring 2018 See articles Download/View PDF Browse all issues Tax that dirty water See all » Spring 2018 Spring 2018 See articles Download/View PDF Browse all issues Three officials part of attempt to change the T’s culture See all » Spring 2018 Spring 2018 See articles Download/View PDF Browse all issues Lottery winners not getting full prize value See all » Spring 2018 Spring 2018 See articles Download/View PDF Browse all issues Book review: Massport at 60 See all »	Subscribe to CommonWealth. Support high-quality, non-profit journalism. Subscribe

Municipal Government