City Politics
Ballot Question Ratifying Updated Cambridge Charter Passes With More Than 75% of the Vote
Cambridge voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to amend the City’s charter for the first time since 1940, according to preliminary election results released by the city early Wednesday morning, which showed more than three-quarters of ballots in favor.
Ayesha Wilson, Running for Second Term, Wants To Bring More Voices Into City Council Conversations
Cambridge City Councilor Ayesha M. Wilson is running for a second term on the promise that she will do her best to ensure that no residents’ concerns are overlooked.
Somerville Incentivizes TransMedics Move With Ten-Year Tax Break
The city of Somerville approved a tax increment financing deal on Oct. 23 that would offer a ten-year, $18 million property tax break to TransMedics — an organ-care technology company — in hopes of motivating the company’s move to Assembly Park.
After Federal Ruling Saves SNAP Benefits, Cambridge Will Still Allocate $500,000 to Assist Food Insecurity
The City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Community Foundation will allocate $500,000 to support food pantries and SNAP recipients, even after a judge required the Trump administration to allocate emergency funds to the program.
Alexandra Bowers Seeks to Amplify School Council Voices in Bid for Cambridge School Committee
Alexandra G. Bowers, a current Cambridge school council member and former Cambridge Day journalist, is campaigning to increase the power of families in the district’s decision-making in her inaugural run for School Committee.
Veteran Educator Caroline M.L. Hunter Plans to Address Achievement Gaps in School Committee Reelection Bid
Caroline M.L. Hunter has lived in Cambridge for more than five decades and worked at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School for more than three decades -- she plans to draw on those experiences in her second big for School Committee.
Water Authority Considers Proposal to Let Sewage Keep Flowing Into the Charles River
To the dismay of advocates and residents, the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority proposed a plan at a Wednesday meeting that would allow for the continuation of the sewage system.
Timothy Flaherty Wants To Lead the City That Raised Him
In a crowded field of Cambridge City Council candidates, Timothy R. Flaherty is arguably the most controversial. But after living in Cambridge for nearly 60 years, the former prosecutor sees himself as a unifying force in an otherwise polarized Council.
Harvard’s Congressional Districts Hit Hard By Federal Funding Shutdown
Harvard’s congressional districts have seen the largest funding cuts in Massachusetts as the federal government enters the twenty-seventh day of the shutdown.
Newcomer Elizabeth Bisio Wants to Focus on Resident Voices in Run for City Council
Bisio, a former emergency room nurse and start-up founder, moved to Cambridge four years ago and believes her non-political experiences allow her to put plans into action.
‘A Serious Underdog’: Melanson Brings Progressive Platform to First Cambridge Campaign
Ned S. Melanson has been a close observer of Cambridge politics since the local last election cycle — but until this year, the five-year Cambridge resident had never run in any election, not even for school president.
Cambridge Planning Board Approves Recommendation to Raise Height Limits for Mass. Ave. Residential Buildings
The Cambridge Planning Board unanimously voted in a Tuesday meeting to recommend two petitions to increase height limitations for residential buildings along Massachusetts Avenue and Cambridge Street to the City Council.
Lilly Havstad Wants to ‘Flip the Script’ in Run for School Committee
In a crowded field of eighteen candidates for Cambridge’s School Committee, six are educators and ten currently have kids in the district. Lilly Havstad is both — and thinks that her perspective is exactly what the School Committee needs to rebuild parents’ and educators’ trust.
City Council Candidates Disagree on Current Housing Crisis in Cambridge
Cambridge City Council candidates gathered at the Science Center on Tuesday to pitch their policies on housing, transportation, and relations with the federal government in the final stretch before election day.
‘A Conduit For the Public’: Jessica Goetz Promises School Committee Accountability, Transparency
In a densely packed field of eighteen candidates for Cambridge School Committee, Jessica D. Goetz stands out. She is promising to transform the School Committee into the governing body it should be.
City Council Candidates Weigh In Against Trump Settlement at Harvard Dems Forum
Cambridge City Council candidates pushed Harvard to stand up to the Trump administration at a Tuesday night forum hosted by the Harvard College Democrats.
Jia-Jing Lee Champions Underrepresented Communities in Bid for School Committee
As a Cambridge Public Schools parent, Jia-Jing Lee has advocated for students with special needs, English language learners, and former Kennedy-Longfellow families. Now, she hopes to take that advocacy to the next level by running for the district’s School Committee.
City Council Candidates Contest Multifamily Housing Ordinance in Cambridgeport Election Forum
Several challengers in Cambridge’s upcoming city council election roundly criticized incumbents for passing the landmark Multifamily Housing Ordinance earlier this year at a candidates’ forum Wednesday night, dismissing it as a “one size fits all” approach.
School Committee Urges New Superintendent to Address MCAS Performance Gaps
“These overall gains that we're seeing in a lot of places are exciting, but the continued gaps are extremely distressing,” school committee member David Weinstein said. “That's why we all are so frustrated, because we know that every child should be able to do much better than we are currently supporting every child to do.”
‘Life-Long Educator’: Caitlin Dube Puts Her Name in the Running for School Committee
Caitlin E. Dube ’05 wants educators to have a seat on the Cambridge School Committee. As a challenger with over a decade of teaching experience, she believes she is up to the task.
Cambridge School Committee Votes to Appoint David Murphy as Permanent Superintendent
The Cambridge School Committee voted to appoint interim superintendent David G. Murphy for the permanent role on Monday, putting an end to a search process that lasted more than a year and was marked by controversy.
LaQueen Battle Prioritizes Resource Accessibility in Campaigns for Both City Council and School Committee
LaQueen A. Battle, a newcomer to local elections, is the only candidate to take on a dual race — campaigning for a seat on both Cambridge’s City Council and School Committee with a promise to “make a voice for the community.”
Residents to Consider Minor Changes to Cambridge Charter in Ballot Measure
This November, Cambridge voters will ratify or reject a draft of the City’s charter that makes minor changes without altering the core of its 85-year-old council-manager form of government.