State Politics
As State Resources Strain, Houses of Worship Fill the Gap To Host Unhoused Immigrants
For the past four months, an immigrant mother from Uganda and her two children have slept in the basement of an Episcopal church in the Greater Boston area.
‘Authoritarianism’: Mass. Lawmakers Condemn Harvard Funding Review
Top Massachusetts lawmakers showed outrage and gave dire warnings in response to Monday’s announcement that three federal agencies are reviewing more than $8 billion in Harvard’s federal funding.
State Rep. Marjorie Decker Calls for City Councilor Paul Toner’s Resignation
Massachusetts State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker called on Cambridge City Councilor Paul F. Toner to resign in a Thursday statement, turning up pressure on the embattled local official to leave City Hall.
Rep. Decker Denounces Toner’s Involvement in Brothel Case, Stops Short of Calling for Resignation
Massachusetts State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker condemned Cambridge City Councilor Paul F. Toner for his alleged involvement in an interstate brothel network at a meeting with constituents last week — but stopped short of calling for his resignation.
Mass. Lawmakers Call for Release of Tufts Student Taken by ICE
Top Mass. lawmakers are calling for the release of Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk following her arrest by federal immigration officers on the street last week over her pro-Palestine advocacy.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Criticizes Trump Administration in State of the City Address
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 fiercely defended the city against pressure from the Trump administration in her State of the City address last week — a move that Harvard professor Jacqueline Bhabha praised as the “right decision.”
How Allston’s State Representatives Fund Their Campaigns
Michael J. Moran and Kevin G. Honan have served in the Massachusetts State House for decades, but Moran draws from a far wider-reaching network of donors and maintains a higher cash amount in his campaign account.
DPU Cuts MassSave Funding by $500 Million, Approves Gas Bill Reductions
The Department of Public Utilities ordered a reduction of the total three-year budget for the MassSave energy efficiency program by $500 million on Friday to reduce gas bills.
Lobbyist Dollars, Italian Lunches: How Harvard’s State Representative Raises and Spends Campaign Funds
According to decades worth of public filings reviewed by The Crimson, State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker is a prolific fundraiser — she’s raised over $750,000 since 2013 — and has spent even more.
Proposed Massport Price Hike Could Double Fees on Ubers, Lyfts to Logan
Fees on trips to and from Boston Logan International Airport could more than double by 2027, as the Massachusetts Port Authority considers hiking rates on ride-hailing pick-ups and drop-offs at the airport.
Eversource and National Grid Propose Cutting Gas Delivery Rates by 10%
Eversource and National Grid, Massachusetts’ largest energy companies, proposed 10 percent cuts to gas bill delivery rates on Monday, after the Department of Public Utilities ordered gas companies to lower total gas bills by at least 5 percent last week.
DPU Orders Mass. Gas Companies to Cut Bills by 5 Percent
The companies have until Feb. 24 to file their proposals for adjustments, which will take effect on March 1. The move will afford residents some respite, with lower bills expected for the “peak season” months of March and April.
The JFK Presidential Library Closed — Then Reopened — Amid Confusion Over DOGE Firings
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum abruptly closed indefinitely on Tuesday afternoon, following an executive order that triggered a new round of federal layoffs. But the library reopened Wednesday morning — without reinstating fired workers.
Mass. Department of Public Utilities to Review Energy Delivery Rates After Complaints Over Skyrocketing Bills
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has promised to renegotiate energy delivery rates with oil and gas companies after Mass. Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 and several state legislators penned letters decrying residents’ surging heating bills.
HKS Professor Expresses Optimism as Healey Announces Re-Election Bid
As Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 is preparing to seek re-election in 2026, Harvard Kennedy School professor Linda J. Blimes is optimistic about her chances to return to Beacon Hill.
Kraft Officially Launches Boston Mayoral Campaign
Philanthropist Joshua Kraft officially announced his candidacy for Boston mayor on Tuesday — and lost no time criticizing Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 for a lack of results on her campaign promises.
Cambridge State Rep Says State Legislature Will Work to Protect Residents under Trump
The Massachusetts state legislature is preparing to use its power to protect residents while looking to the state Attorney General as the “first line of defense” against executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in his first week of office, state representative Marjorie C. Decker said in an interview Thursday.
MassDOT Adds Unpopular Train Layover to Allston I-90 Project in Sudden Reversal
A massive project to realign the I-90 highway in Allston will include a train layover for Amtrak and the MBTA, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced last week, an unexpected reversal after the MassDOT secretary said the layover would not be included in the project in April.
Cambridge Will Ask State Legislature to Allow Use of Traffic Cameras
The Cambridge City Council unanimously voted on Monday to draft a petition asking the Massachusetts State Assembly to allow the city to implement automatic traffic enforcement.
Cambridge, Allston Voters Send Uncontested State Representatives Back to Beacon Hill
Cambridge and Allston voters sent nine uncontested Democratic incumbents back to Beacon Hill, according to the Associated Press — including State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker, who narrowly won re-election in the 25th Democratic Party against her progressive challenger Evan C. MacKay ’19.
Elizabeth Warren Glides to Victory, Returns to Senate for Third Term
Senator Elizabeth A. Warren (D-Mass.) cruised to reelection on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press, winning a third six-year term and roundly defeating her Republican opponent John Deaton in deep-blue Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Voters Weighed in on 5 Ballot Questions. Here’s What They Chose.
Voters approved a ballot measure to eliminate the MCAS exam as a high school graduation requirement but rejected pushes to legalize psychedelics and raise the minimum wage for tipped workers. The election also saw votes in favor of expanding the state auditor’s power to investigate the state legislature and allowing rideshare drivers to unionize.
Massachusetts Voters Approve Proposition to Eliminate MCAS Graduation Requirement
Massachusetts voters approved a contentious ballot question to eliminate the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam as a graduation requirement on Tuesday, marking a major victory for the state’s teachers union.
Matt Damon, Mike Bloomberg Weigh In On MCAS Ballot Question
In a sprint to the finish line, celebrities, elected officials, and millions of dollars in new donations have flooded the hotly-contested race over Ballot Question 2 over the last two weeks.
Mass. Education Secretary, Teachers Association President Debate MCAS Ballot Question at HGSE
State Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler said he opposes eliminating the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System high school graduation requirement without an alternative state-wide requirement at a Harvard Graduate School of Education event Tuesday.