Safe Communities Act – A Brief History of Legislative Inaction

Last year, Massachusetts passed critical legislation to guarantee free communication in prisons and jails, the most comprehensive such legislation passed in the country so far. With No Cost Calls in

Nik DeCosta-Klipa, “What was the point of Massachusetts’ new tax break for renters?,” WBUR, April 17, 2024. “Nobody is going to complain about getting $50 back, but it doesn’t mean

Now that we’re in mid-April, we’re just over 100 days into 2024 and just over 100 days until July 31, i.e., the last day of the formal period of the

Marianne Rutter, “Letter: Mass. Can Do More to Lower Housing Costs,” Newburyport Daily News, April 12, 2024. To the Editor: It should come as no surprise to my fellow readers

Rachel Roth, “Letter: Transfer fee could boost affordable housing,” Your Arlington, April 4, 2024. I am stunned by how much the cost of housing in Arlington has increased since my

Testimony submitted from Progressive Needham member Bill Okerman on March 23, 2024 Dear Members of the Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions: I write to you regarding the initiative petitions

Jason Brown, “Letter: More Housing Helps Older Residents to Downsize,” West Roxbury / Roslindale Bulletin, April 4, 2024. My older family members have lived here in Boston for a majority

Colin A. Young, Michael P. Norton, and Chris Lisinski. “Healey Plans To Reduce Gov’t Hiring, Critics Say It’s Coming Too Late.” State House News Service. April 3, 2024. Blowback came

We know that policies that tear apart families — whether through deportation or through incarceration — are bad for communities. Even though the impacts of deportation have fallen out of

Tuesday, April 2, 2024 Chair Kennedy, Chair Finn, and Members of the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures, and State Assets: My name is Jonathan Cohn, and I am the