State Politics
States Across the Country Are Trying to Ban Legacy Admissions. Will Massachusetts Do it Too?
After a bill to ban legacy admissions died in committee last legislative session, some Massachusetts officials are optimistic their efforts will come to fruition.
City Employee Pilar Ortiz Declares Candidacy for Boston City Council
Pilar Ortiz, the chief of staff for the City of Boston’s Law Department, will challenge incumbent Elizabeth A. “Liz” Breadon for her spot in the next Boston City Council.
Massachusetts Attorney General Files Amicus Brief Calling for Release of HMS Researcher
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell filed an amicus brief in support of Harvard Medical School researcher Kseniia Petrova, calling for her immediate release from a Louisiana detention facility.
City Employee Kerry Augustin Declares Candidacy For Boston Mayor
As he vies to become the next mayor of Boston, City Hall employee Kerry Augustin recognizes he faces an uphill battle. But it’s one that he is willing to fight.
After Communication Breakdown, Task Force on Antisemitism Will Not Meet With Boston This Week
Officials from the Department of Justice task force on antisemitism were set to meet with Boston city leadership on Wednesday, but without communication from Washington, a city official confirmed that the meeting is no longer scheduled for this week.
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.
‘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.
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.
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.
