Phil understood that young people aren’t just the future of the party or the nation, they’re a vital part of our present.
Jesse Mermell
Posted inOpinion
Legislature pulled up short in July, but it’s getting job done now
My reduced anxiety about the Legislature’s productivity this session doesn’t mean that there isn’t still room for improvement. There is no question that the lawmaking process can be smoother, and I’ve been glad to see leadership acknowledge that the Legislature can do better.
Posted inTransportation
Consider the benefit of water transit
EVERY DAY ACROSS OUR COMMONWEALTH, congested roads, structurally deficient bridges, and unreliable rail and bus options frustrate workers, residents, and visitors at all hours of the day and night. It is no secret that Massachusetts’ transportation infrastructure is in dire need of an upgrade. Rush hour traffic is no longer limited to a few hours a day. The MBTA struggles to maintain its existing assets, let alone […]
Posted inOpinion
Broken transportation system needs new revenue
SINCE JANUARY, the segment of the Massachusetts civic community with an interest in transportation and climate change has been waiting for the report requested by Gov. Charlie Baker of his Commission on the Future of Transportation. Charged with tackling topics that will influence the economy and landscape of the Commonwealth for years to come, the […]
Posted inOpinion
Mass. must lead on climate change
ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL IMAGES from last winter’s 100-year storms was the photograph of General Electric’s future Boston home submerged under water. It served as a strong warning of the consequences if we fail to act boldly in the fight against climate change. In this final month of the state Legislature’s formal session, our […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion, Transportation
Public transportation is investment in Springfield’s future
FORGIVE US FOR opening old wounds, but it was just two years ago this spring that our state was crippled with foot after foot of snow. There was perhaps no more striking example of how dependent our economy is on reliable transportation. One economic analysis reported that Massachusetts lost $1 billion in wages and profits […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion, Transportation
Public transportation is an investment in Springfield’s future
FORGIVE US FOR opening old wounds, but it was just two years ago this spring that our state was crippled with foot after foot of snow. There was perhaps no more striking example of how dependent our economy is on reliable transportation. One economic analysis reported that Massachusetts lost $1 billion in wages and profits […]
Posted inTransportation
We may be No. 1, but not in transportation
AFTER CRUNCHING MORE than 60 metrics, U.S. News & World Report and the consulting firm McKinsey recently declared Massachusetts the #1 state in the nation. Our Commonwealth’s success is built on the strength of our education system (ranked at #1), health care (#2), and overall economy (#5). All Massachusetts residents can take pride in this […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Salem is taking on climate change
THE MORE THINGS change, the more they stay the same. For centuries now the economic health of the city of Salem has been tied to the ocean. In the immediate aftermath of the American Revolution and into the 1800s, ships from Salem took to the seas and returned with tea, spices, and silks that turned […]
Posted inOpinion, Transportation
Time for vision at the MBTA
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER said, “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” If ever there was an entity in need of some hope, it is the MBTA. Fortunately, this Tuesday evening the MBTA launches an extensive visioning process – Focus40 – to craft a 25-year strategic investment plan to carry the agency to 2040. […]