As trains broke down, the MBTA’s million-dollar marketing campaign kept running In 2019, a politically-connected state contractor laid out a series of messages and ideas for its Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority clients in what was dubbed their “MBTA Brand Creative Presentation.” Large concepts like “Performance Improvement” and “Fiscal Discipline” were broken down by objectives, situations, […]
WHERE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR STAND ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Pictured: Weymouth Compressor Station With multiple ongoing environmental fights in the state, our next governor will have major power to protect residents’ health and prosperity Amid ongoing fights over the proposed East Boston substation, a proposed Peabody gas power plant, and the Weymouth compressor station, the race to succeed Charlie Baker as governor has major […]
THE PANDEMIC PAYDAY CONTINUES—FOR CONSULTANTS
Image via City Life/Vida Urbana Mass uses questionable tools to investigate eviction relief applicants State officials are spending more than $750,000 of COVID-19 aid on corporate consultants who will investigate applicants for eviction relief by running analytics on applications that housing advocates say can prevent residents from getting the relief they need. And while officials […]
PHONE CHECK
Mass is still gouging the families of prisoners on phone fees. Will lawmakers finally change that? For the past 10 years, Beverly Ross has spent hundreds of dollars a month on a middle-school teacher’s salary to ensure that her son knows his father, who is incarcerated in a Massachusetts prison. “My husband has been […]
THE MASS PAROLE BOARD HAS A TRANSPARENCY PROBLEM
From secret hiring practices to a revolving door of political appointees, the Mass Parole Board is a “black hole,” and “lives are at risk.” In the spring of 2021, Ms. Smith, whose name has been changed for this article, heard from a friend that there was a vacancy on the Massachusetts Parole Board. Board member […]