Tax fairness on the agenda
The Massachusetts Legislature prepared this week to repeal the new “tech tax” and Gov. Deval L. Patrick has already signaled he’ll go along with the plan mostly pushed by the…
Lenox needs to move forward, not back
Editor’s Note: Bruce Garlow served as an assistant to former State Rep. Christopher Hodgkins, D-Lee, prior to being named town administrator for Richmond. An editorial in last week’s Berkshire Beacon…
Region’s influence in state government and politics to grow
Western Massachusetts is poised to have considerably more influence in state government and politics in the coming months. State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg, a Democrat from Amherst, announced in late July…
Berkshire lawyer’s dogged pursuit for judgeship is unprecedented
Michael J. McCarthy is not taking no for an answer. McCarthy, a Pittsfield attorney and former city solicitor and assistant district attorney, has twice been rejected by the Governor’s Council…
Sen. Dan Wolf’s ethics problem
State Senator Dan Wolf has a problem. The second term Democrat from Cape Cod is running for governor, but the state Ethics Commission recently ruled that he has a conflict…
Nixon resignation made history worth remembering
Last week was the thirty-ninth anniversary of a seminal event in United States history. On August 9, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon became the first American chief executive to step…
Small Republican caucus in state Senate takes another hit
Even a partisan Democrat these days can’t help but feel a little sorry for the hapless Massachusetts Republican party. On Monday, state Sen. Michael Knapik, a Westfield Republican well regarded…
Return of the tolls
For the past several weeks there’s been a battle between the governor and Legislature over tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Specifically, the tolls from Weston to West Stockbridge were the…
Berkshire County and Adams Retirement Systems score well
Public employees in two local retirement systems should feel pretty good about their pensions according to a recent report by the Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based research firm. Pioneer has recently…
Governor and Legislature at odds over taxes
At his State of the State address in January, Governor Deval L. Patrick outlined an ambitious agenda. At the top of his list was a major overhaul of state taxes,…