Welfare for the dead
Some unusual fireworks erupted at the State House last week that are guaranteed to keep popping this week and beyond. State Auditor Suzanne Bump said her office discovered 1,164 cases…
Town meeting prayer case goes to court
The U.S. Supreme Court last week agreed to hear a case involving prayers at town meetings. The ultimate decision has the potential to clarify a longstanding question about the separation…
Arts funding on the line
The state Senate begins its budget deliberations this week and a proposed line item increase should be of particular interest to Berkshire County. Sen. Ben Downing (D-Pittsfield) and others are…
Constitutional Convention meets briefly, delays action on amendments
In a session lasting exactly one minute last week, a Constitutional Convention of the Massachusetts Legislature decided to defer action on a batch of new amendments to the state Constitution…
None of the above
Ever wish you could vote for “none of the above?” If State Rep. Theodore C. Speliotis has his way, you will. For the second consecutive session of the Legislature, Rep.…
Local officials should seek out training opportunities
Every town in Massachusetts will be holding annual town elections over the next few weeks, and voters will have an opportunity to select from a variety of candidates for local…
Senate special primary is next week
Politics ground to a halt last week as the state concentrated on the horrific Boston Marathon bombings and massive manhunt for the perpetrators. But things are picking up again, as…
Working for more female officials
The Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus is a non-partisan organization founded in 1971 to maximize the participation of women of all ages in the political process and to increase the number…
The ‘new’ Massachusetts Turnpike
Four years ago at this time, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority was swirling in controversy. The quasi-independent state agency was having trouble paying its debts and the bond rating agencies were preparing…
A local income tax?
Forty-four bills relating to state government revenue were scheduled for public hearings this week by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Revenue, and if one bill in particular gets through the…