City Politics
DPU Orders Mass. Gas Companies to Cut Bills by 5 Percent
The companies have until Feb. 24 to file their proposals for adjustments, which will take effect on March 1. The move will afford residents some respite, with lower bills expected for the “peak season” months of March and April.
Cambridge To Halt Funding for Transition Wellness Center Shelter as American Rescue Plan Funds Run Out
The City of Cambridge plans to halt funding to the Transition Wellness Center Shelter in June — removing the shelter’s 58 beds as the city struggles to accommodate its unhoused population. The temporary shelter was originally intended to close in 2023.
Mass. Department of Public Utilities to Review Energy Delivery Rates After Complaints Over Skyrocketing Bills
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has promised to renegotiate energy delivery rates with oil and gas companies after Mass. Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 and several state legislators penned letters decrying residents’ surging heating bills.
Advocates Raise Concerns As Boston PILOT Report Remains Unreleased
While property taxes comprise nearly three quarters of Boston’s revenue, nonprofits are exempt from paying this tax. Instead, the PILOT program asks large non-profits to voluntarily pay a portion of what they would have otherwise paid in property taxes. The 2024 report on contributions has yet to be released.
City Council Plans To Put Proposed Charter Changes on 2025 Ballot
The Cambridge City Council set a tentative timeline for residents to approve changes to the city’s charter in a Nov. 2025 ballot measure — more than three years since the city voted to update the charter on a regular basis.
Harvard Doubles PILOT Payments to Town of Southborough
Harvard will double its annual payments to the town of Southborough to $50,000 in response to a request from the city to increase their contributions to the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, the University announced in a letter last month.
In ‘Landmark’ Vote, Cambridge Ends Single-Family Zoning
The Cambridge City Council voted 8-1 to approve a proposal eliminating single family zoning city-wide in a meeting Monday night, capping off over a year of laborious dealmaking between activist residents, experts, and councilors.
Cambridge Historical Commission Approves Chabad’s Demolition Plan
The Cambridge Historical Commission approved Harvard Chabad’s plan to demolish their 54-56 Banks St. property—a necessary step in their plans for expanding their building—in a Feb. 6 meeting.
At Open House, Cambridge Maps Out Proposed Changes to Broadway Bike Lanes
After a proposal to construct separated bike lanes on Broadway drew criticism from residents who feared drastic parking reductions, the city of Cambridge held an open house on Tuesday to gather public feedback.
Kraft Officially Launches Boston Mayoral Campaign
Philanthropist Joshua Kraft officially announced his candidacy for Boston mayor on Tuesday — and lost no time criticizing Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 for a lack of results on her campaign promises.
Here’s How Cambridge Residents Would Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis
The affordable housing crisis has plagued Cambridge for more than a decade. As councilors have failed to reach a consensus on how to address the issue, upzoning proposals consistently occupy Cambridge City council meetings week after week.
City Council Approves Surveillance Technologies Despite Resident Pushback
The Cambridge City Council narrowly approved the Cambridge Police Department’s request to obtain two surveillance technologies amid fierce pushback from residents, but postponed voting on the purchase and use of drones by city police.
Mayor Wu Agrees to Testify Before Congress on Boston’s Status as Sanctuary City
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 announced on Monday that she will head to Washington, D.C. to testify on Boston’s status as a sanctuary city before the Congressional Committee on Oversight and Government.
Faculty Report Finds Harvard College Students ‘Do Not Prioritize Their Courses’
A Faculty of Arts and Sciences committee released a report Friday concluding that many Harvard College students self-censor when discussing controversial topics and frequently prioritize extracurricular commitments over their academics.
Joshua Kraft Set to Launch Boston Mayoral Campaign
Joshua Kraft, son of billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, has officially filed to run for mayor of Boston against incumbent Michelle Wu ‘07, who has served in the role since Nov. 2021.
Hearing Date Set For Alleged Clients of Cambridge Brothel Network
Probable cause hearings for the 28 alleged customers of a high-end brothel network across Cambridge and Watertown have been scheduled for March — and will be open to the public.
Residents Criticize New Bike Lane Proposal on Broadway
The City of Cambridge unveiled its plan to add separated bike lanes on a portion of Broadway on Tuesday — and was immediately met with criticism from residents.
Eversource Breaks Ground on Largest Underground Electrical Substation in U.S.
Eversource, a New England based energy provider, broke ground in Kendall Square on Tuesday on what will be the largest underground electrical substation in the United States.
‘A Complicated Marriage’: Cambridge Calls on Harvard to Increase Optional PILOT Payments
The city of Cambridge called on Harvard to increase their optional municipal payments at a city council meeting Monday night — after failing to reach a new agreement with the University by the end-of-year deadline.
Superintendent Recommends Closing Long-Struggling Cambridge Elementary School
Cambridge Public Schools interim superintendent David G. Murphy said he will recommend closing the Kennedy-Longfellow School, a kindergarten through fifth grade school that has suffered from low test scores and under enrollment.
Cambridge Will Consider Restoring Two-Way Traffic Along Garden Street
The Cambridge City Council unanimously passed a policy order Monday asking the city to devise a plan to restore Garden Street to two-way automobile traffic while retaining its two-way bike lanes by April 2025.
City Manager Huang Urges ‘Moderation of Growth’ to Address Budget Crunch
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 offered a playbook for addressing the city’s unsustainable budget growth in a Friday interview with The Crimson, suggesting that the city may further raise property taxes and pare back certain city services in fiscal year 2026.
City Council Requests Update to Cambridge Bicycle Plan
The Cambridge City Council unanimously adopted a policy order on Monday to request that the city update the Cambridge Bicycle Plan, a report on cycling trends and policy affecting bike lane infrastructure, for the first time in four years.
Cambridge Residents Slam Reappointment of Inflammatory Blogger to City Committee
More than a dozen residents and a City Councilor criticized the reappointment of civic blogger Robert Winters to the Central Square Advisory Committee at a Council meeting Monday, citing his history of offensive social media posts.
City Manager Says He Met Most Goals But Failed to Form Reparations Commission
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 said he had met nearly all of the City Council’s goals for him in the second annual City Manager Performance review, but conceded that he had failed to establish a commission for reparations to the descendants of enslaved people.