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All posts by wmasspi

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A Marriage of Inconvenience and Politics…

The Massachusetts Senate has taken the first step to repeal the 1913 law forbidding those from out of state to be married in Massachusetts if their union would be illegal in their home state. The law was written so as not to subvert laws in

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Economizing Springfield…

A number of things have been buzzing through the air recently. Talk has been circulating about commuter rail, Union Station, and the area economy. The redevelopment of Union Station is crucial to the revival of the city and downtown particularly. Reviving it could bridge the

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Fine Lines within Political Garbage…

Mayor Domenic Sarno’s about face on the trash fee, plan to implement Pay as You Throw, and eventual retreat is in any number of ways classic politicking. Going back on promises and reversals are commonplace. Springfield should not feel unique in this regard. However, as

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Boston Beat: Urban Ring Around the Rosie…

Although the United States has not quite mustered the will to begin spending hefty amounts of money on real mass transit improvements in its densest environments, there has been the first step. More riders on Mass Transit. Admittedly those numbers are low and the New

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Oh, NO! 0-8: Obama’s O-fficial…

The Democratic Presidential Nominee is Senator Barack Obama. Yesterday, Obama earned enough delegates, between a surge in super delegate votes and victories in South Dakota and Montana, to clinch the Democratic nominee. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign, which largely expected this result, especially after the super

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Trashy Promises?…

It should hardly have been a surprise to anyone that Mayor Domenic Sarno would have been unsuccessful at removing the City’s new trash fee. The Control Board remained adamant about the issue, despite a cast change by Gov. Deval Patrick. What surprised people more was

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When Honor Doesn’t Do Justice…

A number of interesting political developments has rumbled the area’s political map: Senator Kennedy’s health and Mayor Domenic Sarno’s 180 on the trash fee, which will be discussed in a separate entry later. The return of Kennedy’s health is prompted by the recent suggestion by

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The Lion, the State, and the Senate…

Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s recent discovery of a malignant brain tumor has rocked the political world and especially his home state of Massachusetts. Both the Republican and the New York Times carried reactions from Massachusetts and National political figures. Were he unable to continue to

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Where Ethics Go to Die?…

This week the city council rejected the Ethic Ordinance proposed by City Councilors Bruce Stebbins and Pat Markey. The measure failed on a split vote of 4-4 given Councilor Kateri Walsh’s absence. Two measures were proposed, one to pass the ordinance and another to send

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Casino Debate Lives…

Well, sorta. State Senator Michael Knapik has proposed using the budget process to get the idea of casinos back on the table. You may remember the trauma and drama that Gov. Deval Patrick and Mass. House Speaker Sal DiMasi went fighting to bring gambling to