Democrats in the United States Senate, including Massachusetts’s own Elizabeth Warren, are raising the alarm about potential cuts a federal matching program for state rail corridors. Among the routes this could impact are the “Inland Corridor.” This is actually part of the route for East-West rail service between Boston and Springfield.
In what came as something of a surprise to some, Governor Maura Healey included $12.5 million for Western Mass rail work in her Fiscal Year 2024 budget. While not necessary for East-West rail between Boston and the 413, the money for work in Palmer and Pittsfield was a positive sign. Then the legislature began its budget process.
Nearly three weeks after Attorney General Maura Healey formally became governor-elect of the commonwealth, some meat on the bones of her budding administration are coming into view. Some of their choices for policy committees signal some commitment to a key promise.
Whether a gentle laying on of hands or a less voluntary conversion, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker is now a believer.
At a press event at Union Station in Springfield and alongside US Representative Richard Neal, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker endorsed a plan to establish a rail authority to oversee the implementation of East-West rail service.
Back in July, as the legislature eyed its August recess, there were signs of impending change. Senator Joe Boncore of Winthrop began telegraphing interest in a job at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council. He made the move earlier this month. Boncore is hardly the first legislator
LONGMEADOW—Some months ago, a stone-faced Senator Eric Lesser appeared on a split screen with Governor Charlie Baker during a committee hearing on the early vaccine campaign. Lesser laid into Baker, for a botched website rollout among other errors. His Excellency expressed visible frustration.
The Trans-Commonwealth Railroad is a series on the challenges and efforts to connect the length of Massachusetts by rail. Despite officials in 413 mashing the accelerator as if on a clear stretch of Pike, East-West rail entered 2021 with only muted optimism. Governor Charlie Baker,
A Fifth of Hampden is a series of profiles of candidates for Holyoke’s Next Rep HOLYOKE—Patrick Beaudry almost ran for office last year. A longish time at-large city councilor was bailing. Beaudry, home for three years after a career in state politics, had the cred
The Trans-Commonwealth Railroad is a series on the challenges and efforts to connect the length of Massachusetts by rail. The $50 million Longmeadow State Senator Eric Lesser secured in the Senate Transportation bond bill for East-West rail is unlike the previous budget orders on the
UPDATED 2/13/20 8:33AM: To identify one of the speakers based on another media report. SPRINGFIELD—On Wednesday night, supporters of added rail service between Western and Eastern Massachusetts packed a room at the UMass Center in downtown for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation first public hearing