TOWNIE Archives

GREENFIELD BLUES

Homelessness is not just a big-city problem in Mass

JASON PRAMAS August 7, 2018

Global warming will flood Boston. Why not move the state capital to Worcester? Many small American cities have boosterish metro research organizations that look like a cross between a public policy outfit and a chamber of commerce, and the Bay State’s second biggest urban area is no exception. The

JASON PRAMAS May 23, 2018

TOWNIE: WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

Or how tax breaks for fat cats relate to a defeat for Harvard management rats April 26, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS “Opportunity” for the few Gov. Charlie Baker submitted paperwork to the US Department of Treasury last week, according to the Republican, asking the federal government

JASON PRAMAS April 26, 2018

TOWNIE EXTRA: YASER MURTAJA, PRESENTE!

The killers of the Palestinian journalist must be brought to justice April 11, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Typically, I mainly focus on Bay State issues in this column. But I’ll make an exception this time and stand with my colleagues at the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

JASON PRAMAS April 11, 2018

TOWNIE: AIRLINES SUING, UMASS SCREWING

Corporate attack on workers rights and a corporate-style attack on UMB by UMA April 11, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS If there’s one thing I think people should do every day, it’s read the business press. Because that’s where you see how the world runs. A world

JASON PRAMAS April 11, 2018

TOWNIE: MASS REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITIES FACE MAJOR BUDGET CRISIS

Gov. Baker’s proposed cuts throw gasoline on raging policy fire February 21, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS A quarter-century ago, I lived in Lawrence for a few months. Because it was the closest place to Boston that I could find a cheap apartment on short notice. Unfortunately,

JASON PRAMAS February 21, 2018

TOWNIE: CORPORATE TAX FABLES AND COMMUNITARIAN KIDDIE TABLES

December 12, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Big local corps quiet about huge profits to come from Repub tax scheme… except GE An interesting WBUR article, “Largest Mass. Companies Are Mostly Silent On GOP Tax Plans,” asked the top 12 corporations in the Commonwealth to comment on the

JASON PRAMAS December 12, 2017

TOWNIE: UMB DRUBBING, PAWSOX GRUBBING

University cuts and a (possible) corporate scam just in time for the holidays November 27, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS UMass Boston admin lays off more staff, unions push back The neoliberal war on public higher education continues unabated in Massachusetts as the UMass Boston administration announced

JASON PRAMAS November 27, 2017

TOWNIE: TAX DELINQUENT, TAX GIVEAWAY

Crutchfield sues Mass over online taxes, unions protest Siemens Online retailer tries to duck sales taxes For a long time, the internet was like the Wild West for online sales. Companies sold products to consumers all over the US, and the feds and many states were slow to

JASON PRAMAS November 2, 2017

TOWNIE: A WORM’S EYE VIEW OF THE MASS POWER STRUCTURE+

Students at rally at Boston City Hall by NewtonCourt (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons From the guy that brings you Apparent Horizon October 18, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS The rich and powerful interests that control Massachusetts politics and the state economy have their fingers in

JASON PRAMAS October 18, 2017