Laura Colarusso

Massachusetts is in a housing crisis. Backers of Question 7 on the November ballot say that one solution is making it easier to build single-family homes across the state. buff.ly/1nkdQM2

It's ballotmania at the polls this November. Voters will weigh in on nine policy questions with big stakes for Massachusetts. Is that democracy at its best, or a sign of a defective system of governance? buff.ly/cWM9fpb

Red Line delays are largely due to issues with the aging train vehicles themselves, according to TransitMatters. The MBTA's long-delayed project to replace the old cars – and thus improve rider service – has hit another speedbump. buff.ly/chRX4K9

Ballot Question 2 asks whether attorneys and staff with the Committee for Public Counsel Services should be able to unionize and bargain collectively; a right already available to employees in approximately 180 Massachusetts state agencies. Learn more: buff.ly/cBI6uL1

CommonWealth Beacon is collecting listener questions for an upcoming podcast episode. Leave us a voicemail at (617) 858-0510 with your name, your question, and where you're calling from. Prefer to type your question? Visit: buff.ly/I9Qwknk

In a debate on ballot Question 3 hosted by CommonWealth Beacon, both sides acknowledged Massachusetts's lack of legislative competition but offered sharply different views on how all-party primaries would affect it. buff.ly/cMZgupN

Should Massachusetts adopt all-party primaries? Join us on Tuesday, October 13, for a live debate on ballot Question 3 featuring Danielle Allen for "Yes on 3" and Jordan Berg Powers for "No on 3." Register here: buff.ly/KBsNc2b

The 2026 Massachusetts ballot guide is out, and it’s 88 pages of dense text. CommonWealth Beacon has dropped our own guide. Skimmable, digestible, and reader-friendly. Read it online, on your phone, on the T, or in line to vote. Here for you now: buff.ly/tjchIz0

Tomorrow: Gateway Cities reporter Hallie Claflin sits down with panelists to discuss Central Mass. voting trends and what these numbers could tell us about health in the region. Register for this free event: eventbrite.com/e/voting-like…

What role should state government play in health care? Mike Minogue joins Health or Consequences to share his views on health care policy in Massachusetts. The episode marks a new chapter for Health or Consequences as a standalone podcast. Listen here: buff.ly/7f79UD0

Most Massachusetts ballot questions remain too close to call, but Questions 8 and 9 are breaking away from the field, according to a new survey. Voters seem poised to retain legalized recreational marijuana and a sweeping new gun law passed in 2024. buff.ly/HPKTvMH

A 2025 survey of statewide wealth by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found a median family net wealth of $374,000. The data painted a picture of disparities, especially racial: Black families reported a median net wealth of $7,800 and White families $549,200.

The debate over housing development and market-rate units has landed in almost every Gateway City in the Commonwealth: Should Massachusetts prioritize affordable homes, or take an all-of-the-above approach to housing? buff.ly/RqLsKe5

The CommonWealth Beacon ballot guide is here. Whether you’re here for a quick rundown or a deeper policy dive, we’ve got you covered. With plenty more to come over the next two months. buff.ly/IaVy7J3

Financial reports released last week show that each of the nine ballot questions that will appear before voters this November has prompted at least six figures of spending, much of it originating from wealthy individual donors. buff.ly/Fh8trqL

If any of the nine questions on Massachusetts ballots are approved by voters, they’ll become law. But lawmakers can and very well might still make their own revisions. Chris Lisinski breaks down what happens after the votes are tallied. buff.ly/H7DIJKL

Early Intervention developmental services for children in Massachusetts end at age three. Depending on a child's eligibility, the transition that follows can leave some families without developmental support for years. buff.ly/ahT6L7f

Nine measures are in the mix for Massachusetts’s November ballot. So what happens if any of the proposals win at the polls? The answer is less straightforward than you might think. buff.ly/c0ugMbF

One of the state’s most environmentally progressive communities is restructuring its climate staff and offices. The mayor bills it an effort to “enhance” climate efforts, but some see it as a red flag for future progress. buff.ly/7dwfHqD

Gov. Healey is wading into an escalating battle between struggling rural towns along the Quabbin Reservoir and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, saying the agency should “more fully recognize” those communities. buff.ly/TYDmpZk