Debate over immigration policy has bubbled up for years at the federal level, and now the recent decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in the case of Lunn v. Commonwealth has brought it to the forefront for state legislators, too. Attention has coalesced around three bills, each touching on a similar set of issues, […]
Natasha Ishak
Natasha Ishak is the editorial intern at CommonWealth magazine. Her duties include reporting and writing on the latest policy issues happening on Beacon Hill.
Before arriving at CommonWealth Magazine, she worked as a digital intern under NOVA/PBS at WGBH. She was a reporter in her hometown of Jakarta for four years, writing up stories at The Jakarta Post - Indonesia's oldest leading English-language daily, and as a production assistant on the popular news program, the Indonesia Morning Show.
Now in her second year pursuing a master's degree in journalism at Emerson College,
she hopes to shed light on marginalized communities through stories related to politics, immigration, social justice and the environment.
Posted inTransportation
T details Foxborough, overnight pilots
THE MBTA OUTLINED on Monday the cost and benefits of pilot projects that would provide overnight bus service in the Boston area and extend daily commuter rail service to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough via the Fairmount Line. The T said its analysis indicated the Foxborough pilot would not disrupt service on the Fairmount Line or […]
Posted inTransportation
MBTA solicits proposals for bus garage outsourcing
THE MBTA ISSUED a request for proposals last Friday for its planned privatization of three bus maintenance garages located in Quincy, Lynn, and Boston, a move that has put the agency on a collision course with T unions opposed to the outsourcing. T officials said at a briefing for reporters on Monday that they believe […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Senate retreat to hear from criminal justice experts
LEADERS OF THE SENATE, including President Stan Rosenberg and William Brownsberger, the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, have made clear their support for a range of criminal justice reforms that go beyond those in legislation that resulted from a recent review of state policy focused on recidivism. On Wednesday, senators will […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story, Transportation
Free bump on the Fairmount
Even two weeks of free rides on the Fairmount Line didn’t boost traffic that much, but they did expose more people to the least-used line on the MBTA’s commuter rail system. The Fairmount Line, which connects South Station and Readville via Dorchester, Hyde Park, and Mattapan, has by far the worst ridership of any of […]
Posted inTransportation
RIDE call center operator fined $100,000
THE MBTA FINED the operator of its paratransit call center $100,000 in May for a series of contract violations that resulted in poor service for customers. The fines equaled about a fifth of the firm’s fees that month for running the call center. Ben Schutzman, the T’s director of transportation innovation, mentioned the fines against […]
Posted inTransportation
T takes go-slow approach on alcohol ads
WARY OF OFFENDING the public, the MBTA’s Fiscal Management and Control Board on Monday directed the agency’s staff to redraft an alcohol advertising proposal to reduce exposure to young transit riders. “My suggestion would be to step back a little bit and think long-term and maybe not be driven by a revenue yield,” said Joseph […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
About-face on marijuana
THERE’S BEEN A LOT of pot talk lately on Beacon Hill, as the House and Senate battle back and forth over whether changes should be made (and which ones) to the law voters approved last fall legalizing recreational marijuana. But there has also been a lot of chatter at the local level, where communities concerned […]
Posted inPolitics
May tax revenues $30m higher than expected
STATE TAX REVENUES in May came in $30 million higher than expected, but that still leaves Beacon Hill officials with a $439 million revenue shortfall to deal with before the fiscal year ends at the end of the month. The Department of Revenue reported on Monday that tax collections in May totaled $1.9 billion, which […]