Ridership among regional transit authorities shot up to 2.345 million in June 2024, surpassing the pre-Covid level of 2.131 million rides in June 2019. RTA officials cheered the newly fare-free bus rides people are taking around the state.
State House News Service
Posted inState Government
Democrats redirect savings deposit to balance state budget
Lawmakers moved Monday to redirect more than half a billion dollars headed for the state’s long-term savings account and instead use it to close a budget gap and fund some additional spending.
Posted inEnergy
Offshore wind contracts put off again until after Trump takes office
The evaluation team negotiating contracts with those projects informed DPU in a letter Thursday that it will not meet Friday’s target for finishing contract talks, or the Dec. 18 target date for contract filings. The evaluation team includes the Department of Energy Resources, National Grid, Eversource and Unitil.
Posted inState Government
Long-stalled economic development bill nears finish line
More than three months after they ended scheduled formal sessions for the term without a deal in place, negotiators announced Thursday an “agreement in principle that resolves the differences between the House and Senate versions of the economic development bill.”
Posted inGambling
Sports betting hits record high in September
Bettors set their own record last month by putting about $678.75 million on the line as wagers on September sporting events. That unseats the previous record monthly handle of $658.7 million wagered on events in December 2023.
Posted inEconomy
Mass. competitiveness affected by ‘tsunami of little things’
“It’s not one factor that’s going to be the silver bullet that makes Massachusetts competitive vis a vis other states. It’s really going to be multifaceted,” said Jane Steinmetz of EY Boston.
Posted inHealth Care
Health care spending takes dramatic leap of 5.8%
Massachusetts has the second-highest family health insurance premiums in the country, and the average annual cost of health care for a family is more than $29,000 when including out-of-pocket spending, the HPC said.Â
Posted inCriminal Justice
New State Police chief promises review of training death, mum on staffing changes
Noble said Friday he had not been officially briefed on the investigation into the recruit’s death yet, but that he is aware of the situation and a deeper briefing is shortly forthcoming.
Posted inBy The Numbers
State tax revenues lag slightly behind projections
The Department of Revenue said Thursday that it collected $4.518 billion in September — $331 million, or 7.9 percent more, than what was collected during September 2023, but $29 million, or 0.6 percent, below the monthly benchmark.
Posted inState Government
Mass. begins eminent domain taking of St. Elizabeth’s
“Taking the property for a fraction of the assessed value is theft and everyone in Massachusetts–every business owner and homeowner–should be concerned about this threat,” said an attorney for the landowner.,