City Politics
Democracy Center to Close, Leaving Progressive Cambridge Groups Scrambling
The Foundation for Civic Leadership voted last week to indefinitely close The Democracy Center for renovations, leaving dozens of progressive Cambridge organizations scrambling for a new meeting space.
Cambridge Residents Slam Council Proposal to Delay Bike Lane Construction
The longstanding debate over bike lanes in Cambridge reignited Monday evening, as Cambridge residents lashed out against a proposal to extend the deadline to finish a citywide bike lane network.
‘Lost in the Shuffle’: Allston Advocates Criticize Community Benefits Process as Inconsistent, Unaccountable
As massive developments sweep Allston and Brighton, tens of millions worth in community benefit dollars are at stake. Yet, local advocates say these benefits are difficult to track and inconsistently delivered.
Cambridge School Committee Asks Superintendent Victoria Greer to Resign
The Cambridge School Committee has asked Superintendent Victoria L. Greer to voluntarily resign at the end of the school year, according to a person familiar with the situation.
City Councilors Discuss Housing Goals at Town Hall Meeting
Three City Council members endorsed by housing advocacy group A Better Cambridge stressed the necessity of involving residents in discussions around housing policy in a Wednesday virtual town hall hosted by ABC.
‘MegaCambridge’: City Councilor Calls to Annex Boston in $5,000 April Fools’ Joke
Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem has a “400-year-old grudge against Boston” — and it’s no laughing matter.
Removal of Gardner Pilot Academy Principal Leaves School Reeling
With Erica Herman gone and a new interim principal in her place, the Boston Public School superintendent wrote that Gardner Pilot Academy families and faculty could start to heal. But three months in, the school is still reeling.
Recipients of Cambridge Guaranteed Income Pilot Saw Higher Employment, Study Finds
Recipients of monthly $500 payments as part of Cambridge RISE, the city’s guaranteed income pilot program, had greater full-time employment than a control group, according to a study released Wednesday.
Boston Man Re-Enters Guilty Plea for Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine Delivery to Harvard Lab
A Boston man pled guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin — some of which was delivered to a Harvard biology lab in 2019 – on Sunday.
School Committee to Weigh Superintendent Greer’s Future in Closed-Door Meeting
The Cambridge School Committee will discuss whether to renew Superintendent Victoria L. Greer’s contract during a closed-door executive session Tuesday evening, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Cambridge Police-Alternative Team Hosts First Information Session
Cambridge’s Community Assistance Response and Engagement team discussed near-future plans for responding to 911 calls and answered resident questions at their first public information session on Tuesday.
Cambridge Residents Demand Increased Pay for Paraprofessionals at School Budget Discussion
Cambridge educators and residents demanded increased pay for paraprofessionals during a public hearing about the proposed $268 million budget for Fiscal Year 2025 at a Tuesday School Committee meeting.
City Council Puts Ending Single-Family Zoning Back on the Table
On Monday, councilors discussed a new policy order requesting that City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 direct the Community Development Department to develop zoning language that “effectively promotes multi-family housing” all throughout Cambridge.
Superintendent Greer’s Leadership Under Scrutiny Ahead of School Committee Meeting
School Committee members and residents are expected to grill CPS Superintendent Victoria L. Greer about her job performance on Tuesday amid mounting disapproval of her leadership among parents.
Federal Government Grants $335 Million for Mass. Turnpike Realignment
The federal government granted Massachusetts $335 million to partially fund the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project, state leaders announced on Monday.
Trump, Biden Sweep Massachusetts Primary Amidst Dominant Super Tuesday Showings
President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump easily won the Massachusetts Democratic and Republican primaries, respectively, on Tuesday.
Tensions Flare At City Council Meeting Over Central Square Lots Study, Starlight Closure
Cambridge City Councilors expressed frustration over the recent Central Square Lots Study during a City Council meeting on Monday.
City Council Seeks to Increase Legal Representation for Tenants
The Cambridge City Council unanimously voted in support of a policy order to increase the legal protection and right to counsel for tenants during a Monday evening meeting.
Harvard Grad Council to Co-Author Bill Subsidizing Grad Student MBTA Fares
The Harvard Graduate Council passed a resolution to co-author a bill reducing MBTA fares for graduate students in Massachusetts in partnership with State Representative Mike L. Connolly and the Boston Graduate Federation at a meeting Monday night.
City Council Supports Local Real Estate Tax, Discusses Municipal Housing Vouchers
The Cambridge City Council voted to support a tax on large real estate transactions and discussed the feasibility of municipally-funded housing vouchers during a Monday evening meeting.
Cambridge Residents’ Division over Bike Lane Expansion Continues
The debate over bike lane expansion continued to swirl in Cambridge following the release of a long-awaited economic impact report conducted by the City Manager’s Office.
Healey Under Pressure to Address Steward Health Care Crisis, Brighton Hospital At Risk
Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey ’92 is under increasing pressure to address the financial crisis facing Steward Health Care, which operates nine hospitals statewide including the Brighton-based St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.
Cambridge Unarmed Emergency Response Team to Launch in March
The Cambridge Safety Department’s unarmed emergency response team will launch in March after months of training, the director of the department Liz M. Speakman said at a Cambridge City Council meeting Monday evening.
Cambridge City Council Discusses Bike Lanes, Racial and Gender Disparities in Contracting
The Cambridge City Council passed a policy order against racial and gender disparities in city contracts and discussed a report on the economic impacts of bike lanes during a Monday meeting.
Cambridge’s Landmark Affordable Housing Policy, Explained
The 2019 election cycle in Cambridge was defined by the introduction of the Affordable Housing Overlay, an ambitious — and hotly contested — proposal to expand and expedite the construction of affordable housing across the city.