Mayor Marty Walsh today announced a $70-million re-do of the seven-acre brick desert known as City Hall Plaza that will include "21st century civic amenities like shady seating and gathering areas, a destination play space, public art space and an iconic water feature." Read more.
A federal court today reinstated extortion charges against two City Hall officials who allegedly leaned on the company that runs the Boston Calling festival to hire members of a particular union. Read more.
Are you missing the poetry of the late Mayor Thomas M. Menino? Are you in Boston and in your feelings? Feel like writing something other than internet comments to complete strangers? Then check out the call for submissions for the 2019 Mayor's Poetry Program, curated by Porsha Olayiwola, the newly appointed Poet Laureate of Boston:
“an Alcatraz around my neck"
Mayor Walsh today announced a set of initiatives to make Boston roads safer and less clogged that include lowering the default citywide speed limit from 25 to 20 m.p.h., dedicated bus lanes on Brighton Avenue in Allston and North Washington Street along the North End, special pickup/drop-off lanes for Uber and Lyft cars - but also rush-hour surcharges for riding in them - and free T passes for all students in grades 7 through 12, regardless of whether they're BPS students. Read more.
Mayor Walsh announced today that the city will begin to put its cash on hand in environmentally and socially conscious investments - and in local financial institutions.
The operating funds, which the city uses to pay bills, could total about $150 million a year in short-term fixed income securities of companies that have strong environmental and societal records, and about $100 million to be deposited in local banks.
On the way home after the Patriots parade this evening, Mayor Walsh spotted a car on fire on the Expressway. The Boston Fire Department reports Hizzona stayed with the driver until firefighters could arrive to douse the flames.
Anybody remember the time there was a fire in the Pru tower and Ray Flynn ran up the stairs towards it?
Mayor Walsh has filed a proposed ordinance that would let scooter companies begin lining city sidewalks with their for-hire two wheelers - as long as register with the city and promise to get their users not to block sidewalk ramps, crosswalks, fire hydrants and building entrances. Read more.
Mayor Walsh said this morning he is introducing a series of bills in the state legislature that, if enacted, would let the city increase the fees developers of commercial buildings have to pay into a fund aimed at increasing the stock of affordable housing, increase the surcharge on all property transactions for affordable housing, parks and historical preservation, ban arbitrary evictions of people over 75, give some low-income residents the right to a lawyer in eviction proceedings and give groups of tenants in buildings going condo the right to buy the building from its owner. Read more.
The Globe reports former state Rep. Carlos Henriquez as an aide to work on several issues, including reducing violence in the city.
A city spokesperson said the mayor believes in second chances and that Henriquez, convicted and expelled from the house in 2014 has long worked to support youth, reduce violence and help people with trauma.
The city announced today it's won $2.5 million worth of planning help from the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge to reduce local carbon emissions by encouraging more energy-efficient commercial and institutional buildings and increasing non-car commuting options. Read more.
Mayor Walsh and a local philanthropic family are starting a fund to provide financial support to Boston students at certain local colleges who are nearing graduation but who might be forced to drop out because of financial hardships. Read more.
— Boston Saves (@BostonSavesCSA) October 16, 2018
Mayor Walsh joined with State Treasurer Deb Goldberg today to announced a program in which the state will put $50 into a 529 college-savings account for every baby born or adopted in Massachusetts after Jan. 1, 2020. Cool idea, but the name sounds like something from an Austin Powers movie.
Future Rep. Ayanna Pressley speaks on steps of City Hall as another future rep, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, listens.
From elected officials to rape victims and their supporters, several thousand people gathered on City Hall Plaza to send a message to Sen. Jeff Flake to vote no on Brett Cavanaugh - a message he may not have heard since his scheduled 10:30 a.m. talk on another part of the plaza was pushed back to this afternoon. Read more.
Mayor Walsh announced this morning Boston is upping its 2030 housing goals by 30% - from 53,000 new housing units by then to 69,000, based on new projections that show the city's population growing to nearly 760,000 by then.
The Boston Sun reports the mayor, who once completely opposed the idea of allowing a place where people with opioid addictions could shoot up under medical supervision, told the South End Forum he has been impressed by the experience in Edmonton, where they're spread among hospitals in the city, reducing the odds of creating a single point where people would be preyed on outside. In addition to medical supervision, people are given the opportunity to sign up for programs to help them beat their addiction.
The question might be moot for now, however, because the local US Attorney has vowed to go after any medical professionals who participate in such a program.
Mayor Walsh today announced the city has sued 13 drug companies, four drug distributors - and a pain doctor now serving an eight-year federal prison sentence for handing out opioid prescriptions like Halloween candy - for the $64 million the city alleges their negligence with opioids has cost and will continue to cost Boston. Read more.
Mayor Walsh announced yesterday that the city will solicit bids next week for a consultant to develop a "municipal electricity aggregation program" that would essentially buy electricity in bulk for participating ratepayers - with a higher percentage of power coming from renewable sources than from your typical electric utilities. Read more.
Just ran into Boston mayor @marty_walsh at the Iowa State Fair.
The first thing he said? “I’m not running for president.”— Kevin Robillard (@Robillard) August 16, 2018
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