City Politics
Community Safety Department Director To Resign Amid Tension With Cambridge Police Department
The director of Cambridge’s Community Safety Department is resigning after more than two years in the role — the latest turn for a department that has found itself embroiled in behind-the-scenes turmoil with the city’s police department.
People’s Forum on Graduation Readiness Held After Vote to Eliminate MCAS
After a November ballot measure eliminated the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System as a state graduation requirement, officials on Beacon Hill are developing new guidelines to define graduation readiness. Cambridge and Somerville residents are working to ensure their voices are heard in the process.
Amid Uncertainties for Boston PILOT, Harvard Fails To Fulfill Payment for 13th Year
Harvard failed to fully make its requested Payment in Lieu of Taxes payment for the 13th year in a row last year, according to City of Boston data released last week.
Behind Closed Doors, A Turf War Over ‘Alternative Response’ to Policing in Cambridge City Hall
The Cambridge Police Department and the city’s Community Safety Department developed parallel ways to reimagine public safety. They’ve struggled to work together since.
CIRC Discusses Increasing Legal Aid Resources for Immigrants, ICE Protocol in Weekly Meeting
The Cambridge Commission for Immigrant Rights and Citizenship met Tuesday to discuss the challenges facing immigrants under the Trump administration.
City Employee Kerry Augustin Declares Candidacy For Boston Mayor
As he vies to become the next mayor of Boston, City Hall employee Kerry Augustin recognizes he faces an uphill battle. But it’s one that he is willing to fight.
Cambridge Housing Authority to Install Solar Panels on Affordable Housing Buildings, Despite Questions Over Federal Funding
The Cambridge Housing Authority will finance a $4.9 million investment to add solar panels to eight CHA properties despite funding uncertainty caused by the federal government.
At IOP, Mayors of Rust Belt Cities Ponder Paths for Renewal
The mayors of three Rust Belt cities across the northern U.S. came to the Institute of Politics to discuss their effort to attract jobs, capital, and people to areas that have shrunk dramatically over an era of deindustrialization, emphasizing the potential of universities and redevelopment efforts to create new growth.
Hundreds Rally to Support International Students, Cheer Harvard’s Rejection of Trump’s Demands
More than 500 Harvard affiliates and Cambridge residents gathered on the steps of Memorial Church on Thursday afternoon to rally in support of international students after the Trump administration threatened to revoke the University’s eligibility to host them.
As Wu Seeks Reelection, Residents and Officials Praise Her First Term As Mayor of Boston
Reflecting on Michelle Wu's first term as mayor, former state officials, Boston residents, and former Wu staffers said they supported the Mayor’s first-term accomplishments, and were optimistic about her reelection bid.
Cambridge Announces Bike Lane Design Plans for Main Street Safety Improvement Project
The City of Cambridge announced design plans for the Main Street Safety Improvement Project at a virtual community meeting Tuesday evening.
City Council Proposes Amendments to Update City Charter, While Avoiding Most Contentious Ideas
City councilors approved a draft of amendments to the city charter on Monday as part of Cambridge’s first decennial charter review, even as they avoided some of the most contentious recommendations that emerged.
‘Harvard, We’ve Got Your Back’: Cambridge City Council Cheers On Harvard in Fight Against Trump
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously to praise Harvard’s decision to defy the Trump administration at a Monday night meeting.
Cambridge City Council To Consider Renewing Funding for Transition Wellness Center
The Cambridge City council voted to consider renewing funding for the Transition Wellness Center at Spaulding Hospital in a 5-4 vote at their Monday meeting after a heated debate and hours of public comment.
City Leaders Increase Pressure on Harvard To Reject Trump With New Petition
Harvard’s leadership is used to handling demands from its faculty and students. But with the Trump administration’s latest threats, the University is feeling pressure from its hometown, too.
A Majority of Cambridge City Council Now Calling For Toner’s Resignation
Pressure is mounting on embattled Cambridge City Councilor Paul F. Toner to yield his seat on the Council as a majority of his colleagues are now calling for his resignation.
Billionaire Investor Gerald Chan Under Scrutiny for Neglect of Historic Harvard Square Theater
Gerald L. Chan — billionaire investor, Harvard donor, and prominent Harvard Square property owner — is under fire from City officials for the 13-year vacancy of the Harvard Square Theatre.
Michelle Wu ’07 Officially Launches Re-Election Campaign For Boston Mayor
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 officially announced her re-election campaign at a Saturday event in the South End, criticizing the Trump administration and her opponent — philanthropist Joshua Kraft — in her speech.
State Rep. Marjorie Decker Calls for City Councilor Paul Toner’s Resignation
Massachusetts State Rep. Marjorie C. Decker called on Cambridge City Councilor Paul F. Toner to resign in a Thursday statement, turning up pressure on the embattled local official to leave City Hall.
‘MegaCambridge Is Inevitable’: Cambridge City Councilor Files Policy Order to Annex Boston
The Cambridge City Council is considering annexing the City of Boston — a power grab to secure the “strategic resources” of Dunkin’ Donuts, Fenway Park, and craft beer.
Fears Over Safety of Energy Facility in Brighton Will Lead City to Adopt New Regulations
Boston’s first Battery Energy Storage System, proposed for construction in Brighton at 35 Electric Ave., has generated a wave of resident backlash to underdeveloped regulation of BESS facilities, which state officials say are necessary to achieve carbon neutrality.
Residents Call For Toner’s Resignation at City Council Meeting
For the first time since Cambridge learned of City Councilor Paul F. Toner’s criminal charges, residents were given the opportunity to publicly address the charges at Monday’s City Council meeting.
In Wake of Multifamily Zoning Ordinance, Developer Postcards Urge Residents to Sell Their Homes
A local developer’s decision to mail 1500 postcards to residents across Cambridge urging them to consider selling their homes, so a taller, higher-value one can be built seems to have given the policy’s vocal group of critics — who warned that the ordinance would be a bonanza for private developers — a small “I-told-you-so” moment.
Harvard Agrees to a 1-Year $6 Million PILOT Agreement With the City of Cambridge
Harvard University has agreed to voluntarily pay the City of Cambridge $6 million without committing to a long-term amount for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program, citing federal funding uncertainties.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu Criticizes Trump Administration in State of the City Address
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 fiercely defended the city against pressure from the Trump administration in her State of the City address last week — a move that Harvard professor Jacqueline Bhabha praised as the “right decision.”