City Politics
Cambridge City Council Will Form Special Committee To Consider Charter Amendments
After a meeting of the Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee become bogged down in a procedural debate, members emerged two hours later with only a resolution to create a new joint special committee — and a distinct sense of frustration.
After 2 Fatal Collisions, Cambridge City Council Calls for Stronger Truck Regulations
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously Monday to ask City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 to work with state and federal representatives to push for legislation mandating safety measures for trucks.
‘This Is What Democracy Looks Like’: Democracy Center Affiliates Rally to Protest Closing
Nearly 100 organizers, affiliates, and Cambridge residents gathered on Mount Auburn St. Sunday afternoon to protest the July 1 closing of the Democracy Center, a meeting place for activists and nonprofit organizations.
Cambridge City Council Examines Capital Spending as Cambridge Fire Department Renovations Top $77 Million
The Cambridge City Council asked City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 to provide an updated cost estimate for capital projects after the renovation of the Fire Station Headquarters reached a total cost of $77 million.
City Council Defers Bike Lane Discussion Following Friday’s Fatal Crash
The death of a cyclist in a Friday collision with a box truck was not discussed in depth at Monday’s Cambridge City Council, but is certain to add urgency and emotion to a longstanding debate over bike safety in Cambridge.
City Officials Say Charter Review’s Proposed Election Reforms Pose Legal Challenges
Cambridge City officials raised legal and practical concerns about local election reform recommendations made by the Charter Review Committee, adding further uncertainty to a process already marred by confusion.
City Council Approves Nearly $1 Billion City Budget, but Cautions Against Further Growth
The Cambridge City Council unanimously passed a nearly $1 billion operating budget and $74 million capital budget for the 2025 fiscal year without major modifications during a meeting Monday evening.
Flat Tires: How A Divisive Debate Over Cambridge Bike Lanes Left Everyone Unsatisfied
As construction slowly moves forward on bike lanes, the physical separation on a growing number of Cambridge streets has come to represent a bitter division in the city’s politics — and many in the city are at a loss for how it can be bridged.
Cambridge To Consider Developing Overdose Prevention Centers
The City Council unanimously adopted a policy order on Monday supporting state legislation to legalize overdose prevention centers statewide and asked City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 to determine the city’s “willingness to consider hosting an OPC in Cambridge.”
Council Approves Cambridge Public School Budget, Including $1 Million For Standardized English Curriculum
The Cambridge City Council voted unanimously to approve Cambridge Public Schools’ $268 million budget for fiscal year 2025, including $1 million to implement a new aligned English Language Arts curriculum across all elementary schools next fall.
MIT Police Arrest 9 Students Blocking Parking Garage in Pro-Palestine Protest
MIT Police Department officers arrested nine students involved in blocking the MIT Stata Center parking garage, the school announced in an alert to affiliates on Thursday evening.
Proposal to Abolish Single-Family Zoning in Cambridge Moves Forward
The proposal to abolish single-family zoning in Cambridge is moving forward through the City Council, heralding a radical shift in the city’s housing policy.
Cambridge City Council Passes Resolution Supporting Pro-Palestine Protesters at Harvard, MIT
The Cambridge City Council passed a resolution urging Harvard, MIT, and the Cambridge Police Department to respect the right of pro-Palestine students to protest during a Monday meeting.
Council Asks City Staff to Launch Municipally-Funded Housing Vouchers Pilot
The Cambridge City Council asked the city’s Community Development Department to work toward a pilot program for municipally-funded housing vouchers.
Cambridge City Manager Huang Acknowledges ‘Difficult Trade-Offs’ Following Contentious Bike Lane Vote
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 acknowledged the many “horrendous accidents” that have impacted Cambridge’s bikers, but said the passage of a controversial proposal to extend Cambridge’s bike lane expansion deadline reflected a need to make tough decisions on the city’s most contested political issue.
Council Endorses Bill Allowing Cities to Require Payments From Large Nonprofits, Including Harvard
The Cambridge City Council voted on Tuesday to endorse a state bill that would allow the city to require large institutions like Harvard to pay 25 percent of their assessed property value through Payment in Lieu of Taxes payments.
CPD Facing Increased Overtime Shifts Amid Hiring Shortages
Amid staffing shortages, the Cambridge Police Department is increasingly “forcing” officers to work back-to-back shifts to cover open positions.
Cambridge City Council Calls to Keep Democracy Center Open
The Cambridge City Council passed a policy order calling on the Foundation for Civic Leadership to reconsider their decision to indefinitely close the Democracy Center — a meeting house for activists and organizers in Harvard Square – at a meeting Tuesday morning.
Fare-Free Route 1 Bus Proposal Unlikely Until Fiscal Year 2026, City Official Says
A proposal to make the Route 1 bus fare free championed by Cambridge city councilors is likely off the table until fiscal year 2026, a city official said in a Wednesday memo.
Mayor Wu Says She Respects Decision of Student Groups to Withdraw Support From Harvard Talk
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 spoke out about a canceled Harvard talk scheduled for Tuesday after 11 student groups withdrew from sponsoring the event over her decision to use police to clear a pro-Palestine encampment at Emerson College
Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons Urges Caution Against Bike Lane Expansion
Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons cautioned against the rapid expansion of bike lanes at the expense of small businesses and senior citizens.
State Legislature Limits Emergency Assistance Shelter Stays
State legislators voted Thursday to pass a bill imposing a nine-month limit on families staying in state-run Emergency Assistance Shelters effective June 1.
‘Not Easy’: Cambridge Struggles Toward Carbon Neutrality
Cambridge officials do not know whether the city is on track to meet statewide emission standards by 2030 or a self-imposed goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, according to Susanne Rasmussen.
Despite Activist Pleas, Owner Says Decision to Close Democracy Center is ‘Not Changeable’
Despite impassioned speeches and protests from community activists, leaders are moving forward with plans to indefinitely close the Democracy Center for renovations.
Allston I-90 Project ‘On a Roll’ After Federal Grant, Though Final Design Remains Contentious
The transformative $2 billion highway and transit project set to realign the Massachusetts Turnpike in Allston is under a deadline and “on a roll,” according to advocates and officials involved in planning.