Politics
Politics
Mass. House, by 126-19, approves the process for latest redistricting
Mar. 12, 2009
House lawmakers voted 126-19 Thursday to create a committee of House and Senate members to handle the decennial task of re-drawing the lines of Congressional and legislative districts.
The House voted 132-23 to reject an alternative plan that called for an independent, eight-member commission to take on redistricting and deliver its recommendations to the Legislature, which would have the option of rejecting them. Read more
Hart anticipates 'great material' for breakfast
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A burgeoning mayoral race. A governor who has just returned from Jamaica with his taxpayer-paid troopers in tow. And an ex-governor from several states away who is prone to swearing and allegedly calling a U.S. Senate seat a "[expletive] valuable thing."
Those are just some of the topics expected to come up with a side of corned beef during the St. Patrick's Day breakfast this Sunday at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The event is an annual political tradition held every year since about the 1940s in the city, still a stronghold for Irish-American elected officials. Read more
Hanlon tapped for appeals court
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Gov. Deval Patrick has nominated Dorchester District Court's top judge for a slot on the state Appeals Court.
Sydney Hanlon, who lives in Dorchester and is the first justice of the Washington Street courthouse, would replace retiring Judge Andre Gelinas.
Hanlon must first be confirmed by a judicial vetting panel, which is made up of eight independently elected members known as Governor's Councilors. She was easily confirmed when she went before the council in 1990, after then-Gov. Michael Dukakis nominated her to the bench. Read more
If the mayoral election were held today, who gets your vote?
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Lawmakers weigh gas tax proposal
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Amid all the hubbub in the Commonwealth over Gov. Deval Patrick's proposed 19-cent hike in the gas tax - with some business organizations calling for a 25-cent raise, state senators calling for reforms first, revenue later, and other legislators calling for less, less, less - local transit advocates are calling for more, more, more for the state's public transportation. Meanwhile, most local lawmakers are leaning toward a smaller tax increase. Read more
Dot's Holmes moves to Convention Center job
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Dorchester native Justin Holmes, who has had a high profile in City Councillor Maureen Feeney's office during her recent two-year stint as Council President, has taken a new job as director of government relations for the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority under director James Rooney.
"He certainly made my presidency a much more positive experience because of his extensive capabilities," said Feeney this week. "I'm just so happy for him. The fact that there were people vying for him in this economy really speaks volumes." Read more
Yoon launches bid, calls Menino's style 'outmoded'
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As about 200 supporters chowed down on Singapore rice noodles and boneless spare ribs, City Councillor At-Large Sam Yoon formally kicked off his mayoral run Tuesday night.
In his speech to supporters, Yoon made little mention of the 15-year incumbent, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, instead charging that the power in city politics has been concentrated in the hands of the "chosen few." He pledged to "change Boston politics forever." Read more
She says 'soul' helps leaders in crisis
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Margaret BenefielThe lessons of the still-unraveling economic crash will likely take economists and social scientists years to deconstruct. Dorchester's Margaret Benefiel, however, thinks the root cause can be summed up rather simply: Short-sighted, selfish greed. In a word, soullessness. Read more
Sam Yoon makes it official
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Calls for an elected school committee, and notes that Boston's three favorite pastimes are sports, politics and revenge.
Gonzalez says he's running for at-large seat
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Correction
In last week's story about City Council at-Large candidate Tomas Gonzalez, his former position with the Menino Administration was misreported. Gonzalez was Menino's Latino Liaison from 2002 to 2004, and chief of staff for the Elderly Commission from 2004 to 2007. Also, a clarification: political strategist Deborah Shah has conversations with but is not actually working for Gonzalez. Read more
